BIZZY BAKES

We are baking loaves for a really interesting event - Handmade loaves (a seasonal blogging event).  This is the brainchild of Di's Kitchen Notebook .  You still have time to get in your loaf, in the next few days.   There will also be a Virtual Cookie Exchange in December. I had loads of plans for unusual loaves but the Jewish holidays took precedence and I did not have time to fool around with recipes. This Breakfast bread sounds like a good one to share. If you would like a change of pace, turn the meal into quick bread. Breakfast Loaf - (adapted from Quick Cooking – 2003) Breakfast Loaf Ingredients:  6 eggs  3/4 cup milk 1 teaspoon spicy mustard 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese 4 ounces Monterrey Jack cheese, sliced in slivers 1/2 red pepper, chopped 1/4 large red onion, chopped 6 cherry tomatoes, cut into halves Method: Preheat oven to 350 degree...

It looks like, I am back to using apples, in my baking.  I can't resist them.  This time, I needed one cup's worth but I cut up more than that.  What could I do with them?  Of course, eat them. Apple Bars Ingredients 1/2 cup Hazelnut oil or Canola oil 1 cup white sugar 1 egg 1 cup gluten-free flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 cup apples - peeled, cored and finely diced 1 cup chopped walnuts Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F . Grease and flour 8x8 inch baking pan. In a large bowl, mix melted butter with sugar and egg. Mix in flour, baking soda, and cinnamon, and then stir in apple and walnuts.  Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake for approximately 40 minutes, or until a small knife inserted in the center comes out clean. The knife came out, perfectly clean, but the middle of the cake did not look done.  I put it back for four minutes, just to make sure and it turned out OK.  I do...

I, very much want to get across that this is a baking linky and most of us, if we have an oven, bake a lot more than sweets.  I am thrilled with the baked desserts, we are getting but feel free to expand to anything that is baked. A simple baked potato has merit, a lot of merit, in my opinion.  I love baked potatoes and we know the variations that surround them.  There is the plain baked potato served with butter or sour cream with chives or parsley or whatever you like.  Then, we can stuff it back into its skin or we can double bake it.  We can add a delightful salsa to it.  I am sure you all have your idea of what to do with a baked potato.   Just like you bake your cake and then fill it or frost it.  Maybe, sprinkle some sugar on it.  Maybe break it into pieces and make cake balls.   Please bake those cookies, pies and cakes but also bake that potato or that pudding,  kugel, or quiche.  Let's diversify but please do ke...

I think the term, matzah balls or matzo balls is better known than kneidlach but they are one and the same and they are good.  Some people like them soft and others like them hard.  I believe the majority favors the soft but not me.  I pack in the matzah meal to make sure they are hard.  This time, in respect to our company, I added some seltzer which makes them lighter.  I still managed to taste a little (actually 3 whole ones).  These could be a weakness, so easily. I serve these in homemade chicken soup and that makes a wonderful combination.  I could eat them plain, just as well. Kneidlach   (recipe comes from matzah meal package) (I tripled the recipe) Ingredients: 1 cup matzah meal 4 eggs, beaten 3/4 cup water   (I added 1/4 cup seltzer and cut the water to 1/2 cup) 1/4 cup Oil salt and pepper to taste Method: In a large bowl mix the matzah meal, eggs, water, seltzer, oil, salt and pepper.  Cover with plastic wrap a...

This week is truly unusual because of the Jewish holidays.  It is a time where families build a temporary dwelling to specification and eat in for the holiday.  Some men sleep in it, as well.  Here are some photos, I found online.                   We begin eating in the sukkah on Wednesday night.  On the days that are festivals, we eat two major meals in the sukkah which means we have 6 meals and an extra meal on the Sabbath.  We cook for 7 large meals which keeps us busy. Tonight, Monday and Tuesday are normal meals in the house but frankly, who feels like cooking when we want to cook for the holidays.  I will do the best I can with the plan but it is hard to be organized for the holidays, at this point. Photos below are from Photobucket Sunday - Spaghetti and browned chopped meat Monday - Noodles with ricotta and broccoli Tuesday - Leftover chicken and rice casserole Wednesday ...

Time for another opportunity to cook in the Secret Recipe Club.   This was the brain child of Amanda from Amanda's Cookin'  and as I am sure you have seen, it has taken off like wildfire, presently with 4 different large groups. My recipe came from Cupcake Muffin .  I have been to Sara's blog a number of times before receiving her blog  to find my secret recipe.  She has a variety of recipes and they are just right for me.  This is such a good match.  I decided to check out a number of recipes so I could take a good look at what she is doing.  A number of times, I picked my recipe but talked myself into looking further.  When I got to this bread, I knew it was right.  After making a number of apple dishes, I was ready for pears and hubby loves pecans.  A match made in Heaven....   Thanks Sara. Pear-Pecan Spice Bread  (adapted from  The Kitchen Sink Recipes , original recipe  here ) (the only change I m...

Mangia Mondays    " What do I eat before a fast," is quite a question to answer.  In the Jewish calendar, there are two long fast days (25 hours without drink or food).  I am now, referring to Yom Kippur, known as the Day of Atonement.  It is a day of prayer and of course, no ingesting.  It should be a difficult day but I never find it so.  By the end, I am completely uplifted.  (As a point of information, there are other shorter fasts.) I take what we eat and drink before the fast seriously and weigh out all choices.  We need fillers and we need food with little spice so that we are not thirsty.  I came up with a pretty good meal, in my humble opinion, for out family and guests. My youngest daughter made chicken in a mild duck sauce.  I made the sides and salads and I bought dessert.  (The latter is a secret)  For one of the sides, I made this Scalloped Potatoes and Onions, originally a Taste of Home recipe. ...