Monthly Archives: June 2010

Choosing a Baking Pan

05 Saturday Jun 2010

Posted by in choosing a baking pan, dark finish, dull finish, shiny finish

≈ Leave a comment


When it comes to baking different foods, the finish can make all the difference in the world.

For baking cookies, a shiny finish will give you the best result. Your pan should be with no or very low sides to allow the heat to fully surround the cookies.

For baking brownies, breads, and cakes, a dull finish is the best.
A shiny finish reflects the heat and is a poor conductor.
A dark finish will cause the baked goods to cook much faster than it should.

Pies bake best in a dark finish. They also do well in Pyrex, ceramic, and stone.
Shiny pans don’t produce the best crust. They don’t really brown and don’t seem to crisp up as well on the bottom.

If all you have is a pan with a dark finish, decrease the baking temperature 25 degrees for cakes and breads.
For cookies, they may cook faster so check them a few minutes before the first baking time stated in the recipe.

For baking pies in a shiny pan: one way to make the bottom crust crisp up well is to preheat the oven with a baking stone or a cookie sheet and bake the pie on that.
It will still have a lighter crust, especially if it is a shortening crust.
If you have shiny cake pans they will still make a good cake, but when it comes time to get news ones, buy ones with a dull finish.

Mini Meatloaves

05 Saturday Jun 2010

Posted by in ground beef, main dish recipe, mini meatloaves, Recipe

≈ Leave a comment


Mini meatloaves are one of my favorite meat foods. There isn’t much to making them.
You can mix them up and bake them all in an hour.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Lightly grease a 9″ x 13″ baking pan.

Ingredients:

1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup oatmeal, preferably quick cooking but regular works too
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound ground beef
2/3 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1-1/2 teaspoon mustard

In a bowl mix the egg, milk, cheese, oatmeal, salt, and ground beef.
Form into 8 loaves and put into baking pan.
In another bowl combine the ketchup, mustard, and brown sugar. Spoon that over the mini meatloaves.
Bake uncovered for 45 minutes.

Serve.

Making Chocolate Curls and Chocolate shavings

02 Wednesday Jun 2010

Posted by in chocolate curls, chocolate shavings

≈ Leave a comment

Using chocolate curls and chocolate shavings as a garnish is a simple way to make a dessert look very elegant.

To make the curls you will need a vegetable peeler or a paring knife.
To make shavings you will need a paring knife, preferably serrated.

You will also need either gloves or something to wrap around the chocolate to keep the heat from your hand from making the chocolate soft.

Take a piece of chocolate, either a candy bar or a square of baking chocolate and put it in the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes prior to shaving it or making curls.

Now, to make the curls, run the peeler or knife along the edge as if you were peeling a potato. As you peel it, the chocolate will naturally curl.
If the chocolate starts to soften, stick it in the fridge to firm up again.

To make shavings, use your knife to cut through the chocolate, getting as close to the edge of the bar as possible. If it is cold and firm enough, the chocolate should come off the bar in little shavings.
Just like making curls, if the chocolate starts to soften firm it back up in the fridge before shaving anymore.

Make sure to have the gloves on or something protecting your hand from the chocolate. You might think, you don’t want to make much so the chocolate won’t soften or melt, but it does not take long.

Rhubarb Cookies

02 Wednesday Jun 2010

Posted by in rhubarb, rhubarb cookie, rhubarb cookie recipe

≈ Leave a comment


You can never have too many rhubarb recipes.
I take them whenever I can find them.

These cookies are super soft.
So, if you like rhubarb and soft cookies, these are for you.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
You will need 2 or 3 ungreased cookie sheets.

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup chopped rhubarb
1/2 cup raisins-optional

Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar in another bowl.
Add the egg.
Stir in the rhubarb.
Add the flour mixture and than the raisins.
Drop by spoonfuls or cookie scoops onto cookie sheets.
Bake 12-15 until lightly browned.
Cool on the cookie sheets about 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack.
Makes 30-36 cookies.

3 egg white Meringue

01 Tuesday Jun 2010

Posted by in meringue recipe

≈ Leave a comment


This is a recipe for a meringue for pies.

You will need a mixer for making this.

Ingredients:

3 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
6 Tablespoons sugar

In a large mixing bowl combine the room temperature egg whites, vanilla extract, and cream of tartar.
Beat with a mixer on medium speed about a minute until soft peaks form.
Add the sugar a tablespoon at a time, beating on high.
Beat for about 4-5 minutes until stiff peaks form.
Spread over hot pie filling and seal to edge of pastry.
Swirl the top to make it really pretty.
Bake in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 15 minutes.
The meringue will be lightly browned.

Tips for Making a Really Great Meringue For Your Pie

01 Tuesday Jun 2010

Posted by in baking pie, meringue, tips

≈ Leave a comment



Making a meringue for a cream pie can be intimidating, but it really is pretty simple.

You can find different recipes for making meringue.
They are pretty much the same.

But no matter the recipe, there are some things you can do to make sure your meringue comes out great every time.

First thing is to make sure you have ABSOLUTELY no yolk or shell or any bit of fat in the bowl you are using to make the meringue.
The whites need to be free of fat to get fluffy and white like you want.

Let the egg whites warm up to room temperature before beating them. The will get bigger if they are at room temperature.

When it comes time to add the sugar, add it slowly. Just one tablespoon at a time. If you add too much sugar too soon, the egg whites don’t hold up as well and the meringue will not be as smooth and velvety.

Make sure the meringue is beat to very stiff peaks.

When putting meringue on pie, make sure the pie filling is hot.
Also make sure to seal the filling in well with the meringue.
If it isn’t sealed in well, the meringue will end up shrinking and than weeping.

Homemade Hamburger Buns

01 Tuesday Jun 2010

Posted by in bread baking, hamburger buns, Recipe

≈ Leave a comment

I know you are probably thinking why make hamburger buns when they are just so easy to buy.

For a few reasons.
You have the ingredients to make the buns and want hamburgers but have no hamburger buns in the house.
You just feel like making them.
The taste. I love homemade buns over store bought anytime.

The dough comes comes together pretty quickly.
And if you are lucky enough to have a stand mixer with a dough hook it will come together even quicker and easier.

With rising times, mixing time, and baking time it will take about 2 hours.

Ingredients:

4-1/4 to 4-3/4 cups flour
1 package(2-1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1 cup milk
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter or shortening
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 beaten eggs

In a large bowl mix the yeast with 2 cups of the flour.
In a medium saucepan heat the milk, sugar, salt, and butter just until butter almost melts.
Add the milk mix and eggs to the flour and yeast.
Beat with a mixer on medium for about a minute. Scrape down sides and beat on high speed for 3 minutes. If you have a stand mixer, beat for a couple minutes on medium speed.
If you have the stand mixer or mixer with a dough hook, add the rest of the flour, switch to the dough hook and knead the dough til velvety smooth.
Otherwise, after beating the dough on high speed stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead til dough is smooth and elastic. That will take about 5 minutes or so.
Grease a large bowl and put dough into it.
Cover and let rise until double in size.
That will take about an hour.
Punch down the dough. Let rest for 10 minutes.
Divide the dough into 12 pieces and shape into balls.
Grease a couple cookie sheets.
Put the balls onto the cookie sheets and flatten the balls into buns about 4″ across.
Cover and let rise for about 30 minutes until they are double in size.
While the buns are in their final rise preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Bake the hamburger buns for 12-15 minutes until golden in color.
Cool on a wire rack.

These freeze really well.