Muffins, again.

     This Tuesday, in baking lab, we made some more muffins. The last time that we made them, we used buttermilk. We were the only group that got to use buttermilk, then. This week we all used buttermilk and instead of blueberries, this time we used dried cranberries in our group. The muffins turned out pretty well! We also used the creaming method, to make sour cream muffins, and chef coached us through the process, using the kitchen aid mixers. It's a lengthy process, and in the end, it is so worth it. What your result is, is a moist, and fluffy muffin that was almost to die for. I don't think anything can compare to the sour cream muffins and I am going to definitely be making some of these at home. Yum-Yum!

     Chef also made a fresh batch of streusel topping, using only sugar, flour and butter. It tasted similar to an unbaked sugar cookie dough.

     Thanks to another group, who did not measure properly, we got to see the results of that. What was left was a sunken/concave of a muffin. They browned up nicely, though they did not have a crown. Those would have been beautiful muffins had they risen properly!
It's definitely interesting to see what can happen, and what result's you achieve with various ingredients in place of. I'm loving it more and more.


Here's our pan of sour cream muffins with streusel topping.

Whew!

The past 2 weeks have been a whirlwind of excitement and sickness. I haven't hardly had time to breathe, much less blog! I have learned SO MUCH, already, and I'm hungry for more.

I am having fun with my classmates. The above photo is from our first day actually baking, in bakery lab. Those are country biscuits. Man, were they good! So easy to make, too. Who knew?!?!

This is 2 of my classmates, Joe and Shanna. They are part of my group in baking lab. The photo's include the 4 of us :)

Today, we made blueberry muffins, and chocolate chip muffins (because Troy is allergic to blueberries ;)  )

I hope to have more and more pictures to share here on the ol blog, real soon.

French Macarons-Chocolate

 Anyone with culinary knowledge knows how difficult making "real" French macarons can be. In fact, they can be downright difficult, to the point of failure. Successful macarons have perfect "feet" and are light & airy. The outer cookie is a bit crunchy, while the inside is chewy. I am in no way a macaron expert, nor am I a baking expert, yet, somehow I managed to make these delightful little morsel's successfully. This is the recipe that I used and my macarons came out perfect.
The first task was to make the almond "meal", or flour. This was the first time I'd ever made it. I had heard that it was also a daunting task. I ground my almonds in my food processor, sifted them, then ground in my blender, sifted again, then ground them in my food processor a last time before my final sifting. I also added my cocoa to the mixture, to be safe. I followed the recipe exactly. My opinion is, this recipe is fool-proof ;)
Here are some photo's as I went along with the recipe. In the next to last, and last, you can see the "feet" that I spoke of. I hope that you'll try making them on your own!

No Reservations?

 I have been a long time fan and avid watcher of Anthony Bourdain. There's something mesmerizing about him, something intriguing about his demeanor, the sheer smokiness of his voice pulls me in, every time. I used to watch show after show of his No Reservations, on TV. To say that he's a bad boy chef, in an understatement. He curses at every-other-word, smoke's like a chimney and drink's like a fish, to boot. Oh and lest I forget he oddly mentions, very freely, his day's of ol where he was a drug user.

 Now, he's taken to verbal assault's on Paula Deen. I'm pissed.
It's called cyber bullying and most people don't take it too lightly.

 I like Paula Deen. She remind's me of my grandma, and me, and that isn't all.
Like us she cook's good ol' southern food, from the heart. Often times her son's are with her, and even her grandson, her husband and other people she hold's dear to her heart, while she is taping her show's for Food Network. I like it. A lot.
I will be the first one to admit that lately, I have questioned the fact that she's cashing in on everything. Then, I get to thinking how I'd do the same damn thing, if I were her! Why is it so wrong? Don't we see every Kardashian on every magazine, website, TV channel, selling something? I know I do! Shoes, clothes, diet pills! You name it!

 So what if she waited 3 years to tell the world she has diabetes. What if she'd never told the world? How is it any different, now that you know she has it? And, the bigger question is, HOW IS IT ANYONE'S BUSINESS IF SHE DOES???????
I could care less, to be perfectly honest, and I will continue watching her show!
 Bourdain lost a true fan today, me. I know that he won't just miss the one fan but, ask yourself this: How many other's feel the same as I do? Hmph.

Pizza...anyone?

I don't know what has gotten into me the last 3+ years. I packed away my bread machine, which I just so happened to adore, some years ago and I forgot all about it. Until last week. I broke that puppy out and I have been making a plethora of bread, for day's. We've had pizza, twice, we've had country white bread, we've had parmesan garlic bread. All in a week? Yes!
I love making homemade bread's but let's face it, it's time consuming. I have no patience for the whole, mix-rise-knead-punch down-let rise again process and frankly, my bread machine bread tastes just as good, to me, as any hand-made bread!
My guy's just happen to love pizza. Today my son said, "Mom, I love you....thank you for taking out your bread machine again", after I'd just made 2 fresh pizza's.

I thought I would share my pizza dough recipe here, it's so wonderful and so easy!

**I always add liquids, then solids to my bread machine. That's the way that I read to do it when I first got my machine so I carried on with it. To be 100% honest, unless you're using a timer, to put off the actual mixing of the ingredients, I don't see the biggie.
Be sure to do this according to your direction's (unless, like me, you don't care!)**

1C. water
1 tbsp. olive oil (EVOO makes a more flavorful crust, use what'cha got)
1 tsp. salt (I use kosher, it's all I buy)
3C bread flour (If you want whole wheat crust: use half wheat, half regular flour)
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast. (I even have some that says it's for pizza dough, specifically) If you use rapid rise, it won't matter.

Set your machine to dough and let 'er rip!

**I usually let mine sit for about 30 minutes after the buzzer goes off, to let it continue to rise. Then, I punch it down, right in it's pan and let it rest a few minutes before I remove it from the pan. I use floured hands, it's a sticky job!**

The rest is up to you....roll it out...use your hands to smoosh it around...whatever, it's all up to you! Topped with fresh ingredients, it will melt in your mouth!

Till next time...do good thing's!