Apricot, Cranberry and Almond Spelt Oat Bars.

I spent the few days last week working on a cake for a friends 3rd birthday.  I hadn't made a cake in a few months so it was fun to get back in the groove. I have a few more cakes to work on in the next several weeks, one more thing to add to the busy list.

This past weekend we had our first trip of the season up to the cottage.   I don't know why we go this weekend every year, the bugs are terrible.  We basically go from car to boat to cottage and stay indoors for 3 days and then go from cottage to boat to car.  It is too annoying to be outside, especially for me.  I find the bugs love me and my dark hair, no matter how many light coloured clothes I wear.   I think after long cold winters, we are just so happy summer is here and we're dying to get to the cottage.   Even if we are stuck in doors it is relaxing and fun.

This was our first cottage trip with the little one.  As if we didn't bring enough baggage before, PAH!  Add baby stuff and add three more bags plus baby.   I can't imagine how that will change with a second child in the mix one day.  Maybe I need to improve my packing skills.

Since I was away the last few days with no Internet I was unable to tell you this fun news.
I’m participating in a Good Old Fashioned Recipe Blog Swap! Julie {White Lights on Wednesday}, Kelley {Miss Information} and Rachel {i love my disorganized life} have paired up 30 incredible bloggers to trade blogs for the day.

Brianna from Flippin Delicious and I will be sharing a fabulous recipe on each other’s blogs {but we can’t tell you what they are, because they’re a secret!}. Be sure to visit both of us on May 27th, we wouldn’t want you to miss out on any deliciousness!

These bars are a perfect cottage snack or anytime snack.  

Apricot, Cranberry and Almond Spelt Oat Bars.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 3/4 cup spelt oats
• 1/2 cup toasted almonds, chopped
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup chopped apricots
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 pear, grated
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Preheat oven to 350F.  Spray a 10 inch square pan wit non stick spray. 

2) In a large bowl combine oats, almond, dried fruit and cinnamon. 

3) In a large measuring cup , whisk together honey, almond milk, apple and vanilla

4) Pour the wet mixture over the dry mixture and mix until well combined. 

5) Bake for 40-45 minutes, until golden brown.   Let cool and refrigerate until firm.  Slice into squares. 

Now I know why people make their own granola bars.  So much better!

Oatmeal Yogurt Cranberry Cookies and a GIVEAWAY

So if you are not new to my blog you may have noticed it looks quite different.   It was time for a change.  I wanted something that was jut mine and unique. I connected with Sarah from Becoming Martha, this is her Etsy Shop - Cece Bella Designs.  She was so wonderful to work with - easy,  patient, creative and quick.   I am so happy with what she has done, and hope you enjoy my new pretty blog.  I will also have a new tab with a recipe index coming soon.

I got a new baking toy for Christmas and I love it.  If you have a kitchen aid mixer you need one of these.   It is a special beater blade that wipes down the sides of the bowl as it spins.

It obviously doesn't get everything but it does work quite well and it will now be my permanent blade.   Since I am so happy with my new blog design and happy with my beater blade I am GIVING AWAY TWO beater blades.   Check down below for entering.

So I love yogurt covered cranberries.  Have you tried these?  They are highly addicting, to the point I eat handfuls and then realize the bag is empty.  Dangerous.   I decided I would attempt some baking with them to see what happens.   The result is these wonderful oatmeal cookies.

12 Days of Cookies - Day 3 - Gingerbread Biscotti - Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap

It is Food Blogger Cookie Swap post time!   I love this cookie swap.  This is the second year Lindsay and Julie have organized this and it is so cool.  I can't imagine the amount of work they put into this matching everyone up but I am so glad they do.   Last year I met some great bloggers through it and this year is the same.   It is a great way to find new bloggers with out having to do any hard work to find them they are literally brought to your doorstep through cookies.

I received the following cookies this year.

Chocolate Gingerbread from Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar.  These cookies were excellent and arrived at the perfect time, just a few days after Samantha was born and ready for all her visitors.

Oatmeal Cookies from Kim @ Strawberry Ginger.   These cute little cookies reminded me of Dad's Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies.  Crunchy and nutty.  I ate three upon arrival.  Ooops.:-)

Chocolate Chunk Ginger Cookies from Lindsey @ A Running Tale.  They arrived right after my workout and I ate one right away.  Great with the chocolate chunks.

I went back and forth on which cookie recipe I wanted to send out as I was mostly thinking I wanted to send out a shortbread recipe.  While I was just looking for recipes for my other 12 days of cookies, I saw these gingerbread biscotti and after having the chocolate gingerbread from Warm Vanilla Sugar I felt I had to spread some more gingerbread love.

Gingerbread Biscotti
(adapted from Fine Cooking - Cookies)

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour (plus additional for shaping)
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Preheat oven to 350F.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment or a silpat. 

2) In your mixer bowl , add the first 7 ingredients.  Mix on low to combine. 

3) Mix in pecans/cranberries on low to just mic in. 

4) In a large measuring cup combine eggs and molasses, whisk together.  With the mixer on low slowly pour in the wet mixture.   Mix until the starts to come together in clumps.  There may be dry bits on the bottom.  

5) Pour the dough on to a lightly floured work surface and bring the dough together.   Divide into two equals parts.  Shape the dough into a log about 1 1/2-2 inches wide, 1/2 inch tall.  If the dough is sticky lightly flour your hands. 

6) Place the logs on to your prepared baking sheet, leave space for spreading.   Bake for 30-35 minutes, the top will be cracked.   Let cool on rack.  

7) Cut into slices and place cut side down onto the parchment for the second baking.   Bake to desired crispy level - probably about 10-20 minutes.  Let cool on a wire rack.

I found some cute little tins and packaged them off, not before stealing any extras.  I made some that were hard and some that were softer so that the receivers could try both. I tend to like them with a crunchy outside but softer inside.  I rather enjoyed these, makes me want to drink coffee to dip them in.

MEG's RATING : D-EEEEE-LICIOUS!

Gluten Free Irish Soda Bread

I just spent two days of work this week in training for a new reporting system - SAP.   My company has been going through the transfer for almost two years now, doing different divisions and plants over this time.  It has finally reached my division, which they saved for last because it is the biggest.  It should be interesting as the go live date is this Sunday and come Monday we will battle through new reporting, training and leaning.   Many things in this new system will be quite different and it is going to take some getting used to for a lot of folks.  I happen to be one of the lucky people who is involved in coaching and training.   Should be fun since I have barely had time to play with it myself.  Doesn't finance sound so fun?  HA!    Are you surprised I love baking now?

Yesterday was a good day at work as I got to meet Christina Marsigliese - http://www.christinamarsigliese.com/, who wrote Scientifically Sweet.  I got to try some of her desserts and got her new cookbook signed.   I will probably bake something from it this weekend so I will tell you about that and her tips in a post very soon.  

I realize that St. Patrick's Day has come and gone and no body wants to eat Irish Soda Bread anymore.   After looking at pictures from around St. Patricks everyone's bread just looked so good.  I couldn't help but CRAVE it and I had to make my own.   I decided to try a gluten free version though to continue with my GF experimenting..

Gluten Free Irish Soda Bread
(Adapted from Gluten Free Baking from the CIA)


INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups flour blend
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp (1.5 oz) butter, cold in small pieces. 
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup dried raisins or cranberries
• 1 tbsp caraway seeds
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tsp baking soda

Flour Blend  (makes 5 1/2 cups)

• 1 1/2 cups white rice flour ( I used brown)
• 1 3/4 cups tapioca starch
• 2 1/4 cups soy flour

INSTRUCTIONS: 

1) Preheat the oven to 350F. 

2) In a large bowl, sift together flour blend, baking powder and salt. 

3) Cut in cold butter. 

4) Add the sugar, cranberries and caraway seeds to the flour mixture and toss to combine. Make a well in the middle. 

5) In a large measuring cup combine buttermilk, egg and baking soda. 

6) Add the wet ingredients into the well of the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. 

7) Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.   Shape into a round loaf with out kneading. 

8) Place the dough into a small dutch oven (approx 8 in round), score the top with an X. 

9) Bake for 40 minutes or until top is nicely browned. 

I warmed up a sliced, put some honey cinnamon butter on it and I was happy.   I am always wearing of gluten free breads and their textures but this was quite good.   I would make it again. 

MEG's RATING : D-EEEE-LICIOUS!

Gluten Free Dark Chocolate Cranberry Biscotti

I don't drink coffee.   I don't drink tea.   I don't drink hot chocolate.  Why? I don't like hot drinks.  Is that weird?  Mind you I don't really like them when they are cold but I don't think anyone does.   For some reason I just can't do it.  Maybe I was burned when I was young and the fear is sitting in my subconscious.  I just can't seem to actually put the liquid to my lips.   I have tried many times and the odd day I will actually have some tea, on those days I just can't warm up or if I feel I need some healthy green tea.  I found this great apple cranberry tea when I was on my honeymoon cruise but I haven't found it here and the few packs I stole off the boat didn't last long.

I can however drink hot chocolate with a spoon if the craving suits me.  Which is also why I have no problems with soup.  I am however a huge fan of coffee in desserts,  I will put espresso powder in anything I am baking.  Case in point: the recipe below.

My lack of drinking tea or coffee however has not stopped my love for biscotti.  I like my biscotti slightly under baked so that it is not so hard.  Could be because I have no hot liquid, could be because I love soft cookies.  Either way biscotti can be a justification to eat a cookie in the morning with or with out coffee/tea.  I could drink coffee by sucking it out of the biscotti?  Uh, maybe not.

So in my continued quest to play around with gluten free, here goes nothing.   This biscotti uses a gluten free flour mixture from Gluten free for Dummies.

Gluten Free Biscotti with Dark Chocolate Covered Cranberries
(Adapted from Gluten Free for Dummies)


INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tbsp + 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups flour mixture
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 tsp espresso powder
• 1 cup chocolate covered cranberries, chopped.

Gluten Free Flour Mixture - makes 5 cups

• 2 1/2 cup brown rice flour
• 1 cup potato starch flour
• 1 cup tapioca flour
• 1/4 cup chickpea flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 2 1/2 tbsp guar gum

To make flour mixture combine all ingredients together in a container and whisk or shake together. 

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment or silpats. 

2) Heat 1 tbsp of butter in a saute pan, add almonds and toast until golden.  Stirring as needed to prevent burning.  Remove from heat and let cool. 

3) In your mixer bowl or large bowl, beat together butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla on medium until mixture is well combined and fluffy. 

4) In a small bowl whisk together the flour mixture, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder.  Add this mixture to the wet mixture, beating until just combined.  

5) Fold in chocolate covered cranberries and almonds. 

6) Transfer the dough to the prepared sheet and form dough into a log about 2 1/2 wide.   If the dough is too sticky lightly dampen your hands. 

7) Bake the dough for 20-25 minutes, or until is lightly golden on the outside.    Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes. 

8) Slice the log into 1/2 slices.   Place the slices side down, back on the baking sheet and bake another 15-20 minutes, flipping half way through.  Remove from oven and cool.  Store in an airtight container. 

Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside.    Who needs coffee or tea, I could eat this any time of day.  (P.S - the coffee in the picture is not for me)

MEG's RATING : D-EEEE-LICIOUS!

Pin It

12 Days of Cookies - Day 5 - Florentines & The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap

Today's cookies are not just day 5 cookies, they are my cookie swap cookies.  When I saw the Great Food Blogger Cookie swap through Love and Olive Oil.   I signed right up.  How cool was this idea,  a cookie swap across two countries.  It is crazy.   It is a great to meet new bloggers and find new amazing blogs.   The best part 3 dozen different cookies showed up at my door.   I got so excited every time a box arrived I ripped it open immediately 

These are the cookies I  received : 

1) Haystack Butterscotch Cornflake Cookies from K&K Test Kitchen

2) Nutella Coconut Haystack Cookies from Cravings of a Lunatic

3) Pistachio Cranberry Biscotti from The Bold Baker

They were all absolutely delicious!!

The tricky thing with sending cookies across the country is you have to make sure they will hold up and not fall apart.  I also wanted to choose something that wouldn't go stale, knowing the mail could take longer than I wanted. I have never made florentines before but always have wanted to try them.   They have so many amazing attributes - fruit, nuts and caramel.   

(Adapted from Cuisine Holiday Cookies)

INGREDIENTS:

Crust

• 3/4 cup (6 oz0 unsalted butter
• 3 egg yolks, room temperature
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup gluten free all purpose
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp orange zest

Filling

• 3 oz unsalted butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 cup sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries 
• 1/2 cup dried apricots or dried cherries
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 1/2 cup bittersweet or semi sweet chocolate

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Preheat oven to 350F.  Line a 10 inch square pan with parchment and spray with non stick spray. 

2) In a large bowl or mixer bowl beat together butter and egg yolks until combined, a few minutes.   Add brown sugar and 1 tsp zest until light and creamy.   

3) Add flour and salt and blend until just combined.  Spread the dough in to the pan with an offset spatula.   Bake crust until golden, about 15 minutes.   Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.

4) Make the filling: Heat butter, sugar, cream and honey over medium heat. Continue to cook until a candy thermometer reaches 240F, about 5 minutes. 

5)  Remove from heat and stir in almonds, zest and dried fruit.  Pour over cooled crust. Bake 15 minutes @ 350F.

6)  Allow bars to cool on a wire rack.  Ensure bars are completely cool before cutting.  Sliced in your desired size and shape.

7)  Heat the chocolate over a double boiler until completely melted and smooth.    Drizzle over bars through a piping bag or loosely with a fork.

I hope all my recipients liked the Florentines.   I sure did.  Chewy, crunchy and sweet, these cookies are the entire package.  I made two batches of these.  One with dried cherries and dried cranberries and one with dried apricots and dried cranberries.   I mailed a mix of both to each person.   If you are not a huge fan of orange zest, leave it out.  This can be a strong taste.

A huge THANK YOU  to Julie and Lindsay  for organizing the cookie swap and to the three ladies who sent me awesome cookies.  I can't wait to see all of the cookies people made and  I look forward to next years,

MEG's RATING: D-EEEEE-LICIOUS

Pin It

Day 4 - M&M Rice Krispie Cookies

Cranberry Apple Crumble Squares

I don't bake too often with cranberries.  At least not too often with fresh cranberries, dried I have used many times.    I don't usually notice them in the grocery store when I am walking through.   The other day though they caught my eye and I bought them.   I didn't really know what I would do with them when I got home, I had not thoought that far in the process.  I just knew I wanted them.    So to be honest they did sit in my fridge for over a week.  Every time I opened the drawer they secretly whispered "bake with me."

In my efforts to get all my food magazines re-organized I started to go through them, trying to figure out why I saved them and tearing out the recipes I wanted to keep.   In this process I came across the above mentioned Cranberry Apple Crumble Squares.  The picture of these squares was so just bright and colourful.  This recipe will be my first attempt with fresh cranberries.   Tuesday night I was all set to bake and realized the recipe called for leftover whole cranberry sauce. I didn't have that so I improvised and made my own version.

(Adapted from Food and Drink)
INGREDIENTS:

• 1 large apple
• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 1/2 lemon - juiced
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup unbleached all purpose
• 3/4 cup quick oats
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter

Sauce

• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp water
• 1/2 tbsp cornstarch

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Make the sauce : Combine 1 cup fresh cranberries, granulated sugar, 1/4 cup of water in a small saucepan.  Heat on medium until cranberries begin to pop and become more liquid.  In a tiny bowl whisk together cornstarch and water and add to the cranberry mixture.   Whisk together and stir until mixture begins to thicken.  Reduce heat to low and cook a few more minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.

2) Spray with non stick spray or grease a 8 inch square pan.  Preheat oven to 350F
3) Peel, core and slice the apple.  Combine with cranberries, sauce, granulated sugar and lemon in a medium bowl.  Toss together.

4) Combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, mix together.  Blend in the butter with your fingers until crumbly. Mixture will appear darker.

5)  Press half the mixture into the bottom of the pan.  Cover the base with apple/cranberry mixture.

6) Add the remaining crumble over the top of the fruit, pressing down gently. It will not cover the fruit completely.

7) Bake until top is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting.  Store in the refrigerator.

My first fresh cranberry attempt was a success.   I was really happy with the sauce as well.  It was tart and sweet, just like the bars.   I am definitely going to experiment with making sauce again for the holidays.  

I still have a cup of cranberries left though.   What do I bake with them? Any suggestions?

MEG's RATING : D-EEEEE-LICIOUS!

Apple Cranberry Bourbon Strudel

Week 2 of Apples consisted of more Macintosh and Spartans.  Going into to the week I had no idea what I was going to do with the apples.  The thing with being the work baker is that when co-worker's have birthdays come around there is an unspoken but expected rule that I should bake something.    I did however have several things going on this week, so I was tight on time and ingredients.   I get home on my day of baking to find out I only had 1 egg when I thought I had several. Uh-Oh, what to bake now?   I could make an apple crisp but I wasn't really in the mood for that and I knew I would be baking one for Thanksgiving.  I aimlessly stood with the refrigerator door open, nothing.  Opened the freezer door, shifted some things around.... well Hello, frozen puff pastry.  That will do in a pinch.   Apple strudel with puff pastry it is.   How could I kick this up a notch and put some life in to this strudel?   One - I will add some cranberries and walnuts, Two, I will add some bourbon!

INGREDIENTS: 

• Puff Pastry, thawed  (200g)
• 5-6 medium apples, peeled, cored, sliced
• 2/3 cup cranberries
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp bourbon
• 1/3 cup walnuts
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup oats

INSTRUCTIONS:

1)  Place the cranberries in a measuring cup.  Add 1/4 cup bourbon and enough warm water to cover the cranberries.  Allow them to re-hydrate for at least 5 minutes.

2) Sift the sugar, flour and cinnamon over the apples in a medium-large bowl and toss together.  Sifting the flour with the sugar and cinnamon prevents it from clumping on the apples.

3) Heat a medium sized pan/skillet on medium-high, drain cranberries.  Add apples and drained cranberries to the pan to soften apples slightly.   Add bourbon, saute 2 minutes to release the alcohol and thicken.  There should be very little liquid left by the time you need to add the oats.   Add oats and walnuts and stir to combine.  Remove from heat.

4)  Roll out the puff pastry to a rectangle, about 2 1/2  ft by 1 ft 4 inches.    You want enough width across to place the apple mixture in the middle and have about 3 inch slits up the side to cover the mixture.
Using a pastry cutter/wheel, cut slits up each side, about an inch thick and 3 inches long.   It doesn't have to be exact, just enough to wrap over.
5) Place the filling in the center of the dough, where there are no slits.

6) Once you have placed all the filling in the center, begin to wrap the filling with the tabs you created starting at one end.  Work your way to the other end crossing the tabs over each other covering most of the mixture leaving small openings for air release.  Tuck the ends in so they are sealed and no filling can leak out.

7) Combine egg and 1/4 cup of water in a measuring cup and whisk together to create an egg wash.   Brush the outside of the strudel with the egg wash. Sprinkle coarse or granulated sugar, which ever you have over the strudel
8) Bake for 45 minutes on parchment paper or a silpat, the outside is fluffy and golden brown.

This is a great recipe in a pinch.  It is pretty quick to put together with some great flavour.   The puff pastry is flaky and buttery and you get a lot of great texture from the apples, cranberries and walnuts.  You don't always have to bring cake when it is a birthday.  My co-workers were quite happy with this beautiful fall dessert.   They also enjoyed it since puff pastry makes you also think of croissants and turnovers,  they could easily call this breakfast and take a slice before noon.

MEG's RATING: D-EEEE-LICIOUS