Rhubarb and Raspberry Galette - Messy Baker Monday

Have you heard of The Messy Baker?    She is a fellow Canadian food blogger,  who cooks and bakes delicious and beautiful dishes and treats.   She also happens to have an amazing cookbook coming out that will tempt you even further.   Her book is full of appetizers, mouth watering baked goods and showstopping desserts.   This is honestly one of those books where you scroll through and if you were to mark the pages of things you really wanted to make with paper, there would paper flaps hanging out of almost every page.

Several bloggers and I have all gotten together to tease you with some of the wonderful dishes from her book.   If you like what you see I highly suggest you put The Messy Baker on list of cookbooks to purchase you will not be sorry.

This recipe for Rhubarb & Raspberry Galette with Fragipane was delightful.  The recipe uses one of her versions of No Fail pastry crusts.  I did the one with butter and it was so easy and perfectly flaky.   Next on my list to make from this cookbook is the Mushroom, Leek and Gruyere Tart or the Cherry and Lemon Macaroon Meringues,  which you can see below.

Check out the links from my fabulous blogging friends to see more Messy Baker delights.  If you want to see all the recipes though you are going to have to pick up a copy of this book for yourself.  Buy Now!

Whiskey Kissed Pecan Pie
Blueberry Lime Cornmeal Muffins
Chili Cheese Twists
Cherry & Lemon Macaroon Meringues
Ginger and Vanilla Scones
Piglet Muffins with Caramelized Bacon
Profiteroles
Double Stuff Uber Oreos
Basil & Aged Cheddar Scones // Deep Dark Cherry and Chipotle Brownies
Pecan Cheddar Bites
Tomato/Arugula Stuffed Focaccia
Smoked Paprika Corn Fritters
Welsh Griddle Cakes

Banana Recipe Round up

Did you get any pregnancy cravings while you were pregnant?    I don't remember too many with my first.   I did enjoy a few more things that I would have normally ate, like a few more poutines and nachos but otherwise I still ate quite healthy.

For baby #2 it is pretty much the same, I am having a few indulgences but still aiming to stay on track.    My craving this time around though is banana baked goods.  I could literally eat banana bread every day.  Oddly,  I am not actually craving real bananas, just banana baked goods.  I have never been a pure banana lover.  Even now I really only eat the excess of what my little one doesn't it to give baby #2 some potassium.
There is a cafeteria in a building across the street from my work and I swear they make the best banana bread I have EVER had!  I can guarantee it is not healthy and potentially soaked in melted butter after it is baked but honestly BEST EVER! It is dangerous really.   I tend to treat myself maybe once a week with it and for the rest of my cravings I go to recipes that are a bit more figure friendly like my Gluten Free Almond Banana Bread.

Since I need to mix up my banana baking and try some new recipes I have asked some blogging friends and scoured the web for some delicious banana baked goods and created this round up for you.  Some healthy, some not, but all 30 Banana recipes will satisfy any banana craving.

Enjoy!

Banana Nut Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting	Chocolate Malt Banana Cakes	Brown Sugar Banana Bread
Banana Fluffernutter Muffins	Banana Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache	kinny Nutella Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Banana Spice Oatmeal-Walnut Streusel Muffins	Gluten Free Almond Banana Bread	Brown Butter Banana Peanut Butter Cookies
Honey Banana Poppy Seed Bread	Banana Bread Waffles	Super Soft Banana Bread
Peanut Butter Banana Brownies	Banana Lentil Muffins	Banana Pancakes
Brownie Crumble Banana Bread	Chocolate Banana Cake Bars (Vegan + Gluten-free)	Blueberry Banana Almond Baked Oatmeal
Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting	Double Chocolate Muffins with Banana Cream	Banana Chocolate Chip Bars
Brown Butter Banana Donuts	Healthy Banana Bread	Purple Ribbon Banana Bread
Biscoff Banana Bread	Banana Split Cheesecake	Easiest Banana Bread Ever
Strawberry Banana Bread	Healthy Banana Bread Recipe *Egg Free	(Almost!) Fat-Free Pumpkin, Banana & Butterscotch Whole Wheat Bread

InLinkz.com

Almond Joy Cheesecakes

This past weekend I made 120 cupcakes and a mini 6 inch cake for a wedding, and two weeks ago I made a 3 tier lemon coconut cake for a wedding.  So October has been busy.  My next cake with be for my little ones FIRST birthday. What? First birthday already! Where did this year go?  I cannot believe in it less than a month it will be here.  I have sent out the invites but now I need to start planning decorations, food, loot bags.. am I missing anything?

Strawberry Almond Tart

I went strawberry picking twice this year.  It was hard not too really.  I left the first picking with at least 4 litres of strawberries and they tasted soooo good. I knew they would not be enough.  I froze over half of the first batch, ate some and then used some for a cake.  I went picking with a friend and we just sat the babies on the side of the patch and they just watched us, played and tried to eat the hay on the side of the patch.  The first picking was also the first time my little one has strawberry.  It was pretty cute.  She just numbed it down with her gums.  The second time I went with my SIL and niece and nephew.  This batch which was another 4 litres was brought to the cottage, eaten by 8 of us in a fruit salad and then made into this delicious tart.

Love local fruit. I am hoping to go raspberry and green bean picking this week. No baking will be done with the green beans, except for maybe a quiche.

I also mentioned I did a cake,  I did my first topsy turvy cake and it was so much fun.   I was pretty happy with how this turned out.  It was bright, funky and fun.   It also turned out to be quite the hit of the bridal shower so my friend told me.   Something I always love to hear from my customers.  This was a gluten free vanilla cake with strawberries and cream icing.   YUM!

Copycat Mudpie Mojo Ice Cream

We have had several big milestones the last few weeks for the little one.  She is now six months, crazy how that time has flown by.  She can now roll over, mostly only back to belly.  This causes many issues as she gets stuck and cries.  Fun times? No.   Her sleep is now completely out of whack! Which means mommies sleep is crap.   We worked so hard to do sleep training around 5 months to have it now gone.  Ugh.   I think she is also teething yet no teeth have surfaced.   We have also started solid foods or well purees.  Since most of the food at this point doesn't make it in her mouth it has not had the effects of helping her sleep. I am making my own food because it is cheap and easy. Last night we did our first mixed concoction of kale and apple, and she liked it.  Phew.

It has definitely been busy with all these new changes.  I think she is also going through a "want mom" stage because some days I can barely put her down for 10 minutes without a fuss. 8-10pm is my crunch time for the blog.

It looks like the rest of this week is going to be a wonderful week weather wise so I am looking forward to some outdoor fun with the little one.  What is the best thing to have in hot weather, ICE CREAM of course.  My husband and I make a trip to Cold Stone, well more often than we should.   My husband always orders the same thing, Mudpie Mojo. It is coffee ice cream with peanut butter, fudge sauce, oreos and almonds.  I know, right! All the good stuff.  I decided to create this for him

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!

Chocolate Pecan Almond Toffee

I almost missed my 2nd Blogiversary.  Well technically I did because it was yesterday, but I was busy baking yesterday and in the last two weeks I completed cupcakes for a wedding and a 4 tiered Birthday cake for a friends 1 year old.   This has definitely been an interesting year for me.   This time last year I was getting into a groove, baking lots and blogging lots.  Several months later I was thrown into the world of nausea, tiredness and a growing belly.   All great things though, very interesting things, that will lead to a lot of new & exciting times.  My day job also seemed to get in the way a lot this summer, lots of unexpected twists and turns that made for some long days and weeks.    I do wish I had stayed on the ball a bit more this past year and maybe becoming a mom, although I know will be completely hectic in the beginning will force me to become more organized so I can manage both.

Since this is my 2nd blogiversary I am going to do posts with two desserts I really love and TWO GIVEAWAYS!    Of course it is hard to narrow down the list amoung so many desserts but today's post is one of my favorite.   I always buy a tin for myself when I attend the Christmas show in Toronto.   One year my friend and I both bought some and were supposed to split it, then we forgot to trade and then I ate it all!   OOPS!

Pecan Almond ChocolateToffee
(adapted from Baked Explorations)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, in cubes or softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup ground almonds
• 2/3 cup pecans, finely chopped
• 150g dark chocolate chips
• 100g semi sweet chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Butter a 9x13 inch glass/metal pan.   (Do not use non stick spray)

2) Toasted the pecans in non stick pan for 3-5 min on medium, until fragrant. 

3) Place the butter in a medium sauce pan over low heat.  When the butter is almost melted, add the sugar and water and cook over low heat, stirring with a rubber spatula until combined.

4) Place your candy thermometer on the side of the pot.   Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until mixture reaches 300F.   The mixture will bubble and start to brown.

5) While mixture is reaching the desired temp, combine the two chocolates in a bowl. 

6) When butter/sugar mixture reaches temperature remove from heat right away to prevent burning and stir in the pecans quickly.   Spread this mixture into your prepared pan. 

7) Wait 1 minute then spread the chocolate chips over this.  Wait 3 minutes for chocolate to melt, then use an offset spatula or rubber spatula to spread the chocolate over the toffee.

8) Sprinkle the ground almonds over the melted chocolate and place the pan in the freezer for about 30 minutes. 

9) Remove the pan from the freezer and break with a knife

10) Store toffee in a airtight container, with parchment in between any pieces.

MMMMmmmm... Toffee.   I was nice and shared this with work but I am sure I will make another version for guests around Christmas.   I also didn't get much out of the ground almonds on top so I might leave that out next time or switch up chopped pecans and use almond in the toffee base.

MEG's RATING : D-EEEE-LICIOUS!

DAY 1 GIVEAWAY :   Tell me what is your favorite "candy" to make at home? and you will be entered to win a $25 amazon gift certificate to buy any baking/candy tool you like.

For extra entries, do any of the following and let me know what you did for each one.

1) Become a blogger follower 

2) Follow me on Twitter - @Sweettwist_Meg 

3) Join my facebook group - Sweet Twist of Fate and Blogging
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Entries accepted until Thursday @ 10am EST.