Honey Date + Pecan Scones

Mar 28, 2013 by Gina Mueller

I have been searching for dessert substitutions- trying to get off my sweet kick induced from eatting too many oreos over our ski vacation.  Scones have been a great alternative, especially ones like these that are packed with healthy ingredients.  While they still have sugar and flour they also have honey, dates, pecans, and oats.  They are delightful- especially with a cup of coffee.

Honey Fig + Pecan Scones
Adapted by  Brown Eyed Baker

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats (my oatmeal mixture is half steal cut oats and half old-fashioned oats)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons almond milk
• 1 cup diced dried dates
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a large baking sheet with greased aluminum foil.

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, oats, baking powder, and cinnamon. Then, in a smaller bowl, whisk together egg and oil. Then add honey and mix well. Fold the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. Then gently mix in half and half. In a small bowl, cover dates and pecans with sugar and then fold into dough.

Use your hands to form a large ball with the dough.  Place dough ball on  baking sheet and flatten to 1/4 in.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20  minutes or until lightly golden brown. Serve warm, preferably the same day the scones are baked. Otherwise store in an airtight behavior or freeze until ready to eat.

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, oats, baking powder, and cinnamon.

whisk together egg and oil. Then add honey and mix well.

Fold two mixtures together

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Chocolate Almond Biscotti

May 24, 2012 by Gina Mueller

My love for coffee and tea led me to a curiosity around their ‘best friend’ biscotti.  I can’t remember when I first tried biscotti- or if I ever have.  Why eat biscotti when I could have a muffin or some other rich, moist treat?  I began investigating this foreign food online and landed on this particular recipe because a. I had all the ingredients, and b. the combo of chocolate and almonds is the perfect way to get me to try anything new.  I must say Wow! I can’t believe I didn’t try this dessert sooner!  A quick dip in your warm drink and the combo between soggy and crunch leads back to my days of dunking Oreos in milk – yet with a much more grown up feel!  My roommate and I indulged on biscotti and decaf tea/coffee at night the rest of the week — yes I felt like a queen.

Ingredients
Adapted by Joy of Baking

• 3/4 c blanched whole almonds
• 2/3 c white sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp pure vanilla
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 3/4 c all purpose flour
• 2/3 c semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate

Directions

Blanched Almonds – Place almonds in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain and place in ice water.  Peel off the almond skin with your fingers. Bake almonds in a 350 degree F ( oven for about 5-10 minutes, or until almonds are dry, but have no color.

Chocolate Almond Biscotti — Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Toast blanched almonds for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.  Let cool and set aside.

In a mixing bowl beat sugar and eggs on high speed until thick and fluffy (approximately 5 minutes).  Beat in the vanilla extract.  In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt.  Slowly add the dry ingredients to the eggs mixture and beat with a bread hook until combined.  Chop chocolate and almonds and fold into the dough.

Place dough on a well flowered counter and shape into a log, around 12 inches long and 3.5 inches wide.  Transfer log onto a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes, or until firm to the touch.  Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.  Using a serrated knife, cut 1/2 slices in the log.

Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.  Place biscotti slices, cut side down, on the baking sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, turn slices over and bake for another 8-10 minutes – or until golden brown.  Let cool and store in an airtight container.

I was a little intimidated in making blanched almonds.  But, it was like cooking tiny potatoes– boil, ice, peel, toast.  Easy-no need for fear!

Stir together dry ingredients.

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Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

Oct 24, 2011 by Gina Mueller

shhhhh-  dont tell too many people.  But this is the best chocolate cake.  ever.

What makes the perfect chocolate cake?

#1 It is delicious

#2 Ridiculously easy to make

#3 No need for icing

#4 Easy to freeze and reheat

#5 Even more delicious after microwaved + ice cream

 

If you ask me, this cake is right around perfection and great to have on hand in the freezer to eat as needed.

Ingredients

• 1 pk Betty Crocker Chocolate Fudge Super Moist Cake Mix
• 1 small Instant Chocolate Pudding mix
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup milk
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl mix together cake mix, pudding mix, vegetable oil, milk, eggs and sour cream, in no particular order.  The batter will be rather thick.  Stir in chocolate chips and pour batter into a greased bundt pan.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Mix all ingredients together, no particular order.  The batter will be rather thick.

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Fourteen Carat Cake

Sep 18, 2011 by Gina Mueller

I bring to you my family friends delectable Carrot Cake. The secret to this cake is the moisture from a can of undrained crushed pineapple.  I tasted it for the first time approximately 5 years ago at my high school graduation party and knew it was one for the books.  The particular family friend that made the cake was known for being an amazing baker and for keeping her recipes a secret.  To say the least obtaining the recipe was not an easy task, it took 5 years!  The cake is much too delicious to not share so here you are. Cherish it!

Cake Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup grated carrots
• 1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple (don’t drain!)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 9 inch pans

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda , salt and cinnamon.Add the sugar, oil and eggs, mix well for 1 minute.

Stir in shredded carrots, pineapple (do not drain!), crushed walnuts and coconut.

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