Lovin' from your oven!

CHOCOLATE CHIP MERINGUE BARS

Cookie jar a little lonely? Need a quick yum for a weeknight dessert? Gotcha covered with this one.

Adore these little things! Shortbread style crust, smooth chocolate, chewy meringue topping...what's not to love?

(I made these a long time ago and left off the chocolate...instead spread blackberry jam over the crust. Or keep the chocolate AND the blackberry jam. Wow!)

In these photos I only had half a package of chips, so there will actually be more than it looks like in mine!

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3/4 cup shortening

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 large egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups flour

One 12-ounce package chocolate chips

2 large egg whites

1/2 cup brown sugar

Optional: 1 cup blackberry, raspberry, strawberry jam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl cream the shortening and sugar. Beat in the salt, egg yolks, and vanilla. Gradually blend in the flour. Spread the mixture evenly in the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Set aside.

In a medium bow, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gradually beat in the brown sugar.

(Add the jam, now, if you want.) Sprinkle the chips over the crust. Carefully spread the meringue over the chips. Return to oven for 20 minutes, or until meringue is set and golden.

Allow to cool and cut into bars.

The best of two worlds!

PUMPKIN BANANA BREAD

I love pumpkin bread...I love banana bread...what's a girl to do? Oh, how will we choose?!

Don't have to. This recipe will give you the taste of both. Slice it thick, toast nice and warm and smear some cream cheese or butter on top...you'll be glad you did!

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Recipe adapted from Country Inns and Bed & Breakfast Cookbook

5 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 medium-sized bananas, mashed

1 cup pure pumpkin puree

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 large eggs

1 cup oil

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat 3 regular-sized loaf pans with vegetable cooking spray - or 6 mini pans - or can be done as muffins. (I do this in mini pans or as muffins. They freeze great.)

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl beat the bananas, pumpkin, and sugar. Beat in the eggs and oil. Stir in the flour mixture, JUST until moistened. Pour into prepared pans and bake for 45-50 minutes for the large pans, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with large moist crumbs.

Cool on a wire rack. Remove bread from pans and wrap tightly. This gets better the next day!!

Dark and Lovely!

MOCHA CAKE with CHOCOLATE WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING

I can not get enough of this cake! Which isn't necessarily a good thing...

This is the cake that is requested most from my arsenal and for a reason. It's moist, dark, very chocolaty, and easy. It always turns out great, and gets better the next day.

I've used it for berry "shortcake", simply dusted with powdered sugar as a snack, and it will even make an appearance at my daughter's wedding. How special is that?!

I've paired it here with gorgeous whipped cream and cocoa powder - and no one would ever think it was anything less than gourmet!

(The photo is actually half a recipe - baked in two 8-inch rounds, and then split. It's tall like that...imagine what you could do with the whole batch!!)

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2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 cup oil

1 cup milk

1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat two 9 or 10-inch pans, or a 9x13-inch pan, with vegetable cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, and sugar. Whisk in the eggs and then the oil, milk, hot coffee, and vanilla, until smooth. Batter will be thin.

Divide evenly between pans (they will be full...you could use twice as many pans!) and bake for 25-30 minutes or JUST until a toothpick comes out with large moist crumbs attached. DO NOT over bake, and don't wait till it starts to pull away from the pans. Remove to wire rack and cool completely, place plastic wrap over cake when it's still slightly warm - this will make it even more moist. Run a knife around the edge and invert to release cake. Frost as desired.

COCOA WHIPPED CREAM

2 cups heavy whipping cream

3-4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder - depending on how chocolaty you want it

1/3-1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium bowl whip the cream until frothy and slightly thickened. Add in the cocoa powder, sugar, and vanilla. Beat until firm peaks form.

Store cake, covered, in the fridge.

So Easy-Good!

SPAGHETTI WITH BROWNED BUTTER & MYZITHRA

Oh. my. gosh.

If you've ever been to the Old Spaghetti Factory you've no doubt ordered this. If not...WHY not?! It's so good.

As a teenager on a date with my future husband to the Spaghetti Factory in Seattle for the first time, I ordered this thinking it would be pasta in a cheese sauce - which sounded great in itself! When the plate was placed in front of me I was less than impressed.

But one bite cured me and quick. Amazing!

It's super easy to make and kids love it. The hardest part is waiting for the butter to brown...

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1 pound thin or regular spaghetti (try it with whole wheat or quinoa pasta!)

1 cup butter

1 cup finely grated myzithra cheese (see below)

Freshly cracked black pepper

Cook spaghetti according to directions on package. While pasta is cooking brown the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Just add it to the pan and let it go, don't stir or anything. It will melt, foam, and right after foaming start to brown. (Takes a few minutes.) You will see the color rising from the bottom. Remove from heat immediately and pour over warm pasta, scraping out and including the browned bits.

Toss with the cheese and black pepper. Serve.

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Myzithra is Greek cheese and comes in three varieties. For this you want the aged, hard one, usually sold in small rounded wedges in bigger grocery stores. It grates into fine, almost powdery shards, but doesn't melt, and will keep it's shape and appearance in this dish.

Photo: Springbank Cheese Co

Not your ordinary cornbread...and not for purists!

CORNBREAD CAKE

I grew up with this as the only cornbread we ever had, and ate it with soup, chili, chowder...so, of course, it's cornbread to me. But most who try it say it's more cake-like because it's very light and sweet with a touch of cinnamon.

Doesn't matter...it's all semantics! But one thing is for sure - it does have corn in it. Chewy bits that add to the sweetness and flavor...so, there.

I've made this in a long pan, two cake pans, or as muffins and always with lots of butter melting over the hot pieces....no matter the shape, each is wonderful in it's own way.

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2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

One 15-ounce can whole kernel corn, undrained

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9x13 oblong pan or two 9 inch cakes pans with vegetable cooking spray.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour and cornmeal. Set aside.

To a blender or food processor add the eggs, sugar, brown sugar, oil, vanilla, undrained corn, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder. Blend or process for 30 seconds or until well combined (some corn will still be visible).

Pour into the flour mixture and whisk just until flour disappears. Pour into prepared pans. Bake for 45-50 minutes for the long pan, or 35-40 minutes for cake pans - or until a toothpick or tester inserted in the middle comes out with large moist crumbs. Serve warm.

(I always rub the top while it's hot with butter...just 'cause. You don't have to do this!)

This freezes great, too. Just wrap tightly with plastic wrap and then foil and freeze.

The need to knead...

OATMEAL-HONEY BREAD

Every once in awhile I need baking therapy and yeast bread is just the cure!

This one has been making appearances in my home for years - it's my daughter's favorite and yesterday it rewarded me, even though I took out my frustrations on it, with some soft, tender, slightly sweet, golden loaves that disappeared very quickly.

There's nothing like the smell of yeast...watching that dough rise high above the bowl and whoooooosh down when you touch it. The way it yields and molds to your touch and settles into a pan with a contented sigh, ready for it's warm nap.

The homey goodness that is represented in a loaf of homemade bread is precious and rare, these days.

Do your family a favor and give to them a labor of love!

(I have kneaded bread for years - I like to feel the dough, and know when it's ready to rest. But I've also got a big KitchenAid mixer and sometimes that is the way to go. Throw the ingredients in and mix for three minutes with the bread hook. PRACTICALLY INSTANT!!)

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1 cup boiling water

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup quick-cooking oatmeal

3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons molasses or brown sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 cup butter, softened

Two 1/4-ounce packages active dry yeast (the "quick rise" ones are wonderful)

Drizzle of honey

1/2 cup warm water (warmer than lukewarm, but not hot-hot)

1 egg

3-3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

In a large bowl (or bowl of your big mixer) stir together the boiling water, whole wheat flour, oatmeal, molasses, honey, salt, and butter.

In a small bowl dissolve the yeast and drizzle of honey in the 1/2 cup of warm water. Let rest for one minute.

Mix the dissolved yeast and egg into the oatmeal mixture until well combined. Add one cup of flour and stir in until incorporated. Add another cup and repeat. Repeat for the third cup. At this point, if you aren't using a mixer, you will start kneading by hand.

Flour your hands and pull the dough to one side of the bowl. Add 1/2 cup of flour to the bottom of the bowl and lay the dough on it. Bring up one side of the dough and fold it over, pushing down with the heel of your hand, hard.

Turn the bowl 1/4 turn and pull the top edge of the dough up and fold it over, pushing down with the heel of your hand. Continue doing this, adding flour as needed, until the dough is very elastic - about 6-10 minutes.

(If you do it in the mixer, add the three cups of flour and mix on medium until incorporated. Feel the dough. If it's very sticky, add the other 1/2 cup. Mix for 2 minutes on medium speed. Dough will still be slightly sticky.)

Drizzle some oil into a big bowl. Gather the dough into a ball and roll in the oil, coating the surface. Place in a warm place, covered. (I turn on the oven just until the elements are red. Turn it off and place the bowl in there.) Let rise until doubled and very light.

Lightly grease two large loaf pans, or 4 mini pans. Set aside.

Punch the dough down, removing as much air as possible. Form into loaves and let rise until doubled again. Preheat oven to 350 degrees during this rising. Bake for 35-45 minutes for the big loaves, 25-30 minutes for the minis, or until golden brown.

Remove from pans to a wire rack and brush the tops with oil while still warm. Cool completely and store in plastic bags.

These are adorable little mini loaves...

just pretending to be bigger!

Falling in love with you...

PUMPKIN COOKIES with CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Fall is my favorite time of year, simply for the smells that come from the kitchen! Spicy, warm, sugary, comforting...all leave you feeling loved and cared for.

These cookies are super soft and rich. I added more spices than the original recipe, and topped them with simple cream cheese fluffiness.

I split some of them and made pumpkin whoopie pies with the filling-topping and those were a big hit, although not as gorgeous.

When I don't have a lot of time, spreading the dough into a 9x13 pan and baking into bars is quick and easy. Frost and sprinkle with spice - you're out the door to a potluck or party with a pan of homemade deliciousness bar none!

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adapted from the Libby's recipe

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons Linda's Pumpkin Pie Spice

OR 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup pure pumpkin puree

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting/Filling:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla or maple extract

3 cups sweetened whipped cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the pumpkin, egg, and vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture just until combined.

Drop by very rounded tablespoons onto a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake for 13-15 minutes, or until golden and set. Remove from sheet and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

For the filling:

In a medium bowl whip the cream cheese and the extract until fluffy. Beat in the whipped cream, just until combined.

Either frost the cookies with the cream cheese mixture or split the cookies and fill. They must be refrigerated if frosted/filled. I kept the filling in the fridge and used it as needed.

Lemony Lovliness!

LEMON BREAD

Luscious, lemony, speckled with zest and very moist.....

This started out as cranberry lemon loaf...but when it came time to fold in the ruby-red, dried cranberries, alas I was out. So, into the oven it went - without a key ingredient.

It would have been nice to see those chewy little bits snug in their bed of moist, tender crumbs...but the flavor was still bright and tangy, and I don't have much to complain about!

This bread gets better as it sits - cakey and the flavor more pronounced. I'll give you the recipe as it should be - but even alone and lonely....it'll do just fine!

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2/3 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest

4 eggs

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 cup milk

OPTIONAL - 2 cups diced, dried cranberries or fresh or frozen blueberries, raspberries, blackberries - go wild!

Glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 4 mini loaf pans (or 2 regular size) with vegetable cooking spray.

In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the lemon juice, zest, and eggs, and vanilla until well combined.

In another bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add alternately with the milk to the egg mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. Fold in berries, if using.

Divide batter among prepared pans and bake for 30-40 minutes if making mini-loaves. Remove to a wire rack, but leave in the pans.

In a small bowl combine the glaze ingredients. Pour over the hot loaves and allow to cool completely before removing from pans. Wrap tightly to store.

Twirling-swirling...

CREAM CHEESE CINNAMON SWIRLS

Cookies and milk...cookies and coffee...cookies and cookies for all I care - nothing is more comforting than a homemade COOKIE!

The cream cheese in this dough makes it flaky-tender and very easy to work with. I swirled mine with cinnamon-sugar, but adding finely chopped nuts or chocolate would be wonderful.

(The dough itself has no sugar, so using it for savory fillings would be great. Leave out the vanilla and add garlic and parmesan, maybe? How about a little cayenne or chipotle? )

But back to sweet cookies...these would be beautiful on your holiday platters - and made larger and filled with chopped raisins or cranberries could be eaten for breakfast!!

What? That's within the realm of possibilities!

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adapted from Taste of Home

1 cup butter, softened

One 8-ounce pkg cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

In a large bowl beat the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla until fluffy. Combine the flour and salt and gradually beat it into the butter mixture.

Divide dough in two and wrap each tightly in plastic wrap. Chill for 1 hour. Combine cinnamon and sugar and set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a rectangle - about 1/4 inch thick. Spread the sugar mixture to within 1/2 inch of the edge. Roll up tightly - starting at either the short or long edge. (Starting at the short edge will give you a fatter log, and bigger cookies.) Wrap log tightly and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Slice logs into 3/8 inch slices and place two inches apart on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

TIP: I like to take a 12-inch piece of sewing thread and use that to cut things like this - keeps them from being squished with the knife. Simply hold the thread in both hands and slide it under the log. Bring both ends up and cross them, pulling until it cuts through the dough. Perfect!

Ready for an oven nap...