When you're a baker, it's awfully convenient having a friend who is a farmer. You get the best fruits and vegetables when they're in season and, typically, you don't even have to pay for them! A little courtesy goes a long way. Simply sharing some your baked goods with your farmer will help show your appreciation and hopefully strengthen your relationship.

Today, my neighbor/farmer friend brought over a dozen different peppers, yellow squash and a HUGE zucchini. When I saw the Jalapeño peppers, I immediately thought of a fantastic bread recipe that I tried out a couple months ago. The flaky, hard crust and cheesy, soft insides are downright delectable. The peppers also add a nice spicy kick to the overall flavor. It's a great bread to eat as a snack or even to use with dips or cut up meat as an hors d'oeuvre. Making bread might be a pain in the ass but, trust me when I say, this recipe is totally worth it!

Two-Cheese Jalapeño Bread

2/3 cup Water (115 degrees)
2 cups all-purpose Flour
1 tsp Salt
3.2 oz grated sharp Cheddar cheese
2 medium-sized Jalapeño peppers, diced
3 Tbsp grated Pecorino cheese
1 1/2 tsp fast-rising Yeast

Begin by getting all your ingredients together, i.e. cutting up the peppers and grating the cheese.

If you have a bread machine, add in all the ingredients, ending with the yeast.  Set your machine to "dough" and press start.

If you don't have a bread machine, begin by adding the yeast to the water, which should be about 115 degrees. Let sit 5 minutes or until bubbly. Pour into a mixing bowl (with a dough hook) along with the rest of the ingredients. Mix about 1 minute. If the dough doesn't form into a ball, add a little extra water. Turn off the machine and let the dough rest for 5 minutes. Turn on the machine again and mix the dough for another 30-40 seconds.

Move the dough to a floured work surface. It should be smooth but firm. Place in a clean, dry bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm space to rise. (Tip- if you preheat your oven to 350 degrees for 1 minute and then turn it off, it should be around 80 degrees.) Let rise 40-50 minutes or until doubled in size.

Remove from the oven and place on a floured work surface. (If you're using a bread machine, this is the point where you pick up the directions again) Divide the dough into half and then divide one of the pieces into 2, making a total of 3 pieces. Gently roll the pieces into 1 large ball and 2 small balls. Place into a baking pan and cover with a wet washcloth. Let rise in a warm space for 35 minutes (e.g. see tip above). 

Remove from the oven and place on a floured work surface. Roll the large ball into a cylindrical shape and the 2 others into small balls. Place back on the now floured baking pan. Spray lightly with water. (Tip- got a spray bottle for the grill? or, perhaps for doing your hair? Use it to more evenly spritz your bread.) Let rest 30 minutes.

Using a sharp knife, cut several slots into the large loaf and two Xs into the smaller balls. Spray lightly again with water.

Bake at 410 degrees for 30-40 minutes. (Tip- to determine when it's done, knock on the bread, if you hear a hard, hollow sound, take it out.)

Summer is here and with it- thunderstorms, mosquitos, fireworks, gut-busting temperatures, water-gun fights, ice cream cones and tons of fresh, seasonal fruit. When I think of Summer, I think of berries, particularly strawberries and raspberries, I also think of pie, but, I digress.

Today, I was tasked with making a dessert for the Wingnut's annual Memorial Day Cookout. Most of the people who live/hang out around The Wingnut are vegan or at the very least sympathetic to a cruelty-free, animal product-free lifestyle. To avoid excluding people, I usually tend to bake entirely vegan. Why not if you can't tell the difference? Below is a lemon cake recipe I've been working on for quite awhile. Every time I make it, I tweak it just a little bit. This time around, I added some fresh raspberries and I think it added another level of complexity to the over-all flavor. Regardless, I hope you enjoy it and I hope, if anything, it helps open up your mind to veganism.

Vegan Lemon Raspberry Cake

1 cup Non-dairy Butter (e.g. Earth Balance)
1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 1/2 cup Sugar
5 1/4 cup Flour
5 1/4 Tbsp Cornstarch
3 3/4 tsp  Baking Powder
3/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Salt
2 1/4 cup Non-dairy milk
3/4 cup Lemon juice
Zest from 1 1/2 Lemons
3/4 cup fresh Raspberries

Frosting-
6 cups Powdered Sugar

3/4 cup Vegetable-based Shortening

1 tsp Vanilla

1/4 tsp Salt

Warm non-dairy milk

Begin by "buttering" two 9 inch cake pans. (Tip- a sure-fire way to guarantee that your cakes won't get stuck to the bottom of your pans, is to simply cut up 2 wax paper circles and add them to the pans before you pour in the batter.)

Mix the soymilk and lemon juice together in a big bowl or cup. Set aside to curdle (yes, curdle).

Cream the non-dairy butter together with the sugar in a large bowl until white and fluffy.

In another bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, soda and salt.

Add half the milk and all of the oil to the "butter" mixture. Mix well. Slowly rotate between adding in the milk and dry ingredients. Mix until just blended.

Use a spatula to stir in the raspberries. (Tip- make sure they are completely dry before adding them to the batter.) Pour into the baking pans and level out with the spatula.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes.

Remove and let cool before frosting.

When your cakes are almost completely cool, start making the frosting. Cream together the powdered sugar and shortening. Add in the salt and vanilla.

Heat up the non-dairy milk. Add milk to desired taste and spreading consistency. (Tip- if you frosting is too thick it will rip the top off your cake)

Baking can be quite intimidating for those who are inexperienced in the kitchen. Like all good skills, it's best to build your ability gradually. As you start to learn the basics, you may try out new recipes that have more steps, that utilize trickier techniques or that may require more sensitive ingredients, but, point in fact, everyone has to start somewhere. One of the best, first dishes that a beginner can make is brownies. Below is a simple recipe that has been in my family for years. It's not very complex, but, boy is it satisfying.

Sara Lee Brownies

4 oz. unsweetened Chocolate (e.g. Baker's)
2/3 cup Margarine
2 cups Sugar
4 room-temp Eggs
1 1/4 cup Flour
1 tsp Vanilla
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1 cup chopped Pecans

Frosting-

4 oz. unsweetened Chocolate (e.g. Baker's)

4 cups Powdered Sugar

1/2 cup room-temp Margarine

2 tsp Vanilla

1/3 cup Milk

Melt the unsweetened chocolate and margarine in a large bowl in the microwave, about 2 minutes. (Tip- Make sure all the bits of chocolate have completely melted; the chocolate must be velvety smooth.)

Stir in the sugar. Add in the eggs and vanilla. Beat well. Gradually fold in the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and salt). Lastly, add in the chopped nuts. (Tip- do not over-mix the batter otherwise it will get chewy.)

Pour into a greased 13 x9" pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

While the brownies are baking, prepare the frosting. Begin by melting the chocolate in a large bowl in the microwave, about 2 minutes.

Stir in the butter and vanilla.  Beat until smooth. Add in the powdered sugar and a splash of milk. Mix well. Gradually add in the rest of the milk until it reaches the desired consistency- you want it to be thick but still spreadable.

Once the brownies are done, set them on a rack to cool. Immediately coat the top with your chocolate frosting.

I have to say, there's nothing quite like waking up to freshly-baked muffins and a cup of hot coffee. Unfortunately, that didn't happen this morning. Rather, this morning I found myself stumbling out of bed to gulp down my breakfast to get ready for another day of work. For the past month, I've been serving as a copy editor for my local newspaper. Once a week, generally between the hours of 12 and 8 p.m., you'll find me holed up in the quaint little office of the Village News and usually once 4 o'clock rolls around, you will hear grumbles coming from every corner of the office saying that we have no snacks. An 8-12 hr work day doesn't exactly lend itself to healthy eating and when you're working on deadline, usually the last thing on your mind is food.  You'd be amazed by how fast the visitor candy dish in our front office empties in regards to this situation.

Noticing an opportunity to do a little baking, I took the initiative to bring in a slightly healthier snack. Nothing says healthy more than fresh fruit and since it is now officially spring, I thought what better combination is there than blueberries and lemons? Below is a recipe I've been using for quite awhile. It's originally from my mother's old Betty Crocker cookbook. After a little tweaking, to take into account the efficiency of modern ovens, I was amazed by just how reliable the recipe is after 40 years. I would say it's definitely a testament to just how simple and good this recipe is. I hope you enjoy it.

Betty Crocker’s Blueberry Muffins

(Courtesy of Betty Crocker- circa 1970)

1 room-temp Egg
½ cup Milk
¼ cup Oil
½ cup Sugar
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 ½ cup Flour
¼ tsp Salt
1 cup Blueberries
*Lemon zest

Begin by greasing a 12-count muffin tin.

In a large bowl, whip up the egg. Wisk in the milk and oil. Sift together the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Stir until just combined (if you over-stir, it will become stiff). Finish by adding in the blueberries (Tip- make sure your blueberries are dry otherwise your batter will be wet and runny around the berries). Give a quick stir and pour the mixture into the muffin mold.

Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

*If you want to add a little lemon zest, do no more than half a lemon. The zest adds a great freshness and zing to the muffin.

As human beings, we constantly find ourselves searching for the next best thing. What is going to be that one thing that will give us a leg up against the competition? A new high-tech cell phone? The newest, most fashionable clothes? The latest software and design programs? For bakers, we are constantly on the look-out for the ultimate recipe; the ultimate cinnamon roll recipe, the ultimate puff pastry recipe and, of course, the ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Chocolate chip cookies have been around for decades, since 1930 actually. Cocoa powder, macadamia nuts, peanut butter chips, pistachios, white chocolate chips, dried fruits and various spices, have all at one point been added to this simple drop cookie. There has to be about a million different variations of just this one recipe. So, who has the best recipe? Neiman Marcus.

About 16 years ago, several friends of my grandmother were at Neiman Marcus in Chicago for lunch (Neiman Marcus is a luxury retail department store). The ladies were completely enamored with the restaurant's simple but elegant chocolate chip cookies. They were determined to get the recipe. They pleaded with the Chef but he refused to part with the recipe unless they paid for it; nothing short of an arm or a leg. So, they pulled what money they had together and, at the end of the day, managed to walk away with the recipe they so desperately needed. In time, they made copies and gave it to their friends, who then made more copies and gave it to their friends. Eventually, my mother received a copy from my grandmother.

Today, for my Mother's birthday, I baked her the Neiman Marcus Cookies- the best chocolate chip cookie recipe in the world. What else could a mother ask for, really?

Neiman Marcus Cookies
(Courtesy of Neiman Marcus)

1 cup softened Butter
1 cup Sugar
1 cup packed Brown Sugar
2 room-temperature Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
2 cups Flour
2 1/2 cups ground Oatmeal (see note)
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
12 oz. Chocolate Chips
4 oz. shredded Hershey Bar
1 1/2 cups chopped Pecans

Cream the butter and both sugars together. Add in the eggs and vanilla. Mix well.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Mix well. (Note- measure 2 1/2 cups of the oatmeal and then grind it in a blender or food processor until it becomes a fine powder.)

Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips, shredded chocolate bits and chopped pecans.

Roll the dough into balls about the size of a walnut and place them 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees for 9-12 minutes. Makes 100 cookies.

Let the cookies sit 2-3 minutes, after taking them out of the oven, before transferring them to a wire rack.

Saturday marked a huge moment in my life. For the better part of a month, I was working on putting together the event known as "Party in the Park".  It was a very important day for the Monroe Park Campaign and due to the incredible amount of hard work from my teammates and several dedicated volunteers, we were able to pull it off without any major hitches. It's amazing how many people came out to celebrate with us. It was a genuinely good day, full of smiles and laughs and, of course, plenty of dancing. 

We did, however, underestimate the amount of food we needed. What do you do when you plan for a crowd of 150 and 350 show up instead? You bake what you can, and hope for the best. I caught this little blunder about a week in advance and was able to arrange for a few people to bring a couple dishes with them to the park. RVASugar Mamas were able to chip in last minute and FNB pulled through with some vegan baked goods as well. I figured I might as well bake something because, hey, who's going to say, "No" to cupcakes? Well, apparently no one could say no to my cupcakes and they were devoured before I could even get them all to the table. Since they were such a big hit, I thought I would pass on the recipe. I know there are probably a few of you readers out there that would die to try this one out.

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes w/ Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting
(Courtesy of Martha Stewart's Cupcakes)

1 1/2 cups Cake flour
3/4 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 cup and 1 Tbsp Vegetable oil
1 Tbsp Distilled white vinegar
1 tsp Vanilla
1 1/4 cups Water

Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners. Sift together the dry ingredients: cake flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt.

With an electric mixer, beat together the oil, vinegar, vanilla and water until well combined. Slowly add in the flour mixture. Mix until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed (Tip- the batter will be very thin).

Divide batter evenly among the lined cups (Tip- using an ice cream scoop is an easy and reliable way to ensure consistent cupcake size).

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Let cupcakes sit for 2 or 3 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Let them cool completely before frosting.

Frosting
(Courtesy of the Joy of Vegan Baking)

1/2 cup Natural peanut butter
1/3 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup or more Nondairy milk
2 1/2 cups Powdered sugar
1/4 tsp Salt
1 tsp Vanilla

Cream together the peanut butter and cocoa (Tip- it's best to use fresh peanut butter with this recipe, otherwise the oils will separate and make it more difficult to frost and harden). Slowly add in the milk. Beat until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, salt and vanilla. Gradually pour a little more milk in at a time to reach a good spreading consistency.

So, Christmas has come and gone. 2010 has said it's final "Adieu." It's time to begin another year. With a fresh start, we can only hope that 2011 will be a little bit better than the year before.

Looking back on this year's Christmas, I can't help but admit- I really did out-do myself. The weeks leading up to the big day, for me, tend to be much more magical than the day itself. So, of course, I take every opportunity I can to enjoy it and to help foster my own sense of "holiday spirit." That would explain why we had 3 different kinds of cookies, 3 different kinds of candy, 2 baked goods that incorporated coconut in some way, sweet rolls, an apple french toast strata, a cherry pie, a baked cranberry pudding and a large amount of chutney (Note- this is the chutney leftover from my parents giving it out to our neighbors).

I know, that is enough food to feed a small army. Needless to say, our house was never short of something sweet this holiday. In my defense, however, every family has their own traditions and since we're a big baking family, it's been one of our traditions to make a baked good specifically for each family member.

Below, is a recipe for my favorite holiday baked good. My mom has been making "Super Dupers" ever since she was a kid; the recipe originally came from my Nana. They're best with a cup of milk or something warm and cozy, like hot coco. Hopefully they'll remind you of some good times with your family too.

Courtesy of Beatrice Pettre

Super Dupers

2/3 cup Shortening

4 oz. Unsweetened chocolate

2 tsp Baking powder

1/8 tsp Salt
1 cup Sugar

1 cup Brown Sugar
2 cups Flour

4 room temperature Eggs
1/2 cup chopped Pecans

Powdered sugar

Being by melting the chocolate and shortening together in a medium bowl. (Tip- you can use the microwave, it'll be faster)

Combine the baking powder, salt, sugar and flour in another bowl. Pour in the chocolate mixture. Beat. Add the eggs, 2 at a time. Beat well after each addition.
Finish by folding in the nuts.

Chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator for a couple hours- overnight would be best.

To bake, take about a tablespoon of the dough and roll it into a ball. Cover it with a thick layer of powdered sugar.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes on UNGREASED cookie sheets. (Tip- If you want a softer cookie, bake for only 13 mins.)

Let the cookies sit 2-3 minutes after taking them out of the oven, transfer them to a wire rack to continue cooling. Makes about 32 cookies.