{Baking with Julia} Gingerbread Baby Cakes

It is time for another fun baking day with Julia and friends~ Gingerbread Baby Cakes  hosted by Karen of Karen’s Kitchen Stories~ is our recipe today! Be sure to check out Karen's blog for the recipe. http://karenskitchenstories.blogspot.com/

I really like my little bundt pans, I was excited to use them for my baby cakes!

 I cut the recipe in half, left out the Espresso and cut the molasses in half.

 They came out looking so pretty and did not stick to the pan!

 My husband enjoyed the flavor, my son thought they taste like dog food( i asked him when he tasted dog food) ?:) I was torn...I wanted to like them SO badly ,molasses cookies are one of my favs..but they were to stout for me.

 I tried one with a little whipped topping. That seemed to cut back the stout flavor.

My husband is going to have a great week eating bundt cakes!

{BWJ} Buttermilk Crumb Muffins

Alisa , The Birthday Girl ,of Easier Than Pie is hosting the Buttermilk Crumb Muffins today for our group Baking with Julia!
Thank you Alisa for hosting this week. You can find the recipe by going to her blog here. http://downhomedesserts.blogspot.com/ Be sure to wish her a Happy Birthday while your there!!

I decided to make mini muffins. I cut the recipe in half and used half the sugar. I did not do the crumb topping , instead I simply sprinkled wonderful cinnamon and sugar on top!

These are good for a quick pop in the mouth treat! I love Buttermilk so they were a hit with me!

{BWJ} Whole Wheat Bread

This bread turned out super yummy! We were all very pleased!

 My favorite way to eat bread..hot out of the oven with butter!

 This week the recipe was hosted by  Michele of Veggie Num Nums and Teresa of The Family That Bakes Together.  Thank you ladies!

{BWJ} Apple Upside-Down Chiffon Cake

 Today is BWJ  and on the menu....is... Nectarine Upside-Down Chiffon Cake! I decided to use apples instead of the nectarines.  Please Check out these blogs for  the recipes Marlise of The Double Trouble Kitchen and Susan of The Little French Bakery!

                                                      Baked and fresh out of the oven! 

                                                    This is so yummy and moist! I love this cake:)

                                  What a wonderful cake with a crumbly great strudel filling!

 

Perfect with vanilla ice cream!

{BWJ} Blueberry Nectarine Pie

Today is another Fabulous Baking with Julia day! We made Blueberry Nectarine Pie on page 384  Hosted by ..... Liz of That Skinny Chick Can Bake! and Hilary of Manchego´s Kitchen. 

I was a little nervous about putting nectarines in a pie.

My Beautiful fruit mixture.

 Me, busy baking

 Ready for the top crust

 All ready to bake

 Baked and ready to eat

  Not to worry about the addition of nectarine's....It was awesome! Steven does not like berry pies and he said this one was tasty! He had three slices! I was very pleased with the way it turned out. I did use my own crust recipe. It  always turns out flaky and yummy!

Semolina Bread { BWJ }

I finally got back into kitchen to bake. I told my husband there going to boot me out of the club if I don't get with it!

 Thank you  Renee of The Way to my Family’s Heart and Anna of Keep it Luce for hosting this week! Be sure to check out their blogs!  I was so happy to find the Semolina Flour. Bob never fails me. We live in a smaller town and sometimes our resources are limited.





 I'm telling you this bread had so many steps and rising times I was pretty much strapped to the house all day. I ran in and out while doing yard work and checking on my bread.

 I thought It raised fairly well. I was nervous since my last bread turned out hard as a rock.

I totally did not get the slashing technique..I was hoping for a picture since I am a visual learner. It turned out a nice golden brown and my family loved it with a slab of butter! I have to say I won't make this again..Going to the bakery and picking up a loaf is so much easier! I am anxious to see how everyone else's turned out!

Yummy Pecan Sticky Buns

Wow these were absolutely wonderful! I have never made something so time consuming or with SO much butter(5 sticks)! But every stick of butter and hours waiting to do the next step was worth it! This yummy buttery pastry is so good!

I was a little bit disappointed when my 14 year old son said he liked my Cinnamon Roll recipe better. Well...happy because he likes it but bummed I went to ALL the work for the S.B:)

Thank you to Lynn of Eat Drink Man Woman Dogs Cat and Nicole of Cookies on Fridays for hosting this weeks BWJ!

{BWJ} Lemon Loaf

Thank you to Truc of Treats and Michelle of The Beauty of Life ..Check out their blogs!     http://www.ladystiles.blogspot.com/

     http://www.treats-sf.com/  for hosting our BWJ group this week. She chose this delicious lemon loaf recipe!

This bread is delicious! The only thing I did different is I added fresh squeezed lemon juice to the batter . The loaf came out light and fluffy! My entire family loved the sweet fresh lemon flavor!

{ BWJ } Pizza Rustica

 Today is Baking Julia and on the menu is Pizza Rustica  chosen by – Emily of Capital Region Dining and Raelynn of The Place They Call Home.If you want to make this recipe, see the recipe hosts’ blogs – Emily at http://capitalregiondiningblog.blogspot.com/  or Raelynn at http://tptch.com/ .


 I absolutely loved this recipe. My family could not get enough of this wonderful Pizza Rustica!

 The crust was easy to throw together. I chose low fat ricotta cheese and sliced up Canadian bacon.
I only added 1 tbsp of sugar to the crust..it came out tasting perfect!

 We tired it with a juicy sliced tomato. It tasted incredible! I will definitely be making this recipe again.

Baking with Julia Irish Soda Bread

 Thanks to our hostess this week for Baking with Julia .......Cathy of My Culinary Mission  made a gorgeous version with Gruyere cheese.  Carla of Chocolate Moosey went a little more old school.  Be sure to check out there blogs!

I love Irish soda bread. I came from a long line of Irish people. The Murphy's and the Mahoney's. I think that qualifies me as Irish! My Aunt Margaret used to make soda bread for us when we would visit . I remember tearing off chunks  of the bread and dipping into hot homemade soup.

This recipe is straight fwd and super easy to put together. I chose to make mine old school with heaping spoon fulls of butter and Plum butter!

{BWJ} Chocolate Truffle Tart

I'm pleased to say my TART turned out super yummy and looks SO much Better then my bread did! I do not own any mini tart pans .I used my large tart pan and it worked perfectly!

The video clips that were posted for us, helped me out tremendously. I used the method he showed with my crust..It was super messy but easy and....MY crust came together nicely!

 Half of my family preferred the tart without ice cream...

 AND..the other COOL half with ice cream!!! Guess which one I liked best:)

 I was able to cut into slices and store in a cookie container in the refrigerator. I shared the rest with  my running group!  

I liked this tart..it was different! I enjoyed the chunks of biscotti..very good!!

{BWJ} White Loaves

 Today February 7, 2012 is the first day Baking With Julia(BWJ) by Dorie Greenspan. If your interested in joining , there is still some room. It's a fun way to bake new goodies and meet some wonderful new friends! Our first recipe is - White Loaves, on pages 81-82. (Hosted by Laurie and Jules)

It's so nice to be back with old TWD baking friends and new Bakers in our new group! I'm so exited  to bake along with everyone and bake new recipes!

Please do not judge me by the way my bread turned out. I normally make delicious big fat bread...but for some reason my dough refused to rise.  Not really wanting to waste 5 plus cups of flour I threw my flat bread in to the oven....
Well......look at the pictures....need I say more:)

Let's hope my next recipe turns out!! I look fwd to seeing all of your beautiful loaves!