Forever Carrot Cake

Jim and I had carrot cake at our wedding, so this recipe is especially significant to us. I think it strikes a nice balance between deep and spicy and light and fluffy. This recipe makes a beautiful double-layer cake. Don’t be afraid to put a generous smear of Cream Cheese Frosting between the layers, because there is more than enough to frost the whole cake. The spices really set up overnight, so this cake tastes best the next day. If you can’t wait, though, I don’t blame you.
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup oil
½ cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup sugar
2 cups fi nely grated carrots
1 cup applesauce
cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
cup walnuts
cup raisins
1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and fl our the sides and bottoms of two 9-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, combine fl our, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and salt. In a large bowl, combine oil, sugar and brown sugar. Add carrots, applesauce, milk and vanilla and mix well. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in two batches, then stir in nuts and raisins until just mixed. Divide batter between the two pans.
Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, until cakes are golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on cooling racks in the pans for 20 minutes, run a knife around the outside of the cakes, then inver t the pans and fi nish cooling cakes directly on racks. Spread a thick layer of Cream Cheese Frosting between cooled cakes and frost the top and sides. Store leftover cake covered in the fridge.
Yield: 1 DOUBLE-LAYER CAKE, 8 TO 10 SLICES
Prep time: 30 MINUTES

Marbled Bundt Cake

This Bundt cake is the perfect blend of vanilla and chocolate. Topped with a little sifting of
powdered sugar, this is a simple cake that has a beautiful presentation and pairs perfectly with
your favorite coffee or tea.


3 cups fl our
1½ cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ cups milk, divided
1 teaspoon mild vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup oil
½ cup baking cocoa
½ cup chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour a Bundt pan.
In a medium bowl, combine fl our, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, combine 1¼ cups milk and vinegar and let sit for a couple of minutes. Add vanilla and oil and mix to combine. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in two batches until just mixed. Divide batter
between two bowls.
In a separate small bowl, combine cocoa and remaining ¼ cup milk. Add this mixture and chocolate chips to one of the batter halves and mix until just incorporated. Alternate adding scoops of vanilla batter and chocolate batter to the Bundt pan. Draw a knife through the batter several times to
swirl.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cake cool in the pan on a cooling rack, then inver t onto a plate or platter. Store leftover cake covered at room temperature.
Yield: 1 CAKE, 12 SLICES
Prep time: 20 MINUTES

Peanut Butter Banana Cake

This cake is fit for a king, and I don’t mean Elvis, although I’m sure he would have liked it!
The taste and texture of this cake is all about subtlety. Serve it with a drizzle of warm melted
chocolate and some fresh banana slices, and it’s sure to be a dessert-time hit!
2 cups fl our
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
cup melted margarine,
cooled to room temperature
1¼ cups brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 mashed bananas
½ cup milk
1 teaspoon mild vinegar
1 recipe Peanut Butter Frosting
2 bananas, sliced
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, combine fl our, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, mix melted margarine and brown sugar. Add vanilla and bananas. In a small bowl, add vinegar to milk and let sit for a couple of minutes. Add dry
ingredients to wet ingredients in two batches, then stir in milk mixture. Mix batter until just combined and divide evenly into the baking pans.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until cakes are lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then inver t onto a rack to fi nish cooling.
Frost with Peanut Butter Frosting using a thick layer of frosting and a layer of sliced fresh bananas between the cakes. This cake is extra delicious with warm chocolate sauce drizzled on top. Simply melt chocolate chips and serve! Store leftover cake covered in the fridge.
Yield: 1 DOUBLE-LAYER CAKE, 12 SLICES
Prep time: 30 MINUTES

Cinn-ful Apple Cake

This cake is deliciously simple. No frosting to worry about, no layers to stack, just a straightforward cake filled with chunks of apples and with a crunchy cinnamon-sugar topping.
Looks are deceiving with this cake; it seems kind of plain, but it packs a flavorful punch.
1½ cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1¾ cups sugar, divided
½ cup margarine,
melted and cooled
¾ cup applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ cup milk
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 cups peeled, chopped baking apples (such as Granny Smith)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and fl our the sides of an 8-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. If you do not have a springform pan, a regular 8-inch cake pan will do.
In a small bowl, combine fl our, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, cream together 1¼ cups sugar with margarine.
Add applesauce. Incorporate vanilla and milk until mixed through. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in two batches until just mixed.
Combine cinnamon with remaining ¼ cup sugar. Toss 2 tablespoons cinnamon-sugar mixture with sliced apples.
Gently fold apples into batter.
Spread batter in the prepared pan. Sprinkle top with
remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake for 65 to 70 minutes, until middle of cake is set and a toothpick comes out clean. Remove cake and let cool completely on a cooling rack before serving. Store cake covered at room temperature.
Yield: 1 CAKE, 12 SLICES
Prep time: 20 MINUTES

Best Banana Bread

I have been told by multiple people that this is the best banana bread they have ever had, vegan
or otherwise. After hearing this several times, I had to have my co-worker, who is a banana bread connoisseur, weigh in with his opinion and he agreed. Success! Try adding walnuts or pecans
to this bread for a textural treat. Don’t like “stuff ” in your bread? Eat it as is.


1½ cups fl our
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
cup oil
½ cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup mashed banana
(about 2 bananas)
cup milk
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with margarine or oil.
In a small bowl, combine fl our, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, combine oil and brown sugar. Add bananas and milk and stir to combine. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
Spread batter in the loaf pan and bake for 43 to 48
minutes, until bread is golden and a toothpick comes
out clean. Let cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Run a knife around the edge to loosen, and turn bread out of the pan to let cool on a cooling rack. Store leftover bread covered at room temperature.
Yield: 1 LOAF, 10 SLICES
Prep time: 25 MINUTES


You Are My Sunshine Loaf
This bread is so bright and sunny you can almost feel the sunshine on your face. If California could be made in the form of a bread, this would be it. With its lovely orange color and citrus notes, along with sweet bursts of raisins, this is a welcome breakfast bread on the grayest days of winter.


1½ cups all-purpose fl our
1 cup white-wheat fl our
(or all-purpose fl our)
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded carrots
1 medium apple,
peeled and shredded
1½ cups milk
¼ cup oil
zest of 1 medium orange
juice of one medium orange
½ cup raisins
½ cup walnuts
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with margarine or oil.
In a medium bowl, combine all-purpose fl our, white-wheat flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, combine shredded carrots, shredded apple and milk and mix until well-combined. Add oil, orange zest and orange juice. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in two batches until just
combined. Gently mix in raisins and walnuts.
Spread batter in the loaf pan and bake for 50 to 55
minutes, until bread is golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a cooling rack until the pan is cool enough to touch, about 40 minutes. Run a knife around the outside of the loaf to separate it from the pan, and turn bread out of the pan to fi nish cooling on a rack.
Store leftover bread covered at room temperature
Yield: 1 LOAF, 10 SLICES
Prep time: 30 MINUTES


Cornin’ Around Bread
Mmm, cornbread. This slightly sweet bread is perfect crumbled over chili or soup. It’s easy
enough to whip up while your meal is simmering. You can make this in muffin cups if you’d like,
or you can add a little chili pepper for a southwest flair. Try to buy organic cornmeal if you can;
you don’t want any mutant GMO corn bread in your kitchen!
1 cup fl our
1 cup cornmeal
cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
cup oil
1 cup milk
¼ cup frozen sweet corn
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with margarine or oil.
In a large bowl, whisk together fl our, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, mix applesauce with oil, then whisk in milk. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just combined, then stir in corn.
Spread batter into the pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until bread is lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean. Store leftover bread covered at room temperature.
Yield: 9 SQUARES
Prep time: 20 MINUTES


Going, Going, Gone! Gingerbread
When it’s rainy and gray in Portland, it’s easy to forget that it’s wintertime, and feeling the joy
of the holiday season can be a stretch. The easiest, and tastiest, way to remedy this is by whipping up a
batch of gingerbread. This bread is moist and sweet and spiked with just the right amount of spice. Even
Jim, who insists that he doesn’t like gingerbread, devours this fragrant loaf.
2 cups fl our
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
½ cup oil
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
¼ cup molasses
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
(optional)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. If you want a gingerbread loaf, lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. If you prefer to have gingerbread squares, lightly grease an 8 x 8-inch baking dish.
In a large bowl, combine fl our, ground ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg and salt. In a medium bowl, combine oil and 1 cup sugar. Whisk in molasses until mixture is smooth. Add milk and vinegar and whisk until well-combined, then add fresh ginger, if using. Add
wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just
moistened, making sure that there are no pockets of the dry ingredients remaining.
Spread batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. For a gingerbread loaf, bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
For gingerbread squares, bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a cooling rack completely before serving. Store leftover bread covered at room temperature.
Yield: 10 SLICES OR 16 SQUARES
Prep time: 30 MINUTES


Chocolate Stout Bread
This bread is a little more grown-up than some of the other recipes. It is a bit more savory,
with a hint of chocolate and that fermented edge from the stout. This bread is a fantastic snack
with your favorite bottle of beer on a hot summer afternoon.
2¾ cups fl our
cup baking cocoa, sifted
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ cups chocolate stout
¼ cup oil
cup milk
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with margarine or oil.
In a large bowl, combine fl our, cocoa, sugar, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the middle of dry ingredients and
add stout, oil and milk. Mix until just combined.
Spread batter into the loaf pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let loaf cool in the pan for 30 minutes before turning out on a cooling rack to fi nish cooling. Store leftover bread covered at room temperature.
Yield: 1 LOAF, 10 SLICES
Prep time: 25 MINUTES


Sweet Potato Bread
This fragrant, moist bread is sweet enough to enjoy as a treat but savory enough to eat with a bowl of soup. Feel free to use canned or freshly pureéd sweet potatoes, or try yams.
1½ cups fl our
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup orange juice
½ cup applesauce
¼ cup oil
cup milk
1 cup sweet potato purée
½ cup chopped pecans (optional)
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with margarine or oil.
In a large bowl, combine fl our, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, combine brown sugar, orange juice, applesauce, oil, milk and sweet potato pureé until well-mixed (you may need to use an electric hand mixer on a low speed). Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well until the batter is just moistened. Stir in pecans, if using.
Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake for about 1 hour
until loaf is lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 45 minutes.
Run a knife around the edge to loosen and turn loaf out of the pan to fi nish cooling on the rack. Store leftover bread covered at room temperature.
Yield: 1 LOAF, 10 SLICES
Prep time: 25 MINUTES


Baklava Bread
I love baklava, and while I like a baking challenge, making baklava from scratch is more of a challenge than I’m looking for. This bread will satisfy any craving you may have for Mediterranean sweets and will also make you question why we don’t use pistachios more in American baking traditions.
BREaD:
3 cups fl our
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
1 cups milk
1 teaspoon mild vinegar
½ cup melted margarine
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons
pistachios, chopped, divided
SYRuP:
cup sugar
¼ cup agave nectar
¼ cup water
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with margarine or oil.
For Bread: In a medium bowl, combine fl our, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In a large bowl, combine milk and vinegar and let sit for 2 minutes.
Add melted margarine and whisk to combine. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in batches until just mixed, then add ¾ cup pistachios.
Spread batter in the loaf pan and bake for 48 to 52 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan on a cooling rack.
For Syrup: Combine sugar, agave nectar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Stirring continuously, cook until sugar dissolves and syrup bubbles, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
Using a pointed object, such as a straw or a chopstick, poke 2-inch holes in top of loaf. Pour half of syrup over loaf and let sit until all syrup is absorbed, then pour on remaining syrup. After all syrup is absorbed, sprinkle bread with remaining 2 tablespoons of pistachios. Let loaf cool completely before serving. Store leftover bread covered at
room temperature.
Yield: 1 LOAF, 10 SLICES
Prep time: 40 MINUTES

Pumpkin Cinn-a-Zag Bread
This bread came from a combination of ideas submitted by readers on my blog. One person
suggested pumpkin bread and another suggested cinnamon swirl. Several others wanted a bread
without any nuts in it. This was the result!
1½ cups fl our
¾ cup sugar
1½ teaspoons baking soda
2 tablespoons plus
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup pumpkin purée
(not pumpkin pie mix)
¼ cup oil
¼ cup apple butter
(or apple sauce)
½ cup milk
¼ cup brown sugar
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with margarine or oil.
In a large bowl, combine fl our, sugar, baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together pumpkin, oil, apple butter and milk. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until just mixed. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar and 2 tablespoons cinnamon; set aside.
Pour half of batter into the loaf pan, then sprinkle with brown sugar mixture. Pour remaining batter on top. Draw a knife through the loaf in several directions to mix the zigzag layer around.
Bake for 48 to 52 minutes until center of bread is set and a toothpick comes out clean. Let loaf cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 45 minutes. Run a knife around the edge to loosen and turn bread out of the pan to finish cooling on the rack. Store leftover bread covered at room temperature.
Yield: 1 LOAF, 10 SLICES
Prep time: 25 MINUTES


Saucy Apple Bread
This moist bread is chock full of appley goodness. With its crunchy pecan topping, it is the
perfect breakfast bread, lightly toasted with some melted margarine on top... I can taste it now.
BattER:
2 cups fl our
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup sugar
cup oil
1 cup applesauce
¼ cup milk
1 medium apple,
peeled and chopped
toPPing:
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup fl our
2 tablespoons cold margarine
cup chopped pecans
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with margarine or oil.
For Batter: In a medium bowl, combine fl our, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In a large bowl, combine sugar and oil. Add applesauce and milk and mix well. Incorporate dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just mixed. Stir in chopped apple.
For Topping: In a small bowl, combine sugar and fl our.
Cut in margarine with the back of a fork until mixture is crumbly. Add pecans.
Spread batter into the loaf pan and sprinkle topping on top of bread. Bake for 52 to 55 minutes, until topping is browned and a toothpick comes out clean. Let bread cool completely on a cooling rack before serving. Store leftover bread covered at room temperature.
Yield: 1 LOAF, 10 SLICES
Prep time: 30 MINUTES

Irish Soda Bread
Irish Soda Bread is a lifesaver when you want to make a hearty meal but don’t have the time
to wait around for a loaf of bread to rise. It whips up in a cinch and relies on baking soda to
quickly rise to the occasion (hence the “soda bread” part). You can make oat flour by processing
dried oats (traditional, not steel-cut) in a food processor for a few spins until they are coarse and grainy.
1½ cups fl our
½ cup oat fl our
2 teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon mild vinegar
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, mix fl our, oat fl our, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, mix milk and vinegar together and let sit for 2 minutes. Create a well in the dry ingredients and pour wet ingredients in the middle. Mix until just incorporated,
and shape dough into a ball. Dough may be a little floury on the outside and that is fine.
Place dough on the baking sheet and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until bread is browned and sounds hollow when tapped. Let cool 15 minutes before serving. Store leftover bread covered at room temperature.
Yield: 1 LOAF, ABOUT 8 SLICES
Prep time: 20 MINUTES


Basic Biscuits
Biscuits are a great standby when you don’t have time to make bread or if you just want to have something warm and starchy to smother with gravy. Feel free to roll them out on a floured surface and cut them with a glass or biscuit cutter. Call me weird (or lazy), but I like mine blobby and irregular.
1 cup all-purpose fl our
1 cup whole-wheat pastry fl our
(or all-purpose fl our)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup milk
1 teaspoon mild vinegar
¼ cup oil
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine all-purpose fl our, whole-wheat pastry fl our, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a medium bowl, mix milk and vinegar. Let sit for 2 minutes.
Add oil and whisk quickly. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just combined, being sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl. Dough may be slightly lumpy.
Drop in 6 large scoops on the baking sheet, at least 3 inches apar t. Bake for 10 minutes or until biscuits are puffy and browned. Store leftover biscuits covered at room temperature.
Yield: 6 BISCUITS
Prep time: 20 MINUTES


Bettah Chettah Biscuits
These cheesy biscuits are wonderful with a slab of margarine in the middle or crumbled over a
bowl of soup.
2 cups fl our
¼ cup nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
teaspoon powdered garlic
2 tablespoons margarine, melted
2 tablespoon light miso
¾ cup milk
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine fl our, nutritional yeast, baking powder, salt and powdered garlic. In a small bowl, whisk together melted margarine and miso. Add milk and whisk to break up miso. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated.
You can either drop the batter onto a baking sheet in ½ cup-sized blobs or roll out dough on a well-fl oured surface and cut into 6 rounds using a biscuit cutter. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until biscuits are lightly browned. Store leftover biscuits covered at room temperature.
Yield: 6 BISCUITS
Prep time: 25 MINUTES

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

When Jim and I were first married, I asked him what his favorite muffin was and he loved these muffins that came from a boxed mix with a little can of blueberries. Yuck! I knew I could do better than that. These are the ultimate breakfast muffin. If you’re not keen on blueberries, try different kinds of berries, like blackberries or cherries.


BattER:
2¼ cups plus 2 tablespoons fl our, divided
¾ cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder teaspoon salt
1¼ cups milk
¼ plus 2 tablespoons oil
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons yogurt
(equal to 1 6-ounce container)
½ teaspoon vanilla
1¼ cups fresh or frozen blueberries
(not thawed)
toPPing:
¼ cup flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cold margarine


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease 12 regular or 6 jumbo muffi n cups with margarine or oil, or line with paper liners.
For Batter: In a large bowl, combine 2¼ cups fl our, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl, combine milk, oil, yogur t and vanilla. In another bowl, toss blueberries with remaining 2 tablespoons fl our. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Add blueberries
and gently combine.
For Topping: In a small bowl, mix fl our and sugar and cut in margarine with a pastry cutter or with your fi ngers until mixture is crumbly.
Spoon batter into muffi n tin, fi lling each cup until almost full. Evenly sprinkle topping on each muffi n. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes for regular muffi ns or 20 to 25 minutes for jumbo, until muffi ns are golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely. Store leftover muffi ns
covered at room temperature.
Yield: 12 REGULAR OR 6 JUMBO MUFFINS
Prep time: 30 MINUTES


Orange Chocolate Muffins
I didn’t really learn to appreciate the combination of orange and chocolate until I became an adult, but now it rules the roost! The moist texture of this fluffy muffin with a boost of orange zest is perfectly accented by the chocolate chips scattered  throughout. Nom, nom, nom!


2¼ cups fl our
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
teaspoon salt
1 cups milk
cup oil
zest of one large orange
juice of one large orange
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ cup chocolate chip


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 12 regular or 6 jumbo muffi n cups, or line with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine fl our, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, combine milk, oil, orange zest, orange juice and vanilla. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in two batches until just mixed. Stir in chocolate chips.
Spoon batter into muffi n tin, fi lling each cup until almost full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes for regular muffi ns or 25 to 30 minutes for jumbo, until muffi ns are lightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before removing from the tin. Store
leftover muffi ns covered at room temperature.
Yield: 12 REGULAR OR 6 JUMBO MUFFINS
Prep time: 25 MINUTES

Leslie’s Awesomeness Muffins
My friend Leslie loves dates and nuts and, well, everything that tastes good, really! We’re both
sweet-a-holics so when I developed these muffins, I thought of her because they are very low in sugar but still have enough sweetness to satisfy. They definitely get her approval for being full of “awesomeness.”
1¼ cups white whole-wheat flour
(or all-purpose fl our)
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cinnamon
teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed ripe banana
(approximately 2 medium bananas)
½ cup milk
¼ cup oil
2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup chopped dates
½ cup chopped nuts
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease 12 regular or 6 jumbo muffi n cups with margarine or oil, or line with paper liners.
In a large bowl, combine fl our, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together banana, milk, oil, molasses and maple syrup until combined. Add oatmeal and let sit to moisten oats. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Gently mix in dates and nuts.
Spoon batter into muffi n tin, fi lling each up almost to the top. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes for  regular-sized muffi ns or 22 to 27 minutes for jumbo, until muffi ns are golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the muffi n tin on a
cooling rack for 15 minutes, then transfer muffi ns directly onto the rack to fi nish cooling. Store leftover muffins
covered at room temperature.
Yield: 12 REGULAR OR 6 JUMBO MUFFINS
Prep time: 25 MINUTES
If you don’t have any bananas around, or just don’t like them, substitute with applesauce.

French Toast Muffins

It used to seem unfortunate that french toast couldn’t be more portable and less time consuming,
because it’s so darn tasty. Well, now you can make these muffins and you’ll always have french
toast on the go!
2¼ cups fl our
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1¼ cups milk
cup oil
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons yogurt
(equivalent to 1 6-ounce container)
1½ teaspoons maple extract
½ teaspoon vanilla
cinnamon and powered sugar, for topping Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 12 regular
or 6 jumbo muffi n cups with margarine or oil, or line with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, combine fl our, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. In a large bowl, mix together milk, oil, yogurt,
maple extract and vanilla. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in two batches until just mixed.
Spoon batter into muffi n tin, fi lling each cup until almost full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes for regular muffi ns or 25 to 30 minutes for jumbo, until muffi ns are lightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Remove muffi ns from the oven and let cool completely before removing from the tin and transferring to a cooling rack. Sift powdered sugar
and cinnamon on top of each muffi n. Store leftover muffins
covered at room temperature.
Yield: 12 REGULAR OR 6 JUMBO MUFFINS
Prep time: 25 MINUTES


Garden Muffins
I love to eat these muffins slightly warm with a melty pat of margarine in the middle. They are full of veggies and whole-grain goodness and are the perfect way to get some nutrition into lazy or picky eaters.
1½ cups white-wheat fl our
(or all-purpose flour)
½ cup oat bran (or ½ cup slightly ground instant oats)
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
¼ cup maple syrup or agave nectar
¼ cup oil
1 cup grated zucchini
½ cup grated carrots
¾ cup milk
½ cup raisins (optional)
¼ cup walnuts (optional)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease 12 regular or 6 jumbo muffi n cups with margarine or oil, or line with paper liners.
In a large bowl, combine fl our, oat bran, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. In another large bowl, combine applesauce, maple syrup and oil. Add zucchini and carrots and then stir in milk. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, then stir in raisins and walnuts and mix until well-combined.
Spoon batter into muffi n tin, fi lling each cup until almost full and bake for 18 to 20 minutes for regular muffi ns or 25 to 30 minutes for jumbo, until muffi ns are lightly golden and toothpick comes out clean. Let muffi ns cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to fi nish cooling on a cooling rack.
Store leftover muffi ns covered at room temperature.
Yield: 12 REGULAR OR 6 JUMBO MUFFFINS
Prep time: 30 MINUTES


Out of maple syrup or agave? You can still make these muffi ns by subbing ¼ cup of sugar.


Chocolate Raspberry Swirl Muffins
Sometimes you just need something decadent for a snack or dessert (or if you’re like me, upon waking). When you’re in need of a chocolate fix, these muffins will provide you with the support that you need to get out of bed and lay around on your couch, surrounded by muffin liners.
1¾ cups fl our
cup baking cocoa, sifted
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
cup oil
½ cup sugar
1 cup milk
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons yogurt
(equal to 1 6-ounce container)
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ cup roughly chopped chocolate
½ cup raspberry preserves
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 12 regular or 6 jumbo muffi n cups with margarine or oil, or line with paper liners.
In a large bowl, whisk together fl our, baking cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a medium bowl, combine oil and sugar. Add milk, yogur t and vanilla and mix until creamy. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients until just combined, then stir in chocolate.
Spoon batter into muffi n tins, fi lling each cup almost to the top. Spoon preserves on top of each muffi n, using ½ teaspoon for each regular muffi n or 1 teaspoon for each jumbo muffi n. Swirl preserves into muffi ns using a toothpick or a butter knife.
Bake for 19 to 22 minutes for regular muffi ns or 28 to 32 minutes for jumbo, until middles of muffi n tops look set and a toothpick comes out clean (some preserves may stick).
Let muffi ns cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store leftover muffins covered at room temperature.
Yield: 12 REGULAR OR 6 JUMBO MUFFINS
Prep time: 35 MINUTES


For these muffi ns it’s best to do your toothpick test at an angle, from the edge of the muffi n, so you poke below the swirl.


Randy’s Upside-Down Sticky Muffins
Gooey pecan sticky buns were favorite morning pastries of my father, Randy. On the occasion that
we had them in the house, he had to race me to eat them. Regular sticky buns can be a serious production to make due to all of the steps involved. Here, these easy muffins have a simple gooey topping that makes them an irresistible treat that will have you running to the kitchen!
toPPing:
¼ cup corn syrup or
brown rice syrup
2 tablespoons margarine
½ cup brown sugar


For Topping: In a small saucepan, combine corn syrup or brown rice syrup, margarine and brown sugar. Heat on medium until margarine is melted and all ingredients are incorporated, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the muffi n batter.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the sides of 12 regular muffin cups or 6 jumbo muffi n cups and line the cup bottoms with parchment paper or waxed paper circles.
If you do not have parchment paper or waxed paper,
grease the bottoms well so the topping will come out easily when you fl ip the pan over.
For Batter: In a small bowl, combine fl our, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In a medium bowl, combine milk, oil, yogur t and vanilla until well-mixed. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in batches until just incorporated. Do not overmix.


BattER:
2 cups fl our
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
cup oil
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons yogurt
(equivalent of 1 6-ounce container)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans


For Assembly: Divide prepared brown sugar syrup and pecans equally among the bottoms of the muffi n cups. Spoon the muffi n batter on top of the syrup and pecans, fi lling each cup almost to the top. Bake 18 to 20 minutes for regular muffi ns or 25 to 30 for jumbo muffi ns, until a toothpick comes out clean. Immediately inver t onto a baking sheet lined with waxed paper and remove muffin tin so the pecan caramel can ooze down the sides of the muffins. Remove parchment paper or waxed paper circles.
If you did not use parchment paper in the bottoms, you may need to spoon the pecans back onto the muffins. Store leftover muffi ns covered at room  temperature.
Yield: 12 REGULAR OR 6 JUMBO MUFFINS
Prep time: 35 MINUTES


Peary Berry Muffins
These muffins make good use of lingering pears during those fall and winter months when they are plentiful. You can use pears that are a little too firm for eating, as the stone of the fruit adds a nice texture to these muffins.
2¼ cups flour
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
teaspoon salt
¼ cup oil
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon mild vinegar
1 cup milk
2 medium pears, peeled and shredded
1 cup mixed berries, fresh or frozen
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease 12 regular or 6 jumbo muffi n cups with margarine or oil, or line with paper liners.
In a large bowl, combine fl our, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl, combine oil, vanilla, vinegar and milk. Add pears and mix to combine. Incorporate wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just mixed, then gently fold in berries.
Spoon batter into the muffi n tin, fi lling each cup almost to the top. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes for regular-sized muffins or 28 to 30 minutes for jumbo, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then remove from the tin to cool on a cooling rack. Store leftover muffi ns covered at room temperature.
Yield: 12 REGULAR OR 6 JUMBO MUFFINS
Prep time: 25 MINUTES


Lemon Almond Bling Muffins
These muffins are more about the flavor of almonds than the texture of them. I love the topping because it gives the muffins character, and the hint of  almonds and lemon zest add the perfect crunch to this subtle flavor combination.
BattER:
2¼ cups fl our
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
teaspoon salt
1¼ cups milk
cup oil
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons yogurt
(equal to 1 6-ounce container)
1 teaspoon almond extract
(optional)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
toPPing:
¼ cup sugar
zest of one lemon
(about 2 teaspoons)
¼ cup sliced almonds


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease 12 regular or 6 jumbo muffi n cups with margarine or oil, or line with paper liners.
For Batter: In a large bowl, combine fl our, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl, combine milk, oil, yogur t, almond extract and lemon juice. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and combine until just mixed.
For Topping: In a small bowl, mix topping sugar, lemon zest and sliced almonds.
Spoon batter into the muffi n tin, fi lling each cup almost to the top. Sprinkle on topping. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes for regular muffi ns or 22 to 25 minutes for jumbo, until the muffi ns are golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then transfer to a cooling rack to fi nish cooling. Store leftover muffi ns covered at room temperature.
Yield: 12 REGULAR OR 6 JUMBO MUFFINS
Prep time: 25 MINUTES


Eggnog Muffins with Boozy Raisins
These muffins are the holiday season in a muffin liner, spiced and spiked with festive deliciousness.
For all of the eggnog lovers in your life, these are sure to be a hit. If you prefer a different booze in your eggnog, feel free to substitute.
cup raisins
cup rum, warmed
2¼ cups flour
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1½ cups eggnog
(rice or soy are both fine)
cup oil
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons yogurt
(equal to 1 6-ounce container)
½ teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup powdered sugar
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease 12 regular or 6 jumbo muffi n cups with margarine or oil, or line with paper liners.
In a small bowl, combine raisins and rum. Let sit for a few minutes to plump raisins. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggnog, oil, yogur t and vanilla.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just moistened. Reserve 1 tablespoon rum and drain remaining rum from raisins. Gently mix raisins into muffi n batter.
Spoon batter into the muffi n tin, fi lling each cup almost to the top. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes for regular muffi ns and 25 to 28 minutes for jumbo, until muffi ns are lightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely in muffin tin on a cooling rack.
In a small bowl, combine reserved tablespoon of rum with powdered sugar. Lightly brush glaze onto tops of cooled muffi ns. Sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg if desired. Store leftover muffi ns covered at room temperature.
Yield: 12 REGULAR OR 6 JUMBO MUFFINS
Prep time: 25 MINUTES

Raspberry Lime Muffins
Raspberry and lime make a great flavor  combination, especially if you are fond of slightly
tart baked goods. If you use frozen raspberries, be sure they aren’t completely thawed and don’t
overmix the batter or you’ll have blue, streaky muffins!
1 cup white whole-wheat fl our
(or all-purpose fl our)
1 cup all-purpose fl our
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup oil
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
zest of one lime
juice of one lime
1½ cups raspberries
(fresh or frozen)


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 12 regular or 6 jumbo muffi n cups with margarine or oil, or line with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, sift together whole-wheat fl our, allpurpose fl our, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, mix sugar and oil. Add milk, vanilla and lime zest and juice. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and combine until just mixed, then gently fold in raspberries.
Spoon batter into muffi n tin, fi lling each up almost to the top. Bake for 16 to 19 minutes for regular muffi ns or 22 to 26 minutes for jumbo, until muffi ns are golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Store leftover muffi ns covered at room temperature.
Yield: 12 REGULAR OR 6 JUMBO MUFFINS
Prep time: 25 MINUTES

Cranberry Lemon Zing Oat Bars

 These bars were inspired by a seasonal treat at a world-famous coffee chain. I honestly don’t know
what theirs taste like (seeing as it’s not vegan and all), but these are some darn good bars, with a chewy base speckled with tart cranberries and a creamy lemon frosting.

 1½ cups fl our
1 cup quick oats
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
¾ cup margarine, softened
½ cup applesauce
½ teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup dried cranberries
1 recipe Lemon Frosting (page 158)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 11- inch pan with margarine or oil, or line it with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together fl our, oatmeal, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In a large bowl, cream together sugar and margarine. Add applesauce and vanilla. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in two batches. Stir in cranberries and combine until mixed through.
Spread batter in the bottom of the prepared pan and
bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned and a toothpick inser ted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack before frosting with Lemon Frosting. Store bars covered at room temperature.
Yield: 20 BARS
Prep time: 30 MINUTES

Lime Coconut Bars
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease the bottom of an 8 x 8-inch pan with margarine or oil, or line it with parchment paper.
For Base: In a large bowl, combine melted margarine and sugar. Add fl our to combine, then add oats. Press mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan, creating a lip around the edges, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until slightly browned.
For Filling: While crust is baking, combine sugar,
cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan or pot. Stir until well-combined. Add coconut milk and water and cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until boiling, about 10 minutes. Add lime zest and juice and continue stirring until mixture is thick and bubbling. Pour into a separate bowl to let cool completely, stirring every few minutes.
Once lime mixture is cooled, pour into oatmeal shell and sprinkle with toasted coconut, if using. Let bars set in fridge for at least 2 hours before cutting. Store bars covered in the fridge.
Yield: 16 BARS
Prep time: 50 MINUTES
Diffi culty: GGG
BaSE:
½ cup margarine, melted
cup sugar
1 cup fl our
1 cup quick oats
Filling:
cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch pinch of salt
cup low-fat coconut milk
cup water
1 tablespoon lime zest
juice of 2 limes
cup toasted coconut (optional)
Toast coconut in your oven or a toaster
oven by sprinkling it on a clean pan and
baking it at 350 degrees, stirring every 30
to 45 seconds, until golden.
Instead of lime-coconut fi lling, top the
base with the fi lling from Lemon Almond
Torte (page 111) to make Lemon Bars!

Mocha-damia Bars
These bars are all grown-up! Mixing the instant coffee with the wet ingredients gives it time to
start breaking down a bit and gives these bars a subtle kick. If you use salted macadamia nuts,
omit the salt in the recipe.
2 cups fl our
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup margarine, softened
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup sugar
¼ cup plain or vanilla yogurt
2 tablespoons instant coffee
(you can add more or less, depending on your tastes)
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup chocolate chips
½ cup chopped macadamia nuts
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 13- inch pan with margarine or oil, or line it with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, mix together fl our, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, cream together margarine and sugar using an electric hand mixer. Add yogur t, coffee and vanilla and mix until well-combined. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in two batches and mix until batter is smooth;
you may need to switch to using a spatula. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until edges are golden brown or a toothpick inser ted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a cooling rack for at least 45 minutes before cutting. Store bars covered at room temperature.
Yield: 15 BARS
Prep time: 30 MINUTES

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars
These bars will make you think you’re back in elementary school and your friend with the warm
bologna sandwich is trying to sweet-talk a trade with you. Think again! Concord grape jelly is perfect for the authentic, nostalgic taste, but you can make these bars a little more grown-up with some jam or preserves.
2 cups fl our
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup oil
½ cup peanut butter
¾ cup milk
cup grape jelly
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease an 8 x 8-inch pan with margarine or oil, or line it with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, mix together fl our, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together oil, peanut butter and milk. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in batches until just mixed. Reserve ¾ cup of dough and spread the rest in the bottom of the prepared pan.
Bake base for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the
oven and spread jelly on top of base. Crumble remaining topping over jelly and return the pan to the oven for 15 to 20 minutes until topping is browned and edges are set.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack before cutting into bars. Store bars covered at room temperature.
Yield: 12 BARS
Prep time: 25 MINUTES

Oatmeal Earth Bars
These chewy bars use cooked oatmeal to give them moisture and a delicious texture. They make a great snack and are a perfect way to use up leftover oatmeal.
1½ cups fl our
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup applesauce
¼ cup oil
1 cup cooked oatmeal
(traditional or steel-cut)
½ cup dried cherries
½ cup pecans, chopped
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with margarine or oil, or line it with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, combine fl our, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. In a medium bowl, combine sugar and applesauce until mixed. Whisk in oil. Add cooked oatmeal and mix until well-incorporated. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in batches until just combined, then stir in cherries and pecans.
Spread batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inser ted into the center comes out clean. The middle of the pan should feel set and the edges should be lightly browned. Let bars cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack before cutting. Store bars covered at room temperature.
Yield: 9 BARS
Prep time: 20 MINUTES

Nuts for Carob Bars
If you’ve been scared off by carob before, give it a try here. Try not to think of it as a chocolate
substitute, because it’s truly not. It’s delicious in its own right and has a unique fl avor. The carob
lends a caramel taste to these bars and combines deliciously with the bananas, nuts and raisins.
1½ cups fl our
cup carob powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 large ripe bananas, mashed
¼ cup brown sugar, packed
¼ cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
cup milk
½ cup chocolate (or carob) chips
¼ cup nuts
(such as walnuts or pecans)
½ cup raisins
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 x 8-inch pan with margarine or oil, or line it with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, sift together fl our, carob powder, salt and baking powder. In a large bowl, mix mashed banana, brown sugar, oil and vanilla until well-combined. Add milk. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in two batches. Stir in chocolate chips, nuts and raisins until just mixed. Spread
mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35
minutes or until toothpick inser ted into the center comes out clean. Store bars covered at room temperature.
Yield: 9 BARS
Prep time: 30 MINUTES

Apricot Bars
I absolutely love apricots and you will, too, after trying these buttery bars. The mixture of the firm base, tart preserves and crumbly topping are sure to please your taste buds.
BaSE:
½ cup margarine, softened
½ cup sugar
1¼ cups fl our
¼ teaspoon salt
toPPing:
cup plus 1 tablespoon fl our
¼ cup sugar
3 tablespoons margarine, chilled
1¼ cups apricot preserves
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8 x 8-inch pan with margarine or oil, or line it with parchment paper.
For Base: In a medium bowl, cream together margarine and sugar. In a small bowl, mix fl our and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in batches to make a stiff dough. Spread dough in the bottom of the prepared pan and poke several times with the tines of a fork to make air holes. Bake for 20 minutes.
For Topping: While base is baking, mix together fl our and sugar. Cut in margarine with the back of a fork or pastry cutter until mixture is coarse and crumbly. Keep topping in fridge to keep margarine cool after mixing. After base has baked for 20 minutes, spread preserves over the top and sprinkle topping on.
Return the pan to the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until topping is browned. Remove from the oven and let cool on a cooling rack for 30 minutes before cutting. Store bars covered at room temperature.
Yield: 12 BARS
Prep time: 30 MINUTES

Fudgy Macaroon Bars
Macaroons usually come in one of two varieties: almond or coconut. These bars combine the two for a moist bar with a soft and delicious texture. The almonds add a toothsome touch to the coconut. The Fudgy Frosting takes the whole thing over the edge.
2½ cups sweetened shredded coconut
½ cup almond meal or ground almonds
½ cup fl our
cup sugar
cup applesauce
cup milk
1 tablespoon melted margarine
1 recipe Fudgy Frosting (page 157)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8 x 8-inch pan with margarine or oil, or line it with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix coconut, almonds, fl our and sugar until well-combined. Make a well in the middle of the mixture and add applesauce, milk and margarine. Stir until batter is just combined and all of coconut mixture is moist.
Spread batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 35 to 38 minutes or until lightly browned and center is set. Let cool completely on a cooling rack before frosting with a batch of Fudgy Frosting. Store bars covered in fridge.
Yield: 16 BARS
Prep time: 25 MINUTES

The Ultimate Brownies

Why have two brownie recipes? Well, some folks like cakelike brownies while others prefer
fudgy brownies, so everyone wins with two recipes! The whipped flaxseed gives these that flaky
crust on top. These brownies depend on everything being prepared in a specific order, so read
through the recipe thoroughly for successful results.


¾ cup fl our
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons margarine
cup plus ½ cup chocolate chips, divided
¼ cup baking cocoa
2 tablespoons ground fl axseed
cup water
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with margarine or oil, or line it with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, sift together fl our, baking powder and salt; set aside.
In a heat-resistant bowl over a pot of simmering water, melt margarine, ⅓ cup chocolate chips and baking cocoa. The water should be about 1 to 2 inches deep and the bowl should not touch it. Stir until smooth and let cool slightly.
In a large bowl, mix ground fl axseed and water with an electric hand mixer for about 2 minutes or until mixture is very frothy and texture seems a little gooey. Add chocolate mixture and beat well. Add sugar and vanilla and mix until little air bubbles star t rising to the top of the mixture. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients then stir in remaining ½ cup chocolate chips and mix until well-combined.
Spread batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inser ted into the center comes out clean and brownies have a thin, fl akey crust on top. Let cool in the pan on a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes before cutting. Store brownies covered at room temperature.
Yield: 9 BARS
Prep time: 35 MINUTES

Oh Joe’s Brownies

A couple of years ago, I picked up a box of brownie mix from a certain specialty grocer that
you probably shop at yourself. I looked at the ingredient list and was surprised at its simplicity,
and I set about the task of cracking its code. The result is this simple recipe that results in a
cakelike brownie full of chocolatey goodness.

1 cup sugar
¾ cup flour
cup baking cocoa
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ cup margarine, melted
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons plain or vanilla yogurt
(equal to 1 6-ounce container)
½ cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8 x 8-inch pan with margarine or oil, or line it with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, whisk sugar, fl our, baking cocoa, salt and baking powder. In a large bowl, stir together margarine and yogur t. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in batches and mix until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
Spread mixture in the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until edges are set and a toothpick inser ted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes before cutting. Store brownies covered at room temperature.
Yield: 9 BROWNIES
Prep time: 25 MINUTES

Gooey Layered Goodie Bars

No Midwestern potluck is complete without 7 Layer Bars. You can’t escape them, no matter
where you go. Not quite seven layers, these are my grown-up answer to 7 Layer Bars and all
their gooey goodness.


BaSE:
1¾ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
½ cup margarine
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons plain or
vanilla yogurt
(equivalent to 1 6-ounce container)
1 teaspoon vanilla
toPPing:
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon molasses
¼ cup milk
¾ cup nuts (walnuts or pecans are best)
¾ cup chocolate chips
¾ cup dried fruit
cup dried coconut


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 x 8-inch pan with margarine or oil, or line it with parchment paper.
For Base: In a small bowl, combine fl our, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl, cream together sugar and margarine until smooth. Add yogur t and vanilla to combine.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in batches until incorporated. Press mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
For Topping: In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, molasses and milk until well-mixed. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips until combined. Spread mixture over bar base.
Bake for 30 minutes, sprinkle coconut on top and bake for an additional 5 to 8 minutes until edges are set and coconut is slightly browned. Let bars cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 30 minutes before cutting. Store bars covered at room temperature.
Yield: 9 GENEROUS BARS
Prep time: 20 MINUTES

Chocolate Cherry-Filled Cookies

These cookies are a little labor intensive as cookies go, but they are well worth it. They are kind
of the complement to Chocolate Peanut Butter Shells, the yin to their yang. These are what I like to think
of as “surprise-attack” cookies—very unassuming-looking with a surprise filling that comes out of nowhere
and shocks your unsuspecting mouth.


2 cups fl our
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
½ cup margarine, softened
½ teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons milk
½ cup chocolate chips
½ cup dried cherries
about 1 cup powdered sugar,
for coating


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, combine fl our, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, cream together sugar and margarine. Add vanilla and milk. Incorporate dry ingredients into wet ingredients in two batches until dough comes together. In a small bowl, combine chocolate chips and cherries. Put powdered sugar
on a small plate.
Scoop out balls of dough approximately 2 tablespoons in size. Flatten balls in the palm of your hand and fi ll with 1 to 2 teaspoons of the chocolate chip mixture. Fold over edges to seal and roll into a ball. Roll cookies in powdered sugar and place seam-side down on baking sheets, about 1 inch
apar t. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until cookies are cracked on top and look slightly browned. If you are baking more than one sheet at once, rotate the sheets halfway through the baking time. Let cool on the baking sheet. Store cooled cookies in an air tight container at room temperature.
Yield: ABOUT 18 TO 24 COOKIES, DEPENDING ON SIZE
Prep time: 35 MINUTES


Hippy Dippy Crackers
These seed-studded crackers are perfect for dunking into a soup or stew or for serving with
hummus or some other dip. Have fun cutting out whatever shape or size your heart desires. The
seeds in these crackers provide lots of healthy perks: Sesame seeds are high in calcium, flaxseeds are
high in omegas and pumpkin seeds are high in iron.


1½ cups whole-wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose fl our cup oil
1 cup water
½ cup pumpkin seeds
¼ cup fl axseeds
¼ cup sesame seeds
sea salt, for sprinkling


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine whole-wheat fl our and all-purpose flour. Make a well in the middle of the fl our mixture and add oil, water, pumpkin seeds, fl axseeds and sesame seeds and mix until  well-combined. You can begin stirring with a
spatula, but you may need to use your hands. The dough should be moist but not too sticky.
On a lightly fl oured surface, roll out dough to between ¹/8- and ¹/₁₆-inch thick, depending on how thick you want your crackers to be. Transfer dough to the prepared baking sheet. Once dough is on the sheet, score the lines for your crackers using a knife or pizza cutter, but do not separate them. Lightly brush the top of the dough with water and
sprinkle with sea salt, as desired.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until crackers are browned and fi rm in the center. They do not need to be crispy yet, as they will harden up as they cool. Let crackers cool on the baking sheet on a cooling rack for 5 minutes before cutting crackers apar t on score lines. Let cool completely before eating. Store crackers covered at room temperature.
Yield: ABOUT 2 DOZEN CRACKERS
Prep time: 25 MINUTES

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Always a favorite during the colder months, these cookies are very light and airy. The pumpkin
adds a unique hue and a boost of beta carotene to each bite. That’s enough nutrition to justify having
seconds!


2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon teaspoon salt
1 cup margarine, softened
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup chocolate chips


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, combine fl our, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In a large bowl, cream sugar, brown sugar and margarine with an electric hand mixer on low
speed. Add pumpkin, vanilla and milk and mix well. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture, then stir in chocolate chips.
Drop heaping tablespoons of dough on baking sheets, 2 inches apar t. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned on the edges. If you are baking more than one sheet at a time, rotate the sheets halfway through the baking time. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Store cooled
cookies in a container with a loose fi tting lid, as they are very moist, at room temperature.
Yield: 3 DOZEN COOKIES
Prep time: 25 MINUTES

Spice-Spiked Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Spices are too good to be relegated for holiday baking only. Have Christmas in July and fill your
house with their aromatic scent! The crunch of the sugary coating and the chewy inside paired with the
spicy flavor and dark chocolate is intoxicating.


2 cups fl our
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup margarine, softened
½ cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, divided
½ cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon milk
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ cup chopped dark chocolate bar
3 tablespoons sugar


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, combine fl our, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. In a large bowl, cream together margarine, ½ cup sugar and brown sugar.
Add molasses, milk and vanilla. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in batches until  well-incorporated. Add chopped chocolate.
Scoop out cookie dough into large tablespoon-sized balls and roll in remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar to coat. Place about 1 inch apar t on a baking sheet and fl atten slightly.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until cookies have spread and sugar coating has cracked slightly. If you are baking more than one sheet at a time, rotate the sheets halfway through the baking time. Let cookies cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Store cooled cookies in an air tight container at room temperature.
Yield: 2 DOZEN COOKIES
Prep time: 25 MINUTES

Apple Butter Cookies

The apple butter in these cookies just screams autumn. I have never brought these to a potluck
without getting at least one recipe request. I usually make these with 1 cup all-purpose flour and
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour.


2 cups fl our
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup margarine, softened
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar, packed
¾ cup apple butter
1 teaspoon vanilla


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt. In a large bowl, use a whisk or an electric hand mixer on a low speed to beat sugar, brown sugar and margarine until creamy. Add apple butter and vanilla. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in two batches and mix until well-combined.
Drop rounded tablespoonfuls onto baking sheets, 2 inches apar t. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges look slightly browned. If you are baking more than one sheet at a time, rotate the sheets halfway through the baking time. Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack. Store cooled cookies in an air tight container at room temperature.
Yield: 2 DOZEN
Prep time: 25 MINUTES


Dried raisins or cranberries are a great treat to add to these for extra texture and flavor!

Mocha Stripes

Chocolate is an equal-opportunity lover. It pairs famously with peanut butter. It embraces
fruit and preserves. But it dances with coffee, which makes sense since both of them come from
tropical beans that are roasted to perfection. These cookies are a perfect pairing of the two and will
make you feel grown-up even if you have melted chocolate on your hands.


2 cups fl our
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoon instant coffee
¼ cup warm milk
¾ cup margarine
1½ cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup chocolate chips, melted


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, sift together fl our, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, dissolve coffee in warm milk. In a large bowl, cream together margarine and sugar. Add vanilla and coffee mixture. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in
batches until well-mixed.
Drop tablespoon-sized balls onto a baking sheet, about 1 inch apar t. Bake for 10 minutes until the cookies spread and the edges are set. If you are baking more than one sheet at a time, rotate the sheets halfway through the baking time. Let cookies cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack.
Once the cookies are cool, carefully spoon melted
chocolate into a sandwich bag. Make a small snip off one of the bottom corners of the bag to create a very small opening. Pipe chocolate onto cookies in thin stripes, zigzagging across all the cookies until the chocolate is used up. Store cooled cookies in an air tight container at room temperature.
Yield: 2 DOZEN COOKIES
Prep time: 20 MINUTES

Oatmeal Drizzles

These oatmeal cookies are chewy and soft, even after they cool. Dried cherries add a special
flavor and a little icing drizzle makes these cookies top notch. These are “palmer” cookies, the kind that people try to hide in the palm of their hand so it only looks like they are taking one when they are really sneaking off with two or more!


1 cup fl our
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cinnamon
teaspoon salt
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons margarine, softened
½ cup sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup quick oats
½ cup dried tart cherries


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, sift together fl our, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In a large bowl, cream together margarine, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. Add fl our mixture to sugar mixture. Add oatmeal in batches, and then stir in cherries.
Drop heaping tablespoon-sized cookies on baking sheets, about 3 inches apar t. Bake for 11 to 14 minutes or until cookies are set in the center and the edges are lightly browned. If you are baking more than one sheet at a time, rotate the sheets halfway through the baking time. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. After the cookies are completely cool, drizzle them
with White Icing and let icing set. Store cooled cookies in an air tight container at room temperature.
Yield: 2 DOZEN COOKIES
Prep time: 25 MINUTES


For a delicious variation, try adding raisins instead of cherries and 2 teaspoons of orange zest.

Chewy Chocolate–Peppermint Cookies

Chocolate and peppermint have their own special love affair going on, not unlike chocolate and
peanut butter. These cookies are chocolatey and chewy with the right hint of mint—yum!


1 cup fl our
½ cup baking cocoa
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup chocolate chips, melted
½ cup margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons ground fl axseed
¼ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 recipe for Peppermint Icing


Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, sift together fl our, cocoa, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, cream together melted chocolate chips, margarine and sugar until well-combined. Add ground flaxseed, milk and vanilla and mix for 1 minute with an
electric hand mixer on low speed. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in batches until fully incorporated.
Scoop teaspoon-sized balls of dough onto baking sheets, about 1 inch apar t. Bake for 15 minutes or until edges are set. If you are baking more than one sheet at a time, rotate the sheets halfway through the baking time. Let cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. While cookies are cooling, prepare the Peppermint
Icing. When cookies are completely cool, spread a thin layer of icing on top. Store cooled cookies in an air tight container at room temperature.
Yield: 2 DOZEN COOKIES
Prep time: 30 MINUTES


You can add a drop of green food
coloring to the icing if you want your
cookies to look festive, or you can add
sprinkles to the cookies before the icing
sets up.

Peanut Butter Cookies

This was adapted from my great-grandmother’s recipe, which none of us even knew she had.
I found it in an old cookbook her church put out in the ’70s. Unlike most peanut butter cookies,
these are very soft and chewy, not hard or crumbly. Add a ½ cup of chocolate chips for warm
cookie bliss.


2 cups fl our, sifted
2 teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
¼ cup applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup peanut butter


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, combine fl our, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, cream together margarine, sugar, brown sugar, applesauce and vanilla. Add peanut butter and mix well; this may require a hand mixer or some electric beaters at a slow speed. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and blend until just mixed.
Drop heaping tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto baking sheet, about 2 inches apar t. These cookies spread very nicely, but you can press them with a fork for that classic peanut butter cookie look. Bake for 10 minutes, or until tops crack slightly and edges are a little browned. If you are baking more than one sheet at a time, rotate the sheets halfway through the baking time. Let the cookies cool on
the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Store cooled cookies in an air tight container at room temperature.
Yield: 2 DOZEN COOKIES
Prep time: 20 MINUTES

Other nut butters are great in this recipe.
Try almond or cashew—subtle but divine!

Snickerdoodles

The cinnamon-sugar coating is a simple comfort that has a timeless appeal.
2½ cups fl our
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1¾ cups sugar, divided
½ cup margarine, softened
¼ cup applesauce
½ teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together fl our, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, cream together margarine and 1½ cups sugar. Add applesauce and vanilla and mix until well blended. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in batches
and mix until well-combined.
On a plate, combine cinnamon and remaining ¼ cup sugar. Scoop out tablespoon-sized balls of dough and roll them in cinnamon-sugar mixture and place on baking sheets, about 1 inch apar t. Bake cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, until they have cracked and spread and the edges are set. If you are baking more than one sheet at a time, rotate their sheets
halfway through the baking time. Let cookies cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Store cooled cookies in an air tight container at room temperature.
Yield: 2 DOZEN COOKIES
Prep time: 25 MINUTES
For a different twist, add 3 tablespoons of baking cocoa to the fl our mixture at the beginning of the recipe for a Mexican chocolate–inspired treat!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Shells

This is undoubtedly my most requested cookie recipe and it’s my personal favorite treat.
Originally, my sister gave me a recipe similar to this one. After becoming addicted to these cookies,
I lost the original recipe and I needed it ASAP for an event I was baking for, so I had to do some
improvising and call on my rusty memory and some random notes I had once scribbled down about them.
The result? An even better version of the original cookie. These are a little time consuming but so, so worth it.


DougH:
1½ cups fl our
½ cup baking cocoa
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup margarine, softened
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar, packed
¼ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Filling:
¾ to 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
½ cup peanut butter
cup chocolate chips
¼ teaspoon coarse salt


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
For dough: In a small bowl, sift together fl our, cocoa and baking soda. In a large bowl, beat together margarine, sugar and brown sugar. Add milk and vanilla to the sugar mixture.
Beat well. Gently mix in the fl our mixture about at a time until incorporated. The dough should have a texture similar to Play-Doh.
For Filling: Combine peanut butter and ½ cup powdered sugar in a mixing bowl; keep adding remaining powdered sugar and beat until sugar is absorbed and peanut butter feels stiff and no longer appears shiny. Stir in chocolate chips.
It should be a pretty solid mixture because you want to form it into little balls.
Take a piece of dough just a bit smaller than the size of a golf ball and fl atten it into a disc on a piece of parchment paper. Place a heaping teaspoon of the peanut butter mixture on the center of the dough. Carefully fold the chocolate dough over the peanut butter ball and seal the edges. If the dough cracks, you can easily pinch it back together. Roll the dough into a ball.
Place balls on the baking sheet, 1 inch apar t, sealed side down. Bake for about 8 minutes, until cookies begin to crack slightly on the surface. Let cool for 1 minute on the baking sheet, then carefully transfer to a cooling rack. Store cooled cookies in an air tight container at room temperature.
Yield: 1½ DOZEN COOKIES
Prep time: 45 MINUTES

How to make Shortbread

I usually prefer soft and chewy cookies, but there’s just something about the crisp butteriness of
shortbread that gets me. I usually top each cookie with some almond slivers before baking them,
but they are also delicious plain. Be sure to plan ahead for these cookies, because the dough needs to
chill in the fridge.


1 cup margarine, softened
¾ cup sugar, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla
2¼ cups fl our


In a large bowl, cream together margarine, ½ cup sugar and vanilla until well-combined. Add fl our in batches and mix until dough is soft and smooth. Divide dough in half and shape each half into a log about 6 inches long by 2 inches wide. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Remove logs from the fridge and roll each log in the
remaining sugar, to coat. Using a sharp knife, cut logs into ¼-inch thick slices, rolling the log as you cut to maintain its shape. Place sliced cookies on the baking sheets and decorate them with dried fruit or nuts, if you want. Bake for 8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. If you are baking more than one sheet at a time, rotate the sheets halfway through the baking time. Remove cookies from the
oven and let cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Store cooled cookies in an air tight container at room temperature.
 
Yield: 2 DOZEN
Prep time: 20 MINUTES ACTIVE


Make this dough the night before so all
you have to do is slice and bake.

Lemon Drop Cookies

When I first went to college, I basically lived off of powdered sugar–coated lemon wafer cookies that were made by a major cookie manufacturer. Naturally, because I liked them, they stopped making them about a year after I got hooked, and I spent nearly a decade feeling sorry for myself before realizing that I didn’t care about their silly cookies—I could make my own! These little
cookies are crisp and tart; the powdered sugar takes the edge off and adds a sweet coolness to each bite.


½ cup margarine, softened
½ cup shortening, at room temperature
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoons lemon zest
juice of 1 lemon
2 cups fl our
1½ cups powdered sugar, for coating


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, cream together margarine and shor tening until smooth. Mix in sugar to combine, then incorporate lemon zest and juice. Add fl our in small batches until wellincorporated.
Drop teaspoon-sized balls of dough onto a baking sheet, about 1 inch apar t. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until edges are set and slightly browned. If you are baking more than one sheet at a time, rotate the sheets about halfway through the baking time. Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool completely on the baking sheet before coating each
cookie in powdered sugar. To coat, use a fork to support each cookie and roll them in powdered sugar on both sides. Store cooled cookies in an air tight container at room temperature.

Yield: 2½ DOZEN COOKIES
Prep time: 20 MINUTES


For best results, zest the lemon before juicing. You can use the small holes on a grater for a fi ne zest.

Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

Hate nuts? Leave ’em out! Pecans add a twist to these classic treats, and they’re everything you
want from a chocolate chip cookie—chewy edges, a soft middle and warm, chocolatey goodness.

2 cups fl our
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup margarine, softened
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons milk
½ cup chocolate chips
½ cup chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together fl our, baking soda and salt. In a separate large bowl, cream together sugar, brown sugar and margarine. Dissolve cornstarch in milk and add to sugar mixture along with vanilla. Add fl our mixture to sugar mixture in batches, then stir in chocolate chips and pecans.
Using a cookie dropper or tablespoon, drop heaping
tablespoons of dough onto baking sheet, about 2 inches apar t. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges are slightly golden. If you are baking more than one sheet at a time, rotate the sheets about halfway through the baking time.
Remove cookies from the oven and let cool on the
baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
Store cooled cookies in an air tight container at room temperature.
Yield: 2½ DOZEN COOKIES
Prep time: 20 MINUTES


Want warm cookies anytime? This dough stores well in your fridge for up to a week. Just scoop out a couple at a time to have fresh cookies after dinner!

CHICKEN CHASSEUR

  You can buy Chasseur sauce in jars or packet mixes in the
supermarket, but it’s almost as simple, and certainly more cost
effective, to make at home.
Use whichever cut of chicken you like, but thighs are a cheaper
option than breast meat and you can get away with a smaller
quantity of any type of meat when it’s served in a thick sauce. (If
you haven’t got white wine, use red, or even sherry will do.)
6 chicken thighs
Button mushrooms
Baby onions or shallots
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
3⁄4 pint (450 ml) chicken stock
Glass of white wine
1 tbsp sugar
Tomato purée
Garlic purée
Tarragon
Oil
Salt & pepper
Butter
Method
1. Remove the chicken skin, wash and trim any fatty bits off the
meat then season with salt and pepper. Peel and chop the onions, or leave them whole if they’re small enough, ditto the mushrooms.
2. Warm a very little oil in a very large pan and brown the chicken
thighs two or three at a time by cooking for a few minutes and
turning once. (Don’t put all the meat in the pan at the same
time; if you do the chicken will just cook in its own steam
without browning.)
3. Put the chicken thighs in a large casserole dish and sprinkle
with tarragon.
4. Add a tablespoon of butter to the pan then fry the onions and
mushrooms together for a few more minutes before putting them in the casserole dish with the chicken.
5. Add the stock, wine and chopped tomatoes to the pan with the
sugar and a good squeeze each of tomato and garlic purée; stir
well, bring to the boil and thicken the sauce with more tomato
purée (or a little gravy browning or instant gravy granules) if
necessary.
6. Cook in a preheated oven, Gas Mark 5 (190ºC) for about half
an hour until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is
bubbling. Serve with potatoes or rice and extra vegetables or
salad.
Tip
Don’t chuck out tomatoes, even if they’re slightly soft and wrinkly and past their best; make an alternative to sun dried tomatoes (kind of ) by baking them in the oven. Keep covered in the fridge and use in meat and other tomato based sauces.

Buckwheat Pasta ( Pizzoccheri )

Yield > 10
Keys : Italian Italy European Mediterranean
Ingredients :
500 gm pizzoccheri pasta
300 gm french beans topped and tailed
400 gm potatoes peeled and cut into cubes
500 x savoy cabbage cut into strips
200 gm butter
4 tbl olive oil
2 clv garlic sliced
1 pch freshly grated nutmeg
300 gm bitto cheese cut into cubes
300 gm Taleggio cut into small cubes
100 gm freshly grated Parmesan
1 x salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method :
• Boil the pizzoccheri beans potatoes and cabbage together and cook for about 18 minutes or until tender. Put the butter and olive oil in a pan and gently fry the slices of garlic being careful not to burn them then add the nutmeg.
• Drain the boiled ingredients and build up in a preheated dish a layer of pizzoccheri and vegetables scatter over some of the Bitto and Taleggio cheese cubes and then some Parmesan.
Repeat the layers until the ingredients are finished. Pour the foaming butter on top the heat should be enough to melt the cheese slightly. Mix well season and serve immediately.
• This is a sensational dish for vegetarians.
• Valtellina is a val/ey in the italian Alps nolfarfrom Milan.
It isfamous for bresaola the thinly sliced airdried beef which is served as an antipasto pizzeccheri the only buckwheat pasta made in Italy and Bitto a delicious local cheese. Tal o is a neighbounng valley where the famous cheese of the same name comes from.
• I hadgreatfun coalcing this dishfor the students of
afashion school in Milan who were preparingfor their end ofyear exams. In exchange I recewed a series of outrageous and impractical aprons speciaUy me that ony a schoo with lots
of imagination could invent.
• Serves 10

Bucci's Insalata Pizza

Yield > 8
Keys : Low Calorie Fat Free Diet Pizza Calzo Italian Italy European Mediterranean
Ingredients :
2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1 pch sugar
1 cup warm water
2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
toppings
6 med roma tomatoes, sliced
3 tbl olive oil
1 tbl balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 head garlic, roasted and chopped
1/2 cup goat cheese
1 tbl chopped fresh mint
1/2 cup chopped arugula
Method :
• To Make one 16-inch pizza crush (2hrs) Dissolve yeast and sugar in water.
• Proof 5 minutes. Pour into mixer bowl. Gradually mix in 2 cups flour and salt using paddle attachment. Change to dough hook. Incorporate remaining flour and mix 10 minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic. Place dough in a greased bowl.Cover with plastic and let rise 1-1/2 hours, or until doubled in size. A longer, slower rising time will make a more
flavorful crust. Punch dough down.
• Form into a ball and refrigerate until ready to use. Bring to room temperature before using.
• To Complete the pizza (meanwhile plus 20 minutes) Meanwhile, marinate tomatoes in 1 tablespoon olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper for 1-2 hours. Roll out pizza dough to make a 16-inch circle. Brush with remaining 2 tablespoons
olive oil. Arrange marinated tomato slices on pizza dough. Dot with garlic and goat cheese. Bake at 500F in a pizza oven for 10 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle with mint and arugula. Cut into desired number of
slices and serve at once.

Boysenberry Almond Kiss Dessert Pizza

Yield > 2 " pizzas
Keys : Desserts Berry Berries Nuts Italian Italy European Mediterranean Warm
Ingredients :
2 x 12" Dessert Pizza Shells,unbaked
3 x Egg whites
4 oz Almond paste
8 oz Boysenberry preserves
TOPPING
3/4 lb Boysenberries, whole
1 1/2 cup Almonds, blanched, slivered, and toasted
8 oz Chocolate chips
TO SERVE
Confectioners' sugar
Whipped cream, OR vanilla ice cream
Method :
• Beat egg whites in mixer with paddle until foamy; add almond paste and cream until smooth. Add Boysenberry preserves and mix until fully incorporated. Reserve Boysenberry mixture.
• Top each unbaked pizza shell with 1/2 cup of the
Boysenberry/egg white mixture, leaving 1/2-inch border. Bake in 400 degree oven for 7 minutes.
• Remove from oven, and top each pizza with 6 oz. whole Boysenberries, 3/4 cup toasted almonds and 4 oz. chocolate chips. Return to oven and bake for an additional 7 minutes.
• Remove and let cool for fifteen minutes. Serve warm, dusted with confectioners' sugar and topped with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.