I’ve always been interested in the Amish way of life. There is definitely something very appealing to me about this or any other minimalist approach to life so I was very interested in receiving The Amish Cook’s Baking Book.The book is co-authored by Lovina Eicher (who lives in an Amish community and learned to bake from her mother) and writer Kevin Williams. Eicher provides the recipes and a little back-story and Williams provides commentary on Amish history and way of life. Together, they have written this and other cookbooks that feature recipes from Lovina’s mother and other Amish women.

The first thing I noticed about this book when I received it from Andrews McMeel Publishing was the size. It really is the perfect size for setting on your counter while you bake. Call me picky, but I don’t care for cookbooks that lack pictures and I have a hard time liking cookbooks of odd shape and size- such as tall and skinny. This one is short and long, so the pages lay flat no matter if you are reading a recipe at the beginning of the book or at the end. The pictures are nice and the overall layout of the book is well done.

The recipe titles are charming and invite you to give them a try. Cookies named “crybaby cookies” or “$250 cookies”. Unfortunately, for a lot of these names, Eicher is unsure how the names came to be. Williams mentions this in his introduction and uses the analogy of the “telephone game”. Because the Amish are such eager recipe swappers, sometimes the name gets lost in all the eager trading! As I kneaded my dough, I daydreamed where the names came from.

There are a lot of books popular right now on the subject of baking bread fast. I’m not interested in that. I enjoy the kneading and long rise times. I enjoy watching something transform in my sunny little window. Amish women have a lot of time to dedicate to baking and so their recipes for baking are not rushed. This appeals to me. I like to make a day of it when I bake bread! Also, I don’t own a Cuisinart, a KitchenAid or any other fancy motorized gear which most Amish do not use either. So many times I have bought cookbooks and then I read through the recipes and have to skim past the ones that say, “In the bowl of an electric mixer . . .” or I have to adapt it to my own way of baking. I didn’t run into that problem with this book.

What I did run into with this book was an ingredient problem. A lot of the recipes call for lard or vegetable shortening. Normally, I do not use either although I have been known to throw some bacon lard in a brownie recipe (not a fan) out of frugality. I am new enough to baking that I am unsure if butter can be substituted in all recipes. It would have been nice to see a side note or two mentioning substitutions for those ingredients since a lot more people are getting away from using shortening.

I tested 2 recipes from this book. The first was the recipe for Sweet Breakfast Rolls. Eicher says her husband likes a cinnamon roll or sweet roll in the morning with his hot chocolate or coffee. And so do I! In fact, cinnamon rolls are one of my all-time favorite treats and I am constantly on the lookout for the be-all end-all of cinnamon roll recipes. Unfortunately, this one is not it. But ironically, it was the quickest cinnamon roll recipe I have ever made. There was no 2nd rise- only a quick initial rise. This is a good recipe for someone who wants to be eating homemade cinnamon rolls within an hour. Perhaps if I let them rise a little longer they would have puffed up a bit more, but by following the recipe I found them to be quite dense. It may have had something to do with the weather. The frosting recipe is fabulous and I will definitely be using that again.

Later in the afternoon, I decided to try one of the kid-friendly recipes with Andrew in the kitchen. Two desserts in one day, it’s a work hazard, I know. We made the 10-Minute Cookie Bars and they did indeed live up to their name, but they were a bit crumbly and didn’t come out of the pan very well. I hope to try several more of the recipes in this book (Honey Bars will probably be first up). There are several recipes that certainly look interesting.

In conclusion, I think this is the kind of cookbook that would be best-suited for someone who has some experience baking. A few of the recipes are a tad vague, calling for “enough bread flour to make a stiff dough”, etc. instead of an actual measurement. I think this will frustrate baking newbies. However, for the experienced baker, the book offers a fresh perspective. I really appreciate that this book teaches both how to bake and encourages us to live more simply by giving us a peek at the Amish way of life.

I am giving away a copy of this book to one random reader.

To enter, leave a comment below answering the following question:

When you bake bread, do you measure the flour exact or do you add a little here and there until the dough looks like it is the right consistency?

For a second chance to win, you can tweet the giveaway. Please leave an additional comment below telling me that you did so. I am mailing this book out myself and at the time am only able to mail to U.S. residents. The contest will close Sunday, March 14th at midnight. One winner will be chosen at random using Random.org. Good luck!

My husband gave me a hyacinth last week for our anniversary. I’ve enjoyed watching it sit in its sunny little window space, mostly because I think it gives me hope. Hope that this winter will END, the snow will melt and we can get out into our garden and grow!! In the next few months and throughout the summer, we will be sharing with you what we grow and how we grow it. It will be a good place for the newbie gardener to learn how to grow some simple food. We don’t use special technique or expensive equipment. A lot of what we do is seed-in-the-ground and water type gardening so anybody can join in. We grow organically.

Here’s a list of what we plan on growing:

Tomatoes

Lettuce

Cabbage

Basil

Cilantro

Jalapenos

Onions

Red Bell Pepper

Pumpkins

Carrots

Sugar Snap Peas

Raspberries

Strawberries

Squash

?????

UPDATE:

I had a reader ask about container gardening vegetables. While it is entirely possible to grow almost everything in a container, the thing to look out for is container type. I would recommend NOT using terra cotta pots for growing vegetables. They tend to draw all the moisture from your soil and you will find yourself needing to water more than once a day when it gets real hot.

I found this book when browsing Amazon. While I have not actually read it myself, it looks like one of the better ones.
Easy Container Combos: Vegetables & Flowers (Pamela Crawford’s Container Gardens)

I think these would be cute for an older girls’ birthday party. Especially a girl who is into manga and that sort of thing. I’m not doing a real detailed post about these since there are way better posts out there as far as cookie decorating goes but did want to share them with you since pink dinosaurs are cute. In case anybody is wondering, I always use Martha Stewart’s recipe for sugar cookies.

For some crazy good cookie decorating skillz check out:

Sweetopia

Bake at 350

These girls know how to do it best.

Also, there’s a lot of talk about this new book Cookie Swap: Creative Treats to Share Throughout the Year which is on my wishlist! There are some CUTE cookie ideas in there for someone who has some time on their hands and want to really impress some people with their crazy cookie skills!! If you have this book already, let me know what you think of it!

I haven’t been to see a movie in the theater in quite some time. It’s been at least a year, maybe two. The last movie I saw in the theater I think was Burn After Reading on opening day so it was a while ago. This past weekend, my parents offered to babysit the kids so we could go see a movie. In Hutchinson, we are rather limited so it was between Avatar and Alice in Wonderland. I am a huge Tim Burton fan and have been watching and re-watching the trailer for AiW for what seems like forever now but after the Willy Wonka experience I was skeptical. I tried to have a good attitude, really I did.

When we got to the theater there was a sign on the door that said there was no heat in the theater showing Avatar so that settled any last-minute bail-out plan I had as far as going to see Avatar instead of Alice. That didn’t stop the people in front of us though who cheerfully paid for 3 adults and 3 children (ALL under the age of 6 might I add) to go and sit 2 hours and 40 minutes in a cold theater. One of the kids had to have been no older than my son who is 3 but I won’t go there in this post. One can imagine the looks my husband and I were giving each other though.

From the opening scene I knew I was doomed. No fancy credit opening or anything just right into it which is okay except it was just a boring scene in a study. Which is OKAY but then my eyes were trying to focus and for the first part of the movie I sat there trying to figure out if the blurriness was for artistic purposes or if the projector was out of whack or what. My husband noticed too and I told him I thought Burton might have been trying to make a point that Alice’s eyes were closed or that she wasn’t seeing clearly, was in a daze, until falling down the rabbit hole. But then she fell down the rabbit hole and the movie remained blurry. I didn’t want to be THAT GIRL who gets up and complains to the theater manager about something as trivial as a slightly out of focus picture but it was incredibly distracting. But this is all beside the point. . .

The first Tim Burton movie I ever saw was Pee-wee’s Big Adventure. My brother and I used to watch Pee-wee’s Playhouse every Saturday morning and when the movie came out I was delighted. I’m positive the show and the movie were major influences in my quest to include the arts in my life. There was something about the inventiveness of the show that pushed me to think more creatively, like an inventor, and something about the movie that convinced me that “dark” could also mean creative i.e. Alfred Hitchcock.

The next Burton movie to come out was Beetlejuice. I admit, I was a little freaked-out by some of it but I was 12 years old. I remember being in awe. I had never seen a movie like this before- so full of art! I started to doodle in journals and think about color in new ways. I loved the vividness of the movie and started to understand the importance of set design and costume in a movie. I was beginning to form definite standards for movies I deemed worthy of my hard-earned allowance. First, it had to be artistic and appealing to the eye. There needed to be a reason I was going to see it on a big screen. Burton has never let me down as far as making something enjoyable to watch. Beetlejuice also introduced me to one of my teenage obsessions- Winona Ryder. Burton has never let me down in his casting either. . . errrr except maybe Michael Keaton as Batman but I understand his reasons why he cast him now.

Which brings me to 1989 and me, 13 years of age, blowing my hard-earned allowance to go see Batman in the theater. What do I remember about this movie besides the fact that on opening night I also held hands for the first time with my first REAL boyfriend???? Jack Nicholson! I had no idea who this guy was before watching this movie (my parents, unlike some I saw at the theater today, were strict on what movies I saw). I don’t remember being too fond of the movie- my brother however was CRAZY about it but I remember swimming at the pool all summer long, listening to Prince’s song Batdance from the soundtrack play on the radio every hour on the hour ALL SUMMER LONG. Maybe that’s what drove me away from “regular” radio.

Up until 1990, I didn’t realize that Tim Burton was behind any of these movies at all. Then Edward Scissorhands came out and that changed. I wanted to know everything there was to know about Tim Burton, Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder. There was something about the movie that was so unique, so different but not just that it was creative and quirky and had good acting. It was done so well that I actually understood what it was Burton was trying to say about American Suburbia even at the age of 14. THIS is what makes a good movie in my opinion- the trifecta: Good acting, visually stimulating (eye candy), and when the movie has an important message that is conveyed and understood easily by the audience without spelling it out. Instead, you let the script, the acting, and the photography convey the message for you.

After Scissorhands, I never looked at America the same. I saw how ridiculous it was for people to live in houses with perfectly manicured lawns, selling makeup and hosting barbecues all the while pretending to be somebody you’re not. It was also like peering into a crystal ball. I got to see what it would be like entering high school in the next year. But mostly, I got to escape for a few hours, into a world that was magical, and I got to enjoy a story that was neither done before or lacking in moral. Burton inspired me to write because I wanted to be him- I wanted to say the things he was saying!

In 1993 The Nightmare Before Christmas came out and I literally almost went out and got a tattoo of that dog Zero. But I was only 16 and I guess I’m kinda glad now that I didn’t but at the time I really wanted to give Burton the ultimate credit and have something he created permanently embossed on my body. After watching this movie (several times) I seriously began to think about art school. This movie had a MAJOR influence on me and I really began to dream big plans for my life when I wandered off and daydreamed.

Ed Wood, Mars Attacks!, and Sleepy Hollow are all good but by far the most looked forward to movie for me during those 10 years between 1993 and 2003 was Big Fish. When I was 19 years old I drove my car from Nebraska to Montgomery, Alabama where I lived for 7 years. My last 3 years living in Montgomery, I lived in a section of town known as “Old Cloverdale“. I worked at a little pizza restaurant called Tomatino’s and I frequented a jazz and blues bar called 1048. Huntington College is on the same block.

The movie Big Fish was filmed from January to May of 2003 in Old Cloverdale and I moved from this neighborhood to Minnesota in June of 2002. I would get emails and phone calls from friends in Alabama telling me, “Oh Tim and Ewan are so nice. They come and eat at Tomatino’s every day. Leave us big tips and tell us amazing stories.” or “Oh, Steve [Buscemi]? Yeah, Steve is so great. Real down-to-earth guy. Comes to 1048 each and every night. Sits right in the front row and listens to Sam and Ziggy play!” Nothing agonized me more than hearing these stories! That I could have met Tim Burton and shown him my zero tattoo. Who knows, maybe he would have told me to come along, pack up and join the troupe! Yeah, I know. . . keep dreaming.

But this is what Burton does. He makes it so that I keep dreaming. When I learned he was going to do Charlie and the Chocolate Factory I was overwhelmed. I couldn’t wait to see what he would do with it. I also feared he wouldn’t be able to do it justice. After all, the original is pretty damn good even if I can’t stand the look of Gene Wilder. Maybe Burton was a little overwhelmed too. Maybe you only have so much creativity in you and once you exhaust it all your done. People talk about this all the time. Do you quit while you’re ahead or do you just keep making movies? Kubrick didn’t stop and Tarantino won’t so I certainly don’t expect or want Burton too.

It’s hard though. It’s painful to watch someone you once so admired, move into a “slump”. As I watch the tweets roll in and read what people have to say on Facebook, etc. it’s clear people still love Tim Burton movies. But will I pay to see one of his films in the theater again? I’m not so sure. Alice in Wonderland seemed to be the kind of movie I would fall in love with as a 12 year old. For some girl out there, it’s probably like what watching Beetlejuice was for me at 12. Something new and amazing. But now that I am in my 30’s and have seen a fair share of movies, it’s not so new. A part of the movie seemed reminiscent of Lord of the Rings. Other parts reminded me of silly slapstick humor movies that drive me insane . Did the Mad Hatter really need to break into that silly dance toward the end? As the audience roared with delight, I thought to myself, Burton and Depp have sold out. Of course they have to some extent already otherwise they wouldn’t be working with Disney, but this dance scene really pushed the selling out envelope!

In conclusion, it has me thinking a lot. Not only about the movie industry but my own creativity as well. Number 1, I’ve decided I’m probably sticking with independent films if I’m going to a theater again. Thankfully Minneapolis isn’t far away. It just seems to me like “Hollywood” is dumbing down their audience movie after movie after movie. This can’t be good for humanity. Number 2, I’ve decided I need to push myself further creatively. There’s not a lot of room for innovation anymore now that technology has caught up. 10 years ago it would have been impressive for me to have created a 20-minute long stop-motion short. Right now, there are probably 100 12-year olds doing that this very minute, on their own time, with their own equipment. They are the next “Tim Burton”. They will be younger and more tech-savvy, but will they be creative geniuses and what will they do with it? Let them save humanity now.

People who live in big houses have problems too. This is what I tell myself every time I start to feel cooped-up in this little 700-square foot house the 4 of us share. Sometimes we need to be reminded why we live the way we do and sometimes it’s good to remind others that quality of living doesn’t have to be compromised when we make a decision to reduce spending.

I have often been asked, “How do you live in such a small house?” But then I tell them what my mortgage is every month and the look of shock on their face usually makes me feel a whole lot better. I know they are considering their own mortgage versus mine and maybe even wondering to themselves if it might not be worth it after all. Other people are content to live in debt up to their eyeballs in order to have the things they have. Personally, I enjoy living without all that stress.

I think most Americans are trained to want the big house, big car, big boat, etc. and so when they find themselves struggling to pay the bills they are confused because really, this way of life has become so ingrained in our culture that we don’t know any different. It’s necessary to take a step back every now and then and really evaluate what is a need and a want, to evaluate frugality, our commitment to our health and well-being and our stewardship of the land. If we need a little reminder (or the education in the first place), we can turn to books. One of the more recent books I’ve read on this subject is The New Frugality: How to Consume Less, Save More, and Live Better By Chris Farrell.

According to Farrell, being green and being frugal are synonymous. I couldn’t agree more. Farrell encourages us to make choices based on what is affordable and sustainable. For example, my husband and I reduce our use of the car significantly during the Spring, Summer and Autumn months. We tote ourselves and kids around on bikes using a bike trailer. It made sense for us to shop for a bike trailer that was inexpensive yet safe and durable. Taking the time to research the right choice rather than jump in the car and run downtown to buy the biggest, fastest, flashiest model falls in line with Farrell’s ideology that frugality should also be sustainable. The item purchased needs to be inexpensive, yes but it also needs to last. Otherwise, what’s preventing us from having to go down and buy a new one when the cheap one falls apart after one summer of heavy use? Having to buy two cheap ones in two years costs more than buying one durable one in the long-term and is better for the environment because there is less manufacturing and shipping involved. Has anybody else ever wondered if certain companies make their products flimsy and crappy on purpose so that we HAVE to buy more?

Here’s a little secret that a lot of people don’t know. Once you get used to living frugally, the smallest things then become “big deals” and happiness comes easier. This is where the Live Better part of the title comes in. Think of a child who gets ice cream everyday. After a while, is the ice cream a treat or is it just routine? What then needs to be done to give that child a treat, to bring happiness? A banana split? Triple-decker cone? When does it become enough? By limiting some of the things that were once considered “special” (a time before people just busted out the credit card out of habit), we are able to allow ourselves that happiness in a more frugal way and the stress is gone. It may sound difficult at first, but by adopting the new frugality mentality you can really improve your quality of life. Reading Farrell’s book is extremely motivating. After reading it, I want to see how much I can save and challenge myself to be as frugal as possible.

The book does have useful information for people from various economic classes but the majority of advice seems to be directed to those in the upper classes. I do not fit into those classes but it doesn’t mean I can’t learn from the same book. It is a little frustrating to read that an ideal savings would be the amount one would need for an entire year’s living expenses. I can’t even fathom saving up that kind of money, and if I could I would probably consider moving someplace warm and third world but I guess it is an ideal I should strive for someday.

Really this book is for anyone just starting out that knows nothing about finances or for the person with a larger net worth but who knows nothing about living frugally and wants to start. For people who have been living green and managing their own finances (people who understand what a Roth IRA is) for years now, it might not be the right book. I only say this because I let my dad read this book and he fits the latter profile and said as much to me in a quick paragraph.

Who this book would be perfect for:

-People like my brother who make a fairly good chunk of change but have no clue what to do with it and have never thought much about sustainability.

-People like my husband and I who need a reminder every now and then why we need to keep saving and keep living green.

-People like the folks down the street who are newly retired and thinking about becoming more green but want a little more motivation, resources and information.

-People that I work with whom have enough money they can consider paying for their kids’ college with cash, charitable gift annuities, make major investments, etc.

It’s a pretty wide cross-section.

Perhaps my favorite section of the book is the one titled, “Investing in Yourself”. Farrell writes, “Our most important investment is in our education and career, skills and knowledge- what economists call human capital.” He goes on to explain that we are only worth as much as we are able to create, produce or otherwise bring to the market. He emphasizes with a quote from Fischer Black, “A raw human being has about as much economic value as an uncultivated piece of land in the wilderness.” This isn’t depressing to me, it’s motivational!

I am giving away one copy of this book.

In his book, Farrell mentions the benefits of renting over owning in today’s market. For example, when one rents, it is much easier for one to “pick up and move” in order to chase after a particular job.

In order to win, please leave a comment below answering the following question:

Do you believe it is better to rent a home than to own in today’s economy?

You can enter more than once by tweeting this giveaway (please let me know you did so in a separate comment below).

Good Luck!

Fine Print:

Winner will be chosen via Random.org. The book will be mailed to you from the publisher, however the review here is the sole opinion of mine and was not influenced in any way by the publisher. They simply allowed me to read and review the book and have agreed to provide one copy to a lucky winner at my request. The contest is open to U.S. and Canadian residents only.  The contest will close at Midnight on March 10th. I will contact the winner and announce it here.

UPDATE:  Congratulations to Devona, winner of this giveaway!

I love this book. I love it for the Dr. Strangelove reference in the Table of Contents. I love it for the cover art. I love it for the countless tips that are actually incredibly useful and not just more of the same ol’ same ol’. But most of all I love it because I truly believe this country would be a better place if more people got over the idea that they have to go into debt to have an “amazing” wedding and actually started their marriage off honestly, frugally and yes, a little offbeat.

I’m probably going to piss a lot of people off here, but I feel like I need to say it. You don’t NEED the big gigantic wedding, okay? You don’t NEED to put your parents in debt and whine like a baby that you need a bigger budget so that you can have surf and turf instead of chicken and salad served “family style”. You don’t need to have the 5-tier cake. Cake is cake, okay?

I’m glad I got that out of the way. Now, if you’re thinking you don’t want to read this book because you don’t need another holier-than-though liberal telling you how to plan your wedding, don’t worry. The author is NOTHING like that. In fact, she explains ever so sweetly in the introduction that she wants “to encourage you to craft a wedding that’s honest and authentic- not to tell you there’s anything wrong with coveting a white dress or recognizing your faith in your ceremony”.  So relax! This book is inspiring and encouraging and something a little different from the traditional book on the topic of weddings. I think any bride could glean a multitude of inspiration from this book, not just the tattooed and mohawk-sportin’ ones.

Offbeat Bride: Creative Alternatives for Independent Brides is the 2nd edition by Ariel Meadow Stallings. She also has a killer blog on the same topic (as well as a blog for offbeat mommas!). The author is hilarious and the structure is appealing. One can read it cover to cover and get a chronological account of the author’s own wedding extravaganza, otherwise one can jump around from chapter to chapter (there are 43 mini chapters).

There are countless tips in this book that will really save you. For example, the author mentions that using evite.com might sound like a brilliant idea to manage RSVPs but to keep in mind that the comments cannot be moderated. Something like this is huge! You don’t want someone saying anything ugly or inappropriate online in front of your entire guest list. Something like that could seriously stress you out and you have enough stress as it is!

But there is more than just e-advice. There is real hands-on advice featuring ways to get crafty and pull off a stunning frugal wedding. The author interviewed several people across the country who were offbeat brides or grooms and include their advice, tips and stories on almost every page. I wish I would have known about this book when I had my own frugal and offbeat wedding 5 years ago!

One of my favorite pieces of advice is on page 43. The “smidge above” rule. When it comes to makeup, says the author, “. . .bridal beauty preparations should, at the most, be only a smidge more than your typical beauty routine.” So true! I don’t know how many times I have looked at wedding pictures from various brides who don’t normally wear makeup in everyday life (as I know them) but then went buck wild and hired a professional makeup artist to “glamour shot them up”. I always look at those pictures and think, who is that? A lot of the times, too much makeup can be distracting and look really plastic. To think some people pay all that money to have makeup applied that is practically dripping off come reception time in scary to me. Be who you are! You are the same person when you wake up tomorrow, you don’t need to be transformed to have a good wedding. He’s marrying you for who you are. If heavy makeup is an everyday occurrence for you, then by all means- go for the airbrushed-on glitz fest!

Remember, the average couple in America spends $30,000 on their wedding. Is it worth it for one day? It blows my mind how so many people happily accept that kind of money from a parent to spend on their wedding, almost expecting the parent to take out a second mortgage on their house just so they can have their “dream wedding.” I think that if you read this book, you might have a new perspective. You might see that a beautiful wedding is possible with less money. Remember, I am just as married (my wedding budget was $1,000) as the person who spent $100,000 and I hate to say it but I think my chances of staying together are higher. We have a hell of a lot less stress on us financially.

Now for the FUN PART! Seal Press is giving away 5 copies of this book!

All you have to do to be entered to win is post a comment below answering the following question:

Which season do you think is the best to get married during? Are you a fan of the fall? Are summer weddings at the lake a blast? Does Spring say “new beginning” for you?

For a second chance to win, you can tweet this giveaway (but please let me know you did so in a separate comment).

The contest will close at midnight, March 6th. I will post the winners on March 7th. Books will be mailed directly from the publisher. I will contact you for your shipping address if you are a winner.

The contest is open to anyone living in either the U.S. or Canada.  Also, you do not need to be a bride-to-be to enter. This book would make a great gift!

Update: This contest is closed. The winners were:

#16 Red

#98 Lauren Dixon

#74 Kelly

#30 Gabrielle

#89 Victoria

An email has been sent to the winners with instructions. Please check your spam folders if you do not see it, it may have gotten stuck there. Thanks everyone for commenting!

Like a lot of the other Daring Baker’s challenges, I found myself second guessing myself during the process. With this challenge, I was extremely worried (even calling it a fail at one point) but when I tasted it . . . when I tasted it I couldn’t stop eating it and I normally have some control! Tirimisu or “heaven on a dessert plate”. Wow if that isn’t the truth. And if you love the flavor of coffee then you are doubly in heaven.

Several books have been written about Italian Desserts. I have only made a few in my time but my parents had the opportunity to taste quite a few while they lived in Italy. I planned to make this during one of their visits to really impress them. While in the kitchen, I heard my dad ask my mom, “What is that weird flavor?” I yelled out the kitchen, “Espresso!” to which my brother commented, “Mmmm expresso.” Thus began endless teasing about the pronunciation of espresso.

This was a joy to make even if mine was a little softer than I had planned. I have several ideas now for a Tirimisu-inspired cheesecake and can’t wait to make that next as one of my big “special occasion” desserts. Good thing we have a special occasion coming up in a few weeks

I ended up serving these with Espresso Biscotti dipped in chocolate and almonds. I wish I would have made more ladyfingers to serve with it but I’m the type of person that likes to make most recipes once so I didn’t go back and do another batch. I had never made biscotti so that is why I decided to serve my Tiramisu with that.

The February 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen and Deeba of Passionate About Baking. They chose Tiramisu as the challenge for the month. Their challenge recipe is based on recipes from The Washington Post, Cordon Bleu at Home and Baking Obsession.

TIRAMISU

(Recipe source: Carminantonio’s Tiramisu from The Washington Post, July 11 2007 )
This recipe makes 6 servings

Ingredients:
For the zabaglione:

• 2 large egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons sugar/50gms
• 1/4 cup/60ml Marsala wine (or port or coffee)
• 1/4 teaspoon/ 1.25ml vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

For the vanilla pastry cream:

• 1/4 cup/55gms sugar
• 1 tablespoon/8gms all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon/ 2.5ml vanilla extract
• 1 large egg yolk
• 3/4 cup/175ml whole milk

For the whipped cream:

• 1 cup/235ml chilled heavy cream (we used 25%)
• 1/4 cup/55gms sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon/ 2.5ml vanilla extract

To assemble the tiramisu:

• 2 cups/470ml brewed espresso, warmed
• 1 teaspoon/5ml rum extract (optional)
• 1/2 cup/110gms sugar
• 1/3 cup/75gms mascarpone cheese
• 36 savoiardi/ ladyfinger biscuits (you may use less)
• 2 tablespoons/30gms unsweetened cocoa powder

Method:
For the zabaglione:

1. Heat water in a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, place a pot with about an inch of water in it on the stove. Place a heat-proof bowl in the pot making sure the bottom does not touch the water.
2. In a large mixing bowl (or stainless steel mixing bowl), mix together the egg yolks, sugar, the Marsala (or espresso/ coffee), vanilla extract and lemon zest. Whisk together until the yolks are fully blended and the mixture looks smooth.
3. Transfer the mixture to the top of a double boiler or place your bowl over the pan/ pot with simmering water. Cook the egg mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, for about 8 minutes or until it resembles thick custard. It may bubble a bit as it reaches that consistency.
4. Let cool to room temperature and transfer the zabaglione to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, until thoroughly chilled.

For the pastry cream:

1. Mix together the sugar, flour, lemon zest and vanilla extract in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. To this add the egg yolk and half the milk. Whisk until smooth.
2. Now place the saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring constantly to prevent the mixture from curdling.
3. Add the remaining milk a little at a time, still stirring constantly. After about 12 minutes the mixture will be thick, free of lumps and beginning to bubble. (If you have a few lumps, don’t worry. You can push the cream through a fine-mesh strainer.)
4. Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, until thoroughly chilled.

For the whipped cream:
Combine the cream, sugar and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer or immersion blender until the mixture holds stiff peaks. Set aside.

To assemble the Tiramisu:

1. Have ready a rectangular serving dish (about 8″ by 8″ should do) or one of your choice.
2. Mix together the warm espresso, rum extract and sugar in a shallow dish, whisking to mix well. Set aside to cool.
3. In a large bowl, beat the mascarpone cheese with a spoon to break down the lumps and make it smooth. This will make it easier to fold. Add the prepared and chilled zabaglione and pastry cream, blending until just combined. Gently fold in the whipped cream. Set this cream mixture aside.
4. Drink some espresso.
5. Now to start assembling the tiramisu.
6. Workings quickly, dip 12 of the ladyfingers in the sweetened espresso, about 1 second per side. They should be moist but not soggy. Immediately transfer each ladyfinger to the platter, placing them side by side in a single row. You may break a lady finger into two, if necessary, to ensure the base of your dish is completely covered.
7. Spoon one-third of the cream mixture on top of the ladyfingers, then use a rubber spatula or spreading knife to cover the top evenly, all the way to the edges.
8. Repeat to create 2 more layers, using 12 ladyfingers and the cream mixture for each layer. Clean any spilled cream mixture; cover carefully with plastic wrap and refrigerate the tiramisu overnight.
9. To serve, carefully remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle the tiramisu with cocoa powder using a fine-mesh strainer or decorate as you please. Cut into individual portions and serve.

MASCARPONE CHEESE

(Source: Vera’s Recipe for Homemade Mascarpone Cheese)
This recipe makes 12oz/ 340gm of mascarpone cheese

Ingredients:

• 474ml (approx. 500ml)/ 2 cups whipping (36 %) pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized), preferably organic cream (between 25% to 36% cream will do)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Method:

1. Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a wide skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-low so the water is barely simmering. Pour the cream into a medium heat-resistant bowl, then place the bowl into the skillet. Heat the cream, stirring often, to 190 F. If you do not have a thermometer, wait until small bubbles keep trying to push up to the surface.
2. It will take about 15 minutes of delicate heating. Add the lemon juice and continue heating the mixture, stirring gently, until the cream curdles. Do not expect the same action as you see during ricotta cheese making. All that the whipping cream will do is become thicker, like a well-done crème anglaise. It will cover a back of your wooden spoon thickly. You will see just a few clear whey streaks when you stir. Remove the bowl from the water and let cool for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, line a sieve with four layers of dampened cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Transfer the mixture into the lined sieve. Do not squeeze the cheese in the cheesecloth or press on its surface (be patient, it will firm up after refrigeration time). Once cooled completely, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate (in the sieve) overnight or up to 24 hours.
3. Vera’s notes: The first time I made mascarpone I had all doubts if it’d been cooked enough, because of its custard-like texture. Have no fear, it will firm up beautifully in the fridge, and will yet remain lusciously creamy.
4. Keep refrigerated and use within 3 to 4 days.

LADYFINGERS/ SAVOIARDI BISCUITS

(Source: Recipe from Cordon Bleu At Home)
This recipe makes approximately 24 big ladyfingers or 45 small (2 1/2″ to 3″ long) ladyfingers.

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs, separated
• 6 tablespoons /75gms granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup/95gms cake flour, sifted (or 3/4 cup all purpose flour + 2 tbsp corn starch)
• 6 tablespoons /50gms confectioner’s sugar

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F (175 C) degrees, then lightly brush 2 baking sheets with oil or softened butter and line with parchment paper.
2. Beat the egg whites using a hand held electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Gradually add granulate sugar and continue beating until the egg whites become stiff again, glossy and smooth.
3. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks lightly with a fork and fold them into the meringue, using a wooden spoon. Sift the flour over this mixture and fold gently until just mixed. It is important to fold very gently and not overdo the folding. Otherwise the batter would deflate and lose volume resulting in ladyfingers which are flat and not spongy.
4. Fit a pastry bag with a plain tip (or just snip the end off; you could also use a Ziploc bag) and fill with the batter. Pipe the batter into 5″ long and 3/4″ wide strips leaving about 1″ space in between the strips.
5. Sprinkle half the confectioner’s sugar over the ladyfingers and wait for 5 minutes. The sugar will pearl or look wet and glisten. Now sprinkle the remaining sugar. This helps to give the ladyfingers their characteristic crispness.
6. Hold the parchment paper in place with your thumb and lift one side of the baking sheet and gently tap it on the work surface to remove excess sprinkled sugar.
7. Bake the ladyfingers for 10 minutes, then rotate the sheets and bake for another 5 minutes or so until the puff up, turn lightly golden brown and are still soft.
8. Allow them to cool slightly on the sheets for about 5 minutes and then remove the ladyfingers from the baking sheet with a metal spatula while still hot, and cool on a rack.
9. Store them in an airtight container till required. They should keep for 2 to 3 weeks.

When Andrew isn’t spending countless hours playing “sockmeister” (yesterday) he likes to do activities that include building, thinking, etc. We invested all our money into his Lego collection so we do not have Tinkertoys although I have been wishing for some time that he had some. I might invest in some, but first I wanted to see what he would make with some pretend Tinkertoys. Here’s what he made using miniature marshmallows and toothpicks:

I’m not sure what’s with the crazy face but I think he was just extremely happy and proud. Or maybe he’s just sick of getting his picture taken. Anyway, does your child use Tinkertoys? Do they like them? I’m curious what other moms think!

I wanted to make something special for my mother-in-law’s 25th wedding anniversary this weekend. She loves Snickers so I wanted to make something similar. A few weeks ago my mother and I ate at Yum! Bakery in St Louis Park and had what they call a “Nut Goodly Bar”. It was very rich but very delicious- something you would make for a special occasion.  I searched for a recipe online and came across these from Pillsbury. The recipe has “bar” in the title but really it’s candy (butter and sugar make up the majority of this dessert).

The Pillsbury site says, “Great goodies with no baking needed! Best of all, you’ve got the ingredients right in your cupboard.” Ironically I had NONE of the ingredients to make these in my cupboard but the results were well worth a trip to the store.

This recipe makes plenty. You could easily halve it and have enough “candy” to last a family of four a few weeks. I recommend cutting them into small, bite-sized squares.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (12-oz.) pkg. (2 cups) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 (11.5-oz.) pkg. (2 cups) milk chocolate chips
• 2 cups margarine or butter
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 (12-oz.) can (2 1/2 cups) cocktail peanuts
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 1 (3-oz.) pkg. vanilla pudding and pie filling mix (not instant)
• 1 (2-lb.) pkg. (7 1/2 cups) powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons maple flavor

DIRECTIONS

1. Line 15×10x1-inch baking pan with foil. Butter or spray foil with nonstick cooking spray. In large saucepan, melt chocolate chips and 1 cup of the margarine over low heat, stirring frequently. Remove saucepan from heat. Add peanut butter; mix well. Spread half of mixture in buttered foil-lined pan. Freeze 10 minutes or until set. Place pan in refrigerator.
2. Meanwhile, stir peanuts into remaining chocolate mixture. Set aside.
3. Melt remaining 1 cup margarine in large saucepan over low heat. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Stir in pudding mix. Cook until mixture is slightly thickened, stirring constantly. DO NOT BOIL. Remove saucepan from heat. Add powdered sugar and maple flavor; mix well. Cool about 10 minutes or until slightly cooled.
4. Carefully spread pudding mixture over chilled chocolate layer. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
5. Stir reserved chocolate-peanut mixture. Drop by spoonfuls onto chilled pudding layer; spread to cover. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or until firm. Cut into bars. Store in refrigerator.

We traveled an hour west of here this weekend to my husband’s home town of Willmar, Minnesota. Willmar isn’t the most exciting town in Minnesota but they do have a hotel with a pool and slide and we thought the kids would enjoy that. However, Andrew was extremely frightened of the water. He hasn’t been in a pool in about 2 years so it was a wake-up call to us that he needed to have more exposure to water so that he doesn’t develop an intense phobia to water.

Chloe really enjoyed it though. And we had plenty of time to lounge around. . .

A few of Josh’s childhood friends were able to stop by. Some with their own kids. Look at this little cutie:

It was nice to get away for a few days and just relax, but as usual we are glad to be home and have things back to normal.