TWD:"Baking Chez Moi" - Rhubarb Upside Down Brown Sugar Cake

So after a fun holiday weekend filled with Family, Friends and lots of yummy food. We filled our TUESDAY'S WITH DORIE slot with "Rhubard Upside Down Brown Sugar Cake". Actually since fresh rhubarb is kind of hard to get here in the canyon at this time of the year. We choose a rhubarb and wild berry frozen blend to make ours with. 
 

We have made this recipe several times and it still tastes amazing.... You can get the recipe for this cake here or in DORIE'S new cookbook "Baking Chez Moi".page 25

FFWD: Chicken in a Pot – the Garlic and Lemon Version

We have come to the end of our book..... :)

Today for our FRENCH FRIDAY'S WITH DORIE, we are making the very last recipe in the wonderful cookbook entitled "Around My French Table" by Dorie Greenspan. We will be making and enjoying Chicken in a Pot – the Garlic and Lemon Version (p206). My family loves this recipe, the only difference is that we now prefer our veggies baking separate from the Chicken. We have tried it both ways, love it both ways, but since we are trying to be good on our low salt diets, we have started baking it our way. You can find the link to our Veggies here

FFWD: Food Revolution Day / Savory Cheese & Chive Bread

 

Today we are celebrating the fourth annual Food Revolution Day. For those who are not familiar with this day, it is a day of global action created by Jamie Oliver and the Jamie Oliver Food Foundation to engage and inspire people of all ages to learn about food and how to cook it. For the past several years, we as part of the French Fridays with Dorie crew has joined Mardi, one of our favorite Dorista and Food Revolution Embassador to help to bring awareness to nutritional eat

       This year our challenge was to pick a recipe or French technique that we have learned this past year that we feel is a "must know" and would like to share with the children around us. I feel very strongly that bread and bread techniques are some of the most important things we can teach our children. Like I have said before "Bread is the Staff of Life" 

        Back on March 4, 2011, we missed the challenge recipe of "Savory Cheese & Chive Bread", so we decided in honor of today's revolution challenge we would make this very yummy, easy to make bread.

TWD: "Baking Chez Moi" - Nutella Buttons

I am not a big NUTELLA fan.... But I must say that the Nutella Buttons that we made today for our TUESDAY'S WITH DORIE were very tasty!
I loved the texture of the cake part of the recipe... It was the first time for just a plain cake recipe I have separated my eggs, whipped and folded in the egg whites as the last step just before baking, I really liked the light and airiness of the batter, they also have a very subtle and yet yummy flavor.

I frosted mine with a light buttercream glaze and shaved milk chocolate. If you are interested in the recipe you can find it in Dorie Greenspan's new cookbook "Baking Chez Moi" page 188.

Shepard's Pie

Every once in awhile some of the guys here at our house get a craving for Shepard's Pie. The only problem is we don't all like the same thing hidden under our potato topping. So today, for our super Saturday recipe, we are making individual/customized Shepard's pie. You can find everything you should need in the pantry... :)

To start off with, make your favorite burger, fry it or grill it, which ever you like. We sometimes use leftover BBQed Burgers. Next add two big tablespoons of you favorite veggies. Each one of us each have a different favorite. The veggies pictured are a frozen sugar snap pea blend that I like. Now top your veggies with your favorite gravy, sauce or leftover homemade soup. Then comes the best part, the mashed potatoes and cheese, about four tablespoons.

One of the biggest reasons I like this recipe is because it is a great way to get rid of little leftovers without your family complaining like mine does....

TWD: "Baking With Juilia" - KA'KAT

Today, Our "Tuesday's with Dorie" challenge was to make KA'KAT. I have never heard of them but I am in love! These very tasty, little middle eastern, sweet rolls are much like our bagels, but taste more like a soft pretzel.

The recipe called for mahleb, which is ground up sour cherry pits, I didn't have any, so after talking with my Greek baking friend this morning he said that almond paste or flavoring would work. I also had some dried cranberries that I added to my dough. Normally, they have sesame seeds on top, but I am also out of theses, so I sprinkled raw sugar on top. yUM!!!!

Ingredients

2 T sugar

2 tsp active dry yeast

2 cups warm (105 to 115 degrees F) water

3-31/2 cups of bread or unbleached all purpose flour, divided

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground mahleb

1 large egg, beaten

3 to 4 tsp sesame seeds

Instructions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the sugar, yeast, and water. 
2. Add 12 ounces of the flour, and mix on low with the dough hook for about 3 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit for about 10 minutes. 
3. Add the salt and mahleb, and mix on low. Gradually add flour until you have a dough that is cohesive (I used all of the flour). Mix on low for about 10 minutes. 
4. Let the dough rise in an oiled bowl until doubled, about 60 to 120 minutes. 
5. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Divide the dough into 32 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 6 inch rope. Form the ropes into rings and place them onto the baking sheets. Keep the rings covered with oiled plastic wrap. 
6. Cover and let rise for about 30 minutes. 
7. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and place the oven racks in the upper third of the oven. Brush the Ka'kat with the egg wash, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. 
8. Bake the Ka'kat for about 20 minutes, until golden. Rotate the pans halfway through. 
9. Let cool on the pans for about 5 minutes before serving warm. Leftovers can be reheated in a hot oven. 

DERBY, DREAMS & ORANGE CAKE!

Today was suppose to be a "ME" day... I had dreams of spending the day enjoying VSBN scrapping with my online "imaginary" friends. My time slot calendar was filled with challenge after crafting challenge. I also had my mental bet all placed on my sure horse "American Pharoah", not because I thought he would actually win, but he is a great looking horse and Victor is an amazing jockey. And the orange cake was a craving I have had ever since I woke up dreaming about it three nights ago.
Well, of course, my day never went as planned... After spending the day, getting to know some new unexpected house guests, their new unsmashed rental car arrived right at race time and so after a big round of thank yous, hugs and good-byes, the only thing that I got accomplished for the day was my orange cake.

Ever made a pound cake? They are actually very easy...

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup buttermilk or sour cream
• Zest of 5 oranges, finely grated 
• 1 cup fresh orange juice or orange crush soda
• 1 small can mandarin orange juice
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• 1 stick butter, softened at room temp.
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 5 large eggs

• For the orange glaze:
• Zest of 2 oranges
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp. fresh orange juice 
• 4 ounces softened cream cheese

• Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees, Fahrenheit. Grease and flour bundt pan, set aside.  Next drain mandarin oranges and set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine buttermilk or sour cream, orange zest, and both orange juices. 
• In separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder and add to buttermilk mixture
• This next few steps are the most important... In your mixer bowl with the paddle attachment, cream butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixer on low, alternate adding the buttermilk mixture and flour mixture to the bowl, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

• Pour batter into prepared bundt pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean. If the top is browning too quickly, you can tent it with a piece of foil. 
• Cool cake completely before flipping it out onto a cooling rack. Let cool for another 30 minutes after you've flipped it out on a cooling rack.
• In the meantime, make the orange glaze by whisking together all the orange glaze ingredients. Add more orange juice if you like a looser glaze. Pour glaze over top of the bundt cake. Cut and serve