Mini Honey Whole Wheat bread

Now that cooler days are ahead in the forecast, I will be baking bread more often than in the summer months.  If I bake large loaves of bread I can eat half a loaf in one sitting, so I make mini loaves instead.   They are great to freeze, then later just pop in the microwave oven for 60 seconds and it is like just-baked hot bread out of the oven anytime of day.  I love keeping a few in the freezer for neighbor gifts ... or a hungry husband!

Mini Honey Whole Wheat Bread
3 cups warm water
2 packages active dry yeast
1/3 cup honey
5 cups bread flour
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon salt
31/2 cups whole wheat flour

In a large bowl add 2 packages of yeast to warm water, 1/3 cup honey, 5 cups white bread flour or regular white flour, 1 Tablespoon salt and 3 tablespoons of melted butter.  Mix till all blended.
Let rise covered for about 1/2 hour till bubbles form. Add remainder of flour slowly till sticky but leaving the sides of bowl. Let rise covered for another 1/2 hour till double. Put on a greased counter and roll out sections for each loaf.  Shape into mini loaves and rise again till double. ( Aluminum mini loaf pans can be purchased at grocery stores) Bake at 350 degrees  until brown on the bottom. Butter tops while warm.

Williams-Sonoma Sugar Cookies

My daughter and I actually tried a new cut-out cookie recipe and loved it!  We have a recipe we love but decided to give this one a chance and now we have two great recipes.  This sugar cookie recipe came with cookie cutters we purchased from Williams-Sonoma.


Sugar Cookies
Williams-Sonoma 
(printable recipe)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract


In a small bowl, sift together flour and salt.  Set aside.  


In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter on high speed until creamy, about 2 minutes.  Reduce speed and add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.  Scrape bowl as needed and mix.  Add egg and vanilla and beat for 1 minute.  


Stop the mixer and add half of the flour mixture.  Beat on low speed until flour has been absorbed.  Add the remaining flour and continue beating until flour is incorporated and dough starts to pull away from sides of bowl (2-3 minutes).


Turn dough onto work surface and divide into two balls.  Shape into disks and wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for at least  2 hours.  


Remove dough from refrigerator and let stand 5 minutes.  Lightly flour work surface and roll out dough about 1/4" thick.  Cut into desired shapes.


Preheat oven to 350 F.  Bake 12 minutes or until golden around edges.  Let cool.

Creative No Bake Cookie: Cheeseburgers

My daughter and niece enjoy making treats and made some together today.  This creative cheeseburger cookie requires no baking and a little creativity.  Children are sure to enjoy making a sweet version of a favorite food.

No Bake Cheeseburger Cookie

(printable recipe)

vanilla wafers

peppermint patties

coconut flakes

green food coloring

fruit roll ups (green, red, and yellow)

sesame seeds

Place a vanilla wafer flat side up on a plate.  Top with peppermint patty.   In sandwich bag, shake coconut flakes and green food coloring.  Sprinkle on peppermint patty.  Cut fruit roll ups to represent cheese, tomatoes, and pickles. Top with another vanilla wafer cookie.  Lightly paint top vanilla wafer with water and sprinkle sesame seeds.  

Grecian Turkey Wraps

Sometimes I just want ethnic foods.  This easy wrap fits the bill for a lunch with Greek flair.  Hummus, olive spread, and feta cheese give this turkey wrap punch.

Grecian Turkey Wraps
(printable recipe)
4  - 8” high fiber tortillas
½ cup hummus
¼ cup of your favorite olive tapenade or olive spread
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
4 cups loosely packed spring mix
½ cup roasted red pepper slices
1 - 8 oz. package sliced turkey breast


Spread 2 tablespoons hummus evenly across each tortilla (leaving 1” edge).
Spread 1 tablespoon  olive spread on top of hummus on each tortilla.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon feta down center of each tortilla.
Place 1 cup of loosely packed spring mix down center of each tortilla.
Place 2 -3 slices of roasted red pepper down center of each tortilla.
Layer 2 slices of turkey down center of each tortilla.
Roll tortilla like a burrito.  Cut in half and secure with toothpick.

App for the Kitchen

I recently found out that a friend had made a very useful app for the kitchen -KitchenSubs.  Honestly, I don't know why I hadn't thought to look and see if anyone had developed a kitchen substitution app. There are apps for everything.  I often google to find substitutions for recipes.  Thanks for telling me about it Mike.  Maybe others will find it useful too.  Oh, and it's FREE!

Cinnamon Walnut Breakfast Cake

This breakfast cake is simple in taste and appearance.  The recipe has all the ingredients for a basic coffeecake with cinnamon and walnuts adding flavor. My family enjoyed this for breakfast and snack all day. 

Cinnamon Walnut Breakfast Cake

(printable recipe)

 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon (divided)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ginger

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 egg

1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Butter a 13 x 9 x 2 in. baking pan.

In large mixer bowl, mix flours, sugars, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, salt and ginger.  Add oil and mix until smooth.  Remove 3/4 cup of the mixture and add nuts and remaining teaspoon of cinnamon.  Combine and set aside.

Add baking powder, baking soda, egg and buttermilk to remaining flour mixture in bowl.  Blend until smooth.

Pour batter into prepared pan.  Sprinkle reserved nut mixture over surface of batter.  Bake at 350 F for 35 minutes.  Cool.