Snickerdoodles!

I love snickerdoodles -- they are my favorite cookie, and I've been having a massive craving for them. I like them soft, with a bit of chewiness to them. This recipe produces perfect cookies. I found it on Food.com, where it also receives rave reviews.

Snickerdoodles
1 cup butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2-3/4 cups flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp sugar
3 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix butter, 1-1/2 cups sugar and eggs thoroughly in a large bowl. Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. Blend dry ingredients into butter mixture. Chill dough and chill an ungreased cookie sheet for about 10-15 minutes in the fridge. Meanwhile, mix 3 tablespoons sugar and 3 teaspoons cinnamon in a small bowl. Scoop 1 inch globs of dough into the sugar/cinnamon mixture. Coat by gently rolling balls of dough in the sugar mixture. Place on chilled ungreased cookie sheet, and bake 10 minutes. Remove from pan immediately.

Whole Wheat Bread/Bread Machine

Basic whole wheat bread in the bread machine.

Whole Wheat Bread

1-1/3 cup milk

1/4 cup water

2 tbsp honey or sugar

4 tsp butter

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups bread flour

1 tsp salt

1-1/4 tsp dry active yeast

Layer ingredients according to your machine's directions. Use the whole grain cycle or basic white cycle for 2-lb. loaf. Makes one 2-lb. loaf, about 22 slices.

Italian Bread/Bread Machine

Great recipe for basic Italian bread and subs in pretty well for French bread too.

Italian Bread

3/4 cup milk

1 egg

3 tbsp water

1 tbsp butter

3 cups bread flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp active dry yeast

Layer all the ingredients according to your machine's directions. Use the basic white cycle. Makes one 1-1/2 pound loaf, about 16 slices.

White Bread/Bread Machine

I've been experimenting with making our own bread and building a collection of go-to recipes for my bread machine. Here's a great recipe for basic white bread.

White Bread

1-1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup room-temperature water

2 tbsp butter or olive oil

4 cups bread flour

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1-1/4 tsp active dry yeast

Layer ingredients according to your machine's instructions (generally liquids on bottom, dry stuff on top, little well of yeast on very top). Bake on basic white cycle for 2-lb. loaf. Makes one 2-lb. loaf, about 22 slices.

Lemon Cream Scones

Yummy. This will be a new favorite in my house, I can tell already. Even my 1-year-old is wandering the kitchen saying, "skont? skont?" It's so cute to watch him wandering around, scone in hand, nibbling happily. Special thanks to my friend Yvonne for sharing this recipe with me at our recent visit!

Lemon Cream Scones

2 cups flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1-1/4 cup heavy cream

1 tbsp grated lemon zest

Preheat oven to 425F and have a large ungreased baking sheet standing by. Whisk together all ingredients in a large bowl. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and roll dough flat about 3/4" thick (make thinner if you fold each scone in half). Cut 10-12 circles with round biscuit cutter or the top of a glass and place at least 1/2" apart on baking sheet. Brush tops with some cream and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 425F for 12-15 minutes.

These are awesome alone or with a little blackberry or strawberry preserves!

Banana Cake with Cinnamon Glaze

I always have leftover bananas lulling away in the freezer. This recipe is a great way to use them.

Banana Cake with Cinnamon Glaze
1-1/2 cups flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, cashews, peanuts, etc.), optional
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Cinnamon Glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 to 2 tbsp milk or cream

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray nonstick cooking spray on a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.

In a small bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt, and chopped nuts. Stir until evenly mixed.

In a large bowl, beat sugar and oil. Add eggs, bananas, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Beat for 2 minutes until thoroughly combined. Add dry ingredients, stirring only until all ingredients are combined. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until lightly browned and top springs back when lightly touched. Let cool to room temperature.

Cinnamon Glaze:
Whisk together confectioner's sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and milk or cream. Add only enough cream to make a spreadable glaze. Top cooled cake with cinnamon glaze before cutting.

Yield: 24 to 36 servings, depending on cut size. Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 30 minutes


I used chopped walnuts, 2 bananas and omitted the nutmeg (didn't have any) and instead increased the vanilla to 1-1/2 tsp (homemade). I actually think the glaze is unneeded -- the cake is moist and delicate and doesn't need help.

Mix-In Muffins

You can mix in your favorite flavors to customize this recipe. My favorites are bananas and chocolate chip or blueberry and lemon zest.

Mix-In Muffins
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup sour cream
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 400F and prepare a 12-spot muffin pan with nonstick spray or paper liners.

Into a bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Melt butter and in a small bowl whisk together with sour cream, egg, and vanilla. Stir butter mixture (and additional ingredients; *see note, below) into flour mixture until just combined. Divide the batter among muffin cups (this batter is thick and will not run easily like other muffin batters) and bake in middle of oven until golden and a tester comes out clean, about 20 minutes.

Becoming a muffin master is easy. *Flavor the basic muffin batter by adding, for example:

• 1 chopped banana and 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup toasted almonds, 3/4 cup dried cranberries, and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup chopped drained canned pineapple and 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 cup chopped dried apricots and 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• make your own muffin with your own add-ins!

Makes 12 medium-size muffins or 6 large-size muffins.