Pumpkin Bagels

Grasshopper, when you can snatch the bagel from my hand, you are ready.

Ready to bake bread.

Today we venture into the intimidating and misunderstood world of bread baking. I can't be the only one who's a little intimidated by bread recipes, jammed with phrases like "proof" and "active dry yeast" and "let-rise-for-EXACTLY-2-hours-and-twenty-seven-seconds". Often I find myself just staring at a bread recipe, completely overwhelmed by the intensely intricate proofing and kneading and punching steps (apparently punching is a big part of this bread making process). It leaves me shaking and clutching a box of cake mix for comfort.

And yet. Today you shall make bread. Your friends skeptically raise their eyebrows, suggesting you 'start small'. Dinner rolls, perhaps? You scoff at the idea. In fact, you plunge right in and make gourmet pumpkin bagels. (And then your friends eat them all and beg you for more).

Why you should make your own bagels:

 a) The grocery store has been tricking you! The flavour and texture of prepackaged bagels is no competition for homemade bagels. Seriously. Imagine the chewy crust of a homemade bagel as it gives way to a tender, soft interior… you’ll be a convert.

b) Because you can. Bread making is an intensely satisfying, rewarding experience. To know you actually created a staple food product with your own hands and few simple ingredients – it’s liberating!

Perhaps the best part, however, is that you control exactly what goes into them. No preservatives or artificial anything.

I started with an "easier" bagel recipe; many bagel recipes you'll come across involve an overnight proofing stage and produce large batches. Although that method may be more economical, I like the simplicity of this recipe, which also makes a smaller batch and is still absolutely delicious. And so far, it’s worked every time - even in a twenty-year-old oven with instant yeast (oops) and questionable mixing techniques.

This recipe is from thetartart.com. (If you’ve never visited the Tart Tart blog before, check it out. Amazing photography!)

Pumpkin Bagels
From thetartart.com

Ingredients
2-1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1/3 cup brown sugar, lightly packed

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp allspice

1/2 cup pumpkin puree (NOT pie filling)

1 tbsp baking soda
1 egg
cornmeal for dusting baking pan
flax or your favourite seeds for topping

Directions

• In a medium bowl, mix together the water, brown sugar and yeast. Leave to sit for about ten minutes, until the mixture has a thin layer of foam on top.

• In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients; flour, salt, nutmeg, ginger, allspice and cinnamon.

• Stir the pumpkin puree into the yeast mixture.

• Add the wet ingredients to the dry and begin to mix; you’ll need to get your hands dirty for this (unless you have a mixer with a dough hook).

• Once the dough has come together, turn out onto a floured surface and begin kneading until it is smooth and elastic, about 2-3 minutes. The dough should be just slightly sticky to the touch; if globs keep sticking to your hands, add flour a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency.

• Lightly oil a large bowl and drop in your ball of dough. Cover, place in a warm area, and let it rise for 60-90 minutes until it has doubled in size. (I find just over an hour long enough for my dough to double).

• Once doubled, place the dough on a floured work surface and “punch” it down – give it a good press with your knuckles a few times. You’ll hear weird bubbly-dough noises as air bubbles escape. Divide the dough into 8 balls.

• Place the dough balls on a cookie sheet, cover, and allow them to rise for 20 minutes.

• Shape the dough balls into bagels. Use your finger to poke a hole in the middle of the ball, then gently widen into a ring. Make the holes wider than you think as the bagels will continue to expand. Place the balls back on the cookie sheet and set aside.

• Preheat the oven to 425F.

• Fill a large pot halfway with water. Bring to a boil, then add the baking soda.

• Grab a large slotted spoon or tongs and drop a few bagels into the boiling water. Don’t overcrowd the pot! Set a timer for 1-2 minutes (longer boiling = chewier bagel), then flip the bagel over and boil another 1-2 minutes.

• Remove from water and place on a tea towel to drain.

• Once all your bagels have been boiled, transfer to a cookie sheet sprinkled with cornmeal.

• In a small bowl, whisk the egg to make the egg wash; brush the top of each bagel with the egg mixture and sprinkle on any seeds or toppings.

• Bake bagels in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until crust is a deep gold. Rotate pans halfway through to ensure even baking.

Don't cram too many bagels in the pot, or else they stick to the side:

 Remove from water and let the bagels dry on a tea towel:

Bake in the oven, inhale the scent of warm cinnamon and browning crust, and serve toasted with a little cream cheese.

Simple granola

I’ve finally managed to make granola that does not a) taste like charcoal, b) feel like chewing a mouthful of pebbles or c) resemble a bowl of soggy newspaper pulp.

Granola is a tricky fiend; waiting in shadows to fool unassuming victims with images of golden oat clusters. However, after many attempts... sweet, sweet success! Granola that is both crispy and clumpy, not too sweet and with just the right amount of crunch (I know clumpy isn’t usually a word reserved for delicious foodstuffs, but those clusters are so satisfying).

Considering all my failed attempts, granola is really not as hard to make as it may seem. The key is finding a recipe with the right balance of oil to sugar, and keeping a very close eye on the granola while it’s baking.

Recipe adapted from chow.com.

Simple Granola

Ingredients:

• 2 and 1/2 cups rolled oats

• 1/4 cup rice krispie cereal

• 1/4 cup bran (the ingredient, not the cereal)

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup (I used a combination of both)

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar, lightly packed

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 300°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

• Mix together all dry ingredients in a large bowl.

• In a small sauce pot, combine the honey or syrup, vegetable oil and brown sugar.

• Stir over low heat until the sugar has mostly dissolved and the mixture is just beginning to bubble at the side of the pot. Do NOT boil!

• Stir in the vanilla.

• Pour the hot mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well.

• Spread granola on the cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes.

• Pull out the cookie sheet and give the granola a good mix with a spatula. Turn the oven off and return the granola to the oven for 10-15 minutes more – check often and remove once it begins turning golden brown.

• Remove pan from the oven and let cool. Store in an airtight container – it will last for at least a week (I can’t say how much longer...mine was gone in a few days!)

Raspberry Crumble Bars

I always seem to have a pile of random fruit hidden in the bottom of the refrigerator, just waiting to be...rediscovered. And fruit crumble is the answer.

These squares are modest enough to bring to a party, but delicious enough to ensure you won’t be bringing any home. You can whip them up in an hour. They’re durable. Ever try driving with a pile of cupcakes? (If you have any tips, I’d be grateful!) There are endless combinations of flavours…blueberry, cherry, even pear.

Simple, delicious, and an excellent use of leftover produce. All qualities of an excellent dessert, in my opinion.

This recipe is fairly simple, and perhaps why I like it so much. Sometimes you don’t need a lot of complex ingredients – use good quality butter, flour, and fruit, and allow the ingredients speak for themselves. I used half a cup of whole-wheat flour in the crust to add a bit of flavour and texture, but regular flour will work fine as well.

Crust

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup whole wheat flour

¾ cup butter, softened

1/8 tsp salt

¼ tsp baking powder

½ cup sugar

Filling

1 ½ cups raspberries

1 tbsp sugar

-Preheat oven to 350 and grease an 8x8 inch square baking pan.

-Combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a bowl. Add the softened butter, using your fingers to mix together until it has a sand-like consistency. Reserve ½ cup to sprinkle on top.

-Press the remaining dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven.

-Meanwhile, place the raspberries in a bowl, sprinkle with sugar, and gently mash with a fork. If you prefer a sweeter filling, you can increase the amount of sugar by 1-2 tbsp.

-When crust has baked for 10 minutes, remove from oven and spoon mashed raspberries on top. Sprinkle with the reserved dough. I find it helps to “rub” the dough between my hands and let it fall onto the raspberries in order to get those nice little clumps.

-Bake in the oven for approximately thirty minutes, or until the top is lightly golden and the raspberries are bubbling at the edge of the pan. Let cool and slice into squares.

No-Bake Pumpkin Pie French Toast

I really like canned pumpkin. Really really like it. I can eat it straight-up with a spoon. The weird texture gets me every time.

Quick and easy, this french toast is reminiscent of pumpkin pie and definitely delicious.

I found lots of great pumpkin French toast recipes, but most of them require an oven. They look awesome, but when I’m whipping up a quick breakfast for myself I’m hesitant to heat it up just for me...and maybe not quite patient enough to wait for it to bake!

2 slices whole grain bread

5 TBSP canned pumpkin

½ cup milk

1 egg

2 TSP sugar

½ TSP cinnamon

¼ TSP allspice

-Mix 3 TBSP canned pumpkin and remaining ingredients in a shallow bowl. Dip each side of the bread in the pumpkin mixture, then place in a preheated, oiled frying pan 

-Turn frying pan to low and cover with a lid. Let the bread cook for about 5 minutes, checking the bottom of the bread periodically for doneness

-Once the center has puffed up, flip bread. Remove lid and cook for a few more minutes until the bottom has browned


 Top warm French toast slices with the remaining pumpkin and a generous drizzle of maple syrup. Enjoy!

Lightened-Up Cheesecake

Who invented cheesecake? Did the first cheesecake taste anything like "modern" cheesecake?

Thank you, Wikipedia, for statisfying my never-ending historical dessert-related curiosities.

It is believed that cheesecake originated in Ancient Greece, and was served to athletes in the first Olympic Games. By pounding cheese into a paste and mixing in wheat and honey, they created a sweet cake suitable for fueling athlete's laps around the track. Maybe athletes today should revert back to a cheesecake diet; those ancient Greeks weren’t kidding when they ran around the stadium. No more high-tech energy supplements, just good ole' mortar-and-pestle cheesecake. Next Olympic games, I'm enjoying a big slice of cheesecake in honour of the original competitors.

We all know cheesecake is rich and delicious. However, sometimes you want to indulge in cheesecake deliciousness without, well, hugely indulging. Thus began my quest to create a lightened-up cheesecake bar with that characteristicly creamy texture. Here’s the recipe, to fuel your laps around the coliseum in pursuit of the sacred olive branch:

Crust:
1 ¼  cup chocolate cookie crumbs
1 TBSP melted butter
1-2 TBSP milk

Cheesecake:
7oz light cream cheese
¾ cup plain fat-free yogurt
¾ cup light ricotta cheese
¾ cup sugar
2 egg whites
2 TSP vanilla

Crust:

-Lightly grease and flour an 8x8 inch baking pan. Preheat oven to 350F.

-With a fork, mix together cookie crumbs and butter. Slowly add the milk until the mixture just sticks together.

-Spread mixture in the pan and press down very well. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, or until the top is crispy.

Cheesecake:

-Meanwhile, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the yogurt and ricotta, and continue mixing until smooth.

-Next, add the sugar and vanilla. Mix well, then stir in the egg whites until just combined.

-Pour batter on top of crust and bake in the preheated oven for 25-35 minutes, until the center is just set (but still a bit wobbly).

-Remove from oven and let cool completely before cutting into squares. Top with melted chocolate or cherry pie filling if desired.

Try substituting flavoured yogurt and different cookies for the crust to create new flavour combinations. I think I'll try key-lime yogurt and graham crumbs next.

It's easy to forget that people have created delicious desserts for centuries with only simple ingredients and tools, especially when observing the complexities of the baking isle in the grocery store. My wikipedia-ing has inspired me to try an "authentic" dessert recipe.  It's pretty neat that some of these ancient recipes are known today.

Chocolate Banana Pancakes for One

Well, “it’s been a while” seems like a bit of an understatement. Things have been busy, but somehow I always manage to squeeze in baking a few treats here and there…:) There are so many inspirational food blogs out there, with creatively crazy recipes, I just can’t resist picking up a mixing spoon. There’s just something relaxing about those wooden spoons…

Anyways, Mardi Gras, Valentine’s Day…pancakes, chocolate…I think you can tell where this is going. I didn’t get around to making pancakes or chocolatey treats on either of their respective holidays. I was literally itching to make something for the holidays. I mean, every excuse I get to bake, I take. Unfortunately, these holidays also fell on the kind of day where you find yourself simultaneously balancing a bowl of cereal, a curling iron and a toothbrush while looking for your report papers.

Here’s the recipe for chocolate banana whole-wheat pancakes. It makes 4 pancakes, just enough to enjoy a breakfast por un.

DO NOT skip the Nutella!

Fresh pancakes + nutella = insane chocolately warm deliciousness

Top it off with some sliced bananas and strawberries. Bon appetite!

2 tbsp water
3 tbsp quick oats

¼ cup WW flour
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp + 1 tsp sugar
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp allspice
1/16 tsp salt

1 egg white
½ banana, mashed
2 tsp oil
¼ cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

Nutella!

-In a small bowl, mix oats and water. Let sit while you prepare the recipe.

-In another bowl, mix all the dry ingredients

-In a third bowl, mix together wet ingredients

-Heat frying pan

-Mix oats into wet ingredients, then wet ingredients into the dry mix

-Stir until flour clumps have disappeared

-Pour batter into four pancakes on a preheated frying pan. Wait until the pancakes are very bubbly and the edges have set before flipping

-Spread on some nutella and enjoy!

Five-Minute Fiesta Sandwich

This Mexican-inspired breakfast is quick, healthy and delicious.

1. Mash 1/2 avocado. Salt and pepper to taste.
2. Spread on a piece of toast.
3. Top with a scoop of your favourite salsa.
4. Finish with a fried egg.