Categories
Food

Sourdough Buns

This recipe is almost identical to my Sourdough Sandwich Bread, with the addition of an egg for that extra richness and soft texture. This recipe can be adapted for hamburger buns or hotdog buns.

Ingredients:

  • 150g Sourdough Starter, fed and blubby
  • 315g All Purpose Flour
  • 2T Honey
  • 1 1/4t Salt
  • 1t Yeast*
  • 1 egg
  • 30g Butter
  • 120g Whole Milk

Directions:

  1. Place all ingredients into your mixing bowl in the order listed above. Knead on a stand mixer, with the dough hook attachment, for 8-10 minutes.
  2. Remove the dough hook, cover the bowl, and allow the dough to rest for 1-2 hours.
  3. Divide the dough into 8 for Hamburger buns and divide the dough into 12 for hotdog rolls.
  4. To shape the hamburger buns I roll the dough in the cup of my hand on my board until a tight ball forms (see my YouTube reel below).
  5. To shape the Hotdog buns I roll the dough out into a rough 6×8 inch rectangle and roll the dough into a log, placing seem side down on a parchment/sil-pad lined baking tray.
  6. Cover buns and allow a second rise, about 1-2 hours.
  7. Optional, apply an egg wash and topping to the buns.
  8. Bake in a preheated 375F oven for 15 minutes.

Notes:

*If you would like a commercial yeast free option: omit the “1t of Yeast” from the recipe. Follow Steps 1-2, and allow the dough to rest on the counter for 12 hours. After 12 hours, follow steps 3-5 to shape the buns, then cover, and refrigerate for an additional 12 hours to bulk ferment. Then follow steps 7-8.

Categories
Food

Strawberry Goo (Jam)

I love this recipe because there is no white sugar and it tastes like nothing but pure strawberries. As it should!

Ingredients:

  • 2 Granny Smith Apples, cored & rough chopped
  • 3 lbs of Strawberries, tops removed
  • 1 lemon
  • 2 cups of Honey

Directions:

  1. Rough chop apples and pulse in blender until small pieces remain. (You can also grate the apple)
  2. Add all the strawberries to the blender and blend until smooth. 1-2 minutes.
  3. Add the strawberry apple mixture to a large heavy pot.
  4. Add in the zest and juice of the lemon, and 2 cups of honey.
  5. Cook on the stove on a medium/high heat, string CONSTANTLY, for 30 minutes. Ideally the mixture will reduce in half, and turns a deep red color.
  6. If you are canning yours, this recipe makes 3-3 1/2 pints worth of goo(jam).
Categories
Food

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

This frosting is almost over the top, almost. I will first say that this is NOT just a cocoa powder added to a traditional frosting recipe. That to me is NOT true bakery fudge frosting, that is just chocolate buttercream. Which is delicious in its own right. But I sometimes just want dark, shiny, fudgey, bakery style fudge frosting on a simple yellow cake, studded with sprinkles. Complete perfection!

This recipe was inspired by Sugar Geek Shiny Chocolate Fudge Frosting recipe.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup Butter, softened
  • 1 cup Powdered Sugar
  • 1/2 cup Cocoa Powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/4 cup Honey
  • 1 cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla

Directions:

  1. Using your heating method of choice, melt the chocolate chips and honey in a small bowl. Once melted add the vanilla, and set a side to cool slightly.
  2. In a stand mixer beat the butter, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt on low just until combined, and then crank up your mixer to medium/high and let it go for 5-10 minutes. The mixture will be light and airy in appearance.
  3. Add the slightly cooled chocolate mixture to the chocolate buttercream. Beat on low just until combined.
  4. Enjoy!

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Categories
Food

Bread Stuffing (Dressing)

Why does stuffing have to be only once a year in November? Or why does the best stuffing have to come in a box with lots of not-so-good for you ingredients?? IT DOESN’T! This is my everyday, easy to make, stuffing (or dressing) recipe. We recently had this as a side with a chicken drumstick dinner in the spring. Sooo good! It has a StoveTop box stuffing kind of vibe.

Ingredient:

  • 4 cups of Cubed Bread. About 1/2 a loaf of traditional sandwich bread.
  • 1/2 cup of Butter
  • 1/2 small Onion minced
  • 2 stalks of Celery minced
  • 2 cloves of Garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Pepper
  • 2 teaspoons Poultry Seasoning
  • 1/2-1 cup Stock

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350F
  2. In a cast iron skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.
  3. Add the onion, celery, and garlic. Cook in the butter until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes.
  4. Off heat add the salt, pepper, and pountry seasoning, mixing to combine.
  5. In a big bowl add the bread cubes, butter/veggie mixture, and broth. Mix everything thoroughly until combined, trying your best not to break up the bread too much. You want to add enough broth where the bread is moistened but you dont want to see any broth at the bottom of the bowl.
  6. Add your mixture back to the cast iron skillet and cover with a lid or alumnium foil. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes.
  7. Remove from the oven and fluff with a fork.
  8. Enjoy!

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Categories
Food

Black Bean Chocolate Muffins

This recipe is from Baked by Melissa’s Black Bean Banana Brownies and they are sooo good!

Ingredients:

  • 2 ripe Bananas
  • 2 large Eggs
  • 15oz can of Black Beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 teaspoon of Vanilla
  • 3/4 cup Coconut Sugar
  • 1/2 cup Maple Syrup
  • 3 tablespoons Coconut Oil
  • 1/3 cup Cocoa Powder
  • 1/2 cup of Oats
  • 3/4 cup Flour
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 3/4 cup Mini Chocolate Chips

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Grease or line with parchment liners, either two 24-count mini muffin trays OR I do a 24 mini muffin tray AND a 12 regular muffin tray. (This recipe makes a LOT of muffins)
  2. In a blender add in: Bananas, eggs, black beans, vanilla, coconut sugar, maple syrup, coconut oil, cocoa powder, and oats. Blend away until smooth, about 2 minutes.
  3. Add flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder to the blender, and either pulse to combine or mix by hand.
  4. Add mini chocolate chips and stir by hand.
  5. Portion out the batter into the prepared muffin cups and bake: mini muffins 12-15 minutes and regular muffins 15-18 minutes.
  6. Enjoy!

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Categories
Food

Grandma Ruth’s Irish Soda Bread

This recipe was recorded by my Aunt and it originally belongs to my Grandmother Ruth. Of course me being me I have slightly changed a few things, but it still is the best recipe!

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups Raisins
  • 1 cup Bourbon, or Rum
  • 4 cups of All Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 cup Coconut Sugar
  • 1 tablespoon of Baking Powder
  • 1 teaspoon of Baking Soda
  • 1 teaspoon of Salt
  • 1/3 cup Butter (cold)
  • 1 1/2 cups Whole Milk, Unsweeted Yogurt
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup Sanding Sugar

Directions:

  1. Add your raisins and liquor or choice to a mason jar. Screw on lid and allow the raisins to soak overnight on the counter.
  2. Preheat your oven and two 8-10 inch cast iron pans to 375 F.
  3. Combine the flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a big bowl.
  4. Cut the butter into pieces and work into the dry ingredients with your fingers or a pastry cutter. The butter should be smaller than the size of peas when you are done.
  5. Mix the egg and yogurt together first, and then add to the dry/butter mixture. Mix with a fork until just combined and you see no more dry flour.
  6. Drain the raisins from the liquor and add them to the dough. (I save the raisin soaking liquid for vanilla extract or makes for a great drink!)
  7. Form into two large circles, about 8 inches in diameter and place onto two separate sheets of parchment paper. Score a deep “X” shape into the top of each loaf. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of sanding sugar for each loaf.
  8. Carefully lift the loafs by the parchment paper into the preheated cast iron pans.
  9. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until you can smell them.
  10. Remove loafs to a wire rack to cool slightly, and enjoy!

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Categories
Food

Sourdough Naan

This recipe is from Little Spoon Farm, Sourdough Naan Flatbread, and has consistency been my favorite recipe for Naan!

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup (125g) Sourdough Starter discard, unfed
  • 2 1/2 cups (300g) All Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 cup (120g) Whole Milk
  • 1/4 cup (60g) Plain Whole Milk Yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon (15g) Olive Oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon (7g) Salt

Directions:

  1. Add all the ingredients to one big bowl and mix until there are no more bits of dry flour. No kneading is necessary. Cover the bowl, I just use a plate, and let rest at room temperature until doubled in volume, about 8 hours.
  2. Start preheat a lightly oiled cast iron skillet over medium heat.
  3. Dump dough out on a lightly greased work surface and divide into pieces: 8 pieces for Large sized Naan, 12 pieces for Medium sized Naan, and 16 pieces for bite size Naan (great for dipping in tzatziki!)
  4. Use a rolling pin to roll out each ball rather thin, about 1/8 inch. The thinner the dough the more it will puff up and be less gummy. I like to use a little bit of coconut oil on my board and rolling pin instead of flour, as I find the flour smokes up during cooking.
  5. Place each Naan on your skillet and cook for 2 minutes. FLIP! Cook another 1-2 minutes. FLIP! and the Naan should puff up in 30 seconds.
  6. Remove cooked Naans to a kitchen towel, stacking the finished Naans on top of each other, and cover with another kitchen towel. I find this not only keeps them warm but steams them a little bit.
  7. ENJOY!

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Categories
Food

Chocolate Chip Cookie Chickpea Bars

This recipe is based off of Baked by Melissa’s Chickpea Bar recipe.

I really enjoy this recipe straight out of the oven and maybe the next day. After a few days the texture seemed to get rather dry, and refrigeration made them extra dry. So I would not recommend storing these in the refrigerator.

Ingredients:

  • 2 Egg
  • 1/3 cup Maple Syrup
  • 3 tablespoons Coconut Oil
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 cup Oats
  • 1/2 cup Flour
  • 1 can of Chickpeas, drained (I used a 12 oz can)
  • 1/2 cup Whole Milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 3/4 cup Chocolate Chips

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350F. Line a 10 inch cast iron pan with parchment paper.
  2. Throw all the ingredients in your blender, EXCEPT the chocolate chips. Blend for 1-2 minutes until everything is combined.
  3. Stir in the chocolate chips.
  4. Bake for 30 minutes.
  5. Enjoy!

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Categories
Food

Date Caramel

One of my NEW Favorite recipes! This recipe is originally from Baked by Melissa, and it is sooo good. You just have to try it to believe how good it is. It has such a cookie dough vibe to it, and is delicious dipped with cookies or sliced apples, or honestly by the spoonful!

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of dates (make your life easy and get the pitted kind)
  • 1/2 cup of coconut milk
  • 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt

Directions:

  1. Cover the dates with boiling water and let sit for 15 minutes. This will soften the dates.
  2. With a slotted spoon, remove the dates and add to a high powered blender (I have a vitamix). Reserve the date soaking liquid in case you need to thin out your ‘caramel’ later.
  3. Add the coconut milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt to the blender. Blend on medium speed until blended. Mine took less than 2 minutes.
  4. The texture should be thick, and it will thicken more once chilled, but you can always thin it out with the reserved date soaking liquid to achieve your desired consistence.
  5. Enjoy!

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Categories
Food

Deliciously Easy Carrot Cake

This recipe is from Inspired Taste, and it’s their “Easy Carrot Cake” recipe. I halfed the recipes so we just had a few treats around, turned them into cupcakes, and heavily relied on my Vitamix to do all the prep work. Their original recipe is at the bottom.

Ingredients:

  • 2-3 medium carrots, peeled and rough chopped
  • 2/3 cup of avocado oil
  • 1/2 cup of sugar
  • 1/2 cup of coconut sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350F, and prepare 12 cupcake liners/pan.
  2. Add the carrots into your blender and pulse until a fine chop results. Mine were the size of grains of rice. Remove to a separate bowl.
  3. Add the rest of the ingredients into your blender pitcher in the order listed above (except the carrots). Blend on low/medium until combined.
  4. Stir in the carrots and portion out into 12 cupcake liners
  5. Bake in your preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until a tooth pick comes out clean
  6. Cool compleletly before frosting and/or decorating.

Notes:

Check out my delicious cream cheese frosting recipe!

To check out Inspired Taste’s original Easy Carrot Cake, click here.

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