Baguettes at home? Really?

I'm not much of a bread baker, but this recipe seemed so easy I had to try it.  It is very good for a home oven, is quick and easy.   I found it on Pinterest (of course) posted from Babble's  website you can find it there and below is my version.  It was a big hit and yes it is those ice cubes that make a big difference in the crispy crust.

Baguette

Preheat oven to 400°

Ingredients:

2 c very warm water (about 180°)

1 pkt yeast

2 T sugar

1 1/2 t salt

3-4 c flour

3-4 ice cubes

Directions:

Stir first 3 ingredients together and sit in warm spot for 10 min. (preheating oven works fine).

Mix flour and salt add to mixture dough should be soft and sticky knead till elastic.  Section into 4 pieces and roll into cords, twist 2 together to form one baguette.  Score top of bread for a nice look.  If you like a glossy look brush dough with beaten egg before baking.

Bake on parchment lined baking sheet right away or you can allow to rise 15-30 min if you prefer.  When you place baking sheet into oven throw the ice cubes into a cast iron pan on bottom rack baking sheet should be on rack above that, keep oven door closed for 15 min check bread remove when outside crust is golden brown.  

Homemade Tomato Soup with Cheese Dumplings (Bags of Gold)

As a child I spent many years in Girl Scouts one of the first things I remember cooking at camp was "Bags of Gold".  Campbell's Tomato Soup and Bisquick dumplings stuffed with cheese floating on top.  We ate very well at camp.  We usually came home with recipes and new techniques to try.  I have found scouting for each person completely depends on how active their troop is, growing up in a military family we moved often resulting in finding a new troop each move.  My mom was active in adult scouting which I'm sure influenced our finding an active troop.  It was the 70's when her last position was Service Unit Leader, we lived in Hawaii at the time and yep she was in charge of a lot.  I learned many life lessons during my years in Girl Scouts.

This past Winter on a girls weekend we visited Juliette Gordon Lowe's birthplace in Savannah, GA.  A magnificent home with her amazing story well preserved.

Picture of some post cards, you can't
take photos inside the house.

Logo in gate.

Denise, Betty, me & Debbie
(girlfriends weekend, Savannah, GA)

 The soup recipe is adapted from The Brasserie in Lancaster, PA while they have many great things on their menu they are known for this soup.  It is rich, hearty and oh so good.  The recipe is on their web site but if you get the chance to go you need to try it there.  Cooked like a French Onion Soup they melt cheese over the top of the bowl and the soup underneath is so good.  The recipe isn't that complicated to make if you like to make homemade soups the biggest time commitment is all the chopping.  If you are making the dumplings for "Bags of Gold" make sure you thin your soup more as the dumplings absorb a lot of liquid.  If you are doing the croutons/bread with melted cheese over the top you won't need to thin it out.

My version:

Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

olive oil
1 12 oz can diced tomato
3 carrots, peeled & finely chopped
1 large onion chopped finely
3 celery stalks, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves grated on micro plane
1 28 oz can whole San Marzano tomatoes (regular will do I just prefer these)
1 oz can of tomato paste
2 T brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 c 1/2 & 1/2
3-4 c chicken stock

Directions:

In large pot saute in olive oil diced tomato, onion, celery, carrot till just beginning to brown.  Add garlic, then whole tomatoes, paste and brown sugar simmer for 1 1/2 hours.  With immersion blender blend ingredients.  Then add seasoning and 1/2 & 1/2.  Add chicken broth to desired consistency and heat through.  If you want a really chunky consistency you can blend just half of the soup then add it back together.  If you have fresh spices you'll have a fresher flavor.

Saute in large pot.

Add whole tomatoes

I like the flavor of San Marzano's, often they are
on the bottom shelf.  You may have to look a around a bit.

When cooked well mash whole tomatoes.

Stir in 1/2 & 1/2.

With immersion blender blend to desired consistency.

Straight from the Bisquick site Betty Crocker Bisquick Recipe (click for their web site).

These are super easy.

Dumplings

Ingredients:

2 c Bisquick

2/3 c milk

Directions:

Stir together, drop by spoonfuls onto boiling soup then reduce heat.  For this recipe wrap around piece of cheese.  Cook uncovered 10 minutes then cover and cook 10 minutes more.

To serve lift off a dumpling or two into your soup bowl then scoop out soup adding to bowl. 

Spoonful of dough with cheese cut into cube, any will do
I used cheddar.

Drop onto top of soup.

They will sink and as they cook rise to top.

They do absorb liquid so allow for that when adding stock,
if it starts to absorb to much you can carefully add some stock.
I say carefully because it will cool down your soup and you need the
heat to cook the dumplings.

Summer Squash Saute

Zucchini season!
This recipe comes from June Bon Appetit Magazine and I have already made it twice.  Always looking for new ideas for Zucchini this one is easy, quick and delicious!  I just cut the Zucchini into matchstick size pieces, it is so easy to cut it isn't worth cleaning a mandoline to me.





Summer Squash Saute

Ingredients:

2lbs zucchini cut into matchstick size pieces or julienned

1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 c sliced almonds
2 T olive oil
2 garlic cloves minced (I grate it on a micro plane)
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (adjust if you like more or less spice)
1/4 c finely grated fresh Parmesan
black pepper to taste

Directions:

Place squash in colander, sprinkle with salt and allow to sit about 10 min to remove liquid.  Squeeze out squash with paper towel till dry.

Meanwhile toast almonds in dry frying pan tossing a few times just till browned.  Transfer to plate and set aside.

Heat oil in same skillet over medium heat add garlic & red pepper cook till fragrant about 2 min.  toss in zucchini and saute till crisp don't overcook you want them to have a bit of texture...about 5 min. (I increased the heat to get a quick sear like a stir fry dish)  Fold in Parmesan, salt & pepper to taste, add almonds and serve.

Zucchini in colander with salt to remove liquid, then
squeeze dry in paper towel.

toasted sliced almonds adds a nice crunch

Cinnabon type Cinnamon Roll Cake

Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll Cake
I wanted a quick coffee cake to make for someone so after a quick search on Pinterest decided to try this one pinned from Six Sisters' Stuff blog.  They found through a friends cookbook.  Their blog is filled with recipes & projects, check it out for lots of ideas.  I had wanted to take the cake to someone but a little communication error left me home alone with a full cake so I sent it to my husbands office and it was such a hit they have asked for the recipe.  Well I hadn't taken any photos and really wanted to make a couple changes so I made it again.  The office had a surprise again to have with their morning coffee.  My changes from their recipe were just a few, I used bread flour which gave it a firmer texture, 3 eggs, and the streusel that gets swirled in I cut the butter in half.  These changes were made because the first cake was very soggy, I had to bake it longer and while cooked very gooey.   The glaze on top I cut in half which was plenty using a 13 x 9 pan.  I don't remember having Cinnabon while shopping but it always makes the mall smell amazing.
This goes together so quick and easy---try it.

Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll Cake
(with my variations)
Ingredients:

3 c bread flour  (you can use all purpose but I preferred the bread flour for this)
1/4 tsp salt
1 c sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 c milk
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
4 T melted butter

Streusel Ingredients:

1 stick softened butter
1 c brown sugar
1 T cinnamon
nuts (optional)

Glaze Ingredients:

1 c powdered sugar
2-3 T milk (to desired consistency)
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° & greased 13 x 9 pan.

In a large mixing bowl mix first seven ingredients till combined well.  Slowly stir in 4 T melted butter until mixed.  Spread cake batter into prepared pan.  In small bowl with fork blend streusel ingredients, nuts are optional I spread them over the top of the cake so that half of the cake could be no nuts.  Drop spoonfuls of streusel onto cake and swirl around with knife.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or till toothpick comes out nearly clean.

In a small bowl while cake bakes whisk glaze mixture till blended, drizzle all over top of warm cake.  Great eaten hot from oven, or rewarmed.

dollop struesel

swirl

topped with nuts on half

glaze will run to edge and down sides

Snickerdoodles

The beach theme for a bridal shower  led these cookies to get almonds on them to look like sand dollars. The beach is where Stephanie loves to be and where she got engaged. Stephanie, her brothers and my kids all grew up together with a lot of great memories and beach trips over the years.  We are now enjoying the wedding festivities for each of them as they get married.  Priscilla loves to bake and is a amazing at it.  Her Snickerdoodles have been a favorite always accompanying our beach trips.  I stopped over while she was making these to get some photos to blog and have a sample or two.

bride to be

(Sand Dollar) Snickerdoodles

Cream together:    1 c softened butter

                   1 1/2 c sugar

          2 eggs

                  1 tsp vanilla

Sift together then add to creamed mixture:  2 1/2 c sifted flour

                                                                  2 tsp cream of tarter

                                                              1 tsp baking soda

                                                    1/4 tsp salt

Shape dough into  walnut size balls and roll into mixture of:

2 T sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

Place2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake until lightly browned but still soft.   Cookies will puff up and then flatten.  Bake at 375° for 8-10 min.

Priscilla uses stone baking pans.

This batch is for a shower with a ocean theme so the almonds were
used to make them look like sand dollars.

The balls were flattened to add the almonds before baking,
not necessary if you aren't using the almonds.

Wedding party and more pictures from the day.