Cinnamon Raisin Swirl

Although this bread contains no whole grains, it's a delicious classic. Cinnamon raisin bread, perfect for toast. I had my best half marathon time yet (of my whole two times) with this as my breakfast of champions. (Not that it means anything, but it is really good!)


Cinnamon Raisin Loaf
2 1/4 cups plus 2 1/2 Tbsp. flour
1 3/4 water
2 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. honey
3/4 tsp. yeast

Make a sponge by combining these four ingredients, whisking two minutes to incorporate air. The sponge should be like a thick batter. Cover with plastic wrap, and leave sit between 1 to 24 hours.

2 cups plus 3 Tbsp. flour
1/4 cup dry milk
3/4 tsp. yeast

Combine the ingredients listed above together. Sprinkle this flour mixture on top of the sponge, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow this to ferment 1 to 4 hours at room temperature. (The sponge may bubble through the flour, which is perfectly fine.)

9 Tbsp. butter, softened
2 1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup raisins (I used a combination of golden and regular)

Add the butter to the bowl, and mix on low speed with the dough hook until the flour is moistened enough to form a rough dough. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rest 20 minutes.

Sprinkle on the salt, and knead the dough on medium speed 7 to 10 minutes. The dough will not come away from the bowl until toward the last minute of kneading. Dough should be smooth and shiny and stick to your fingers. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rest 10 minutes.

Add the raisins on low speed for about 2 minutes. It's fine if they are not all incorporated, as they will be when you roll the dough. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover tightly, and let rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. On floured surface, press dough into a rectangle shape, maintaining as many air bubbles as possible. Give the dough a business letter turn. Place dough in greased bowl, cover, and refrigerate 1 hour to firm the dough for rolling.

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar
4 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. lightly beaten egg

Whisk together sugar and cinnamon. Remove dough from refrigerator, half of the dough at a time. Roll each piece of dough to a 7 1/2 by 14-inch rectangle. Using your fingers, press dough gently to indent to prevent air bubbles. Brush dough with egg, leaving a 3/4-inch margin on all sides. Sprinkle half the cinnamon mixture on each piece to evenly cover the dough. Roll the dough tightly, brushing the top with egg to hold the dough together as you roll. Tuck the ends underneath, and place in two greased 8 x 4 bread pans. Repeat for second loaf.

Cover the pans loosely with oiled plastic wrap. Allow them to rise 1 to 2 hours or until the center is 1 1/2 inches above the sides of the pan. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350ºF.

Bake bread 50 minutes or until loaves are a medium golden brown. Remove from oven, and brush tops with butter immediately. Remove from pans, and cool on wire racks. Makes 2 loaves.

Kiwi Sorbet

This is an extremely simple recipe to make, and it's delicious! Of course, like all homemade ice cream treats, it freezes completely solid. That helps justify eating as much of it as possible when it is freshly frozen!

Kiwi Sorbet
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
6-7 kiwis, peeled
2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Bring water and sugar to a boil over medium heat to make a simple syrup. Remove from heat, and stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Set aside to cool.

Puree kiwis in food processor until smooth.

Combine cooled simple syrup, kiwi puree and lemon juice in ice cream maker. Freeze according to manufacturer's instructions, letting it churn until you get your desired consistency.

Pain Tunisien (Tunisian Semolina & Olive Oil Bread)

This looked like a fairly easy bread that did not require me to grind wheat flour. (I know that's not a time-consuming nor difficult task. However, it's something I don't quite have the ambition to do today after running a half marathon.) Hopefully this bread will get my husband through the week at work.

P.S. My husband loved it! Said it was spectacular!

Pain Tunisien (Tunisian Semolina & Olive Oil Bread)
2 tsp. dry yeast
3/4 cup water, divided
1 1/2 cups semolina flour
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup olive oil
Egg wash made with 1 egg yolk & 1 Tbsp. water
4 Tbsp. sesame seeds

Sprinkle yeast into water in a bowl. Let set 5 minutes, stirring to dissolve. Meanwhile, mix flours and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the flour, and add the olive oil and yeast water. Either use electric mixer or wooden spoon until stiff dough forms. Knead until dough is smooth and elastic.

Cover dough, and let rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down the dough, and let it rest 10 minutes. Divide dough into two equal pieces. Working on a lightly floured surface, shape each piece into a flattened round about 7 inches in diameter and 1-inch thick.

Place dough rounds on oiled baking sheets, and cover with a dish towel. Let rise until doubled in size, approximately 30-45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400ºF. Brush loaves with glaze, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Prick loaves all over with toothpick to prevent air bubbles. Bake bread 30 minutes until golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped underneath. Turn onto wire rack to cool.

Cranberry Nut Muffins

These are good muffins, although my favorite use of cranberries is still the bread with cranberries, walnuts, bananas and such. Still, quick and easy. (And I'm nearly done with my supply of frozen cranberries!)


Cranberry Nut Muffins
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup milk
2/3 cup sugar (or sugar substitute)
4 Tbsp. butter, softened
1 1/2 cups cranberries

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease 10 muffin cups or line with paper wrappers. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Stir in the pecans, and make a well in the center. Put the remaining ingredients into a separate bowl, and mix those until thoroughly combined. Pour those ingredients and cranberries into the flour mixture. Gently fold ingredients together to form a moist batter.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin tins, filling full. Bake 15 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Victorian Milk Bread

This is a good basic white bread, nothing spectacular. Of course, it still tastes better than processed white bread!

Victorian Milk Bread
2 tsp. dry yeast
1 tsp. sugar
1 1/4 cups lukewarm milk
3 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt

Sprinkle yeast into water in a bowl. Let set 5 minutes, stirring to dissolve. Meanwhile, mix flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the flour, and add the egg and yeast water. Either use electric mixer or wooden spoon until stiff dough forms. Knead until dough is smooth and elastic.

Cover dough, and let rise 45 minutes. Punch down the dough, and then cover and let rest until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Grease an 8 x 4 loaf pan with butter or butter spray. Shape the loaf into an "S" shape by shaping dough into a log and placing into pan, curling the ends to resemble an "S."

Cover with a dish towel, and let rise until it is about 1 inch above the pan, approximately 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400ºF. Bake bread 45 minutes until golden and hollow sounding when tapped underneath. Brush loaf with butter immediately upon removing from oven. Turn onto wire rack to cool.

Swedish Dill Bread

I was able to make this bread with fresh dill from our garden, along with our red onions. This bread has a very strong dill flavor (good spread with cream cheese), and I love the color the onions provide.
Swedish Dill Bread
2 tsp. dry yeast
1/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp. water
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill
5 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 onions, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp. butter
1 egg, beaten

Sprinkle yeast into water in a bowl. Let set 5 minutes, stirring to dissolve. Meanwhile, mix flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the flour, and add the dill, cream cheese, onions, butter, egg and yeast water. Either use electric mixer or wooden spoon until stiff dough forms. Knead until dough is smooth and elastic.

Cover dough, and let rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.

Grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan with butter or butter spray. Punch down the dough, and let it rest 10 minutes.

Shape the dough into a loaf, and place in pan seam side down. Cover with a dish towel, and let rise until it is about 1/2 inch above the pan, approximately 1 1/2 hours. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350ºF. Bake bread 45 to 60 minutes until hollow sounding when tapped underneath. Turn onto wire rack to cool.

Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake

It all started many years ago when I determined my then-boyfriend should make me a fancy dessert, something like a raspberry cheesecake. He promised to make me this fabulous dessert ... at least that's how I remember the story. So, for the past six, seven, eight or somewhere in there years, I've brought up this infamous dessert to my boyfriend, who became my fiance, who is now my husband.

This past summer, after a weekend reconnecting with my high school friends, I came home to my husband smiling. To my surprise, my wonderful husband made me the best raspberry swirl cheesecake I've ever eaten to celebrate our fourth year of marriage. Trust me ... it was definitely worth the wait.
Even though I've never prepared this recipe, I'll vouch for it on behalf of my husband's baking skills. It's amazing! (I think he might have started an anniversary tradition!)

Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake
1 cup Oreo cookie crumbs (approximately 2 rows from the package)
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 3/4 cup sugar
8 oz. raspberries
32 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
Pinch of salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Stir together cookie crumbs, melted butter and 2 Tbsp. sugar in a medium bowl. Press crumb mixture firmly onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan (line pan with double layer of aluminum foil first). Bake until set, about 10 minutes. Let cool in pan on wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 325ºF.

Process raspberries in food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pass puree through a fine sieve into a small bowl, and discard the solids. Whisk in 2 Tbsp. sugar and set aside.

In large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy, about 3 minutes. On low speed, beat in remaining sugar, adding sugar in a slow, steady stream. Beat in salt and vanilla until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until just combined.

Pour cream cheese filling over crust. Drop raspberry sauce by the teaspoon on top of cheesecake batter. With a toothpick, swirl the sauce into the batter.

Place cheesecake pan carefully into a shallow roasting pan. Carefully ladle boiling water into the roasting pan to reach halfway up the cheesecake pan. Place in oven, and bake until set but slightly wobbly in center, 60 to 65 minutes.

Transfer cake pan to rack, and let cool completely. Refrigerate uncovered 6 hours or overnight. Before unmolding, run a knife around the edges of the cheesecake. Serve with additional raspberry sauce and fresh raspberries.

Summer Squash & Corn Chowder

I made this chowder at my parents' house, referring to it as corn chowder. My husband even helped with the start of the chowder, until I shooshed him out of the kitchen to relax. Of course, the real reason for my kindness is that he believes (mistakenly) that he does not like summer squash. I know he doesn't like the idea of summer squash and in reality would not mind the dish if he didn't know it contained summer squash.

To prove my point, after he enjoyed his bowl of chowder, he made the comment that he'd even let me make that for him again. I laughed and asked if he realized it contained summer squash. The look on his face was priceless as he exclaimed I had poisoned him! So ... this recipe tastes like a corn chowder but is a great way to incorporate the plentiful summer squash. Also, this recipe works well if you add additional corn, squash or celery.

Summer Squash & Corn Chowder
2 slices bacon
3/4 cup green onions, divided
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 lb. yellow summer squash, chopped (and peeled if skin is tough)
1 lb. frozen (or fresh) corn
2 1/4 cups milk, divided
1 tsp. fresh thyme
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4-1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar

Cook bacon in large pan until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, and reserve 2 tsp. of drippings in the pan. Crumble the bacon, and set aside for garnish. Add 1/2 cup onion, celery and squash to the pan drippings. Cook 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

If using fresh corn, cook in boiling water and remove from cob. If using thawed frozen corn, proceed without additional cooking. Reserve 1 cup corn, and set it aside. Place remaining corn and 1 cup milk into blender. Process until smooth. Add remaining milk, thyme, 1/2 tsp. salt and pepper. Process until just combined.

Add pureed mixture and reserved corn to the pan. Reduce heat to medium, and cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in 1/4 cup cheese into soup (optional). Stir in remaining 1/8 tsp. salt.

To serve, ladle 1 1/2 cups soup into four bowls. Top with crumbled bacon, remaining 1/4 cup cheese and remaining 1/4 cup green onions (or chives). Enjoy warm!