Out of the Mouths of Babes......

Cameron has always been a good eater. There have been a few things here and there that he hasn't really enjoyed, but over all he will eat anything.
This morning I got to enjoy having breakfast with him, it was just him and me. Reagan and Daddy were sleeping in. Cameron requested cinnamon toast. I asked him if he would like a banana with it. He said sure!
I got ready to serve him his toast with a side of banana. Then he told me he would like it sliced on top. I thought, sure why not?
I was surprised on how delicious it was! Plus, it added some extra nutrition to the cinnamon toast!
So here is Cameron's recipe that we have named....Banana Deliciousness with Cinnamon Toast!

Toast your choice of bread. Spread some butter and sprinkle it with cinnamon and sugar. Then slice a half of banana and layer it on the bread. (This does make the bread quite heavy, so it is easier to eat if you cut it in half!) Enjoy!

Facing Past Failures

I have come to realize that part of my cooking/baking journey is facing past failures. When I think about my cooking catastrophe's I have to put Beef Stroganoff, Green Tomato Pie, Biscuits, Italian Meatball Meatloaf, and a casserole with apples, sausage and sweet potatoes in it.
Some of them I don't plan on revisiting, the memories are just too painful! However, I have conquered the Beef Stroganoff, and just recently tackled biscuits again.
Before when I have made biscuits they have turned out more like crackers then bread. I have tried all sorts of recipes and tricks, but recently discovered a recipe that worked really well, well enough that we actually ate the entire batch of them! The recipe wasn't in any fancy or secretive cookbook, but simply on the back of the baking powdered can!



2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup shortening
3/4 cup of milk
1 TBSP soft butter

In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Using your hands (they called for a pastry cutter, but I have found that my hands work better), work in the shortening till mixture resembles course crumbs.
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add the milk all at once. Using a for stir just till moistened and dough pulls away from the bowl (dough will be sticky). On a floured surface lightly knead dough with floured hands for 30 seconds or till nearly smooth. Lightly roll dough to 3/4 inch thickness. Cut dough with a 2 1/2 biscuit cutter, dipping cutter into flour between cuts. Place biscuits close together on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush tops with soft butter. Bake in 475 degree oven for 11-15 minutes or till golden brown.

Baking with Beer.....YES PLEASE!!!!!

I have cooked with beer before. I love adding it to things like chili and beer, and one of my favorite soup recipes calls for 12 oz of beer. I had never thought of baking with it though.
Yesterday it was very cold and rainy and I really wanted some gingerbread. Not cookies, but gingerbread cake. So I began searching through the recipes on foodnetwork.com. I kept running into the problem that I didn't have any crystallized ginger in the house.
Then I found a recipe from Emeril. I read down the list of ingredients and was surprised to see a cup of Guiness. Now Guiness is one of my favorite beers and we have even paired it with chocolate icecream with wonderful results, so I decided to give it a try.
I did change the original recipe a little. I didn't have any raw sugar, so I substituted a 1/2 cup of white sugar and 1/2 cup of brown sugar. The cake came out moist and light and perfect with a nice hot cup of tea. I just sprinkled the top with a little powdered sugar. It would also taste really good paired with some cinnamon applesauce.

Ingredients

* 1 stick unsalted butter
* 1 cup turbinado sugar (1/2 cup white sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar)
* 3 large eggs
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons ground ginger
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
* 1 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
* 1 cup molasses
* 1 cup Guinness, or other dark beer
* Spiced Creme Anglaise, recipe follows
* Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 by 9-inch cake pan and line with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, cloves, and nutmeg. In a third bowl, combine the molasses and beer and stir to dissolve. Add the dry ingredients and beer mixture alternately to the egg mixture, beating after the addition of each.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake until puffed and set, about 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan on a wire rack. Sprinkle top with some powdered sugar before serving.

Spiced Creme Anglaise:

* 2 cups heavy cream
* 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
* 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
* 3 large egg yolks
* 1/4 cup sugar

Combine the cream, the zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale and frothy, about 2 minutes. Slowly drizzle in 1/2 cup of the hot cream, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to warm milk and stirring constantly, cook over medium heat until thick, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve warm. (Or, to serve chilled, place in an ice bath to cool, then cover with plastic wrap, pressing down against the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until well chilled, about 2 hours.)

Yield: 2 cups Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 6 minutes Inactive Prep Time: if chilled, 2 hours