Zucchini Muffins with Lots of Other Stuff

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Over the years, this has become my go-to recipe for zucchini muffins. I've  made these hearty gems for over 20 years now, and if you glance through the ingredient list, you'll see why my children use to call them "kitchen sink" muffins. Not, mind you, for their scrumptious taste, but because I put everything but the kitchen sink into the batter. I know you will like them. While they are a bit heavier than the usual breakfast muffin, they are moist and delicious and also keep well. That's important when a recipe makes 18 muffins. The recipe is simple enough for young cooks to prepare and if you use a box grater to shred the zucchini, they can be made without special equipment. I spray the paper liners to keep the muffins intact when the liners are peeled back for eating. It's not necessary, but it does make for nicer looking offering. I hope you'll give this recipe a try. Here is how they are made.

Soft Raisin Cookies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I haven't made these cookies in years. They were a cookie jar favorite in the late 40's and early 50's, and those of you who are too young to remember these  "grandma" cookies  might, out of curiosity, want to give this recipe a try. These cookies were popular for years before WWII, but they disappeared from the American table when the constraints imposed by rationing made them impractical for housewives to bake. They reappeared shortly after the war and joined oatmeal and peanut butter as cookie jar favorites across the country. Milk and cookies at the end of the school day was part of a routine that those of us of a certain age remember well. The first order of the afternoon was to change clothes. We were not yet a nation of consumers and there was a clear line drawn between clothes meant for church, those meant for school and those that had been retired and relegated to play status. Once clothes had been changed the cookie jar took center stage and a ritual as old as high tea began. This cookie is a delight and I love this version of the recipe which I found in Taste of Home magazine. It makes a huge batch of of moist and chewy cookies that I think your family will love. The cookies keep well and they are super simple to make. Here is the recipe.

Oatmeal Refrigerator Cookies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Several years ago, I learned a trick from my oldest daughter that helped put my love-hate relationship with cookies on a more even keel. When my children were in high school, I actually stopped baking cookies because they disappeared so quickly. It was not unusual for a batch of them to be eaten on the same day they were made and I thought my efforts, though probably appreciated, were not savored. Rather than fuss about it, I stocked the cookie jar with vanilla wafers and ginger snaps and let it go at that. There were no complaints. They had cookies and my ego and hurt feelings were kept at bay. Now it happens that while both my girls are great cooks, their kitchens are quite different from each other and certainly different than mine. They both bake cookies. The oldest, who is responsible for my searching out recipes like the one I'm sharing with you tonight, freezes portioned cookie dough and bakes small quantities of pre-shaped cookies as her boys demand them. Her cookie jar is never full, but she always has cookies for them in the house. I've been collecting recipes for slice and bake cookies for several years now and when I saw this recipe in Bon Appetit magazine, I knew it would fit right into my collection. It makes basic oatmeal cookies that are more flavorful than most, because they have a mild nutty flavor that comes from the whole wheat flour used to make them.



The cookies are easy to make, but the dough is a sticky mess that can be hard to work with. You'll want to roll the dough into two 12 inch logs and you'll need parchment paper and plastic wrap to do that. You'll also need to keep your hands damp to prevent the dough from sticking to your fingers as you work with it.



The logs are placed in the freezer for at least 4 hours before they are sliced. I cut the logs into 1/2 inch slices and bake the cookies in their frozen state for about 15 minutes. The dough must be kept cold to be workable and you will need a sharp knife to cut through it. This recipe will make 4 dozen crisp oatmeal cookies that are perfect for dunking. I know you'll enjoy them. Thank you, Bon Appetit.



Oatmeal Refrigerator Cookies...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Jenny Rosenstarch and Andy Ward via Bon Appetit magazine

Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups old-fashioned oats
2 cups raisins

Directions:
1) Whisk both flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg in a medium bowl.
2) Using an electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars on high speed until light and creamy, 2-3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend and scraping down bowl between additions. Beat in vanilla.
3) Reduce speed to low. Gradually add dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Fold in oats and raisins.
4) Divide dough between 2 large sheets of parchment paper. Using paper as an aid, roll up each piece of dough into a 1-1/2-inch diameter log. Wrap in plastic; freeze for at least 4 hours and up to 3 weeks.
5) When ready to bake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Unwrap dough and cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds (return unused dough to freezer); place 2-inch apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
6) Bake cookies until edges are golden brown, 15-18 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool. Yield: 48 cookies. Store in an airtight container or freeze.

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One Year Ago Today: All-Time Favorite Sticky Buns













Two years Ago Today: Blueberry and Almond Coffecake













Three Years Ago Today: Pasta with Pungent Parsley Pesto













Four Years Ago Today: Hot Cross Buns

Pulla - A Finnish Cardamom and Raisin Sweet Bread

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...One of the great pleasures of my childhood was the smell of bread baking on Sunday mornings. I spent a good part of my early years in a building that housed 4 adjacent duplex units that shared a common basement. Our neighbors were extraordinarily good cooks and the aromas that wafted into the basement on a Sunday were enough to drive the hungry truly mad. One of our neighbors was Scandinavian and she rose early on Sunday mornings to bake off slow-rising bread that had been refrigerated overnight. Back in the day, it was not unusual for extended families to gather for Sunday supper and the P's clan faithfully broke bread together following Sunday services. The bread, whose aroma I so enjoyed, was part of that Sunday ritual. It was a sweet bread made rich with butter and laced with soft raisins and a liberal dose of cardamom. I learned to make bread watching Mrs. P and Hannie, another of our neighbors, miraculously turn flour and water into breads with wonderfully toothsome crusts. I was too young at the time to realize that nothing lasts forever, so, I only have a handful of the old recipes in my files. Unfortunately, Mrs. P's Sunday bread was not among them. Several years ago, I came across a recipe in Gourmet magazine that came very close to that lovely bread of memory. The Gourmet recipe makes a loaf that is soft and barely sweet, but has that special richness that only butter can provide. The recipe is unusual in that cold butter is cut into the flour, pie crust fashion, before liquid is added to form the dough. The dough is a slow-riser, so factor wait time into any plans you have for serving the bread. The finished loaves keep for several days if well-wrapped and they freeze beautifully for up to a month. The marvel of this bread is the aroma that is released by the yeast and cardamom as it bakes. This is truly a lovely bread that is perfect for special occasions. I'm going to freeze a loaf to serve for breakfast on Valentine's day. I really hope you'll give this loaf a try. It's wonderful. Here's how it is made.

Pulla - Finnish Cardamom and Raisin Sweet Bread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Gourmet magazine

Ingredients:
1 cup light or dark raisins
1/4 cup warm water
1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast ( 2-1/4 teaspoons)
5 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1-1/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1-1/4 cups warm whole milk ( 105-115 F)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 large egg yolks, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Directions:
1) Soak raisins in hot tap water to cover until plump, about 20 minutes, then drain. Meanwhile, stir together warm water, yeast, and a pinch of sugar in a small bowl. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
2) Stir together flour, sugar, cardamom, and salt in a large bowl, then blend in butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in milk, whole egg, and yeast mixture with a wooden spoon until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead, dusting surface and hands with just enough flour to keep dough from sticking, until dough is smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes.
3) Pat dough into a 9-inch square and sprinkle with raisins. Fold dough over to enclose raisins and pinch edges to seal. Knead, dusting surface and hands lightly with flour, until raisins are distributed. (Dough will be lumpy and slightly sticky; if any raisins pop out, just push them back in.) Form dough into a ball.
4) Put dough in a buttered large bowl and turn to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled, 2 to 2-1/2 hours.
5) Punch down dough (do not knead), then halve. Cut each half into thirds and roll each piece into a 15-inch rope. Braid together 3 ropes to form a loaf, then transfer to a parchment-lined large baking sheet, tucking ends under. Make another loaf with remaining 3 ropes, arranging loaves 4 inches apart. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled, 1 to 1-1/2 hours.
6) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F with rack in middle.
7) Brush loaves with egg wash and bake until golden brown and bottoms sound hollow when tapped, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool. Yield: 2 loaves.

One Year Ago Today: Snickerdoodle Blondies

Two Years Ago Today: Homemade Nutella Spread

Three Years Ago Today: Warm Gingerbread with Lemon Sauce

Peach Chutney

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The leaves here are just now starting to color and our orchards are still bearing fruit. Local markets are filled with apples and pears and there are still peaches to be had. Despite the rush of packing, I gave into temptation and came home from my favorite farm stand with enough peaches to make one last pot of this truly lovely chutney. The recipe was developed by Michael Lomonaco and it was served with certain dishes at his restaurant, Windows on the World, before the towers fell. I love to serve this jewel-toned condiment with pork and chicken in the fall. The chutney is not processed, so it can only be kept for a week or so, but it is a lovely addition to a meal and it is wonderful when used to top a schmear of cream cheese. This is really easy to make and the recipe is nearly foolproof. If the syrup appears to be too thin at the end of the recommended cooking time, continue to boil it until it thickens to your liking. The chutney should be served at room temperature. I know that those of you who try the recipe will really enjoy this condiment. Here's how the chutney is made.

Fresh Peach Chutney...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Michael Lomonaco

Ingredients:
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup loosely packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 large sweet red pepper, seeded, cut in 1/4-inch dice, about 1/2 cup
1 small white onion, peeled and diced, about 1/2 cup
1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced, 2 tablespoons
1/3 cup white or dark raisins
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 pounds firm, fresh peaches, blanched to remove the skin, pit removed, sliced into wedges

Directions:
1) Put vinegar and both sugars into a non-reactive pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add red pepper, onion, jalapeño, raisins, garlic, ginger, salt and simmer for 10 minutes. Add peach segments and simmer an additional 5-10 minutes. If peaches are still firm or the syrup is too thin allow to cook several minutes more.
2) Remove pan from heat and allow mixture to cool for 15 minutes. Transfer to a jar or small bowl for serving. Serve at room temperature. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to one week in a covered container. Yield: 2-1/2 cups.

One Year Ago Today: Winter Tomato Soup for the Slow Cooker

Two Years Ago Today: Hot Clam Dip

Three  Years Ago Today: Australian Busters

Pie-Spiced Apple Cookies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...These moist and chewy cookies are hard to resist if you enjoy apple pie. They are packed with fruit and nuts and flavored with the same spices as America's favorite pie. They are wonderfully fragrant and even smell like apple pie as they bake. The recipe first appeared on the blog The Naptime Chef and it has also been featured on food52. I'm not sure the cookies will be a favorite of the cookie-jar set, but if you enjoy an adult biscuit with your coffee or tea, these are definitely worth trying. The cookies are delicious and simple to make, but I suspect you'll need to bake them for a few minutes longer than is suggested in the recipe. My cookies needed a full 15 minutes to set and brown. You might also want to cutback on the amount of cloves used in the recipe. I used the full amount for my first batch of cookies and thought it was a bit overpowering. I cut the measure in half for the next batch and was much happier with the results. I  also added mace and ginger to the dry ingredients to bolster the reduced quantity of cloves.  I suspect that a commercial pie spice mixture would also work well here. This is a homely cookie that makes no pretense to be something it is not, but I can promise you that its flavor will trump its gnarly appearance. I hope you'll give the recipe a try. Here's how the cookies are made.

Pie-Spiced Apple Cookies...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Katie Sanford as featured on The Naptime Chef and food52

Ingredients:
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup shortening
1-1/3 cups dark brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup whole milk
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup unpeeled apple, finely chopped

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie or sheet cake pans with parchment paper.
2) Place raisins in a small saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3) Combine shortening and brown sugar in bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat until fully combined. Beat in egg and milk. sugar until full combined. Add egg and milk and mix ingredients well.
4) Whisk flour, soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt together in another bowl. With mixer on low speed, slowly add dry ingredients, scraping bowl necessary, until everything is fully combined.
5) Stir chopped apple, raisins and walnuts into batter with a wooden spoon.
6) Drop cookies by rounded teaspoonfuls about 2-inches apart onto cookie sheets. Press tops of cookies down slightly with two fingers to flatten slightly.
7) Bake for 12-14 minutes or until cookies hold their shape and edges are slightly browned. Yield: 3 dozen cookies.

One Year Ago Today: Curried Corn and Chicken Soup

Two Years Ago Today: Glazed Boston Cream Cake

Three Years Ago Today: Zucchini Cornbread

Apple Raisin Bars

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If you like your treats moist and sweet I think you'll love these apple-raisin bars. They are soft, almost doughy, and are similar to a fudge brownie in texture. While they are very easy to make, they are quite moist and you might want to bake them for a longer time than is suggested in the recipe. The bars will be easier to cut if they are refrigerated before slicing, and, even then, it is unlikely that they will resemble those I first saw in Family Circle Magazine. The crust is crackly and the bars can be crumbly when you take them from the pan. My first batch was almost pudding-like. I thought I had made an error in their assembly, but after searching for other photos of the bars, I could see that it mine was not an isolated experience. Based on appearance alone, it probably would be best not to serve these to the queen when she comes for tea. That being said, those of you who love sweet, sweet things, probably will love these bars. While I found them cloying, my taste testers gave them a thumbs up and the bars were gone before the day was done. Here's how they are made.

Apple-Raisin Bars...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Family Circle Magazine

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups packed light-brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups diced Golden Delicious apple
3/4 cup raisins

Directions:
1) Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally coat a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
2) In a medium-size bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; set aside.
3) In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, blend together sugar, eggs, butter and vanilla for 3 minutes or until smooth.
4) Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour mixture; mix for 2 minutes or until just incorporated. Stir in diced apples and raisins and spread into prepared pan.
5) Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely before cutting into bars and serving. Yield: 12 bars.

One Year Ago Today: Rice and Asparagus Soup

Two Years Ago Today: Savory Rice Squares with Poblano Peppers and Pepper Jack Cheese

Three Years Ago Today:  Ginger Tea

A Simple Cinnamon Raisin Quick Bread

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The delivery of these loaves marked the last of my coffee and pot-luck commitments until meetings and volunteer activity begin again in the fall. I had not intended to feature this simple and nearly effortless quick bread here, but it was so well-received I thought some of you might be able to use the recipe for commitments of your own. It delivers bang for the buck and there is virtually no sweat equity involved in its creation. Better still, it can be made with a wooden spoon or whisk, so this makes it a great recipe to prepare in the barely equipped kitchens of summer rentals. It is  also a great recipe to share with kids who like to cook. The recipe is very easy to follow and the only caution I have to share with you comes from my own experience. This bread stales quickly, so,  if you won't be able to finish both loaves on the day they are made, freeze one or cut the recipe in half. This is one of those treats that is sufficient to the day. It will neither make nor break your reputation as a cook, but if you need something to feed a gang and don't have a lot of time to fuss, I think you'll like this sweet bread. Here's the recipe.

Cinnamon Raisin Quick Bread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Flo Burtnett and Taste of Home Magazine

Ingredients:
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar, divided
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup raisins
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions:
1) Combine the flour, 1-1/2 cups sugar, soda and salt in a large bowl.
2) Whisk eggs, buttermilk and oil in another bowl. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in raisins.
3) Combine cinnamon and reserved 1/2 cup sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.
4) Spoon half of batter into two greased 8-in. x 4-in. loaf pans. Sprinkle with half of reserved cinnamon-sugar; repeat layers. Cut through batter with a knife to swirl.
5) Bake at 350 degrees F for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: 2 loaves (12 slices each).

One Year Ago Today: Salmon Cakes

Two Years Ago Today: Strawberry Salsa

Three years Ago Today: Cajun Corn Maque Choux

Rum-Raisin Tea Biscuits

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I can't quite see myself serving these for breakfast, but I have no aversion to putting them on a brunch or tea table. They are delicious and a perfect example of Nancy Silverton's ability to make ordinary food extraordinary. These biscuits contain orange and rum soaked raisins that make others pale in comparison. Save for the drunken raisins, the recipe is like most others for scones or tea biscuits. It is straight forward and if you follow the recipe you are guaranteed success. You can, of course, swap cranberries for raisins and experiment with orange liqueur. I make these often, and, while I do experiment, I always go back to the original ingredients. If you use a 2-1/4 inch biscuit cutter you will be able to get a dozen biscuits from the recipe. I do hope you will try these. They are wonderful to serve with afternoon tea and distinctive enough to be memorable. Here's the recipe.

Rum Raisin Tea Biscuits...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Nancy Silverton

Ingredients:
1/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup rum
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup raisins
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon coarse salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter,
cut into 8 pieces
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
Milk
5 teaspoons sugar

Directions:
1) Combine orange juice, rum, vanilla and raisins in a small bowl. Set aside for 10 minutes while preparing biscuits.
2) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
3) Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse to combine. Add butter and process until mixture looks like coarse meal.
4) Drain liquid from raisins reserving 1/3 cup. Combine reserved liquid with buttermilk and add to flour mixture in food processor, then add raisins and orange zest. Pulse just to dampen dry ingredients. Dough will be sticky.
5) Remove dough from bowl and knead 10 times on a well-floured surface. Pat into an 8-inch round, 1/2 inch thick. Cut 8 biscuits with a floured 2 1/2-inch cutter. Fold scraps together and cut 2 more biscuits. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet, 1 inch apart. Brush tops with milk and sprinkle each with 1/2 teaspoon sugar.
6) Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until tops are lightly browned. Yield: 10 biscuits.







One Year Ago Today: Minced Chicken with Oyster Sauce















Two Years Ago Today: Roasted Garbanzo Beans with Cajun Spice

Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread with Streusel Topping

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I usually keep a loaf or two of this bread in the freezer. While it's a wonderful addition to a leisurely weekend breakfast, I actually keep it on hand to serve at meetings or morning coffees when I have no time to bake. The bread has much to commend it. It's delicious, easy to prepare and cheap. If you do a lot of volunteer work, and are responsible for the "and" part of morning coffee, cost can be important. This bread can be made for about $3 a loaf and it freezes well. It's the type of bread that old-times called a "race track" because of the tracks and spiral that form when the dough is rolled and shaped. I've kept the fillings here to an absolute minimum. Feel free to improvise and add or subtract ingredients to suit your own taste. Because they go on rather than in the bread dough, precise quantities are not as important as they might otherwise be. I hydrate and drain my raisins before sprinkling them on the dough. I usually soak them in orange or apple juice but I've been known to use dark rum. It adds flavor and helps to keep the bread moist. I also use mace in this bread. Mace is a spice made from the waxy red covering which covers nutmeg seeds. The flavor is similar to that of nutmeg. Used in small quantities it adds subtle flavor to baked goods. Mace can be found in the spice aisle of most large grocery chains and it is available online from spice purveyors such as Penzy's. If you are unable to find it , use nutmeg or replace it with additional cinnamon. I think the bread looks exceptionally good and while there are four steps to its construction, each step is very easy to do. If you plan to freeze the loaf, hold the glaze and apply it just before you serve the bread. The bread tends to stale quickly, so eat or freeze it the day it's made. I know that those of you who try this loaf will love it. Here's the recipe.

Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread with Streusel Topping...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
Dough
2-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/4 cup + 1-1/4 cups lukewarm milk, divided use
1/4 cup + 1 teaspoon sugar, divided use
3-3/4 to 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons softened unsalted butter + butter to grease bowl and baking pan
additional softened butter for greasing bowl and pan
Swirl
1 tablespoon melted butter
1/2 cup raisins, soaked, drained and patted dry
1-3/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon mace
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Topping
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
Glaze
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons milk
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1) Stir yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar into 1/4 cup of warm milk. Let sit until mixture begins to foam.
2) Combine reserved 1/4 cup sugar with 3-3/4 cups flour, salt and 3 tablespoons butter in a mixing bowl. Stir in yeast mixture and reserved 1-1/4 cup warm milk with a wooden spoon or your hands. Continue to stir until dough forms a ball.
3) Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface to rest a few minutes. If kneading dough with a dough hook, wash and dry mixing bowl before placing dough back in the bowl. Knead dough by hand or on lowest setting of mixer until it takes on a silky quality, about 4 minutes. If dough is too sticky, add additional flour. Dough is sufficiently kneaded when indentation made by pressing 2 fingers into dough springs back. Allow to rest for several minutes.
4) Butter inside of a clean, dry bowl. Place dough in bowl, and turn to coat all sides with butter. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 to 2 hours.
5) Punch dough down and transfer to a floured surface. Knead for 2 or 3 minutes, adding additional flour only as needed. Roll dough out into a rectangle about 8 by 16 inches. Brush dough with melted butter (saving excess for application of streusel). Sprinkle with cinnamon, mace, sugar and raisins. Starting at a short end, roll dough up tightly and tuck ends under. Place in a butter 9 x 5 x 3-inch pan, seam side down. Covered with plastic wrap and let rise until dough rises above edge of pan, about 40 to 60 minutes.
6) Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine flour and brown sugar in a bowl. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter till mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
7) Brush risen loaf with melted butter and slash down the middle. Sprinkle with crumb mixture, pressing in if necessary. Bake for 45 minutes, or until loaf makes a hollow sound when tapped.
8) Remove from pan and let cook on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before cutting.
9) Whisk together confectioners' sugar, milk and vanilla extract in a bowl. Drizzle over top of finished cakes and let set before serving. Yield: 1 loaf.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Cinnamon Swirl Bread - Cookie Madness
Pumpkin Yeast Bread - The Galley Gourmet
Coconut Bubble Bread - One Perfect Bite
Pumpkin Cinnamon Bun Cake - Baking Bites
Monkey Bread - Brown Eyed Baker
Cinnamon Raisin Walnut Bread - Playing House
Hot Cross Buns - Buttercream Barbie
Brioche Muffins - Andrea Meyers

This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday

Wild Yeast - Yeast Spotting

Christmas Cranberry Conserve + Blue Monday + Ruby Tuesday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We had duck for dinner tonight, and, as is my habit when serving duck or goose, I made a fruit conserve to serve alongside it. I've found that a conserve or chutney helps clear the palate when rich or potentially fatty foods are eaten. A conserve is a fruit spread, much like a fruit preserve, save for the fact that it contains a mixture of fruits and no pectin is required to set it. Only a handful of ingredients are required to make conserves and they really are easy to prepare. I chose cranberries to make ours this evening. While they are seasonal and add great color to the table, the berries were selected more for their tartness than their seasonality. The cranberry is a perfect foil for potentially fatty fowl and the berries make a marvelous conserve. This spread is almost foolproof to make. The only thing you can do to spoil it is to cook it for too long a period of time. Overcooking produces too much juice and excess liquid will keep the conserve from setting. I added raisins and nuts to mine to make it a bit more festive. Here's the recipe.

Christmas Cranberry Conserve...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Mildred Banker and Taste of Home

Ingredients:
4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, halved or very coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
2 oranges, peeled, sliced and quartered
1 cup raisins
1-1/4 cup water
1 cup chopped pecans
2-1/2 cups sugar

Directions:
1) In a large saucepan, combine cranberries, orange zest, oranges, raisins and water. Cover and simmer over medium heat until cranberries are soft, about 5 minutes.
2) Add pecans and sugar; stir well. Simmer, uncovered, 10-15 minutes, stirring often. Cool. Spoon into covered containers. Refrigerate. Serve as a relish with poultry or pork, or spread on biscuits or rolls. Yield: 3 pints.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Fig Jam Preserves - My Man's Belly
Relish the Thought - Stacey Snacks
Cranberry Chutney - Closet Cooking
Brandied Apple Conserve - Foodista
Plum Conserve - Simply Recipes
Honey Pear Conserve - Mermaids Treasures

This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday

Work of the Poet: Ruby Tuesday

Apple Oatmeal Bread

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I know he means well, but sometimes the Silver Fox is not helpful. He has a tendency to comment on works in progress and I really didn't need to hear his, "...that'll grow hair on your chest," as I added oatmeal to my bread mix. As a child I was very literal minded. If someone were to say I'm beside myself, you can bet I checked the room. Old habits die hard. Without thinking, I glanced down and managed to give him his laugh of the day. What can I say? While it's more nutritious than many, the bread is not a cure for male pattern baldness. It is very easy to prepare and it can be quickly made with no special equipment. Needless to say, it perfumes the kitchen as it bakes and the lingering aroma of cinnamon and apples will drive the unsuspecting to distraction. It's a really nice bread that can be made with a wooden spoon. While it is heavier than many quick breads, it's a perfect fall treat. The bread stays fresh for days and it makes wonderful toast. I hope you will try it. Here's the recipe.

Apple Oatmeal Bread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup rolled oats
1-1/2 cups grated apple
1/4 cup raisins
2 large eggs
1/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour an 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 inch loaf pan. Set aside.
2) Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, and oats in a large bowl. Add apple, raisins, eggs, milk, and oil. Mix until dry ingredients are moistened. Mixture will be stiff.
3) Put mixture into prepared pan and bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until done. Let sit for 20 minutes. Remove from pan and continue cooling on a wire rack. Yield: 1 loaf (about 12 slices).

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread - You Made That?
Glazed Apple, Carrot and Walnut Loaf - The English Kitchen
Banana Nut Bread - Brown-Eyed Baker
Cherry Pecan Bread - Amanda's Cookin'
Coconut Bread - Bored Cook in the Kitchen
Cinnamon Quick Bread - Sugar Plum
Raspberry Almond Swirl Bread - Baking Bites

Apple Raisin Chutney

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I'm all set for a canning and freezing marathon, but our local strawberries are still a few days short of prime. To keep myself focused, I decided to put by a few jars of apple chutney that I anticipate will be lovely for glazing meats, and spreading on the Indian breads I experimented with this morning. If you like chutney, you'll love this recipe. It produces a dark, glossy spread with a curry flavor and a jam-like texture. The choice of curry, hot or not, is up to you. I make this in small quantities because the ingredients need to make it are always available, and that makes bulk storage and a canning orgy unnecessary. While this is really easy to prepare, there is some chopping involved and you'll have to carefully watch the chutney as it cooks to avoid it burning. If it catches on you'll have to pitch the entire batch. This chutney is less viscous than the mango chutneys that are commercially available, so don't panic when you see how thick this is. That's as it should be. I refrigerate or freeze the jars I make, but if you wish, they can be processed in a boiling water bath for long term shelf storage. The chutney will keep for three weeks in the refrigerator and for up to six months in the freezer. Here's the recipe.

Apple Raisin Chutney...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by Nancie McDermott
Ingredients:
4 cups peeled, cored and chopped cooking apples (i.e. Golden Delicious or Granny Smiths)
1/2 cup water
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 can (14.5-oz.) peeled, chopped tomatoes, undrained
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup dark raisins
1/2 cup golden brown sugar
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1) Place apples in a 3-quart pan with water. Cover pan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Simmer for 20 minutes or until apples are soft.
2) Meanwhile, combine onions, garlic, tomatoes, vinegar, raisins, sugar, curry powder, mustard seeds and salt in another heavy bottomed saucepan. Stir to mix well.
3) Mash apples and add to mixture in saucepan. Mix well. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Stir well, reduce heat and simmer gently for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Stir pot often, being sure scrape bottom of pan to discourage sticking. Chutney is done when it is a th. Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature. Transfer to lidded jars or freezer containers. Chutney will keep in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. It will keep in freezer up to 6 months. Yield: 4 1/2 pints.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Fresh Mango Chutney - One Perfect Bite
Balsamic Onion Marmalade - One Perfect Bite
Tomato Jam - One Perfect Bite
Crock-Pot Dried Apricot Jam - One Perfect Bite
Spicy Tomato Chutney - Beck and Posh
Homemade Mango Chutney - Simply Recipes
Apricot Jalapeno Chutney - eCurry

Funeral Pie

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...One of the desserts that we considered for Bob's birthday was an Amish funeral pie. Bob was intrigued by its name and its resemblance to a mincemeat tart I serve for the holidays. Many of our friends are older than Bob and me, and I was not sure they'd appreciate being served something called a funeral pie at a birthday celebration. Bob, nonetheless, wanted to give it a try. After some negotiation, my inner diplomat successfully reasoned with his inner child and we deferred serving the pie until later in the week. The pie is traditionally served at funerals of Old Order Mennonites and Amish. It was served at so many funeral suppers that it was given the name "funeral pie." It became a favorite of Mennonite cooks because the ingredients were always available and the pie kept well. That meant it could be made a day or two before the funeral supper and freed hands for other tasks. The pie is not unpleasant, and if you love raisins or mincemeat I suspect you'll love it. One caution. It is very sweet. Susan, who writes The Well-Seasoned Chef, let us know that the pie is deliberately made cloyingly, almost painfully, sweet to allow mourners to forget, if only for a moment, the pain of their grief. If I make this again, I'll reduce the sugar by half. I would also make a lattice crust to improve its appearance. As you can see from the photo above, Bob enjoyed his pie as written. We have a Mennonite community in our area and I used a recipe given to me by one of their best bakers to make the pie. Here's the Smith family recipe.

Funeral Pie...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by the cooks of the Smith family

Ingredients:
2 cups raisins
1 cup water
Finely grated zest of 1 large orange
1 cup orange juice
3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided use
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 egg, beaten
Pastry for 2 crust pie

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2) Combine raisins, water, orange zest and juice in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
3) Meanwhile, combine 3/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, allspice and nutmeg in a small bowl.
Stir slowly into raisin mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Stir in lemon juice and walnuts.
4) Roll out half the pie dough on a lightly floured surface. Fit into an 8 or 9-inch pie pan. Pour filling into pie shell.
5) Roll out remaining pastry and place over pie. Seal and flute edges. Cut several slashes into top of pie to release steam. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with reserved tablespoon of sugar. Bake until golden, about 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm. Yield: 8 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes or information:
Sister Sarah's Apple Pudding - One Perfect Bite
Apple Butterscotch Grunt - Simply Annes
Shoo-Fly Pie - Not So Humble Pie
Old Order Mennonite Blog - Old Fashioned Net
Sweet Sorrow - Rosino Pie - The Well-Seasoned Chef

This recipe is being linked to:
Designs By Gollum - Foodie Friday

Pumpkin Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is an old cake from one of Maida Heatter's first cookbooks. It's a lightly spiced pumpkin cake that's chock full of nuts and macerated raisins. The raisins are soaked in dark rum for an hour or so before being added to the cake batter. Raisins plumped in this fashion aren't necessary, but they add a lovely adult touch to an otherwise simple cake. Apple juice could also be used. I like this cake because it's easy to assemble, needs no special equipment to make and uses no exotic ingredients, save for the rum which is optional. When my children were small, I loved to make this cake for them, sans rum of course. It's only mildly sweet and the raisins and nuts add some nutritional value to otherwise empty calories. I did, however, have one child who would confound me. To this day, a raisin has never passed her lips. By the time she finished pulling raisins from this cake or a slice of raisin bread they'd look like Flemish lace. It was the habit years ago to serve this cake with a ginger flavored whipped cream. It's still a lovely garnish, but I prefer to keep things really simple and use a dusting of confectioners' sugar to finish the cake. Here's the recipe.

Pumpkin Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Maida Heatter

Ingredients:
3 cups sifted all--purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/4 teaspoon powdered cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins, macerated in rum or apple juice for an hour, then drained and patted dry
3 1/2 ounces (1 cup) walnuts, broken into medium-size pieces
2 cups plain pumpkin puree
2 cups sugar
1-1/4 cups safflower oil, corn oil, or other salad oil (not olive oil)
4 large eggs
Optional: Confectioners sugar

Directions:
1) Adjust rack one-third up from bottom of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Butter a 10 x 4-1/2 inch tube pan. Line bottom with paper cut to fit and butter paper.
2) Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, and salt. Add a tablespoon of sifted dry ingredients to raisins in a small bowl. With your fingers, toss raisins to separate them and coat each one with the dry ingredients. Stir in nuts and set aside.
3) In large bowl of electric mixer, place pumpkin, sugar, and oil. Beat at medium speed until smooth. Add eggs individually, beating after each until incorporated.
4) On low speed add sifted dry ingredients, beating only until smooth. Remove from mixer. Stir in raisins and nuts. Turn into prepared pan. Rotate pan briskly to level top.
5) Bake 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a cake tester comes out dry. Cool on a rack for about 10 minutes. The baked cake will only fill about three-quarters of pan.
6) Cover cake with a rack and invert. Remove pan and paper. Cover with another rack and invert again. Cool right side up on the rack.
8) When cool, top may be dusted with confectioners sugar sifted through a fine mesh strainer.
Serve as is or with a generous spoonful of whipped cream. Yield: 10 to 12 servings.