Bob's Red Mill Archives - Page 2 of 2

Christmas Baking Countdown

December 9, 2012 · by Carrie Trax ·

It is only 16 days until Christmas and holiday baking and candy making has started in my house here in Oregon. I made my list and checked it twice for all my family’s favorite recipes. Now that I live in the Pacific Northwest and have picked and enjoyed some of its local flavors I have added them to some of my baking this holiday. In the next few weeks I will share with you some of my holiday recipes and you will see some flavors of Oregon added to old family recipes.

Thumbprint Cookies – 3 ways

Original Thumbprints
1 cup shortening
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups Bob’s Red Mill white flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups walnuts, finely chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix shortening, sugar, egg yolks and vanilla together. In small bowl blend together the flour and salt and then stir in to shortening mixture. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. In small bowl beat the egg whites slightly with a fork. Dip balls into egg white then roll in the nuts. Place about 1-inch apart on a cookie sheet. Press thumb gently into the center of each. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly brown. Cool and fill with Icing.

Icing
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 tablespoon milk
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
food coloring
In small bowl whisk all the icing ingredients together and spoon into the center of each cookie.

Pacific Northwest Thumbprint
In the cookie recipe above use hazelnuts instead of the walnuts. With the icing add an additional 1/4 to 1/2 cup of confectioners sugar and 3 tablespoon of marionberry jelly that has been slightly melted in the microwave. Add to the center of each cooled cookie. This makes a beautiful purple color icing.

Turtle Thumbprints
In the cookie recipe above use pecans instead of walnuts. In a small bowl melt 13 caramels and 2 tablespoons of milk in microwave about 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Add to the center of each cooled cookie. Melt some chocolate wafers and drizzle over the cookie and caramel.

The Big “50” Chocolate Cake

November 28, 2012 · by Carrie Trax ·

Today is my big day I turn the Big “50” today. I decided to make my own cake with all the flavors I love chocolate, more chocolate and marshmallow. I searched my Pinterest pins and found a dark chocolate cake with coffee which only brings the chocolate flavor in the cake to the next level. Since I love chocolate I had to use a chocolate buttercream as the frosting. To make it all come together a marshmallow filling layered between the two chocolate cakes. Did I tell you I love chocolate?

The Best Chocolate Cake

2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups Bob’s Red Mill white flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup strong black coffee

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder. Mix on low until dry ingredients are thoroughly combined. Add eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for about two minutes; the batter will be thin. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes for round pans or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

Frost as desired. I used a simple and delicious Chocolate Buttercream Frosting recipe below from Savory Sweet Life. One batch was perfect for this layered chocolate cake. Chocolate cake recipe from My Baking Addiction.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

1 cup unsalted butter, softened (but not melted!)

3 1/2 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon table salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

Cream butter for a few minutes in a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Turn off the mixer. Sift 3 cups powdered sugar and cocoa into the mixing bowl. Turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the dry ingredients do not blow everywhere) until the sugar and cocoa are absorbed by the butter. Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add a little more sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add additional milk 1 tablespoon at a time.

Marshmallow Filling

1/4 cup vegetable shortening

1/4 cup butter, softened

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup corn syrup

3/4 cup marshmallow creme (optional, but GOOD)

Beat together shortening, butter, salt, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar until fluffy. Beat in corn syrup a bit at a time until blended. Beat in marshmallow creme just until blended. Recipe from Little Indiana.

Turkey Pot Pie with Savory Crust

November 24, 2012 · by Carrie Trax ·

I always look forward to the day after Thanksgiving and all the leftovers. One of my family’s favorite is a turkey pot pie with a savory crust of parsley and cranberries. Using your leftover turkey and vegetables you can create a delicious new meal. No need to have only once a year you can substitute the turkey with chicken and enjoy this pot pie throughout the year.

Savory Crust
3 cups Bob’s Red Mill white flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
1 1/4 cup shortening
1 egg
1 Tablespoon cider vinegar
5 Tablespoons cold water

In large bowl combine the flour, salt, parsley and cranberries. With pastry blender cut in shortening until it resembles small pea size shapes. In small cup combine eggs, cider vinegar and water. Add to flour mixture and combine until just mixed and forms a ball. Divide into two pieces and flatten to a disk shape, wrap in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for an hour.

Turkey Filling
2 (10.5 oz) cans cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup turkey or chicken broth
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup carrots, cooked, diced
1/2 cup peas
1/2 cup potatoes, cooked, diced
1/4 cup onions, diced
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups turkey, cooked, diced

In large bowl combine all the turkey pie filling, set aside.

To assemble roll out one pie crust to fit in and just over a 10″ pie plate. Place filling into pie shell and spread out evenly. Roll out second piece of dough and place over filling. Roll top dough under the bottom crust and flute the edges. Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour or until crust is brown. Let set for 20 minutes before you cut.

Three Best Apples for Baking this Week in Oregon

October 14, 2012 · by Carrie Trax ·

Each week new apples are being picked in Oregon and these are the three best apples for baking with this week. That list changes as we move through the season with varieties getting too ripe for good baking and new ones being picked.

Honeycrisp – It is a medium to large apple with a white flesh that is crisp and juicy with a good balance of sweet and tart flavors. The University of Minnesota developed this apple from a cross between Macoun and Honeygold apples. This is a modern apple developed in the 1960’s and introduced to the market in the 1990’s. The Honeycrisp is a great keeper you can store at 32-38 degrees for 4 months. This is an all-purpose apple for me, I use it in cakes, pies and it makes the best dried apples.

Ginger Gold – This is the best of the early golden apples. Its firm, crisp, juicy flesh is dripping with sweetness. The Ginger Gold was discovered as a chance seedling growing near a Golden Delicious orchard in Viginia in the 1960’s. The color and shape looks like a Golden Delicious but it has a much earlier season ripening 6-8 weeks earlier. This apple is a short season apple only keeping 2 months at 32-38 degrees. This apple is great for eating, baking, pies and applesauce.

Tsugaru – Yellow with red blush, the Tsugaru (SOO-GA-ROO) resembles Golden Delicious, but is much more firmer. It is a cross between a Golden Delicious and a Jonathan apple. It is a medium size apple with a creamy white flesh, very juicy, lightly flavored, and moderately sweet with low acidity and very little browning. This apple is great for eating, baking, salads and pies.

Best Ever Apple Cake

3/4 cup pecans, chopped
3 cups Bob’s Red Mill white flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 large baking apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray a 10-inch removable-bottom tube pan with nonstick spray. Sprinkle pecans evenly on bottom of pan. In a large bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of the flour, 1/4 cup of the sugar, and cinnamon. Add apples and toss to combine. In another large bowl, mix remaining flour, remaining sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add eggs, oil, butter, orange juice, and vanilla extract. Beat until batter is smooth. Pour half of the batter (about 2 cups) into prepared pan. Top with half of apple mixture. Spoon remaining batter over apples and top with remaining apples, placing them 1/4 inch in from the tube and the border of the cake. Bake 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Run a paring knife around the sides and center of cake and turn cake out onto wire rack. Invert cake onto another rack to cool, pecan side up.

Source: Best-Ever Apple Cake Recipe – Redbook Magazine

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Apple Caramel Cake

October 10, 2012 · by Carrie Trax ·

Apple season started weeks ago here in Oregon and after a trip to Kiyokawa Family Orchards & Fruit Stand in Hood River, Oregon my refrigerator is bursting with apples. I left with 9 varieties of apples and have several recipes ready to share with you over the next few weeks. The Apple Caramel Cake is a easy recipe to make, very moist and the frosting adds a great finish. I like to use a nice sweet apple so I used Ginger Gold in this cake.

1 3/4 cups Bob’s Red Mill flour

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed

3/4 cup butter, softened

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups apples, peeled & finely chopped

1 cup walnuts, chopped

1/2 cup golden raisins

Frosting:

2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

5 tablespoons milk

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13×9-inch baking pan, set aside. In large bowl combine flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and baking soda. In bowl of a mixer cream brown sugar and butter 2 minutes, add eggs and vanilla until combined. Add flour mixture, mix for 3 minutes on medium speed. By hand stir in apples, walnuts and raisins. Pour into greased baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on rack.

Frosting: In small bowl with whisk blend powdered sugar, cinnamon, butter, vanilla and milk. Add more milk if need to make spreading consistency. Spread over cool cake and sprinkle with nuts.

Apple Slab Pie

September 20, 2012 · by Carrie Trax ·

What do you think of when you see an pan of slab pie on the table. I think of family reunions, church suppers and picnics. It is apple season here in Oregon and each week there are several apples coming into season. I wanted to take some of these apples and create something that I could share with friends. When you make a slab pie you are making two pies at once. The flaky crust of the dough and the sweet filling of apples is a great way to start the fall apple season.

Pie Crust: Make recipe twice
3 cups Bob’s Red Mill white flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter, cold, small chunks
1 egg
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
5 tablespoons cold water
In large bowl combine the flour and salt, add shortening and butter. With a pastry blender mix together until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, do not over mix. In a small bowl combine egg, cider vinegar and water, add to the flour mixture and combine until the dough just comes together in a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes to 1 hour to rest the dough. Make another batch of pie dough and repeat above. You will have two balls of dough when you are done.

Apple Filling:
8 golden Delicious apples, peeled and sliced thin
2 tart apples, peeled and sliced thin
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons flour
1 3/4 cups white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, melted

In large bowl combine apples, lemon juice, flour, sugar, cinnamon and butter. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. You will need a 10×15-inch baking pan. On a floured surface roll out one piece of the dough to fit in the bottom of the 10×15-inch baking pan. Place apple mixture over the dough spreading out evenly. Take the remaining dough and roll out slightly larger to place over the top of the apples. Since the dough is so large to work with I use my large pasta rolling pin to do this. Roll the top dough under the bottom dough and cut some small slits in the top to vent the pie as it cooks. Bake in oven for 1 hour or until golden brown and you see the apple mixture bubbling up a little from the slits. Remove from the oven and cool on wire rack.

Icing:
2 cups confectioners sugar
3-4 tablespoons milk
Combine the confectioners sugar and milk in a small bowl and with a whisk combine until smooth and slightly thick. Drizzle over the pie.

Huckleberry Buttermilk Pancakes

September 4, 2012 · by Carrie Trax ·

Do you see the little blue huckleberries bursting out of these buttermilk pancakes? You can not get them any fresher in Oregon than picking them yourself. Huckleberries just came into season a few weeks ago here in Oregon and just as quick they will be gone, so now is the best time to go pick them. Most wild huckleberries are found at higher elevations between 4,000-6,000 feet. We were lucky enough on our hike yesterday to find a HUGE patch of wild huckleberries. We were not prepared to pick them but did have an empty water bottle, which I think is one of the best containers to pick them in. It keeps them from spilling out and it is easy to carry in your backpack. We had only one bottle and if you have ever picked huckleberries you know it takes time. John and I both picked for 20 minutes and only got 1 cup of these “good as gold” berries. We have marked the spot and will be returning at the end of the week with more bottles and help to gather up some more. The one cup of huckleberries was just enough for me to get 8 golden and delicious pancakes today… enjoy the recipe!

Huckleberry Buttermilk Pancakes
1 1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill white flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup buttermilk
4 tablespoon butter, melted
2 large eggs
1 cup Huckleberries
In medium bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, set aside. In small bowl combine buttermilk, butter and eggs. Add buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture, combine until mixed do not over mix (I prefer to use a whisk it does the quickest and best job). Cook on 400 degrees (hot griddle). Pour about 1/4 cup of batter on the griddle and sprinkle with the huckleberries.

Cook on first side about 3 minutes until bubbles appear along the edge of the pancake. Flip and cook for 2 minutes more and golden brown. Serve with a big pat of butter and enjoy!

Buttermilk Biscuits & the Best Peach Jam

September 1, 2012 · by Carrie Trax ·

If it is Saturday then you will find me at the Gresham’s Farmers Market seeing what is fresh this week in Oregon. With an empty bag in one hand and my dog Sage in the other we started down the aisles to fill our bag. We see some of the early apples that are just coming into season and a few early pears but what catches my eye at almost all the produce booths are still the fresh peaches that are still in season. One of the vendors offers me a piece of the peach and I thought of the peach jam I made earlier this month and decided that buttermilk biscuits and peach jam where going to be on the dinner plate tonight. I also bought a couple pounds of peaches for a special treat for breakfast tomorrow. So check out the post tomorrow and next week to see what else I filled my bag with.

Buttermilk Biscuits

3 cups Bob’s Red Mill white flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine flour, salt, sugar, baking powder and butter until crumbly. Mix in buttermilk, egg and just enough water to make workable dough. Mix the dough until it is just barely combined (don’t over mix). Roll the dough onto a floured cutting board about 1 inch thick. Cut with a 2 inch biscuit cutter. Place on a greased baking sheet a few inches apart and bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Makes about 12-15 biscuits, depending how thick you make them.

Best Peach Jam

8 cups pitted peeled, chopped, slightly mashed peaches
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
6 tablespoon powdered fruit pectin
7 cups sugar
1 tablespoon finely chopped crystallized ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated ginger root
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Zest of 1/2 lemon

Sterilize the jars, rings and lids according to manufacturer’s directions.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring the peaches and lemon juice to a boil. Add the pectin and return the mixture to a boil. Stirring constantly, slowly add the sugar. Stir in the crystallized ginger, fresh ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and lemon zest and continue to boil, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and skim any foam from the top of the jam.

Carefully pour the jam into the sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch space between the jam and the neck of the jar.
Cover with the lids and screw the bands on. Hot water bath for 10 minutes.

Source: Peach Jam ~ Food.com

Blue Ribbon Honey Wheat Oat Bread

August 31, 2012 · by Carrie Trax ·

Did they just call my name? Looking at my husband’s face I knew I won 1st place in the Bob’s Red Mill Bread contest at the 2012 Clackamas Fair. I was so excited winning first out of 21 different breads entered in the contest. Recipes had to use one of Bob’s Red Mill flours and any other Bob’s Red Mill product so that was the start of my Honey Wheat Oat Bread. The special treats of raw pumpkin seeds, oats and wheat germ awaited the judges as they sliced the bread in half. Even though I also received a $100 gift card for Bob’s Red Mill (which I used one hour after the contest was over) my biggest prize was the Blue Ribbon!

Honey Wheat Oat Bread

3 tsp rapid rise yeast

1 teaspoon white sugar

1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees)

1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup melted butter

1/2 cup honey

2 teaspoons salt

2 cups Bob’s Red Mill whole wheat flour

4 cups Bob’s Red Mill white flour

½ cup Bob’s Red Mill quick cooking rolled oats

¼ cup Bob’s Red Mill wheat germ

½ cup Bob’s Red Mill raw pumpkin seeds

1 egg, beaten with a little water

2 tablespoons Bob’s Red Mill quick cooking rolled oats

Dissolve yeast and sugar in 1/2 cup warm water, set aside for a few minutes.

Combine milk, 1/4 cup water, butter, honey, salt and wheat flour in mixer bowl of a Kitchen Aid mixer. Mix in yeast mixture, and let rest 15 minutes. ( I place a towel over the bowl). Add bread flour, and process until dough forms a ball. You can leave in mixer on “2” mix for 8-10 minutes (add flour as needed if sticky) or hand knead for 10 minutes. (I prefer to hand knead and then you can feel if more flour is needed). Add in oats, wheat germ and pumpkin seeds. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rise for 45 minutes, or until almost doubled. (I learn a trick from someone to turn your oven on to 400 for 1 minute and then turn off it works great) Place bowl in oven to rise. Do the same on the second rise too.

Punch down, and divide dough in half. Roll out each half, and pound out the bubbles. Form into loaves, and place in buttered 9×5 inch bread pans. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm area (oven) until doubled; second rise should take about 30 minutes. Egg wash the top of each loaf and sprinkle on some oats.

Place a small pan of water on the bottom shelf of the oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until tops are dark golden brown. Slice when cool.

Double Crust Peach Pie Cobbler

July 24, 2012 · by Carrie Trax ·

The peaches have just started to ripen in Oregon and thought of my husband favorite peach dessert. The two layers of crust gives him twice of his favorite part!

Pie Crust:

3 cups Bob’s Red Mill white flour

1 tsp. salt

1 ¼ cup shortening

1 Tbsp. Cider vinegar

5 Tbsp. Cold water

1 egg

Peach Filling:

8 cups peaches, peeled and sliced

2 cups sugar

4 Tbsp. Flour

½ tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/3 cup butter

In large bowl combine flour and salt, with pastry blender cut in shortening until it resembles coarse crumbs. In small bowl mix vinegar, water and egg, add to flour mix and combine until dough comes together, do not over mix. Set aside.

In large pot combine peaches, sugar, flour and cinnamon, let set for about 10 minutes until syrup forms. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a low and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla and butter stir until the butter is melted.

Roll out half the pie dough to about 1/8” thickness on lightly floured surface and cut into 8” squares. Spoon half of the peaches into a lightly butter 8×8 pan; top with squares. Bake at 475 degree oven for 12 minutes or until lightly brown. Spoon remaining peaches over pie squares. Roll remaining pie crust to 1/8” thickness and cut into 1” strips; arrange on top of peaches in a lattice pattern. Bake an additional 15 to 18 minutes or until browned.