Baking Anyone?

I know some of you bloggers out there are way into fall already, but I am just starting to think about it. I still have the air conditioner on tonight. When I last checked it was still 76 outside. We have long glorious Indian summers here, and fall just comes on slow for me. I know I am getting a little into it when I notice my activities starting to change a bit. Things like cooking, and book reading come to mind.

Have you all seen the movie Julie & Julia yet? I think I mentioned we went when my cousins were here for a visit. I loved the movie and as a hostess gift they purchased the new anniversary addition of Mastering the Art of French Cooking for me. I just got through reading the intro by Julia Child herself and she mentioned her all time favorite cake ever...Queen of Sheba Chocolate Almond Cake, on page 677. That is now on my list of recipes I will be trying from the book :D

In the meantime I have been baking up a few of my own concoctions I think might be worthy of sharing.

This is a take on my mom's muffin recipe. I love this recipe and nothing compares to it for me. It was originally Jordan Marsh's Blueberry Muffin recipe. I love to experiment with all kinds of fruit in this one...raspberries, black caps, apples, peaches, apricots. A couple of weeks ago I had some banana's getting too ripe. So I whipped up this recipe and was really surprised at how good it was. Banana bread has met it's match!!!

1/2 c melted/soften butter
2 c flour
1 c sugar
2 eggs
1/2 milk
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp. almond extract

2 bananas cut up into small chunks NOT mashed.

cream together butter, sugar, add milk, eggs, extract, lightly mix with dry ingredients.

sprinkle tops with cinnamon sugar before baking

Bake 375 20-30 minutes... don't over bake

I think it is the chunks of banana that rocks this out of the park for me :)

When we were in Seattle a few weekends ago I decided to try another one of Starbucks treats. When I first tried their Cranberry Bliss Bar last year I had to find that recipe. It is now a definite holiday redo. I also like there low fat Blueberry Cake. I will be tracking that recipe down one of these days. My new love re the Seattle weekend is their Raisin Oatmeal Cookie. I came home and had to figure out this recipe. What is lovely is how moist they are. They have raisins, golden raisins, dried cranberries, and butterscotch chips.

The secret I believe is soaking the fruit in the eggs for one hour...I am telling you it works! And produces that oh so deliciously moist cookie.

4 eggs beaten....soak 3/4 c raisins 3/4 c golden raisins 3/4 c dried cranberries for one hour

1 tsp vanilla into egg mixture

1 c butter softened

1 c brown sugar

1 c white sugar

1 c white flour

2 3/4 c whole wheat pastry flour....I know this is weird you can use all white as was in the original recipe I tweaked I would cut it down to 2 1/2 cups... I have just found that I like this even in my chocolate chips cookies...you can't taste that it is in there...honest. I feel it gives my cookies a better texture.
1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups rolled oats

(now I haven't actually tried the butterscotch chips in mine yet, I would think 1 cup would do)

combine eggs, vanilla, fruit and let stand one hour

cream butter w/sugar

add dry ingredients with liquids

I dipped the top of the balls into washed raw sugar before I bake

Bake 350 14 minutes...for my oven which I suspect is on the low side

You don't want these over done...still a bit chewy on the inside

I found the sweetest little book for P.T. when I was away and one of those kiddie rolling pins at World Market. I had a chance while babysitting tonight to read this to her, and at the end is a cake recipe we are going to have to try together!

I will give you a peek at my reading list later on in the week. It is so very eclectic I must warn you. Random brain waves over here :)