Drumroll, Please!

I am feeling very accomplished today! For one, I just got my Nutrition marks back (93%... oh yes!) and I wrote a Math exam this afternoon that I had agonized over for most of the morning. Ladies and gentlemen of the blog-reading community, I officially hate metric/imperial conversions! Then, I finished the final stitches of the wool blanket I've been making my friend Heather for the past, oh, 6 months! Just because I'm feeling proud of myself, here's a gratuitous shot of the finished product:


Isn't it awesome?? I'm kind of jealous... I want one now! 13 more balls of yarn later...

Anyways, I also accomplished a culinary feat this weekend that I had been putting off for some time. Yes, I finally made the infamous macaron! It was an event about 8 months in the making for me, from when I first spotted this post on Tartlette. This was followed by me perusing articles all over the web, and even going so far as buying almond meal and a carton of egg whites before chickening out and stashing everything in the freezer.

But all things have come full cycle, for once I made the Christmas shortbreads with my mom and found myself with two extra egg whites about to go to waste (not to mention just having bought ground hazelnuts on a bulk-store whim), I had no more excuses. It was time for the creation to take place... and looking back though my photo montage of the project, it really is like watching a child grow up!

First - you agonize over how they'll age and behave when you aren't around...




But soon, they grow feet of their own and can make their own way!

Some of us do get too attached to each other, though...








While others of us just crack under pressure.





With luck and good planning, though, we all find a perfect match with our own sweetie!



...wasn't that a fun little tale?? Well, I thought so *sniff*. At any rate, I'm sending these as another entry to Susan's (AKA FoodBlogga) Eat Christmas Cookies Event... it'll probably be the last one for a little while at least, hopefully I'm not flooding her roundup like I did last year! I'm drooling over all the other entries, too... everyone is so creative! Thank you to all the bloggers before me who toyed with these cookies and documented their experiences - I couldn't have done it without you!

Filbert Macarons
Makes 12 sandwiches
63 grams ground hazelnuts
112 grams icing sugar
2 egg whites, room temperature
15 grams granulated sugar

1. Push ground filberts through a sieve with icing sugar (Note: this takes FOREVER! Persevere, though, and you will be rewarded!). Set aside.
2. Whip egg whites in a spotlessly clean, dry bowl on medium speed until foamy.
3. Increase the speed to high and gradually add granulated sugar. Continue to whip to stiff peaks—the whites should be firm and shiny.
4. Fold icing sugar mixture into egg whites until completely incorporated. When small peaks dissolve to a flat surface, stop mixing. (According to Serious Eats, the mixture should be shiny and 'flow like magma.')
5. Pipe the batter through a plain, 1cm pastry tube onto parchment paper lined baking sheets into small circles.
6. Let macarons sit out 1 hour (this allows skins to form for the "feet").
7. Preheat oven to 325F.
8. Bake macarons for 10 to 11 minutes, using a wooden spoon to keep the oven door slightly ajar.
9. Transfer parchment sheet to a cooling rack.
10. When cookies are completely cool, carefully remove them from the parchment and sandwich them with filling if desired.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 76.9
Total Fat: 3.2 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 9.3 mg
Total Carbs: 11.4 g
Dietary Fiber: 0.5 g
Protein: 1.5 g

This is SO Much Better Than School

I'm in-between exams right now, so I figured I would tell you all about the last batch of goodies that I made for the Winter CAFP bakesale (I made these and these, and some of these too!). The only problem with these is that I know I got them off of a website or blog somewhere, but whose - I don't know! The closest version to mine I can find is this one at FatFree Vegan. Oh well, wherever they came from, THANKS! Everyone who had a taste declared these the fudgiest, most delicious bites of chocolate they've had in a long time, and when I told them they were whole grain and low fat they sold by the (half) dozen! I should have made more, in retrospect, but they were such a sleeper hit that I never could have predicted it!

With Christmas and other assorted holiday parties coming nigh, I bet these would be a hit on the cookie platters alongside the rum balls and sugar cookies. I'm sending it as another entry to FoodBlogga's Eat Christmas Cookies - and you can find the whole shebang here. I don't know how Susan does it all... she's keeping a running tally and the whole foodie world seems to be involved!

Brownie - Oat Truffle Balls
Makes 12
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup quick oats (not instant)
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
1 egg replacer (like Ener-G brand), prepared
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 tbsp vanilla
2/3 cup mini chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 F, lightly grease or line baking sheets.
2. Blend flour, oats, baking powder and salt well in a bowl.
3. In another bowl, blend egg replacer, brown sugar, agave nectar and vanilla.
4. Add wet ingredients to the dry, stirring only until moistened.
5. Fold in chocolate chips.
6. Bake 10 minutes.
7. Cool 5 minutes on sheets, then remove to racks and cool completely.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 144.3
Total Fat: 4.0 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 72.0 mg
Total Carbs: 28.5 g
Dietary Fiber: 3.8 g
Protein: 3.1 g

You Knew it Was Coming!

Come on, you just had to! It's not Christmas at my place without three things: Challah, Brioche and shortbread cookies! I'm re-posting this recipe (and do take a look at it for me notes re:butter) so I can send it (again) to FoodBlogga's Eat Christmas Cookies event - check out the currently running roundup and see what bloggers who are actually writing are up to! I promise as soon as exams are over I'll be back at this! I have goodies to show and tell!

Take note: I forgot to include in last year's write up that this recipe cannot be halved. Doubled, yes, but no more, and certainly not less!

Mom’s Shortbread Cookies
1 cup salted butter, softened
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup icing sugar
2 cups flour

1. Cream butter, egg yolk, and vanilla.
2. Sift icing sugar and flour into the creamed mixture.
3. Mix to combine into a workable dough.
4. Roll out and cut into shapes with cookie cutters.
5. Place cookies onto ungreased cookie sheets.
6. Decorate wias desired.
7. Bake in a preheated 325F oven for 20 minutes. Cookies should not have much, if any, browning!
8. Let cool completely on sheets.

Looking for the NI on this recipe? Well, you could check out the original posting, but really, if you're eating a double batch of these (that's a pound of butter, guys!) you can't really worry about your waistline.

Brookies!

And now, the end is near, and so I face the final (exam) curtain...

Oh yay, exam time *rolls eyes*. If nothing else, I am b -o - r - e - d, not stressed... not to brag, but I do know my stuff this semester (really, I don't think I could be running this blog as long as I have been if I didn't know basic kitchen production, sanitation and nutrition principles!). I even got my final grades for my Psych exam last night (my prof [yeah, the awesome one!] is wicked fast at grading - I wrote the exam yesterday afternoon!). Now for the bragging... ta da! 92% on the exam for a final grade of 88.5% in the course. Needless to say, I'm going to try to get into his social psychology course next year. This coming from a girl who, in Grade 11, swore off psychology forever!!

In lieu of studying, I've been knitting my fingers off in between batches of Christmas cookies and muffins to finally try finishing my friend Heather's blanket. I have 4 rows left to go... 768 stitches... and I'm kind of sad! I remember it as a baby blankie, and now it's a wonderfully big, cozy wrap! I'll take a photo after it's completely done for the knitters out there reading this blog... you know who you are!

So anyways, non-course (but still school-ish) stuff... I made these as part of my donation to the fundraiser last week, but for the life of me I couldn't decide whether or not they were cookies or sweet breadsticks. The original recipe, over at Flagrante Delicia, simply labels them "snacks". I guess that's a good thing to call them, since they aren't too sweet, but they're a good supplement for a cup of coffee. My friend Johana liked them too, especially since they were an alternative to the sugar fest presented at our bake table. I want to make these again too, maybe with a mix of chickpea and whole wheat flours instead of the spelt and dark chocolate chips (like in the original recipe). Oooh, or maybe almond meal?? I have some hazelnut flour too, from a soon-to-be-blogged secret... there are endless possibilities!

Cinna - Raisin Snax
Makes 10
100g spelt flour
30g brown sugar
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp cinnamon
3 tbsp water
2 tbsp Thompson raisins, soaked in hot water and drained

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400F, lightly grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.
2. Combine all ingredients into a firm dough, using your hands to knead if necessary.
3. Form small, thin ropes, and place them in the baking sheet.
4. Bake for 20 minutes, then turn off the oven and cool 20 minutes inside.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 64.1
Total Fat: 1.7 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 0.9 mg
Total Carbs: 3.7 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.5 g
Protein: 0.1 g

Breakfast, Brunch, Bran!

Ah, the wonders of bran muffins... don't they just make you want to get up and GO?? Haha, anyways - all silliness aside, my standard bran muffin recipe is proving to be incredibly versatile these days! In fact, I've already posted a hit version of these moist, super low-fat, fibre-filled babies that I made in response to a popular fast-food place's product.

I decided to re-visit these muffins in a couple different forms when a friend of mine mentioned resorting to her office cafeteria's bran muffins for breakfast most weekdays because she would wake up too late for breakfast. Now, knowing what goes into the pre-packaged, commercial muffins (not even counting the preservatives!) and also what doesn't, I offered to make her a couple batches of my own nutrient-rich ones instead. She was sold when I mentioned that the cost for mine (even with my bakery mark-up) would be $8 for 24 of them, as opposed to her paying almost $26 for the same amount at work. As a major bonus, she gave me free reign as to the additions in the batter... cranberries, nuts, raisins, chocolate - anything that I could think of was fair game!

The first dozen muffins made use of some of my sourdough starter's toss-off for acidity, a scoop of home made jam I had in the fridge for moisture, and I tossed in a good handful of Craisins that I soaked in hot water before mixing in. The result was a pink-ribboned and studded cake that had a wonderfully light spice aroma to it and a good lift to the batter. It was an example of "God I hope the starter doesn't ruin these" experimentation, and it was a delicious success.

Very Berry Sour Bran Muffins
Makes 12 large muffins
2 cups 100% Bran cereal
1 cup (100% hydration) sourdough starter (can be "toss-off")
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup agave nectar
½ cup water
1/2 tsp cider vinegar
1 cup whole-wheat flour
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 egg replacer, prepared
1/3 cup strawberry-rhubarb jam
1/3 cup Craisins

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Grease 12 muffin cups.
2. In large mixing bowl, combine cereal, sourdough starter, sugar, nectar, water and vinegar. Let stand 5 minutes.
3. Stir together flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
4. Add egg replacer and jam, to cereal mixture and beat well.
5. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Bake 20 minutes, then cool 10 minutes in tins before turning out.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 174.0
Total Fat: 0.8 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 29.6 mg
Total Carbs: 42.1 g
Dietary Fiber: 4.6 g
Protein: 3.6 g

I was on a roll after making the cranberry muffins, and I knew exactly what I was going to do for the next ones. I didn't have enough sourdough starter left over though, so I rummaged through the fridge and found some orange juice that worked out just fine.


Orange - Apricot Raisin Bran Muffins
Makes 12
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp ginger
2 cups 100% Bran cereal
1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup honey
1 egg
1/2 cup apricot jam
1/3 cup raisins

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Grease 12 muffin cups.
2. Stir together flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ginger.
3. Set aside.In large mixing bowl, combine cereal, juice and honey. Let stand 5 minutes.
4. Add egg and jam, beating well.
5. Add flour mixture and stir until just combined.
6. Add raisins and fold in gently.
7. Bake 20 minutes, then cool 10 minutes in tins before turning out onto wire racks.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 189.2
Total Fat: 1.0 g
Cholesterol: 17.7 mg
Sodium: 72.2 mg
Total Carbs: 45.6 g
Dietary Fiber: 5.9 g
Protein: 4.4 g

So, I finished the order and sent it off to my customer, but I still had bran on the brain! I found a packet of Carnation Breakfast Anytime (a meal replacement powder) in my pantry this morning, and when I saw it was chocolate flavour I knew exactly who was going to get the newest batch of muffins I made! My mom never has time to slow down and actually eat something, especially on Tuesdays when my sister has riding lessons at the local stable and the two of them don't get home until almost 9PM. She's also a sucker for anything chocolate (aren't we all, ladies?) and she's constantly trying to cut down on all the fat in her diet (there isn't too much, really - but my stepdad sees the fact that olive oil is "healthy" as an excuse to douse everything in it... not exactly wait friendly!). These are huge, and therefore pretty high in sugar, but they also have a lot of fibre going for them and are still low in fat! This recipe will also make 12 regular muffins too (bake at 400F for 20 minutes), even though I made them Texas-size.

Mom's Morning Muffins
Makes 6 jumbo muffins
2 cups Post 100% Bran cereal
1 packet (40g) Carnation Breakfast Anytime, Chocolate flavour
1/4 cup Torani (or similar) vanilla-flavoured syrup (use sugar-free if you want)
1 cup hot water
1/4 cup skim milk
1 egg
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp butter flavouring (optional, I use Wilton brand)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Grease 6 jumbo muffin cups.
2. In a large bowl, combine cereal, breakfast powder, syrup, water, and milk. Stir well and allow to cool slightly.
3. Add in egg, applesauce and butter flavour if using, beating well.
4. In another bowl, whisk together flours, powder, soda, and salt.
5. Stir flour gently into the bran mixture until just combined, fold in chocolate chips.
6. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until they test done.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 320.8
Total Fat: 6.7 g
Cholesterol: 36.7 mg
Sodium: 166.5 mg
Total Carbs: 64.1 g
Dietary Fiber: 12.0 g
Protein: 10.7 g