Butter Almond Cake

2/3 C. butter-melted

1 C. Sugar

2 C. Flour

2 eggs, mixed with a fork (reserve a small amount)

2 tsp. Almond Extract

1/2 C Brown Sugar

2 tsp. Baking Powder

Combine butter, sugar, eggs (reserve a small amount), almond extract, flour, brown sugar and baking powder; stir well. Pour batter into 2 greased and floured 8 inch round cake pans. Flatten with a fork and brush tops with remaining eggs. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, Cool. Remove from pans. Cut into wedges.

Serves: 16

ENJOY!

KJV

Great Escape Bars

 ~Great Escape Bars~

 

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
1 egg
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2 cups oats
1 cup chocolate chips (optional) **

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9x13 pan. Cream butter, sugar, and honey until light and fluffy. Blend in egg, peanut butter, and vanilla. Mix in oats and chocolate chips. Press into pan. Bake 20-22 minutes or until light golden brown (do not over bake!) Cool completely before removing from pan. Enjoy!

**Another Idea:
Instead of adding chocolate chips, which are expensive, you can make chocolate frosting, and frost the whole pan after completely cool. Let sit until fronting has hardened. Cut and remove from pan.

Banana Bread

Everyone's favorite bread is banana bread! I used this recipe the other day because we had some overly ripe bananas that needed to be used soon. I had to make something for a gathering, so since the resources were available I was asked to make banana bread. And this is the recipe that I found, which turned out to be so delicious!

Banana Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

Method:

No need for a mixer for this recipe. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

Enjoy!

K.J.V.

Gluten free Cranberry Bread

You can make this tender gluten-free cranberry bread with or without nuts, and with or without eggs. It's flexible.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch loaf pan with a piece of parchment paper. I cut the paper so it rises up the longer sides of the pan. This makes it super easy to grip and remove the whole loaf for complete cooling.

You'll need:

1 cup sorghum flour

1 cup tapioca starch (sometimes called tapioca flour)

1/2 cup almond flour or millet flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup applesauce or plain yogurt

1/3 cup light olive oil or Canola oil

1 free-range organic egg white, or egg replacer (1/8 cup liquid)

2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla

1 cup of fresh or frozen cranberries (thawed), chopped

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sorghum flour, tapioca starch, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, sea salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add in the brown sugar.

Add the applesauce (or yogurt), oil, egg white or egg replacer, and vanilla. Beat to combine and continue to beat on medium high until the batter is smooth- about a minute or two.

Add in the chopped cranberries and nuts, and stir by hand to distribute evenly.

Scrape and spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan and using a small silicone spatula, even out the top of the loaf.

Bake in the center of a preheated oven until the top is golden and firm, yet feels slightly springy. This may take anywhere from 55 to 60 minutes. It took 60 minutes for my cranberry bread to bake- I think it was because the cranberries were still quite cold. Test with a thin sharp knife or a wooden pick- either should emerge with no crumbs or stickiness.

Place the pan on a wire rack to cool a bit. When the loaf has cooled enough to handle (and not too fragile) loosen both ends from the pan with a thin knife and using the long sides of the parchment paper, grip and lift the loaf up out of the pan and set it on the wire rack to continue cooling. This keeps it from steaming in the hot pan and getting soggy.

Hello all,

We have a new name for our blog. Please tell us what you think! Have fun cooking!

~KJV

Cooking with the little ones

Almost all little ones will want to help cook with you! Never mind that "Oh, they will make a mess and I don't feel up to it", (I have had that feeling before) just cook with them anyways. Even if they do make a mess! Have fun with them. Sometimes its more fun to make a mess.=) Afterwards, encourage them to help clean up. And you will have a growing relationship with them, that they will never forget!

~KJV

Keys to the kitchen

• Clean your kitchen as you go. I try to get as many dirty dishes as possible out of the way before we sit down to eat. After supper, there's less mess, which means more time to spend with family
• Make a grocery list and set a budget, then stick to them when shopping. I shop once a month, with the exception of things such as milk and eggs. That way, I don't have to go to the store as often and can keep a closer eye on my spending.
• Don't try to do everything yourself. I let my husband our children lend a hand whenever possible. The older enjoy helping me cook, while the little ones are happy to set and clear off the table.

---Jennifer Trenhaile

Posted by: KJV