Baking | The Wannabe Chef

Tag Archive: Baking

12 Months Of Recipes: 2013

Written on December 30, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Holiday, Recipe Round-Up

“Oh God, not another list!” is admittedly what I think whenever someone posts one of these year-end roundups. Bear with me if you feel the same.

Last year I had gone through all my posts from 2012 and picked my favorites from each month. I liked the idea a lot and wanted to do it again. Most months were a struggle to pick just one recipe—a good problem to have I imagine.

Here are all of my favorite recipes from each month of 2013. I hope you browse through them and find a favorite, too.

January: Vegetarian Buffalo Chicken Dip

February: White Chocolate Peppermint Brownies

March: Maple Hazelnut Granola

April: Homemade Strawberry Sauce

May: Red, White, and Blue Stuffed Strawberries

June: Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread

July: Reese’s Lovers Bark

August: Gluten-Free Cornbread

September: Coconut Caramel Muffins

October: Low-Fat Butternut Squash Casserole

November: Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

December: Hot Amaretto Mochas

Here’s to another delicious year of recipes!

1 Comment - Leave a comment!

Last Minute Christmas Desserts

Written on December 23, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Holiday, Recipe Round-Up

T’was the day before Christmas

When all through the house

Not a stove pot was stirring

So I went and grabbed my mouse.

Click after click,

Page after page

I searched for a dessert

That’d be all the rage.

Chocolate or Nutella,

Peanut butter or not,

I just needed something quick

I could make on the spot.

I found a list

With time to spare

And blogged about it

For all to share.

Easy Nutella Brownies

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Coconut Pistachio Bark

Bailey’s Hot Chocolate Truffles

Chubby Hubby Cheesecake

No-Bake Peanut Butter S’mores Bars

Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark

2 Comments - Leave a comment!

Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

Written on November 25, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

Everyone says it’s better to give than to receive. And I think that’s true; but getting gifts feels pretty awesome, too, right?

I saw a couple coworkers earlier this month enjoying Peanut Butter & Co peanut butter, so I tweeted them since they’re a company I love and have blogged for in the past. Not only did they tweet back but they were nice enough to give the office a bunch of jars to sample.

Since then, my coworkers have all been trying new flavors by the spoonful and finding new favorites that none of us want to share. I took a jar of Mighty Maple from our stash but plan on giving back by bringing these brownies into the office to share with everyone.

I made these with Mighty Maple peanut butter. You can make it using any flavor or brand of peanut butter(though Dark Chocolate Dreams certainly wouldn’t be a bad choice).

Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 16 servings):

For the brownies:

4oz unsweetened baking chocolate
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour OR all-purpose gluten-free flour
2 eggs

For the swirl:

1/3 cup peanut butter
2 Tablespoons milk or cream

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In the microwave or over the stove, melt the chocolate, butter, peanut butter, and milk together into a smooth sauce.
Gently add in the sugar, flour, and cocoa powder and begin beating.
While beating, add in the eggs and beat well until the batter is smooth and silky.
Pour the batter into a 9-inch cake pan or similarly sized baking pan.
In a small bowl, melt the peanut butter and butter.
Beat the butter and peanut butter until smooth.
Pour the peanut butter sauce across the top of the brownies and swirl in using a fork or knife.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until the batter has set.
Remove from the oven and let cool before cutting.

And if you’re also a peanut butter fanatic, There’s still time to vote on the National Peanut Board’s app and be entered to win a peanut butter prize pack.

3 Comments - Leave a comment!

Seasoned Baked Tortilla Chips

Written on November 5, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Snack

Do you know where you can find the best deal in New York City? It’s not in Manhattan—it’s sure as hell not in Times Square—, it’s at the C-Town grocery chain where you can get 36 corn tortillas for 99 cents. Less than 3 cents a tortilla—how can you go wrong?

I couldn’t make enough tacos and quesadillas to use these up so I decide to make nachos instead. I’ve made hint of lime chips before and these were just as easy. They have a nice subtle flavor to have on their own, but pack a real spicy punch dipped in salsa or guacamole.

The trick to getting these irresistibly crispy is leaving plenty of room for them to bake on the trays. Overcrowding a tray will make some of them chewy and others burnt, so break it up into two baking sessions if you have to.

Baking these means they’re free of the unhealthy frying fats, which makes them perfect for smothering in healthy fats like avocado and shredded cheese(just kidding(sort of)).

Seasoned Baked Tortilla Chips

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 6 servings):

10-12 corn tortillas
3 Tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Line two baking trays with non-stick foil or paper.
Cut a stack of the tortillas with a long, sharp knife across and then perpendicular, then two times on the diagonals to make 8 stacks of equally-sized chips.
In a large bowl, toss the soft chips with the rest of the ingredients until they’re evenly covered.
Spread the chips out in a single layer on the baking trays.
Bake the chips for 10-15 minutes until slightly browned and crisp.
Remove the chips from the oven. Let them cool slightly before serving.
Serve with salsa, guacamole, sour cream, or dip.

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

Low-Fat Butternut Squash Casserole

Written on October 14, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Side Dish

Stonyfield recently asked their Clean Plate Club members to help them with their latest challenge to squash pesticides out of diets with healthy squash recipes. All of Stonyfield’s yogurts are organic with no GMO or pesticides in the ingredients

Truthfully I don’t buy organic as much as I should, especially organic fruits or vegetables whose skin I usually eat. Living near an organic-only grocery store has gotten me into the habit of buying more organic. Maybe going all organic all the time can be unreasonable in today’s lifestyle, but focusing on making small changes every time you go to the grocery store makes it easy.

Using greek yogurt in this casserole makes the dish a little lighter but just as creamy and adds a slight tang to the flavor. Use whatever your favorite herbs are whether that’s basil, rosemary, dill or a mix.

Low-Fat Butternut Squash Casserole

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 90 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 8 servings):

2 medium-sized organic butternut squashes
1 6oz container plain Stonyfield Greek
6 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon dried herbs
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 ounces herbed goat cheese(optional)

Method:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees
Prepare the squashes by removing the skin, stem, and seeds or roasting them whole and waiting to do this.
Roast the squash for 45 minutes to an hour until it is soft and easy to poke with a fork.
Move the squash to a big bowl. Add in the rest of the ingredients and mix until it forms an even batter.
Pour the squash puree into a casserole dish. Level out the top.
Bake for 30 to 45 minutes until a light crust forms and the squash is baked through.
Remove from the oven and serve hot. Top with goat cheese or fresh herbs if desired.

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

Gluten-Free Sugar-Free Brownies

Written on October 7, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

A better title for this recipe might be “My Boss’ Brownies”

Recently my boss, Dave Kerpen, has been on a healthy eating kick. He asked me if I knew any good gluten-free, sugar-free dessert recipes made with stevia. While gluten-free is nothing new for me, I haven’t done much sugar-free baking before, but since I love making food for other people this seemed like a fun challenge to me.

My first attempt at making sugar-free cookies came out edible but hardly servable; those are sitting in my freezer now for when I need a dessert and have nothing else. My second attempt—these brownies—were amazingly a winner. They aren’t my favorite brownies(those would be almond flour brownies), but they taste incredibly fudgy for something that’s low-fat and without added sugars.

These are sweetened with a combination of date paste and stevia which I find balance out the aftertaste stevia has. There’s also a little added cinnamon to mask the flavors of those. You can buy date paste at some stores or make your own by soaking dates overnight and pureeing them with a food processor and a little water.

Gluten-Free Sugar-Free Brownies

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 8 brownies):

1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons gluten-free all purpose flour
1/2 cup date paste
1 1/2 Tablespoons stevia powder
6 Tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all of the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and mix well until they form a batter.
Grease a small loaf pan and scoop the batter in. Spread it out into an even layer.
Bake for 25 minutes until the brownies are cooked and set.
Remove from the oven and let them cool slightly before slicing.

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

10 Sweet October Recipes

Written on September 30, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Recipe Round-Up

October is one of my favorite months because it’s filled with chocolate and candy and unreasonably sugar-filled drinks. November is another favorite month because it has chocolate and candy at 50% off but we’re not quite there yet.

Whether it’s using pumpkin or chocolate or candy corn, there are tons of recipes out there to make October a little sweeter and add a personal touch to the season. Here are a few of my favorites from this blog.

Snacks

Pumpkin granola is full of Autumn flavor without too much added sugar. It’s a great topping to yogurt or smoothies on a Fall morning or even all on its own.

Sweet & salty Halloween Chex mix is the perfect party snack for kids or adults. With pretzel sticks and candy corn, it’s too addictive to have just one handful.

Homemade pumpkin cream cheese beats the flavored cream cheese you get at a bagel store in flavor and price. It’s a great way to spice up breakfast on-the-go in the morning.

Spiced almond butter cookies are as good as any 4-ingredient cookie gets. It’s deeply nutty and slightly spicy with cinnamon and nutmeg to round out the flavor. Have a few next to your favorite cup of tea.

Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are a seasonal way to make a classic cookie recipe. The pumpkin in them makes the softer and puffier so cakey cookie lovers should take note.

Candy

Peanut butter pumpkins are the tastier, homemade counterpart to Reese’s pumpkins. They’re a lot easier to make than you’d imagine and a killer dessert to bring to a party or give out as a Halloween gift.

Homemade chocolate turtles are another crowd-pleasing homemade candy to impress your guests. They’re addictive so definitely make these for a crowd or you’ll be eating one after the other.

White chocolate candy corn bark is a simple, kid-friendly recipes with just a few ingredients but totally fun and seasonal.

Cakes & Bread

Gluten-free pumpkin bread is good any time of year(obviously, because I made this back in June), but especially good on an Autumn morning with a cup of hot dark roasted coffee.

Chocolate-pumpkin baked custard is not your typical dessert and great to make for a group of people who want something different. It’s reminiscent of a flourless chocolate cake but lightened up a little with the addition of pumpkin.

2 Comments - Leave a comment!

Coconut Caramel Muffins

Written on September 3, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Breakfast

What do you do with a ton of caramel(besides eating it off of your fingers and spoons) other than bake with it? If you know please tell me because I still have a cup left after making these and about 12 new cavities.

The first thing I thought of was coconut and caramel. It’s sweet and meaty and perfect to add textures. Adding it to muffins became a great way to start the day with something flavorful. These had a decent coconut flavor, but if you just love coconut then I’d recommend swapping in coconut oil for the vegetable oil and carton coconut milk for the regular milk.

These are “muffins”(as opposed to cupcakes) in my mind because they aren’t all that sweet; they’re a perfect breakfast pastry to have next to a cup of coffee or tea. However, if you wanted them to be sweeter and possibly a dessert, I’d recommend adding 1/2 cup of sugar to the batter.

Coconut Caramel Muffins

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 9 muffins):

6 Tablespoons coconut flour
1 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup caramel sauce, divided
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 Tablespoons shredded coconut

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line 9 muffin wells with paper liners.
In a large bowl, sift together the coconut flour, brown rice flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda.
In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, 1/4 cup caramel sauce, and oil until mixed well.
Pour the wet ingredients in with the dry and mix until the batter is even.
Scoop an equal amount of batter into each paper liner.
In a small bowl, mix together the remaining caramel sauce and shredded coconut. Scoop roughly a tablespoon of the coconut mixture in the center of each muffin and press down lightly.
Bake for 25 minutes or until the muffins have set. Remove from the oven and let them cool before serving.

2 Comments - Leave a comment!

Vegetarian Labor Day Recipes

Written on August 26, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Recipe Round-Up

Labor Day is a week from today. As someone who usually whips something up last minute and thinks to make holiday posts only in hindsight I’m amazed I’m posting this a week early; and I hope someone out there finds a useful recipe from the bunch.

Whether you’re a vegetarian yourself, entertaining vegetarian friends or just need some Labor Day recipe ideas, I picked out a few of my favorites that would be perfect for an outdoor barbeque. Most of these recipes don’t scream “vegetarian” and won’t have you running to the store to pick up new ingredients; they’re just darn good recipes that happen to be vegetarian.

Vegetarian buffalo “chicken” dip is still one of my favorite things to eat. If you love buffalo dip you won’t even notice the simple substitution of beans for chicken. Just buy some tortilla chips and you’re good to go for a party.

Grilled tofu is surprisingly simple whether you’re a longtime vegetarian or just hosting some. All you need is a 3-ingredient marinade and a spot on the grill. This recipe has enough flavor to make anyone happy.

Gluten-free cornbread is essential for any cookout. The cornbread is delicious on its own but even better next to some sloppy sides. Remember to leave out some extra butter and honey and serve it hot!

Spicy maple baked beans taste better than any beans you’ll get from a can. They’re spicy, smoky, sweet, salty and savory all in one. Making your own vegetarian worcstershire sauce is ten times easier than it sounds and adds a whole new dimension of flavor to the dish. Everyone will love these.

Gluten-free flag cake definitely would steal the show. A rich chocolate sheet cake with smooth vanilla buttercream and decorative berries is a perfect way to celebrate the end of Summer and please some hungry mouths.

Stuffed strawberries is another great patriotic dessert, and it comes already portioned! Slicing and stuffing fresh strawberries might take a little extra time but you’ll definitely get asked for the recipe. And this recipe naturally avoids most of the common food allergies(except dairy).

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

Gluten-Free Cornbread

Written on August 22, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Side Dish

There are two kinds of cornbread. There’s the dry, stale, bland kind and then there’s the sweet, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth kind. This one is thankfully the latter.

I’ve been wanting to make(and eat) cornbread for a while now. Trader Joe’s recently added their own brand of gluten-free all-purpose flour to their shelves I’ve been meaning to try and this was the perfect way to kill two birds with one stone.

The bread came out sweet and slightly savory—better with a pat of butter. Even with the gluten-free flour it doesn’t crumble until it hits your tongue.

Adding a little bit of cinnamon and paprika gives the bread a subtle savory smokiness to it. If you want more of a dessert, omit the paprika and double the amount of cinnamon. You could also simply substitute all-purpose flour for the gluten-free all-purpose flour if gluten sensitivities aren’t an issue.

Gluten-Free Cornbread

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 9 squares):

1 1/2 cup corn meal
1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 stick butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon paprika

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix together the corn meal, flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.
Crack the eggs into the ingredients and add the milk and begin whisking.
Slowly add the melted butter in as you’re whisking.
Add in the cinnamon and paprika and beat until the batter is uniform.
Grease an 8 x 8 pan and pour the batter in.
Bake for 30 minutes until the bread has set.
Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before cutting. Serve with butter and honey.

3 Comments - Leave a comment!