Johnny Appleseed Toast

It’s finals and you need breakfast to get your brain in the mode. What do you make? There is a whole variety of meals. But, one easy and quick breakfast you should try is Johnny Appleseed Toast. “Even if the morning begins with hustle & bustle, everyone can still enjoy a wholesome, tasty breakfast with quick dishes…they’re all ready in a jiffy!” (101 Breakfast & Brunch Recipes).

Ingredients: -4 Slices Cinnamon-Raisin Bread -4 Teaspoons Butter, divided -1 Apple, cored and sliced -4 Teaspoon Honey -1 Teaspoon Cinnamon

Spread each bread with a teaspoon of butter. Place one apple slice on each bread. Drizzle honey and sprinkle the cinnamon onto each bread. Place the bread onto an ungreased pan and broil on high for a minute or two until toasted and golden (101 Breakfast & Brunch Recipes). Voila! Fast and easy just like that. Now, just serve and revel in the bites.

The impact the reading has had on cooking is opening a whole new world of the simplest of things. In the mornings, I usually skip breakfast so that I can get out the door and to school on time. Breakfast, to me, took too much precious time. But, with the Johnny Appleseed Toast, I’ve found a meal that’s effortless and quick to make when running out the door. Whether it’s a short and simple, or an extensive and complex breakfast, how does cooking open an altered world for you?

101 Breakfast & Brunch Recipes. Columbus, OH: Gooseberry Patch, 2012. Print.

Lazy Man's Pancakes

Finally, a relaxing day off from the stressful world of high school. But, what to feed that growling stomach? For these easy going kind of days, you should try Lazy Man’s Pancakes. “This is great when you’re pressed for time. No more standing at the stove for an hour flipping and frying… just mix and pop in the oven” (101 Breakfast & Brunch Recipes).

Ingredients: -3 Tablespoons Butter -6 Eggs -1½ Cups Milk -1½ Cups All-Purpose Flour

Melt butter in a baking pan placed in a 425-degree oven; make sure to spread all around and sides. In a bowl, combine eggs, milk, and flour; beat well. Slowly pour the mixture into the buttered pan for 25 minutes, or until top is golden (101 Breakfast & Brunch Recipes). Just cut into squares and serve. You are also able to garnish the savory pancakes with whatever you would like. Maybe some maple syrup, almonds, strawberries, or bananas.  

The impact the reading has had on cooking is helping to deal with uncertainty and the unexpected. This was definitely a new way to make pancakes, which I was anxious about how it’ll come out. Once the timer rang to take it out, I was thrown off by what I saw. The pancakes were coming out more like a pie. It was forming a high crust on the outer rims and an under cooked filling. I have to say, I had a mini panic attack from the unexpected. Nonetheless, my mom calmed me down and just told me to put it in the oven a bit longer until it was golden. So, how do you deal with the unexpected in cooking or even in your own life?

101 Breakfast & Brunch Recipes. Columbus, OH: Gooseberry Patch, 2012. Print.

Frosty Orange Juice

It’s flu season. So, how are you staying away from getting sick? Most people would be getting their vitamin c to enhance their immune system. Try some frosty orange juice for a healthy boost. “Thick, frosty and very refreshing!” (101 Breakfast & Brunch Recipes).

Ingredients: -6-oz. Can Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate, partially thawed -1 Cup Milk -1 Cup Water -1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract -12 Ice Cubes  

Blend all ingredients in a blender until frothy. Then, serve in 4 glasses (101 Breakfast & Brunch Recipes). Voila! Easy as that with no time lost.

The impact the reading has had on cooking is being given a different perspective on how to take breakfast. I’ve always viewed breakfast as just the food portion of it all. I’ve also thought that making juice or smoothies would take a while to make or I wouldn’t have the ingredients on hand. Lo and behold, I’ve been proven differently. This take on the classic orange juice for breakfast shows the variety in the scale of such a basic form. So, how does making breakfast by yourself or with others given you a different perspective?

101 Breakfast & Brunch Recipes. Columbus, OH: Gooseberry Patch, 2012. Print.

Kneading Dough

"Many bread and roll recipes tell you to knead the dough but few explain just how to do this. It's not very difficult to do. All you must have is a little patience and some muscle power." (Pinkwater 135)

1. To start, sprinkle a little flour onto a dough board or a smooth counter top. Dust your hands with some flour as well to prevent them from sticking to the dough.
2. Place the dough floured surface. Make sure you don't have too much flour on the surface and your hands; otherwise, your bread will become tough.
3. Push your fingers into the dough, and then press down with the heels of your hands and roll the dough back and forth a few times as you press.
4. Turn the dough one quarter of a circle.
5. Repeat steps 5, 6 and 7, and fold the dough in half every time you complete a full circle so that the dough gets kneaded in all directions. Keep kneading until the dough is elastic and smooth in texture.
   
   
   
   
   
   

I learned this simple process from the book, and it has definitely helped me get my dough in the right form and shape. It has also motivated me to do more recipes that include creating dough in the future.

Are there any other techniques you use for kneading dough?
Pinkwater, Jill. The Natural Snack Cookbook: 151 Good Things to Eat. New York: Four Winds, 1975. Print.

Kids in the Kitchen- Chocolate Chip Cookies

These chocolate chip cookies were very soft and chewy in the middle and a nice golden brown on the outside. The secret was "Lots of chips, of course, and a very generous splash of real, not artificial, vanilla extract." (Baird 62) The cookies were simple, quick and easy to make and I definitely think that I will make them again.

The steps to make this are to:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Measure 1/2 cup of butter and shortening into large bowl
3. Beat with an electric mixer until fluffy; add granulated sugar and brown sugar beat again.
4. Break eggs into a bowl, beat, and add vanilla.
5. whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt, sprinkle chocolate chips and stir into the dough until equally distributed.
6 .Scoop dough into balls and place on the cookie sheet.
7. Bake for 8-12 minutes and cool.



The cookies were light, and airy and following the recipe exactly ensured that the cookies turned out delicious.  

Baird, Elizabeth. Kids in the Kitchen. Toronto: Madison, 1998. Print.

Kids in the Kitchen- Vegetarian Chili

The vegetarian chili seemed like a complex yet delicious meal that would turn out great for my family. I took the advice of the author and used "two kinds of lentils plus squash, tomatoes and peppers make this chili absolutely delicious." (Baird 42) I decided to also add a few more different types of vegetables to add an even richer flavor.

The steps to make this are:
1. Place dutch oven over medium heat; pour in oil.
2. Stir in chili powder, oregano, cumin, and salt and pepper.
3. Add the vegetables stirring often for about 8 minutes.
4. Stir green and red lentils into pan and cook for about 3 minutes.
5. Add 4 cups of water, bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
6. Stir uncovered for 30 minutes.

Baird, Elizabeth. Kids in the Kitchen. Toronto: Madison, 1998. Print. 

Kids in the Kitchen- Cinnamon Toast

The food that I decided to try to make was a Cinnamon toast. It looked like a really simple and easy recipe but the only draw back was that it looked unhealthy.

The toast as expected tasted delicious and was really simple to make. Another way to use this recipe is "The nifty mix for the toast is also delicious sprinkled over hot oatmeal." (Baird 10) 






The steps to make this recipe are to toast the bread. Lay on a plate or in a bowl and spread with butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon toast mix.

To make the mix you need to pour sugar and cinnamon into a plastic container and shake and mix it until it is blended.

The simple and easy recipe was a great new addition to the foods that I can make. 



Baird, Elizabeth. Kids in the Kitchen. Toronto: Madison, 1998. Print.

Garlic Bread

Garlic Bread is a great side for a dish such as spaghetti, or lasagna. But it is also great as a snack on its own!

Ingredients
- 2-3 cloves of Garlic
- 2 oz of softened butter
- 1 loaf of French Bread

Recipe
1) Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit
2) "Crush the garlic cloves and mix them into the butter" (MacDonald, 78)
3) Slice the bread in half, lengthwise, and spread the garlic butter generously

4) "Put it in the oven for 10-12 minutes" (78)
5) Enjoy!

Would you prefer to eat this with a main dish or by itself as a snack?
Macdonald, Janet W. The Basic Basics How to Cook from A-Z. London: Grub Street, 1998. Print.

Black Cow

"Summertime or winter, our cool, creamy frozen desserts will delight everyone" (Mildred 242). Now I'll just be completely honest, I'm not quite sure why this recipe is called a black cow, because It's really just a root beer float. Either way, this is a classic and I highly recommend you go make this since it's "ideal for casual entertaining and everyday eating" (Mildred 242). It's great to make, share, and enjoy with friends too. Make sure you splurge on a good brand of soda and ice cream for this otherwise you might be dissatisfied with the outcome. For example, I used A&W root beer and Breyers Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream. Alright, I'll now show you how it looked, recipe came from The Good Housekeeping Illustrated Book of Desserts.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 of a can of chilled root beer
• vanilla ice cream

Steps:

1. Pour root beer into tall 10-ounce glass
2. Top with generous scoops of slightly softened vanilla ice cream. Serve immediately with long straw and spoon

Foamy and delicious, what more could you ask for!?

The side profile is so sleek and clean your guests will be jealous

The finished product was, well a root beer float. That isn't a bad thing since it tasted great. I literally had to pull out my fancy glasses for this one since I usually just make it in the free plastic cups from IKEA. Getting off topic, hopefully you enjoy your black cow and learned a new name for a root beer float during the process!
When you make this, do you usually eat it with a spoon or straw? Do you drink all the root beer first, or eat the ice cream first?

Citation:
Ying, Mildred. The Good Housekeeping Illustrated Book of Desserts. New York: Hearst, 1991. Print.

Banana Bread

Banana bread is an easy to make, yet healthy desert item! It is delicious and takes very little effort to prepare.

Ingredients
- 2 oz. butter
- 2 oz. sugar
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 8 oz. flour
- 2 large bananas
- 6 oz. yogurt
- chopped nuts (optional)

Recipe
1) Grease and flour your baking pan to prepare for cooking
2) "Cream the butter and sugar together until you have a soft light mixture." (MacDonald, 34)

3) When you finish the sugar and butter mixture, mix in the beat eggs, mashed bananas and yogurt

4) Pour the mixture into your pan and make sure the top is level

5) Bake at 350 "for 55-60 minutes, or until it feels firm when gently pressed." (34)
6) Leave to cool when finished for 10 minutes, and enjoy!

Do you think this recipe would be better with or without nuts?
Macdonald, Janet W. The Basic Basics How to Cook from A-Z. London: Grub Street, 1998. Print.

Vanilla Ice Cream Waffles

This waffle recipe is a fantastic dessert that can be made using little ingredients and in less than 30 minutes. It's just like making pancakes, but with an addition of mixed berries and vanilla ice cream on top to make a scrumptious dessert the whole family will enjoy! You can enjoy this as breakfast/brunch meal without the ice cream and just the berries or make the whole recipe for dessert. This waffle recipe was taken from the book, Cooking In Style The Costco Way & under "Desserts."

*If you do not have a waffle iron you can substitute the waffles with regular pancakes, like I did*
Recipe:

2 1/2 cups Kirkland Signature vanilla ice cream, plus more for topping

2 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
Cooking oil spray
1 cup fresh sliced strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, or blueberries

Steps:

1. Preheat a waffle iron according to manufacturer's instructions. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place 2 1/2 cups of ice cream in a bowl.
* It is important to remember to have your ice cream somewhat melted while your cooking your waffles because if not, you will for them to defrost for a while after everything else is finished* (Casey 197)
3. In a separate bowl, beat eggs with a whisk until they are pale yellow. And eggs to the melted ice cream and whisk to blend.
4. Whisk in salt and flour until just combined.
5. To ensure your waffles will be crisp and not over/under cooked, "lightly coat the waffle iron with cooking oil using a pastry brush or with cooking spray" (197).
6. For each waffle, measure about 1/2 cup of batter and pour over the waffle-iron grid to cover. Cook for 4-6 minutes, or until golden brown.
7. Transfer waffles to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.
8. Top waffles with ice cream and berries. Makes 4 servings (8 waffles).

If you choose to make this recipe, will you use a different kind of ice cream(chocolate, cookies and cream, rocky road, etc..) or perhaps different kinds of fruits?

Chunky Banana Nut Cookie

If you're thinking about baking typical chocolate chip cookies, but want to add a twist to the recipe and try something new, this recipe is perfect. It's simply a cookie sand which with Nutella, marshmallow fluff, nuts, and bananas in the middle, all ingredients which result in a heavenly dessert worth making an effort to create!  This cookie recipe was taken from the book, Cooking In Style The Costco Way & under "Desserts."

Recipe:
The recipe suggest using "2 Kirkland Signature Oatmeal Cookies" (Casey 187), but you can use any kind of cookies you want; I used double chocolate chunk cookies.
1/2 cup marshmallow fluff and/or chocolate-hazelnut spread (Nutella)
1/2 banana, diced in 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup of your favorite chopped nuts








Steps:
1. Place 1 cookies flat up on a dessert plate
2. Spread half of the marshmallow fluff and/or chocolate-hazelnut spread on the cookie.
*Remember to place banana dices between marshmallow fluff and hazelnut spread, like a sandwich* (Casey 187).
3. Top with diced banana and sprinkle with chopped nuts.
4. Spread remaining marshmallow fluff and/or chocolate-hazelnut spread on the second cookie and place on top. Makes 1 serving.

If you were to remake this recipe, what kinds of cookies would use (ex. chocolate chip, snicker doodle, oatmeal raisin, etc.) and would you substitute any of the ingredients?

French Onion Soup

Looking for a warm, quick to prepare meal? Look no further, create a batch of French Onion Soup!

Ingredients
- Olive Oil
- Onions
- Sugar
- Garlic
- Beef stock
- Salt & Pepper
- French Bread
- Cheese of your choice


Recipe
1) Pour the olive oil into a large pot and add the onions along with the sugar and garlic, let these ingredients brown. "Dont worry if the sugar starts to stick to the bottom of the pan - this is normal." (MacDonald, 107)

2) Add the beef stock and salt and pepper to your taste
3) "Bring to the boil, then turn down to simmer for about one hour." (107)
4) Place cheese of your choice on top of the bread, and place the bread in the oven till cheese melts

5) Place the bread into the soup and enjoy!


Though this meal is easy to prepare, the boiling and simmering of the soup can be time consuming, do you think this is worth it?
Macdonald, Janet W. The Basic Basics How to Cook from A-Z. London: Grub Street, 1998. Print.

Apple Sauce

Apple Sauce is an easy to make, nutritious and fun way to eat apples while eating healthy

Ingredients:
4 Tablespoons of Water
2 Lbs of apples
1 oz of sugar
Lemon juice (optional)

Steps:
1) Peel and slice the apples


2) Pour the water into a medium to large sized saucepan and add low-medium heat
3) Place the apples in the saucepan
4) "Stir occasionally to ensure each piece is coated with juice, this is to prevent the apple discoloring" (MacDonald,27)

5) Add the sugar and continue to "stir until the apple has broken down into a fluffy mass" (Macdonald)
6) Enjoy!

This was super easy to make (less than a half hour) and was delicious as well!

If you made this, would you add any other ingredients to enhance the recipe? Perhaps cinnamon?
Macdonald, Janet W. The Basic Basics How to Cook from A-Z. London: Grub Street, 1998. Print.

Pizzarito

Most people decide to have sandwiches for lunch in this world. Sometimes pizza, hamburgers, soup, etc. I say, why not have a little bit of two in one? That is why I decided to make a creation that I saw on an online video, which is a mix of pizza and burritos together: pizza-ritos!
Things that you need for this recipe:

• Flour tortillas
• Tomato sauce
• Any type of cheese
• Pepperoni
• Baking tray (I layered my tray with foil, but it is not necessary.)
• An oven

1. You want to take your tortilla and your tomato sauce, and put about a spoonful of sauce near where you are deciding to roll up the tortilla. You don't want throw a lot of sauce on because it will overflow when you are rolling the tortilla and you will have a messy product.
2. Next, you want to add your toppings, which in this case includes cheese and pepperoni.
3. After that, you want to fold the edge closest to the ingredients and then fold the two side edges on top of the first edge.
4. Roll the folds across the tortilla. This will encase the ingredients inside.
5. Put the products on your tray and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes. Make sure that it is not too hot, as the pizza-rito will probably be overcooked/burnt and it won't taste good. Using an oven thermometer will be helpful in this task. "You may find that if you set the heat at 350`F, the actual oven temperature is 400`F. If that is the case, turn the temperature a bit and recheck it in 10 minutes." (Pinkwater 127)

Using the oven temperature tip is useful in making sure I don't have too hot of an oven for baking not only a pizza-rito, but any other foods that require heating in an oven. This is definitely a new snack that I can make whenever I want, which has also reignited my motivation to make quick treats like this. If you could change the toppings in this recipe (so instead of pepperoni), what would you put instead?

Pinkwater, Jill. The Natural Snack Cookbook: 151 Good Things to Eat. New York: Four Winds, 1975. Print.

Hot Chocolate Muffins

     As the weather gets chillier and 2015 comes to a close, what better way to bundle up with loved ones than some hot cocoa? Well, here is a delicious new twist to the classic toasty beverage, hot chocolate muffins. “A tasty breakfast treat for all the chocolate lovers out there!” (101 Breakfast & Brunch Recipes). I couldn’t agree more! 

     Ingredients: - ½ c. butter, softened -1 c. sugar -4 eggs, separated -6 T. hot chocolate mix - ½ c. boiling water -2/3 c. milk -3 c. all-purpose flour -2 T. baking powder -2 t. vanilla extract

          To start, blend the butter and sugar together in a large bowl; add eggs and beat until well mixed. In a separate bowl, dissolve the hot chocolate mix in boiling water and then add to butter mixture. Continuing on, sift the flour and baking powder in a different bowl and add to the butter mixture. Make sure everything is well mixed! Finally, pour the mixture into a greased muffin tin until ¾ full. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes until centers are tested done with a toothpick. (101 Breakfast & Brunch Recipes). After those toasty muffins have cooled down, you are able to add and decorate them as you wish. Top it with cream cheese frosting, cool whip, whip cream, or just plain with some scrumptious hot cocoa!

     The impact the reading has had on my cooking is deception of the straight-forward recipe. With each step, it got messier and messier. As a beginner, this was troubling in a light sense. I especially found it disorderly pouring the mix into the muffin tins. But, nonetheless, I enjoyed the mini challenge in keeping the flow of it all. So, how do you, or someone else, cope with a mess in the kitchen during this holiday season? Enjoy your break with your families and keep toasty!

     101 Breakfast & Brunch Recipes. Columbus, OH: Gooseberry Patch, 2012. Print.

North Pole Cupcakes- Kids in the Kitchen

For Christmas this year I decided that I wanted to make some delicious  cupcakes. An option that was available to me through my cookbook was North Pole Cupcakes. "The ingredient that makes the cupcake taste delicious is too use a smaller proportion of flour and a higher concentration of milk." (Baird 80) You use the creaming method which is basically what it says. cream the butter before using it. I learned how to do this in Creative Cooking class this year which has really helped me in this project.

The Cupcakes ended up turning out delicious and they where a big hit with my family.

Portabella and Spinach Quesadillas

This recipe is a fantastic dinner idea to make for your family or friends any day of the week. Using the ingredients you have in your home, you can make this recipe in under 45 minutes, changing the simple cheese quesadilla to a tasty mushroom and spinach goodness wrapped inside a golden brown quesadilla. This quesadilla recipe was taken from the book, Cooking In Style The Costco Way & under "Appetizers."

Recipe:

1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach

4 10inch flour tortillas

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (or any cheese you prefer)

2 tablespoons butter

6 ounces Monterey Portabella Mushrooms, cut in 1/2-inch slices

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

Guacamole (optional)

Sour cream (optional)

Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Prepare spinach according to package directions. Squeeze out liquid.
3. Place tortillas on a baking sheet, sprinkle with cheese, and bake until cheese has melted, approximately 4 minutes.
4. Melt butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and garlic and cook.
*Cook mushrooms for 7 minutes until tender then add in spinach, cooking for 3 minutes* (Casey 30).
5. Divide the mixture among the tortillas and then fold tortillas in half.
6. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. To ensure you're quesadillas are crispy and fully cooked, "fry the quesadillas until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side" (30).
7. Cut into wedges and serve with guacamole and sour cream if desired. Make 4-6 servings.

Have you ever made or seen something similar to this mushroom and spinach quesadilla before, perhaps with different ingredients? If so, what ingredients were used and if you were to recreate this version what ingredients would you add? 

Whipped Cream

Ever wanted to top your snacks off but you don't have anything in your storages? Well, now you can make this easy whipped cream topping for your food satisfaction! It is a very simple task, and your do not need very many ingredients and tools for this.

The ingredients that you will need are:

• Heavy Cream
• Medium Mixing Bowl
• A hand or electronic mixer
• Items like sugar or vanilla to add flavor to the cream

• Before you start creating your cream, you should put your mixing bowl into the refrigerator for about 15 minutes. This will chill the bowl, and make the mixing process go a lot faster.
• The time taken depends on how fast you are mixing the cream. Using an electronic mixer, it will take about 4-7 minutes. Using a hand mixer, it will be about double the time (8-14 minutes). Keep track of the time however. "If the cream whips for too long, it will become butter." (Pinkwater 214)

First, you want to add your heavy cream into the bowl.

Next, you want to get your hand or electronic mixer and start beating the cream.

If you are using an electronic mixer, check the consistency of the cream every minute or two.

After a few minutes, and your cream starts to look thicker and less liquid-like, it is the best time to add your flavors in. You don't want to use the finished whipped cream by itself, because the cream itself does not really have any taste to it. By adding things like sugar or honey, you give the cream more sweetness and taste to it.

You'll know that your cream is done when it keeps its shape (does not fall and sticks to the mixer), and is fluffy. Once you have finished, you can put the whipped cream into a air-tight container, and stick it in the refrigerator for future uses.
This was definitely a great learning experience, and now I can create simple cream toppings in just a few minutes! This has made me more motivated to try and create more desserts.
If you were to create whipped cream, what flavors beside sugar and honey would you add to the cream?

Pinkwater, Jill. The Natural Snack Cookbook: 151 Good Things to Eat. New York: Four Winds, 1975. Print.

Famous Fudge

Need to bake a quick and easy holiday treat for your family and friends? No need to worry, fudge is always a delicious and fun holiday treat to make that'll leave you're guests wanting more! Although it is a simple recipe that you can do by yourself, it can also be a family activity. Let's get started with this scrumptious fudge recipe from the book, Cooking In Style The Costco Way & under "Desserts."

Recipe:
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup (5 ounce can) Nestle Carnation Evaporated Milk
2 tablespoon butter or margarine
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups miniature marshmallows (optional)
1 1/2 cup (9 ounces) Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1/2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract




Steps:
1. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil.
2. Combine sugar, evaporated milk, butter, and salt in a medium heavy-duty saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil stirring constantly, for 45 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. "Stir in marshmallows, morsels, nuts and vanilla extract. Stir vigorously for 1 minute, or until marshmallows are melted." (Casey 184).
4. Pour into prepared baking pan and refrigerate.
*Remember to leave it in the fridge for two hours or longer, even overnight, until it is firm* (184).
5. Lift fudge from the pan and remove foil. Cut into pieces. Makes 49 pieces.


I left my fudge in the fridge overnight and it turned out perfectly and very delicious.

If you were to remake this recipe, would you choose to add pecans, walnuts, marshmallows? What other ingredients will you substitute or include that make this recipe better?