A day off for baking?

I feel like this just might become a routine for me. No, not the post once and come back a year later thing. Baking on a day off or better yet...cooking on a day off. I work in a field that I actually have a passion for. Yes, I am  one of those few that can say that I am doing what I have a passion for and get paid to do it. I am an assistant pastry chef. I get to do all the fun things without the added drama of emails and food costs. I bake, create, and design full time. The downside of it is that I don't do much of it at home for enjoyment. This is something that I used to do. I get home and I normally slump over on my bed. A quick dinner is thrown together, indulge in some television, then get ready for the next day. One rainy day, I decided to just bake. The laundry was done and the apartment was clean. It was time to do something I love. Thus comes my first treat of enjoyment baking.........


Banana Bread with Cinnamon Streusel Topping


Batter:


3-4 ripe bananas
1/3 cup unsalted butter,melted
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Cinnamon streusel topping:


1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 stick unsalted butter,cold and cut into small chunks

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F


To make the streusel topping:
1. Combine the flour, cinnamon,and brown sugar in a bowl.
2. Use your hand to mix the chunks of butter in the flour mixture until it resembles coarse cornmeal.

For the batter:
1. In a medium bowl, smash bananas with a fork until no large chunks are left. Mix in the melted butter.
2. Add the sugar, egg, and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
3. Add the flour,salt, and baking soda and stir just until combined.
4. Pour into a prepared loaf pan or prepared muffin tins.
5. Sprinkle streusel topping on top and bake 1 hour for a loaf pan or 18-20 mins for muffins.

Makes one loaf or 10 muffins.

My Newest Venture

Introducing! My newest venture. Work has been slowly picking back up and I have had a project in the works for awhile. It's something that I have done unofficially, but finally decided to just go for it. My newest venture is called...

A Sweet Intention

I will be providing custom cakes and baked goods for those located near Clinton Township,MI (Metro Detroit area) I am so excited to finally go for it and put my name out there.With all the exciting events going on at work, my new business will provide some extra excitement for myself as well. 

So heres to eating dessert first!

A year and some change.....

Nope. Not going to deny it. I am the worst blogger in the history of blogging. How long has it been? A whole year and a few months? Let's do an update..

• The beginning of last year, I had to cut ties with the company I was working for. It was an unhealthy relationship and I came home feeling down everyday. Plus, payroll wasn't getting paid. 
• I am now going on almost a year as an assistant pastry chef for a four star,four diamond hotel and I LOVE my job.
• I fell in love and moved into an apartment with my beau. Hopefully he will let me post about him on here. 

In addition to my full time job, I am slowly doing cakes as a side business and here are a few things I have done.

Tomato and Cucumber Salad

*comes up for air*

Hello?

Anyone out there?

What month is it?

What year is it?

Oh, January? 2010?

I don't know about anyone else, but 2009 was a doozy.Not sure how many life lessons one can fit in a year, but I heard from quite a few of them. Things have been changing and life has been rearranging. I think things have finally calmed down by now. Maybe.

The new year always presents an opportunity to start fresh and new. We have a chance to look back at what happened in the year and pay attention to what lessons we learned and bring them along with a clear mind in the new year.

So to bring in the first entry of 2010, a simple and fresh tomato and cucumber salad.It goes well on top of a bed of greens or works by itself as an appetizer.

Tomato and Cucumber Salad
Printable Recipe

Makes 4 servings

4 tomatoes,medium
1 cucumber,medium
1/2 white onion,medium
1 lemon,juiced
Salt and Pepper

1. Slice the white onion into julienned strips, or thin strips and place into a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pour lemon juice over the onion.Set aside for 30 minutes.
2. While the onion is marinating, slice tomatoes and cucumber into desired cut. I prefer the half moon shape.
3. When the onion is finished marinating, add the tomatoes and cucumber. Toss until evenly combined. Season with salt & pepper and enjoy.

Pumpkin Doughnuts

I've never been big on fashion trends. Actually, I've always secretly enjoyed fashion trends, but I was always a good two or three weeks behind. When I finally bought a tattoo choker, people had moved on to mood rings.Wait, was it choker first then mood rings? Or the other way around? Don't jelly rings come between those two? Why were tattoo chokers popular anyways? I feel like i'm being strangled and if you move your neck just the right way, you can feel a not so pleasant pinch on your neck. Discomfort aside, you were the shiz.

Fashion goes in and out so fast, but everything eventually comes back around in some form or another. SO my plan to finally become the trendy one is to wear a choker, jelly rings, clog sandals,and a poncho until it comes back around. That way, I will be TEH SHIZ....or not.

Now back to food....

It seems like every fall, more and more pumpkin recipes show up. Of course, me being the late trend person, I am just now posting my first and last pumpkin recipe for this year. When does the pumpkin trend end exactly? What are we on now? Christmas cookies? Thanksgiving ideas? Ahh forget it. I'll never be on time with the trends.

Pumpkin Doughnuts and Spiced Sugar
Makes about 24 doughnuts and doughnut holes

Adapted from epicurious.com

Spiced sugar

1 cup sugar
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

Doughnuts

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon whole milk
1 cup pure pumpkin,canned or fresh
Canola oil (for deep-frying)

1. In a small bowl, combine the spiced sugar ingredients and set aside.In a medium bowl, combine the first 7 ingredients and set aside. With an electric mixer or spoon, beat the sugar and butter until blended. Beat in the egg, egg yolks, and vanilla. Gradually beat in the milk. Beat in the pumpkin in 2 additions.With a spoon, fold in the dry ingredients in 4 additions.After all the dry ingredients are combined evenly,the mixture will be sticky and be similar to drop biscuit batter or dumplings. Cover and set in the refrigerator for 3 hours.

2.Pour your oil into a deep skillet or fryer to a 1 1/2 inch depth. If using a skillet, attach a deep fry thermometer and heat the oil to 365°F to 370°F.If using an electric fryer, just set the temp to 365°F.

3. While the oil is heating, sprinkle counter or a cutting board with flour and press out 1/3 of the dough onto the floured surface to 1/2-2/3 inch thickness. You may have to sprinkle the top with flour to relieve some of the stickiness. Cut out doughnuts using a 2 1/2 inch circle cutter, then cut out 1 inch holes using a large pastry tip or small circle cutter. Arrange circles and holes on a floured surface. Continue to re roll scraps until all dough is used up.

4. When the oil is properly heated, fry doughnuts a few at a time about one minute per side until golden brown.Fry doughnut holes in 2 batches,turning occasionally, about 2 minutes, or until golden brown. Flip using a slotted spoon or chopstick.With the slotted spoon,move to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.Let cool and roll in spiced sugar.Enjoy when warm.


Other Pumpkin Recipes
Pumpkin Mac and Cheese

Next: Miss Anna's Chip Cookies