baking

Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies

August 5, 2014 by Amy

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Years ago, at a family reunion, one of my cousins brought these cookies. They were big and beautiful, and nobody could believe that he’d really made them himself. He happily shared the recipe, though, and while you must have the ingredients down exactly and mix them by hand, they really are the best. Thick and chewy, these cookies are very rich. They’re perfect with a glass of milk or dipped half in melted chocolate. Enjoy!

Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies

2014-08-04 21:50:21

Yields 5

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Nutrition Facts

Serving Size

353g

Yields

Amount Per Serving

Calories 1658

Calories from Fat 756

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 85g

131%

Saturated Fat 29g

144%

Trans Fat 8g

Polyunsaturated Fat 19g

Monounsaturated Fat 31g

Cholesterol 127mg

42%

Sodium 1204mg

50%

Total Carbohydrates 207g

69%

Dietary Fiber 5g

19%

Sugars 129g

Protein 19g

Vitamin A

Vitamin C

Calcium

21%

Iron

21%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

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Ingredients

1 1/2 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. shortening
3 eggs
1 1/2 t. vanilla
3 3/4 c. flour
1 1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 t. baking soda
2 c. chocolate chips

Instructions

Cream sugars and shortening - completely by hand.
Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.
Blend flour, salt, and baking soda and add gradually to the wet mixture.
Stir in chocolate chips.
Roll into balls the size of walnuts and place on a baking sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

Notes

This recipe is not the same if mixed with a mixer! Be sure to do it completely by hand.

By Bruce Buffington

beta

calories

1658

fat

85g

protein

19g

carbs

207g

A Nest in the Rocks http://anestintherocks.com/

What’s your favorite cookie?

Whole Wheat Pinch-Me Cake

August 1, 2014 by Amy

I remember helping my mom make Pinch-Me Cake as a little girl. I loved rolling the yeasty dough into balls and covering it with cinnamon and sugar. It smelled wonderful while it was baking and tasted even better later when we ate it.

There was something special about the eating of it, too. Once, for a special family celebration, we made it and when the women had settled down at the table to talk, the Pinch-Me Cake went in the middle. Everyone pinched off pieces as they caught up with what was happening in each other’s lives. It was, at least for me, the social centerpiece of the party, and I’ve never forgotten it.

I don’t think my kids are likely to forget it, either. They LOVED making this cake – every aspect of it. We made it for a special breakfast, served with fresh fruit, and we sat around the table on an icy Saturday morning enjoying a breakfast together. With only four of us, we had leftovers the next day, which made everyone happy again.

This cake’s specialness doesn’t happen in the blink of an eye, though. It takes time to put together – not just concentrated time, but slow, take-a-big-part-of-your-day time. The bread needs to rise and roll and rise again and bake, so this is a great project for an at-home day. It does most of the work itself, but it does require frequent checks – and kids love to help make it.

Pinch-Me Cake is worth the effort, though. It’s definitely one of those meals that makes people appreciate something done well. If, however, you really want to speed up the process, you can use frozen bread dough, and that will allow you to skip several steps.

We chose to make this now as part of our Amish studies unit – for in central Pennsylvania where I’m from, you often see a treat of this sort at Amish roadside stands. We’ve lightened it up a bit here with a yummy whole wheat dough, but there’s still plenty of cinnamon-y sweetness. Amish or not, this makes a fun treat for the whole family.

Whole Wheat Pinch-Me Cake

2014-07-31 19:46:21

Yields 1

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Nutrition Facts

Serving Size

1806g

Yields

Amount Per Serving

Calories 5264

Calories from Fat 1007

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 115g

177%

Saturated Fat 69g

343%

Trans Fat 4g

Polyunsaturated Fat 7g

Monounsaturated Fat 29g

Cholesterol 297mg

99%

Sodium 5070mg

211%

Total Carbohydrates 956g

319%

Dietary Fiber 25g

100%

Sugars 355g

Protein 104g

Vitamin A

80%

Vitamin C

Calcium

102%

Iron

63%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

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Ingredients

5 3/4 - 6 1/4 c. white-wheat flour
2 1/4 c. milk
2 T. honey
2 1/4 t. active dry yeast
2 t. salt
1 T. butter
1/2 c. sugar
cinnamon
1 stick butter
1 c. brown sugar + handful

Instructions

Combine the flour and yeast.
In a small saucepan, heat milk, honey, butter, and salt until just warm, stirring constantly.
Add to dry mixture and beat at low speed for 1/2 minute.
Scrape sides of bowl.
Beat for 3 more minutes at high speed.
Slowly stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough.
Knead for 8-10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
Shape into a ball.
Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface.
Cover; let rise in a warm place 'til double, about 1 1/4 hours.
Punch dough down.
Divide dough in half.
Combine 1/2 c. sugar with enough cinnamon to become a warm brown color in a small bowl.
Pull off dough the size of a walnut and roll gently into a ball. Roll in the cinnamon- sugar mixture. Place into a buttered Bundt pan. Repeat until you have used half the dough.
Sprinkle a handful of brown sugar over the dough balls in the Bundt pan.
Repeat rolling process with second half of the dough.
Cover and let rise in a warm place until 1 inch from the top of the pan, about 30 - 45 minutes.
In a small saucepan, melt 1/2 cup of butter and stir in the brown sugar to make a 'goo.'
Pour 'goo' over the dough in the Bundt pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 35 minutes.
Turn out onto a foil-covered pan.
Serve warm.

By Amy Bradsher

beta

calories

5264

fat

115g

protein

104g

carbs

956g

A Nest in the Rocks http://anestintherocks.com/

The picture of only a partial cake above? That’s because people started eating it as soon as I flipped it over – there was never a whole cake to photogragh. Pinch-Me Cake is always a hit.

What’s your favorite special occasion dish?

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls

August 1, 2014 by Amy

Our favorite Sunday morning breakfast is homemade cinnamon rolls. I can mix these up on a Saturday afternoon, throw everything into the bread machine, and then have them rolled out and assembled in minutes. With some fruit on the side, we can have a special breakfast without too much fuss.

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls

2014-07-31 19:30:18

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Cook Time

20 min

Cook Time

20 min

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size

1230g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 3566

Calories from Fat 344

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 39g

60%

Saturated Fat 19g

97%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 5g

Monounsaturated Fat 11g

Cholesterol 444mg

148%

Sodium 2826mg

118%

Total Carbohydrates 727g

242%

Dietary Fiber 16g

64%

Sugars 339g

Protein 75g

Vitamin A

33%

Vitamin C

Calcium

57%

Iron

49%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

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Dough Ingredients

1 c. + 2 T. warm milk
3 T. melted butter
2 eggs
1/2 c. sugar
4 c. white-wheat flour
1 t. salt
1 T. yeast

Filling

1/2 c. brown sugar
2 T. softened butter
sprinkling of cinnamon

Icing

1 c. powdered sugar
1 T. milk
dash of salt
1 t. vanilla

Instructions

Put ingredients into bread machine pan in order listed.
Select the 'dough' cycle.
When the dough is mixed, roll out into a large rectangle.
Spread the softened butter onto the dough.
Sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon (to your liking) over the butter.
Roll tightly.
Slice into 3/4" rolls and place on a buttered cookie sheet.
Bake at 325 degrees for about 20 minutes.
Drizzle icing over the rolls immediately.
Serve warm.

By Amy Bradsher

beta

calories

3566

fat

39g

protein

75g

carbs

727g

A Nest in the Rocks http://anestintherocks.com/

Whole Wheat Bread in a Bread Machine

July 24, 2014 by Amy

My husband gifted me with a bread machine years ago, and having learned how to make bread from scratch as a kid, I was pleased to find how easy it can be. After reading the manual for my super-fancy new machine, I was careful to use only the ingredients listed on each recipe and to put them in the pan in the proper order.

As time passed, however, I wanted to be able to vary the ingredients to use a wider variety of grains and less processed ‘stuff,’ but I wasn’t sure how.

After finally seeing a recipe online that used the same kind of flour I use – and one that isn’t listed in my manual as best – My Big Helper and I have done a little experimenting, and I like we’ve come up with.

This recipe makes one large loaf of bread, so if you bake all of your family’s bread like we do, you may not need to bake every day. It rises well, is easy to slice, and tastes great!

Whole Wheat Bread in a Bread Machine

2014-07-24 14:57:18

Yields 1

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Cook Time

30 min

Cook Time

30 min

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size

881g

Yields

Amount Per Serving

Calories 2053

Calories from Fat 152

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 18g

27%

Saturated Fat 8g

42%

Trans Fat 0g

Polyunsaturated Fat 3g

Monounsaturated Fat 4g

Cholesterol 31mg

10%

Sodium 2399mg

100%

Total Carbohydrates 409g

136%

Dietary Fiber 17g

67%

Sugars 24g

Protein 57g

Vitamin A

Vitamin C

Calcium

12%

Iron

35%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

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Ingredients

1 1/3 c. warm water
1 T + 1 t. milk
3 T. melted butter
5 T. brown sugar
1 t. salt
4 c. white-wheat flour
3 t. yeast

Instructions

Place all ingredients into your bread machine pan in the order listed.
Run on the dough cycle (I use the two-pound loaf setting).
Remove from pan and place in a greased, large loaf pan.
Cover and let rise for 30-45 minutes or until nearly double.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Remove from loaf pan.
Let cool on its side. Cover with a tea towel.
To keep the outside crust soft, rub butter on it while still warm.

By Amy Bradsher

beta

calories

2053

fat

18g

protein

57g

carbs

409g

A Nest in the Rocks http://anestintherocks.com/

How long does fresh bread last in your house?

Steal-Good Pumpkin Bread

July 24, 2014 by Amy Leave a Comment

When my grandmother visited a few weeks ago, I was determined to make pumpkin bread for her. She loves it, but since she lives alone now, she rarely cooks or bakes for herself.

I made a batch of this pumpkin bread, and we ate some for breakfast one day, and a bit more with some veggie beef soup for lunch after church. My Big Helper kept laughing, because each time she asked for another piece, my grandmother would pretend to wrap it into her napkin and slip it into her pocket!

We had to wrap the rest up and send it home with her. When your guests like something enough to jokingly steal it and take some home, what else can you do?? (Of course, we didn’t mind. Sending the second loaf home with her was the plan all along – but it was good to know that it met with her approval.)

Steal-Good Pumpkin Bread

2014-07-24 14:52:02

Yields 2

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Nutrition Facts

Serving Size

940g

Yields

Amount Per Serving

Calories 2594

Calories from Fat 829

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 93g

143%

Saturated Fat 23g

115%

Trans Fat 0g

Polyunsaturated Fat 14g

Monounsaturated Fat 50g

Cholesterol 391mg

130%

Sodium 2711mg

113%

Total Carbohydrates 400g

133%

Dietary Fiber 17g

67%

Sugars 212g

Protein 44g

Vitamin A

720%

Vitamin C

16%

Calcium

47%

Iron

60%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

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Ingredients

3 1/2 c. whole wheat or white wheat flour
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
2 t. baking soda
2 heaping t. ground cinnamon
1 t. salt
16 oz. of pumpkin puree
1/2 c. vegetable oil
4 large eggs
2/3 c. water
1 c. chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

Grease two loaf pans and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.
In a medium bowl, stir together the wet ingredients.
Add the wet to the dry ingredients until just moistened.
Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 60 - 70 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool for 15 minutes, and then gently remove bread from pans. Cool completely and store or freeze.

By Amy Bradsher

beta

calories

2594

fat

93g

protein

44g

carbs

400g

A Nest in the Rocks http://anestintherocks.com/

We took this bread to Disney with us for breakfast. I made it and froze it in advance, wrapped well, and it tasted great even after being frozen and transported so many miles.

This would make great make-ahead Christmas gifts!

What’s your favorite type of bread?

Spiced Applesauce Bread

July 24, 2014 by Amy

My Little Man and I made this applesauce bread for our trip to Disney. It became our breakfast for the car ride down, and although I thought everyone would want a cereal bar or some fruit to go with it, but they didn’t. A second slice of this hearty bread kept everyone happy for hours. It’s sweet and smooth with a bit of crunch from the granola on top, and with lots of applesauce instead of fats, it’s pretty good for you, too.

Spiced Applesauce Bread

2014-07-24 14:39:57

Yields 1

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Cook Time

1 hr

Cook Time

1 hr

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size

909g

Yields

Amount Per Serving

Calories 2138

Calories from Fat 608

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 69g

106%

Saturated Fat 7g

37%

Trans Fat 0g

Polyunsaturated Fat 13g

Monounsaturated Fat 44g

Cholesterol 373mg

124%

Sodium 2043mg

85%

Total Carbohydrates 345g

115%

Dietary Fiber 12g

49%

Sugars 143g

Protein 40g

Vitamin A

14%

Vitamin C

Calcium

36%

Iron

38%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

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Ingredients

1 1/2 c. applesauce
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
3 T. milk
2 c. whole wheat flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. ground allspice
1/4 t. salt

Instructions

In a large bowl, mix the wet ingredients together.
In a small bowl, mix the dry ingredients together.
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ones until just moistened.
Then stir in 1/2 c. of almonds.
Pour batter into a greased loaf pan. Top with a handful of granola and bake at 350 for about 1 hour.
After removing from the oven, let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.
Gently loosen the edges with a butterknife.
Slide the bread from the pan.
Cover with a dish cloth and let cool completely before wrapping.

By Amy Bradsher

beta

calories

2138

fat

69g

protein

40g

carbs

345g

A Nest in the Rocks http://anestintherocks.com/

This bread says ‘fall’ to me. What are your favorite autumn foods?

Pink Lemonade Doughnuts

July 24, 2014 by Amy

I made these Pink Lemonade Doughnuts just before my Big Helper’s birthday a few weeks ago, and she was super excited. A huge lemonade fan, she loved the tartness of these doughnuts – and their pretty pink color didn’t hurt, either!

I loved how quick and easy these doughnuts are to make. If you pipe the batter into the doughnut pans, it’s even easier. Adding sprinkles make them even cuter, and you can match the sprinkles to whatever you have going on. With the sweet lemonade flavor, though, pink or yellow works really well.

The cute size of these small, baked doughnuts make them perfect for a baby shower or special event breakfast. These are easy enough to serve in quantity but look fancy enough to dress up your buffet table.

Yum

Pink Lemonade Doughnuts

Ingredients

1 box of Pink Lemonade cake mix
2 eggs
3/4 c. water
6 oz. strawberry Greek yogurt
1 c. 10X sugar
1 t. vanilla
pinch of salt
1-3 T. milk

Instructions

Mix eggs, water, cake mix, and yogurt in a large bowl.
Transfer batter to a bag for piping.
Butter doughnut pan.
Bake doughnuts at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until springy (in texture, not color).
Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.
While cooling, make the glaze by stirring 10X sugar, vanilla, salt, and milk together until it resembles a gravy-like consistency.
Dip each doughnut into the glaze.
Enjoy!

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http://anestintherocks.com/pink-lemonade-doughnuts/

What’s your favorite kind of doughnut?

* Linked up at: Home to 4 Kiddos

These baked doughnuts are easy to make with a few simple supplies! Check these out:

Perfectly Pumpkin Pancakes

July 24, 2014 by Amy 2 Comments

Today I made these yummy pumpkin pancakes for breakfast. I expected them to have a mild pumpkin flavor with a bit of cinnamon and spice, but this recipe SO EXCEEDED my expectations! The batter is thick and creamy, and the pancakes puff up happily as they cook. The finished product tastes rich and is full of pumpkin flavor – it reminds me of a really good pumpkin cake. So good!

How do you eat your pancakes?

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal

July 24, 2014 by Amy Leave a Comment

Recently my Big Helper wanted to bake some dessert, but since I didn’t have breakfast made for the next day, I asked her to work on that first. We started at one of our favorite foodie blogs, Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures, to look for some inspiration. We ended up making a few minor changes to her Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal recipe and came up with this.

This Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal comes out almost like a giant oatmeal cookie. It’s soft and moist, peanut-y and with melted chocolate throughout. We love to eat this with a fork and a big glass of milk. One batch of this feeds my family of four for one meal, with a piece or two left over for later. Each child eats several pieces, but it keeps their tummies full until lunchtime.

There’s no way to stay totally chocolate-free when eating this. It’s a decadently healthy breakfast!

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal

2014-07-24 14:18:09

A decadently healthy baked breakfast

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Cook Time

25 min

Cook Time

25 min

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size

1113g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 3606

Calories from Fat 1231

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 144g

221%

Saturated Fat 42g

211%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 33g

Monounsaturated Fat 53g

Cholesterol 431mg

144%

Sodium 2754mg

115%

Total Carbohydrates 460g

153%

Dietary Fiber 63g

252%

Sugars 121g

Protein 137g

Vitamin A

28%

Vitamin C

Calcium

130%

Iron

164%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

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Ingredients

3 c. oats
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 c. milk
2 T. melted butter
2 eggs
2 t. baking powder
3/4 t. salt
2 t. vanilla
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. chocolate chips

Instructions

Stir together dry ingredients.
Add wet ingredients.
Spread evenly in a greased 9" x 13" pan.
Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.
Serve warm.

By Amy Bradsher

Adapted from Lynn's Kitchen Adventures

beta

calories

3606

fat

144g

protein

137g

carbs

460g

Adapted from Lynn's Kitchen Adventures

A Nest in the Rocks http://anestintherocks.com/

What’s your favorite breakfast indulgence?

Grandma’s Biscuits

July 24, 2014 by Amy

My great-grandmother was a fantastic baker. She was one of those people who always had something handy to offer if you just happened to stop by. I don’t remember every eating biscuits at her house, but as a teen I used to love to look through her antique cookbooks and read the recipes. This was one I found in her handwriting.

Now I make these biscuits for a special breakfast treat and, more often, to go with chicken pot pie soup (My Little Man’s favorite). They’re not your typical Southern biscuit – but then, Grandma wasn’t Southern. Instead, they have a distinctive taste and get golden and crisp on the outside, soft and flaky on the inside. I hope you like these as much as we do!

Grandma's Biscuits

2014-07-24 13:58:33

Yields 6

A yummy breakfast biscuit

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Nutrition Facts

Serving Size

80g

Yields

Amount Per Serving

Calories 193

Calories from Fat 31

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 4g

Saturated Fat 2g

10%

Trans Fat 0g

Polyunsaturated Fat 0g

Monounsaturated Fat 1g

Cholesterol 9mg

Sodium 411mg

17%

Total Carbohydrates 35g

12%

Dietary Fiber 1g

Sugars 2g

Protein 5g

Vitamin A

Vitamin C

Calcium

19%

Iron

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

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Ingredients

2 c. flour (both white and white-wheat work well - you can use either one)
4 T. softened butter
4 t. baking powder
3/4 c. milk
1 t. salt

Instructions

Measure dry ingredients and stir together.
Cut in the softened butter.
Add the milk all at once.
Stir rapidly for a few seconds, then turn out on a lightly floured board.
Knead vigorously for 30 seconds.
Pat or roll to 1/2" or 3/4" thickness.
Cut out and place onto a greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes or until the tops begin to brown.

By Elizabeth Laughlin

beta

calories

193

fat

protein

carbs

35g

A Nest in the Rocks http://anestintherocks.com/

My Big Helper now loves to eat these with our Crock pot apple butter on top. As you can see above, we couldn’t let them alone long enough for pictures – this is the only one I could get!

How do you eat your biscuits?