Merry Christmas

Egg Nog Bread

Sorry for the long delay between post. I started a new job and that has cut into my baking time. I will try to bake more on the weekends and that should not be a problem since it’s the holiday season. For now I present you Egg Nog bread. I would have a picture but they did not turn out well and now the bread is all gone.

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup eggnog
½ cup melted butter
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ¼ cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Beat eggs and gradually add sugar, eggnog and vanilla. Blend well.
3. Add flour, baking powder and nutmeg. Stir until just moistened.
4. Pour batter into a grease bread pan. I used to and filled them half way up.
5. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until golden brown and center is done.

Snow

I know it has been almost a week since an update but with the holidays I have not been cooking much since Thanksgiving day. I will post those recipes later but without pictures since I forgot. :)

For now you can enjoy these lovely pictures of the snow falling in the Seattle area.

My dog Wylie in his first snow. First he tried to lick it then eat it then would not pee on it.


The view off my balcony.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Now that the batteries are charged for the camera I can take a picture of these cookies. Hubby had been asking for some oatmeal raisin cookies for awhile. I have never made them before but did have a good oatmeal cookie recipe that he liked. I went to work and used my oatmeal cookie recipe with a few added ingredients. These cookies did turn out flatter then my normal oatmeal cookie recipe. I really enjoyed these and hopefully hubby will too.

1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ cups flour
2 cups Old Fashion Oats
1 cup Raisins

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cream shortening and gradually add the sugars. Add eggs and vanilla.
3. In a small bowl combine flour, salt, cinnamon and baking soda. Slowly add to wet ingredients.
4. Stir in oats and raisins.
5. Form into small balls and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

Winter Layout

As you can tell Hobbit Stew has gone through another makeover. I get a little bored with the same old design so I try to change it after so many months. This month I went with a snowflake theme after a morning walk and see the snowcap mountains. I have also been playing in Photoshop and learning how to use it and thought this would be a good reason to learn more.

I was going to post a recipe for the cookies I made today but just as I was set to take a picture I noticed the camera batteries were dead. They are now charging and I hope later today to post a recipe.

Banana Bread

1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
3 cups flour
2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 bananas
4 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Cream butter and sugar. Slowly add eggs, milk.
3. Combine flour, baking soda and salt into a small bowl. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet mixture.
4. Add bananas, lemon juice and pecans if you want.
5. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes.
6. Makes about 2 to 3 loafs.

Neiman Marcus Cake

I am in the process of typing up all the recipes I have collected from many sites and from friends. While looking through my folder I found this recipe given to me by my husband’s brother. I did not want to type up the recipe until I had tried it. I can not remember if he had made it for us one day and I forgot what it tasted like or what so I wanted to make sure I liked it. It also gave me a reason to test out my new mixer.

The recipe calls for a yellow cake mix and I did not have one so I went searching online and found a good one I was willing to try. This recipe also had different varieties from just making a yellow cake so I think I will try those sometime too.

Cake Mix recipe was found here:
Cake Mix

Cake:
2 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups white sugar
½ cup shortening
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven at 300 degrees.
2. Add flour, baking powder, salt and sugar into the mixer. Cut in shortening until fine crumbs are formed.
3. Add eggs, milk and vanilla. Beat at low speed for 1 minute then high for 2 minutes.
4. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9 x 13 pan.

Topping:
1/2 cup melted butter
2 eggs
2 cups powdered sugar
8 oz cream cheese

1. Add butter, eggs, powdered sugar and cream cheese to mixer. Beat until well combined.
2. Pour on top of cake.
3. Bake for 45 – 50 minutes or until cake is golden brown on top.

Apple Pie

Here is my first attempt at making an apple pie totally from scratch. I had trouble with the pie crust and it took at least 3 times to one to actually work somewhat. I would post the pie crust recipe but I just did not like the way it turned our so I will keep working on that but for now here is my apple pie recipe.

Filling:
5 Granny Smith Apples
½ cup butter
3 tablespoons flour
½ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
9 inch pie crust

1. Melt butter in a sauce pan. Stir in flour to form a paste.
2. Add white sugar, brown sugar, water, nutmeg and cinnamon and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce temperature and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Peel and slice apples and fill pie pan to the top.
5. Pour sugar mixture over apples.

Topping:
¾ cup brown sugar
¾ cup flour
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
½ cup chilled butter

1. Add flour, sugar and nutmeg into a food processor.
2. Slowly add butter and pulse each time the butter is added.
3. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
4. Sprinkle over pie
5. Bake pie for 30 – 40 minutes at 350 degrees or until golden brown.