What are you cooking or baking today?

I baked Christmas cookies this morning to feed DD. Set some aside for DGS because he requested some of his own.

Thought about baking spritz, but...nahhhh. Maybe when I'm off tomorrow or Thursday.
 

Not specifically today but over the coming weeks.

Using "Birds Dream Topping" and "Maryland Chocolate Chips Cookies" I'll be making an icebox cream cake.

Short Crust Pastry, Half-Moon Pie Maker plus Pork/Beef Mince & Potatoes. Christmas Tourtières.

Chocolate Trifle with cream cheese, Angel Delight, Brownie Bites and Scotch.

Finally, spoonful doughnut balls in cinnamon sugar. Homemade Eggnog.

Yup, we get food until the end of January next year 😂😂😂
 
For some reason, for the last few days I really wish I had 1/4 of a chocolate cake around. I'd slice it and eat a third of it each day. I'd have to drive 50 minutes each way to & from a good bakery... out of proportion for my "need".

I've baked bread, scones, pizza crusts. I don't feel I'm up to baking a cake, I feel I'd need an in-person guide the first time. I've seen cake failures (not a pretty sight). My wife is away still, but in any case I think she wouldn't be into serving as guide... she generally avoids temptation, attempting to control her weight.
 
For some reason, for the last few days I really wish I had 1/4 of a chocolate cake around. I'd slice it and eat a third of it each day. I'd have to drive 50 minutes each way to & from a good bakery... out of proportion for my "need".

I've baked bread, scones, pizza crusts. I don't feel I'm up to baking a cake, I feel I'd need an in-person guide the first time. I've seen cake failures (not a pretty sight). My wife is away still, but in any case I think she wouldn't be into serving as guide... she generally avoids temptation, attempting to control her weight.

This cake from one of the Barefoot Contessa Cookbooks & has worked well for me. I've made it as a sheet cake & layer cake.

Deep Chocolate Cake

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder (plus more for dusting pan)
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk (see note below)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 extra-large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup HOT coffee

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter two 8" pans or one 9 x 13 pan. Line bottom with parchment paper, butter paper and dust pans with cocoa powder.

Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl with a whisk.

In another bowl (a large measuring cup is good), combine buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla.

With the mixer on low speed, slowly add wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on slow, add coffee and stir just to combine scrapping bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. The batter will be runny.

Pour batter into pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until tooth pick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 30 minutes, then turn out on cooling racks and cool completely. I don't worry if the center sinks just a tiny bit, icing will hide it.

NOTE: If you don't have buttermilk, put either 1 Tbsp. lemon juice or 1 Tbsp. vinegar in a measuring cup. Fill with milk (whole milk I think works best) to make 1 cup. Let sit for 5 minutes & then use.

Cream Cheese Icing

1 cream cheese, 8-ounce softened
1/2 cup butter, softened ~ NO SUBSTITUTIONS
1 pound powder sugar (or amount needed)
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt

In large bowl, whip cream cheese and butter until well blended. Gradually add sugar until all has been added. Add the vanilla and salt at the very end mixing in well.
 
I bought Kung Pao Chicken (frozen) and Kung Pao Brussels Sprouts (fresh) at Trader Joe's. I stir-fried the chicken on the stove and baked the brussels sprouts in the oven, then heated up some 3-minute Jasmine rice. We had a nice Asian dinner.

Trader Joe's has some great dishes and I'm always amazed at how cheap my bill is when I check out.
 
I bought Kung Pao Chicken (frozen) and Kung Pao Brussels Sprouts (fresh) at Trader Joe's. I stir-fried the chicken on the stove and baked the brussels sprouts in the oven, then heated up some 3-minute Jasmine rice. We had a nice Asian dinner.

Trader Joe's has some great dishes and I'm always amazed at how cheap my bill is when I check out.
Try the Trader Joe's fettuccini. It's pretty good.
 
The ravioli sounds good. Is it fresh or frozen?

If you like truffle & have an Aldi close, try their truffle goat cheese log. It's one of their specialty items that arrives in the fall. I found a few more the other day, but not sure how much longer they will have them.
 
Browned up some stewing beef and it’s in the slow cooker. Haven’t decided exactly what I’m going to do with it.
It turned out great. I used red wine, fresh herbs, mushrooms, carrots, onions, and a few bits and pieces of other things.
Although all the ingredients were fresh, the herbs were the magic. Enough for at least one more meal.
 
Have 2 pizza doughs in the freezer plus 4 pizza that I didn't use pizzas yesterday. Looks like I'll be making some pizza and calzone for my and my kids' freezers today.

Ricotta is draining now.
 
No baking or cooking involved. However, a delicious and nutritious instant dessert, plain and simple... providing you've got one of these
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One small container of Greek-Style Yoghurt
1/4 cup of clear honey or maple syrup
125g of frozen strawberries
125g of frozen cherries
2 whole small bananas
1-2 cups of UHT Semi-skimmed milk

Put everything in and whizz it off to perfect consistency.

Voilà delicious Yoghurt sorbet with the creaminess of soft serve ice cream.

There's your 5-a-day!

PS, you can choose any frozen fruits you want but make sure to have bananas. Otherwise, you'll have to reduce milk to just 1 cup. Cheers!
 

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