Baking | Good Dinner Mrs Mellen

Category: Baking
- Summertime Pies
  
  Posted at 9:51 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Jul 20th
  To say I love to make pies is a true understatement. I am obsessed with pies, especially summertime pies using the most succulent fresh fruits and berries. A hot bubbly pie fresh from the oven, the juices overflowing, dripping down the sides of the pie plate, I can’t think of a better dessert to serve family and friends. Oh, did I mention a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top? Simple pleasures, so perfect!
  
  I learned to bake from my mother, Helen, who is ninety-seven years old. She loves to bake and shared her passion with me. I remember, at first watching her make pie dough, combining the ingredients, then she would roll out the dough, and line a pie plate. My favorite part was the mixing of the fruits with sugar and spices and then pour into the dough-lined dish. Next, she would meticulously top with the remaining dough and crimp the edges together. My mother would make vents in the top of the pie, and finish with a brush egg yoke then the pie was ready for the oven.
  
  Here are a few of my favorite pie recipes:
  
  LUSCIOUS NECTARINE BLUEBERRY PIE
  
  Luscious Nectarine Blueberry Pie
  
  BLUEBERRY PIE
  
  Fabulous All American Blueberry Pie
  
  PEACH PIE IN PUFF PASTRY
  
  Fresh Summer Peach Pie in Puff Pastry
  
  PEACH SCHNAPPS PIE WITH STREUSEL TOPPING
  
  Peach Schnapps Pie with Streusel Topping
  
  Enjoy!
  
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  Posted in Baking, Pie, summertime recipes | Tagged BLUBERRY PIE, BLUEBERRY-NECTARINE PIE, Peach Pie
- Blueberry Lemon Bundt Cake
  
  Posted at 6:35 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  May 18th
  Bundt cakes, once the punch line in a joke – remember ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’ – are back in fashion. I never stoped making these powerhouse cakes – range from rich fruit filled pounds to a sinful brownie nut cake. Easy to make; a great first cake for a novice baker. I love blueberries and lemons, a winning combination in my Blueberry Lemon Cake. Warning this cake is for lemon lovers!
  
  INGREDIENTS
  
  For the cake:
  
  2 cups blueberries + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  
  2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  
  1 teaspoon baking powder
  
  ½ teaspoon baking soda
  
  1 teaspoon salt
  
  1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  
  2 cups granulated sugar
  
  4 large eggs room temperature
  
  2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  
  ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
  
  2 tablespoons lemon zest
  
  ¼ cup vegetable oil
  
  1 cup full sour cream, room temperature
  
  For the lemon glaze:
  
  2 cup confectioners sugar
  
  3- 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, use as needed
  
  DIRECTIONS
  
  To make the cake:
  
  Preheat oven to 350°F. Add the blueberries and 1 tablespoon of flour to a mixing bowl and toss together until all of the blueberries are coated with the flour. Set aside.
  
  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  
  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar for about 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy.
  
  Mix in the eggs one a time until well combined, then mix in the vanilla. Slowly mix in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and oil.
  
  Add the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients on low speed. Mix in each addition until just combined, making sure not to over mix the batter. There will be quite a bit of batter, so I suggest using a rubber spatula to turn the batter a few times to make sure everything is well combined. Then add the blueberries and gently fold them into the batter until just combined.
  
  Spray a 10-inch bundt pan well with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and evenly spread it around.
  
  Bake at 350°F for 50-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
  
  Remove from the oven and cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then invert the cake onto the wire rack to finish cooling.
  
  Glaze:
  
  In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until well combined and no lumps remain. If the glaze is too thick, add a little more lemon juice. If the glaze is too thin, add a little more powdered sugar to thicken it up.
  
  Pour the glaze on top of the bundt cake and allow to sit for about 10-15 minutes so the glaze can harden.
  
  Enjoy!
  
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  Posted in Baking, Cake, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen | Tagged blueberries, bundt cake, cake, lemon
- Koulourakia – Greek Butter Cookies
  
  Posted at 9:53 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Apr 18th
  Greek Butter Cookies just melt in your mouth. Koulourakia are usually served at Greek Easter along with other delicious baked delicacies. I like these butter cookies for their flaky buttery taste along with a hint of orange and brandy.
  
  1 cup butter, at room temperature
  
  1 cup vegetable oil
  
  2 tablespoon vegetable shortening
  
  1 1/2 cup sugar
  
  1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  
  1/2 cup orange juice
  
  3 eggs
  
  2 tablespoons brandy
  
  7 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  
  2 teaspoons baking powder
  
  1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
  
  Sesame seeds
  
  Beat butter, oil and shortening in a large bowl of electric blender until well blended.
  
  Add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time blending well. Stir baking soda into orange juice, stir. Add to butter mixture. Add eggs and brandy, mixing well.
  
  Combine flour and baking powder.
  
  Add flour 1 cup at a time to creamed mixture. Remove from mixture when dough is heavy. Knead by hand until dough is smooth.
  
  Tear off a piece of dough a little larger than a walnut. Roll between palms to form a pencil shape 6 to 7 inches long, cross dough to form a twist. Place twists one inch apart on lightly greased cookie sheet. Brush with egg wash. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
  
  Bake 350 F for 20 minutes or until golden. Makes about 4 1/2 dozen cookies
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Baking, Baking, cookies, Easter Recipes, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Holiday Celebrations | Tagged Easter, Greek butter cookies, Koulourakia
- DOUBLE CHOCOLATE TEA BREAD
  
  Posted at 11:53 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Apr 13th
  If you follow my recipes and blog you know that I adore baking. I began my infatuation as a young child by my mother’s side, her eager helper. From her I learned to bake delicious cake, pies, and pastries; my first lessons were baking. My mother and grandmother were intuitive cooks who rarely used a formal recipe instead creating delicious meals from scratch – a little this – pinch of that. Baking as my mother shared with me requires a precise measurements and ingredients for the perfect results. I have never forgot her words as we baked together so long ago!
  
  DOUBLE CHOCOLATE TEA BREAD
  
  1 cup Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
  ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa
  1 teaspoon baking powder
  1 teaspoon baking soda
  ½ teaspoon salt
  8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  1 cup sugar
  2 large eggs
  1 teaspoon vanilla
  1 cup sour cream
  
  ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  
  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 9 x 5 loaf pan.
  
  Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt into medium bowl.
  
  Beat butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy in another bowl. While beating, gradually add sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and beat until mixture is smooth.
  
  Add one-fourth flour mixture to egg mixture alternating with one-third sour cream, beginning and ending with flour; beat just until smooth. Fold in chocolate chips.
  
  Scrape batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until knife or skewer inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool completely in pan. Gently loosen edges chocolate loaf with knife and remove from pan. Slice and arrange on plate then dust lightly with powdered sugar.
  
  Serve with fresh strawberries and vanilla ice-cream.
  
  Enjoy!
  
  You can find Good Dinner Mrs Mellen @buzzchomp.com and gooddinnermrsmellen@blogspot.com
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  Posted in Baking, Chocolate, desserts, Food | Tagged chocolate cake, easy baking, quick cake, Tea Breads
- Sandies
  
  Posted at 12:23 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Dec 18th
  My love of baking started when I helped my Mother bake cookies at Christmas time. Since then I’ve never stopped baking cookies for Christmas. Baking isn’t very hard and I am always amazed when I hear people say I don’t like to bake. What’s not to like, sugar, butter, chocolate, all those wonderful ingredients in one place. Baking is very precise, you need to measure the correct amount of ingredients and follow the recipe especially if you’re a beginner. Once you get some experience with baking you can add your personality. Christmas cookies make wonderful personal gifts to share with family and friends. And so many beautiful boxes, bags, tins can be used as containers for your cookies gifts.
  
  A few tips that will help novice bakers. Read all the recipe through before you start and assemble everything that you need. Do any preparation before you start, if the recipe calls for chopped nuts, chop and set aside, eggs separated, same thing. This will make the flow of baking so much easier. Only use unsalted butter. I love Cabot, it’s made in Vermont by the cheddar people, I’m not sure if this butter is available outside of New England. The first time you try a recipe always bake for less time than the recipe calls for and then add additional minutes if needed. Unless your oven is calibrated perfectly and even then, ovens do bake differently. Nothing is worse than over baked cookies, cakes etc. Dry is not good!
  
  At Christmas I just start baking cookies and stop when I don’t have any more time left. I have so many recipes and cookie cookbooks and I keep buying more, I just can’t help myself. I try out one or two new cookies each year to see if I can find another favorite for my holiday tradition. The two recipes that I have included below are some of the first cookies that I make with my mother. These cookies are very basic and easy to make. Out of tradition I make them every year and I want to share them with you.
  
  Sandies – These are wonderful cookies to make a few weeks ahead of time because they keep very well.
  
  1 cup butter
  
  1/3 cup sugar
  
  2 teaspoons vanilla
  
  2 teaspoons water
  
  2 cups flour
  
  1 cup chopped pecans
  
  1 cup confectionery sugar- for rolling cookies after baking
  
  Cream butter, sugar, vanilla and water. Add flour and mix well. Stir in pecans. Shape into small balls. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet in 325 F over for 20 minutes. Remove. Cool slightly . Roll in confectionery sugar
  
  An easy way to do this is put sugar in plastic bag and add 3-4 cookies and gently shake around to coat cookies. Or you can put sugar in a bowl and roll around to coat.
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  Posted in Baking, Christmas, Christmas Recipes, cookies, Dessert, desserts, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen | Tagged Christmas cookies, easy, pecans
- Peanut Butter Blossoms
  
  Posted at 11:25 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Dec 16th
  My love affair with making Christmas Cookies started when I was a little girl helping my mother bake cookies at Christmas. We made large quantities of my mother’s favorite recipes. To this day I have continued the tradition of baking, baking and more baking of delectable cookies. Today I made a favorite cookie of my children when they were little. Peanut Blossoms are a fun cookie topped with a chocolate kiss. Who does love a peanut butter cookie with a chocolate kiss in the center. I love the taste of peanut butter meeting chocolate. I’ve tried different versions of this cookie but always return to the Hershey’s original recipe that I made so long ago.
  
  1 3/4 cups flour
  
  1/2 cup sugar
  
  1/2 cup brown sugar
  
  1 teaspoon baking soda
  
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  
  1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
  
  1/2 cup peanut butter
  
  2 tablespoons milk
  
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
  1 egg
  
  48 chocolate kisses, unwrapped
  
  Pre heat oven to 325 F. In large bowl mix beat shortening and peanut butter. Add sugars mixing until light and fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually beat flour mixture into peanut butter until all the ingredients until combined and dough forms. Shape a teaspoonful of dough into balls. Roll balls in additional sugar(1/2 cup). Place on cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes until golden. Remove cookies from oven and immediately top each cookie with a kiss, pressing down so the cookie cracks slightly around edges of kiss. Cool for 10 minutes. Remove from baking sheet letting cool completely.
  
  Makes 48.
  
  Enjoy!
  
  buzxchomp.com
  
  gooddinnermrsmellen@blogspot.com
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  Posted in Baking, Baking, Christmas Recipes, cookies, Dessert, desserts, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen | Tagged Christmas cookies, easy, Hershey Kisses, peanut butter
- Chocolate Cake with Peppermint Crean Cheese Frosting
  
  Posted at 9:56 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Dec 3rd
  Chocolate Cake with Peppermint Crean Cheese Frosting
  
  Peppermint reminds me of old fashioned Christmases when I would find a big candy cane in my stocking which I would savor for weeks! I love the combination of chocolate, cream cheese and peppermint in this cake. As I take a bite the cool peppermint cream cheese frosting combines with the chocolate cake for an irresistible tempting dessert that will be the star of any Holiday meal.
  
  Ingredients
  
  . 2 cups sugar
  
  . 2 cups all-purpose flour
  
  . ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  
  . 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  
  . 1 teaspoon baking powder
  
  . 1 teaspoon baking soda
  
  . 1 cup buttermilk
  
  . ½ cup vegetable oil
  
  . 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  
  . 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  
  . 1 cup hot water
  
  . Peppermint Frosting (recipe follows)
  
  . Garnish: Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses and crushed candy canes
  
  Instructions
  
  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with baking spray. Line bottoms of pans with parchment paper, and spray again.
  
  2. In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Form a well in center of flour mixture. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until combined. Add hot water, whisking to combine. Pour batter into prepared pans.
  
  3. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes.
  
  4. Remove from oven, and let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks.
  
  5. Spread Peppermint Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Decorate with kisses and crushed candy cane. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with sugared mint leaves, sparkling sugar, and candy canes, if desired. Store in refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  
  Cream Cheese Buttercream
  
  1 8-oz pkg. cream cheese, softened
  
  1 cup butter, softened
  
  2 16-oz pkg. powdered sugar
  
  2 tablespoon whole milk
  
  1 teaspoon vanilla
  
  1 teaspoon peppermint extract
  
  1/4 teaspoon salt
  
  Beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium
  
  speed until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, milk, vanilla,
  
  peppermint, and salt, and beat until smooth. Increase speed to
  
  medium high, and beat until light and fluffy.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Baking, Cake, Chocolate, Christmas, Christmas Recipes, desserts, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen | Tagged chocolate cake, Christmas, peppermint cream cheese frosting
- Pumpkin Spice Cake with Brown Sugar Icing
  
  Posted at 10:49 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Nov 3rd
  In New England we celebrate Autumn with gusto like the strong winds creating falling leave whirlpools on front lawns then whisking the colorful leaves away to decompose in the woods. Fall is a glorious season inviting all to partake in the cornucopia of scents and tastes indicative of the season. I love to bake aromatic cakes, pies and cookies filling my home with spicy fragrances; a perfect companion to falling temperatures complimenting the change from summer to fall. On a brisk fall day what could be more appropriate than a piece of spice cake with a cup of tea sitting by the fire watching the changing jewel tone leaves float quietly to the ground.
  - For cake
    - 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened, plus additional for greasing bundt pan
    - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting pan
    - 2 teaspoons baking powder
    - 1 teaspoon baking soda
    - 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
    - 1/2 teaspoon salt
    - 1 1/4 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin (from a 15-ounce can; not pie filling), Libby’s Pumpkin
    - 3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk
    - 1 teaspoon vanilla
    - 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
    - 3 large eggs
  - For icing
  - 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  - 1/3 cup heavy cream1/4 cup salted butter
  - 1 cup powdered sugar
  - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  - Special Equipment
    - a 10-inch nonstick bundt pan (3 quart)
  PREPARATION
  - Make cake:
    - Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter bundt pan generously, then dust with flour, knocking out excess.
    - Whisk together flour (2 1/4 cups), baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin spice, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together pumpkin, 3/4 cup buttermilk, and vanilla in another bowl.
    - Beat butter (1 1/2 sticks) and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes, then add eggs and beat 1 minute. Reduce speed to low and add flour and pumpkin mixtures alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing until batter is just smooth.
    - Spoon batter into pan, smoothing top, then bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack 15 minutes, then invert onto severing plate. Cool 10 minutes more.
  - Make icing:
  - Bring light brown sugar, heavy cream, and salted butter to a boil in a 1-quart saucepan over medium, stirring often. Boil, stirring often, 1 minute; remove from heat. Gradually whisk in powdered sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla extract until smooth.
  - Drizzle icing over warm cake, then cool cake completely. Icing will harden slightly.
  Cake can be made 3 days ahead and kept in an airtight container
  
  buzzchomp.com
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  Posted in Baking, Baking, Cake, Dessert, Easter Recipes, Food | Tagged fall baking, Libby's pumpkin, New England, spice cake
- Fall Apple Desserts
  
  Posted at 4:51 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Oct 21st
  In New England we are love to celebrate the fall season. Cool morning with warm sunny days, jewel tone leaves, farm roadside stands bursting with the last of summer’s bounty all signal the change in the seasons. Nature’s premier show on display for all to enjoy. Fall baking is one of my favorite past times and I especially love to make apple desserts. Going through all my post I realized I’m kind of obsessed with apples, cakes, pies, cupcakes and more. When I’m creating a new cake or pie the fall just inspires me like nature to give it my all and go wild! Here are a few of my fall favorites that I have posted over the years.
  
  Candied Apple Fudge Bundt Cake
  
  Candied Apple Fudge Bundt Cake
  
  FANTASTIC APPLE PIE
  
  Fantastic Fall Apple Pie
  
  CANDIED APPLE CRUMB CAKE
  
  Candied Apple Crumb Cake
  
  FALL APPLE PIE
  
  FALL APPLE PIE
  
  Enjoy!
  
  Gooddinnermrsmellen.com
  
  buzzchomp.com
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  Posted in Baking, Baking, desserts, Food, Uncategorized | Tagged apples, cake, fall desserts, Pie
- FALL APPLE PIE
  
  Posted at 4:44 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Oct 1st
  Good Dinner Mellen loves pies and one of my favorite pie to bake is apple. I love the smell of apples, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice baking in the oven; the scent escaping throughout the kitchen. Who can resit a piece of warm apple pie topped with rich vanilla ice cream.
  
  Pastry:
  
  2 1/2 cups flour
  
  1 teaspoon salt
  
  1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
  
  1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter
  
  1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water
  
  Measure flour and salt into a bowl. Cut into butter thoroughly with a pastry blender. Sprinkle in the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing with a fork until flour is moistened and dough almost cleans the side of the bowl.
  
  Gather the dough into a ball, then shape, divide the dough in half and shape into 2 flattened rounds.) Chill dough for at least one hour. On a lightly floured board roll each dough rounds 2 inches larger all around than the inverted pie pan. Place pastry on parchment or wax paper lined baking sheet, and chill.
  
  9 medium size firm tart apples, cored and thinly sliced. (I used Granny Smith)
  
  2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  
  2/3 cup granulated sugar
  
  2 tablespoon quick tapioca
  
  1/4 teaspoon salt
  
  1 teaspoon cinnamon
  
  1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  
  1/4 teaspoon allspice
  
  1/4 cup boiled apple cider
  
  2 tablespoon butter
  
  Preheat oven to 425 F. Put apple slices mixing bowl sprinkle with lemon juice. Combine sugar, tapioca, salt, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg toss mix well and toss with apples. Place on pastry round in pie plate. Pour apple mixture into the pie crust and dot with butter. Carefully cover the apples with top pastry, trim the overhang, and crimp the edges to seal. Cut vents in top pie crust to allow steam to escape. Brush crust with milk and sprinkle with sugar for a nice shine. Bake the pie for 20 minutes then lower oven to 375 and bake for another 40 minutes or until pastry is nicely browned and the juices in the center of the pie are bubbling. Let cool slightly on a wire rack before serving. Serve plan or with vanilla ice cream!
  
  Enjoy!
  
  buzzchomp.com
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  Posted in Apples, Baking, Dessert, desserts, Pie | Tagged Apple Pie, fall desserts
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