Category: Columns

By Emily Fry

Nun’s Puffs

This is a delicious recipe and requires very little time and few ingredients to complete. The pastry is a pate-a-choux, which is the same pastry used to make cream puffs and éclairs. Make sure that you thoroughly cook the pastry until it is crisp and golden; undercooking even slightly will cause the puffs to collapse when you take them out of the oven. These taste best when drizzled with honey right after they have come out of the oven.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

1 cup milk

3/4 cup flour

4 eggs

1 tbsp sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Generously grease 12 muffin cups, including the edge and around the top of each cup; set aside.

2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add milk and bring to a boil.

3. Add flour all at once, stirring vigorously.

4. Cook and stir until mixture forms a ball that does not separate.  Remove from heat and cool for five minutes.

5. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for one minute with a wooden spoon after each addition.

6. Divide dough evenly among prepared muffin cups, filling cups about 2/3 full; sprinkle with sugar.

7. Bake about 30 minutes or until golden brown and puffy.

8. Remove from pan and serve immediately.

Source:

Better Homes and Garden Cookbook

By Emily Fry

Staff Writer

Oatmeal Raisin Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you’re stressed studying for finals, and need a little break, why not make some cookies? It will give you a study break, and then while you’re studying you’ll have a nice treat.  Happy baking!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup softened butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups peanut butter

4 1/2 cups rolled oats, mixed with 2 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup M&Ms

1 cup raisins

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large bowl until pale and fluffy.

2. Beat in eggs, vanilla and peanut butter until well-blended.

3. Stir in oats, baking soda, M&Ms, raisins and chocolate chips.

4. Make one-inch balls, place three inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheet.  Flatten to two-inch diameter.

5. Bake at 350 F for 8-10 minutes.

By Emily Fry

Staff Writer

Baked Mac and Cheese

On a cold November day, there is nothing more satisfying than some comfort food like mac and cheese. The school makes an amazing macaroni and cheese, but seems to be serving it less frequently than in the past. If you’re dying to have some mac and cheese right away, try this recipe. It’s not as good as the caf mac and cheese, it’s better. Happy Baking!

Ingredients:

1 lb. elbow macaroni, cooked

5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more for baking dish

1/2 c. all purpose flour

6 c. whole milk

3 1/2 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese

3 tsp. kosher salt

1 c. bread crumbs

1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 tsp. black pepper

Directions

1. Melt the butter in large saucepan over medium heat.

2. Slowly add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for three minutes.

3. Add milk in a steady stream and cook for seven minutes.

4. Add the cheese and 2 tsp. salt and cook for five minutes.

5. Remove the sauce from the heat and add the cooked macaroni.

6. Transfer the macaroni to a buttered 9×13 baking dish.

7. Combine the bread crumbs, 1 tsp salt, pepper and parsley and sprinkle over the casserole.

8. Bake at 400 F until golden brown and bubbling at the edges, about 20 minutes.

Serves: 6-8

Source: Real Simple: Meals Made Easy

By Emily Fry

Staff Writer

Butterscotch Brownies

If you’re looking for a nice break from studying, try these bars.  This recipe is super easy and only takes an hour from start to finish.  Even if you’ll never master calculus, anyone can master this recipe.  Happy baking!

Ingredients:

6 Tbsp. butter

1 3/4 cups brown sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup flour

2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a medium size saucepan, then remove from heat.

2. Add brown sugar and vanilla to the saucepan. Stir to combine.

3. Mix in eggs.

4. In separate bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt.

5. Add the flour mixture to the saucepan and mix just until blended. Batter will be thicker than traditional brownie batter.

6. Place batter in a 13×9 greased pan and bake in 350 F oven for 20-25 minutes.

Source: Sandy Fry

By Emily Fry

Staff Writer

White Pizza

With this recipe you won’t even need the phone number for Domino’s. You can make your own pizza dough or buy pre-made dough from Wal-Mart. My favorite type is pesto sauce with tomatoes and mozzarella, but you can be creative and try any combinations you might like. Happy baking!

Dough Ingredients:

1 1/4 c. water

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. sugar

2 tsp. salt

1/4 c. cornmeal

3 Tbsp. whole wheat flour

3 c. flour

1 Tbsp. yeast

Directions:

1. Mix warm water, oil, salt, sugar and yeast.

2. Let sit about 10 min, until foamy.

3. Add cornmeal and flours.

4. Knead dough five to 10 minutes on a floured surface. Don’t knead too much or the dough will be tough.

5. Let rise in greased bowl until doubled and then punch down.

6. After dough has risen, chill for two hours.

Makes enough dough for two 12-inch pizzas.

Pizza Ingredients:

Dough for two pizzas

4 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced

2 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded

Shredded Parmesan cheese

Pesto

Directions:

1. Work dough into round pies (stretch, roll,whatever works).

2. Put in 12-inch pizza pans, greased and sprinkled with cornmeal.

3. Spread thin layer of pesto on pizza. Top with tomato and cheese.

4. Bake at 450 F for 12 to 15 minutes.

Source: Writer’s own.

By Emily Fry

Staff Writer

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

When people think of Halloween and October, they often think of pumpkins.  To go along with your carved jack-o-lantern, why not make a delicious pumpkin treat?  These easy muffins are definitely more of a treat than a trick.  Happy baking!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 cup semi–sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease and flour muffin pan or use paper liners.
2. Mix sugar, oil and eggs. Add pumpkin and water. In separate bowl mix together baking flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt. Add wet mixture and stir in chocolate chips.
3. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.

From Allrecipes.com

By Emily Fry

Staff Writer

Vegetable Soup

Fall is officially here, which means the weather is starting to get cooler.  On a cold, rainy day, what could be better than a warm bowl of soup, full of fresh vegetables?  This one is especially delicious served with freshly grated parmesan and toasted baguette slices.  Happy cooking!

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

3-14.5 oz cans chicken broth

1 cup water

1/2 lb Yukon potatoes, peeled and chopped in 1 in. chunks

1 Tbsp. fresh thyme

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 can drained canellini beans

1/2 cup alphabet noodles

1-14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

1/4 lb green beans in 1 in. pieces

1 cup broccoli, chopped

Directions:

1)     Heat oil over medium-high heat in a stockpot.  Add onions, carrots and celery. Cook until softened, about five minutes.

2)      Add chicken broth, water, potatoes, thyme, salt, beans and noodles.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover partially, simmer for 15 minutes.

3)     Add tomatoes, green beans and broccoli.  Return to a simmer and cook until tender, about 5-10 minutes.

Source: Real Simple: Meals made easy