Bake-stravaganza!

The 2009 Parade of State Fair Baking Entries

2009-08-29T12:29:00.000-07:00

My schedule was really tight this year for State Fair baking. I was working in my new classroom the week prior to the drop-off Sunday, and returned home Thursday night, just in time to bake all day on Friday and Saturday. Somehow, I managed to get all 21 entries finished.

The ingredient line-up on Day 1.

Works in progress on Day 2.

The completed entries at 12:30 am, ready for the 8:00 am drop-off at the fairgrounds on Sunday morning.

The Entries:
Apple pie, Peach pie, Pound cake, Sponge cake, Angel Food Cake, Lemon Meringue Pie, Ethnic Bread, Sweet Rolls, White bread, Fruit Bread (Blueberry Almond), Fruit type cake (Strawberry - my own experiment), Raisin bread, Herb bread, Coffee cake (yeast bread type), Brownies plain, Chocolate chip cookies, Oatmeal cookies, Icebox cookies (chocolate), Ball cookie (gingersnaps), Peanut butter cookies, and Brownies with nuts.

Bake-SLACKaganza.

2009-07-26T19:35:00.000-07:00

I have been spending the majority of my summer working on teaching job applications and traveling about the state of Minnesota for interviews, so there hasn't been much time or energy to bake. Ironic too, that we're having one of the coolest summers on record. I've had the air conditioning on for about a total of 6 days this year. It's the perfect time to have the oven on.

Anyway, I plan to work on some entries this weekend. I have some baking to do for my cousin's wedding shower, so I will be working on some goodies by Friday.

I did bake my mom's birthday cake this month. She requested all chocolate. I didn't have buttermilk on hand, so I couldn't make my favorite, Cocoa Fudge Cake. I made my next chocolate favorite, Devil's Food Cake. I frosted it with French Silk Frosting. Chocoholics around the world rejoiced.

2009 State Fair Registration Time!

2009-05-09T17:54:00.000-07:00

May 1 marked the first day of 2009 State Fair online registration. I gathered all my recipes and notes together and completed my registration today. The final tally: 21 entries. I'm hoping to win at least 8 ribbons. I am challenging myself and trying some new recipes and entering difficult categories, so I may not reach my goal, but I'm excited to try!

If anyone out there likes to bake, I hope you enter the competition! The minimum age for entry is 14, and you can have up to 25 entries.

http://www.mnstatefair.org/pages/creative_activities.html

Be proud of what you can create!

Some cakes are better upside down.

2009-04-12T13:51:00.000-07:00

The dessert of tradition on Easter in the Findlay family was pineapple upside-down cake. It's also another one of Mr. Findlay-Lampkin's favorite desserts. During our courting stage, I decided to make it for him, only to find out I had no more than crushed pineapple in my cupboard. I decided to try it, and discovered I like it better than the pineapple rings. I also will add a little coconut, and sometimes pecans, to jazz it up a little bit. Watch your baking time - this cake can take as long as 40 minutes to bake.

I set my pans in the oven while it preheats to melt the butter.

Dark brown sugar is great for the topping. Mix the butter, brown sugar, and water (or substitute pineapple juice, if you're so inclined).

Spread out the butter/sugar mixture, and garnish with maraschino cherries (make sure the round side is down in the pan). I like to add a little coconut to the pan.

Use a fork to evenly set the pineapple in the pan.

Spoon the batter on top of the pineapple mixture CAREFULLY.

I spread the batter from the center to the sides of the pan.

The pans are ready for the oven.

The baked cakes, still in their pans.

Loosen the cake from the sides of the pan with a thin metal spatula or a knife.

Now it's time to flip. Place the serving plate upside down over the top of the cake pan.

With one hand on top and one on the bottom, flip the cake pan and plate over.

The cake pan should easily lift off of the plate, and the cake should come right out.

The finished pineapple upside down cakes! The best part about this cake is you eat it warm, so it's instant cake gratification.

Triple Berry Cobbler

2009-03-21T19:07:00.000-07:00

It's no secret that Mr. Findlay-Lampkin is a huge fan of any kind of fruit cobbler. Being from Mississippi, he usually prefers peach cobbler. Unfortunately, winter is a terrible time to find good peaches in Minnesota. However, we did have a container of blackberries and some frozen raspberries in the refrigerator. I picked up some strawberries to make a triple berry cobbler.

This is the peach cobbler recipe that I found online that I usually make. I changed it a little bit, and did half brown sugar and half white to mix with the berries. I also used about a cup of sugar - berries need more sugar added than peaches do, and omitted the cinnamon. Otherwise, I made the crust as it is shown in the recipe.

Starting with the raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries.

The fruit is cut, and the sugar mixture is added.

The crust is a similar process to making biscuits. First, I cut the butter into the flour mixture.

As I added the buttermilk, I stirred the mixture with a fork.

Spoon the crust on top of the fruit mixture.

I spread the crust out a bit after I spooned it on top of the fruit. I sprinkled some brown sugar over the top before baking.

The baked cobbler! As you can see, the crust sits on top of the fruit mixture. The fruit juice cooked out of the berries, so the cobbler was a little soupy. Next time I try this, I think I will add some cornstarch to make it more like a jelly filling.

Cookies, anyone?

2009-03-10T11:14:00.001-07:00

I had another productive Sunday a few weeks ago, and made 3 batches of cookies so I could bring some to my Family Education Strategies class. I'm planning to enter all three of these recipes in the State Fair this year, so it was also good practice forming those perfect round blobs of dough.

The first batch I made was plain oatmeal cookies. I'm using a recipe from Better Homes and Gardens Biggest Cookie Book.

I'm working on the shape of these cookies, trying to make them round and evenly sized. Also, I want to maintain a chewy consistency.

I'm still working on the shape of the chocolate chip cookies. I am not sure if I'm going to use this recipe for the fair. I don't think they taste rich enough. I'm going to try a new recipe soon from the newest issue of Everyday Food magazine.

It was quite a productive and caloric day! The third type of cookies is gingersnaps that I've made many, many times.

Ridiculously Large Brownies

2009-02-09T20:35:00.000-08:00

I was reminded at the best time (8:45 PM) that I had offered to bring goodies to my Strategies in Family Education class the next day. When I checked my email I found a message from Jo-Ann stores, advertising a new brownie book from Wilton, with a recipe link. I decided to make these Cake Brownies to bring in, even though I had to run to the grocery store to get eggs. (Most of the eggs in the previous post were already used.) Because the recipe only made a smaller square pan, I decided to go ahead and double it for a 9 x 13 pan.

The pan of brownies could have anchored a boat. They were, without a doubt, the biggest brownies I have made. Of course, in a Chocolate Emergency type of situation, this would definitely be an attribute.

Here's a better view of the thickness of the brownies. The recipe used cake flour, which may have had an effect.

Instead of frosting the brownies, I gave them a good dusting of powdered sugar.

The brownies were a hit at class. I believe I am going to add this recipe to the list of State Fair entries for this year. The flavor is a good balance of chocolate and sweet. However, I've found that one recipe makes more than enough brownies to satisfy my sweet tooth.

Egg Cake Practice

2009-02-08T19:33:00.000-08:00

When it comes to egg cakes....BE PREPARED!

Last year at the fair I entered the Angel Food Cake category. I have not made an angel food cake very much, so it was a learning experience. I scored a 90 out of 100, not too bad, so I think I have a good start. This weekend was my grandma's birthday, and angel food is one of her favorites, so I took the opportunity to practice the cake for this year. The recipe I used is from my 1969 version of Betty Crocker, called Deluxe Angel Food Cake (another version is Supreme Angel Food Cake). This same recipe is on the Betty Crocker web site as Heavenly Angel Food Cake.

I like beating the egg whites with my trusty partner-in-crime, the KA. Twelve egg whites have a LOT of volume when beaten!

The egg whites are ready when they form stiff peaks.

Next I sprinkle in the cake flour mixed with powdered sugar. I should be sifting this into the mixture. Next time I will not be so lazy.

Folding the flour/sugar mixture into the egg white mixture.

It's ready for the ungreased tube pan (again, nix the non-stick stuff). My pan is by Wilton.

I'm cutting through the mixture with a knife to eliminate any air pockets. They are my foes in this cake, causing those unsightly holes that are found in unpleasant ways (such as when the judges are slicing into the cake at the fair).

Cracks, cracks everywhere! These weren't terrible, but there IS room for improvement.

IMMEDIATELY after removing the cake from the oven, it must be inverted in order for it to cool without collapsing. I saved a glass Coke bottle just for this purpose. I bought the Coke just for this purpose of cooling foam type cakes.

The cooled cake, extracted from the pan. Not too shabby, but more test runs are needed. Those blasted air pockets get me every time! I think I need to push the batter into the pan more than I do. We'll see what happens next time.

The next experiment was an Orange Sponge Cake. I'd never made a sponge cake at all, so this task was a little more daunting. It's pretty similar to the Angel Food Cake, so I had an idea of how it should look. Still, it was a test run, so I had to buckle down and not slack on any part of the procedure. The recipe is from the 1953 Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.

I'm whipping up the egg yolks and orange juice in the KA first.

The cake flour is sifted, then folded into the egg yolk mixture. (I did sift the flour for this cake.)

Next I beat the egg whites with my hand mixer.

This is how voluminous six egg whites become!

The eggs whites are folded into the other mixture.

Pushing the batter into the tube pan, same as the angel food cake.

My heart sank, much as the cake sank. I do not think I beat the egg yolks long enough. Next time the egg whites are going into the stand mixer, and the yolks will be beat by the hand mixer. I don't think my whisk attachment reached enough of the yolks in the initial beating process.

I placed the cake top side down on a cardboard cake round and drizzled an orange glaze over it. It was a little low in the middle, but it had good flavor. I may try a new recipe, to compare the results with this one.

2008 Minnesota State Fair: Yellow Cake (also known as my FIRST BLUE RIBBON!)

2009-01-31T20:52:00.000-08:00

(middle shelf, towards right, blue ribbon)
Cakes with Shortening: Cake, not otherwise specified lot: 1st place

This cake is the preferred birthday option of my sister, who requests a yellow cake with chocolate frosting every year. Last year was her golden birthday, so I made it using cake flour for the first time. I could not believe how well it turned out. I wished I could have entered that cake in the fair! There is not a lot for yellow cakes, believe it or not, so this cake ended up in the "Not Otherwise Specified" lot, because there wasn't another lot it would fit in.

I remember the morning the fair results were posted I had an 8 am class at the U of M, and I couldn't check the results until after class, as they were posted at 8 am as well. I think I ran the last leg of my walk back to my car, then flew down the parkway to get home to my computer! I saw the first 4 results (Banana Bread, White Cake, Spice Cake, and Chocolate Cake), and then I saw my name in first place in this lot. I did a lot of jumping around and fist pumping when I saw the result! I really hoped I would be able to contend for the Grand Cake of the Fair. They judge all the cakes in the shortening and the egg categories, and deem the best of all the blue ribbon cakes the Grand Cake of the Fair. (Ironically, my spice cake had a higher score for the cake component!) Well, there's always this year!

2008 Minnesota State Fair: Chocolate Cake

2009-01-31T19:34:00.001-08:00

(middle shelf, towards left, pink ribbon)
Cakes with Shortening: Cake, chocolate lot: 4th place

I had entered this category in 2007 using Betty Crocker's newest version of a Devil's Food Cake recipe, frosted with French Silk Frosting. It bombed. I realized that whenever I make a chocolate cake for a birthday, I go to my old standby, Cocoa Fudge Cake. I decided this year I would enter the one that I always like to eat and it always comes out well. Although I got a very good score on this cake, it placed 4th in the lot. Still, I was quite pleased with the results. And again, the secret was using cake flour.

Mr. Findlay-Lampkin told me once that this cake was good because it tasted like a Suzy-Q. I think that was supposed to be a compliment.

2008 Minnesota State Fair: White Cake

2009-01-23T16:51:00.000-08:00

(bottom shelf, towards left side, red ribbon)
Cakes with Shortening: White Cake (with egg whites) lot: 2nd place

I remember this cake was the first one I made from scratch as a 2 layer cake. It was a snowy day, and we had the afternoon off from school. I think I was in the 6th grade. It was a rather inauspicious beginning, but I used it as a starting point for exploring more baking projects and developing my cake making skills.

Like the Spice Cake category, I entered this cake on a whim. I was surprised this cake placed as high as it did. It didn't receive a terribly high score (my 4th place chocolate cake actually had a higher score), but it was good enough for second place in this lot. I think the trick is using cake flour instead of all purpose flour. I like putting more almond flavor into this cake, and I like the white on white color combination.

Holiday Food Fun!

2009-01-12T14:58:00.000-08:00

I set up shop in the kitchen at the beginning of the holidays every year. I usually make a few different kinds of cookies, as well as baking for gifts. This year I created State Fair Sampler Packs with 5 of the entries I plan to make for the fair this summer.

I also help with meals on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. On Christmas Eve I always make clam chowder and salmon dip, and I like to make some of my Grandma Findlay's specialties, namely her famous sauerkraut meatballs and cinnamon applesauce jello. This year on Christmas Day we had a Greek/Middle Eastern themed meal. I made tabbouleh and helped my mom make spinach pie.

My mom and I working in the kitchen. We had 2 Kitchen Aid stand mixers going at once. Thank goodness they have 2 convection ovens and a root cellar that stays very cool in the winter. We need all the space!

My dad, or the esteemed washer of the dishes, and I in the kitchen on Christmas Eve. I made the apron he's wearing. I embroidered his favorite kitchen saying on the front: "Cookbooks are for wimps."

I'm coating chocolate mint wafer cookies here. It's my new favorite holiday cookie to make. I got the recipe from Everyday Food magazine, the December 2007 issue.

I also tried some new cookies, Almond Sweets and Chocolate-Covered Cherry Cookies, that will be back next year. Cranberry Jumbles turned out well and tasted good, but didn't seem like a Christmas cookie. We'll save that one for the fall.

Mom's Julekage dough getting ready to rise. This is a Norweigian holiday bread made with candied fruit and cardamom. She led me through the process - I plan to make this for an ethnic bread category at the fair.

Here's a test run of one of my fair entries - Blueberry Almond bread. So far I'm getting good reviews, so this recipe is a keeper for the fair.

The 2009 State Fair Sampler Pack: Gingersnaps*, Oatmeal Cookies, Irresistible Brownies*, Blueberry Almond Bread, and Cinnamon Rolls*. (*recipes previously posted)

Making the famous sauerkraut meatballs.

The meatballs are shaped, then chilled overnight.

The next day, the meatballs are dipped in an egg and milk mixture, then rolled in bread crumbs before baking.

My mom and I constructing the spinach pie. The phyllo dough sheets are paper thin, so you must work with them quickly so they do not dry out and tear! This is a two person job. Mom brushed the butter on the sheets, and I laid them in the pan.

The filling for the spinach pie.

Laying down the other half of the phyllo sheets on top of the filling.

The last dish I prepare on Christmas Eve is the famous clam chowder. I learned how to make this in my 9th grade Family Enterprise class at SCC, courtesy again of Ms. Monson. The recipe was a secret passed to her from a former restaurant owner. She held onto it for 10 years, then shared it with us. I've made it every year since then, so it's been about 15 years!

Prep work - every cook's delight and joy.

Clams getting happy in the stock pot.

I have 3 pots going at once in this dish. Clams in one, milk in another, and vegetables in a third. The aptly named "Robo Stove" at Mom and Dad's house, powered by gas, has cut the prep time of this soup in half.

The clam chowder gets to hang out in the crock pot for the rest of the night.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Making a cake from scratch. No boxes required!

2009-01-06T19:57:00.000-08:00

Cake mixes may offer a little convenience, but they cannot compare to a creation from staple ingredients that may already be in your kitchen. I've been making cakes from scratch for a long time. In fact, we stopped getting cakes from the bakery for birthdays long ago. It's been great practice for the State Fair too - I won 4 ribbons in the cake categories this past year and 5 overall.

My dad recently had his birthday just before Christmas. As per his usual request, I made a spice cake with maple frosting. (He suggested this combination long before I entered it in the Fair.) The recipe is posted in the Spice Cake blog entry from December 28. Here is each step of my cake-making process.

First, I mix my sugar and fat (shortening, butter, oil) together.

This process is called creaming. Here is the creamed butter, shortening, and sugar.

Next I beat in the eggs, one at a time. At this point I also add any extracts, such as vanilla or almond.

Mixing in the spices and baking powder/baking soda. (Ideally, I should combine this with the flour, but I'm lazy sometimes.)

Lastly, I alternative additions of the flour and the liquid (milk, buttermilk, water) to the batter. I always end with the last of the liquid.

After I get all the ingredients combine, I scrape the bowl to make sure there aren't any unsightly lumps, or flour sticking to the side of the bowl.

Finally, I beat the batter for a few minutes to get it nice and smooth.

Next, I get my pans ready. These are my 8 inch round cake pans. I got them at the grocery store in Madison when I was in college. I love the whirly-gig that loosens the cake from the pans after baking - VERY helpful! These are probably about $3 cake pans. I swear by cheap, NOT nonstick bakeware. It works really well for me!

After brushing shortening onto the sides and bottom of the pan, take a little flour and tap it around into the pan to form a light coating.

Greased and floured cake pans.

Take care to fill the pans as evenly as possible with the cake batter for uniform layers.

Make sure to stagger the placement of the pans in the oven for maximum heat circulation.

After testing the cake for doneness with a toothpick, I let them cool in the pans on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Then I loosen the cake with my pan helpers. With other cake pans, I loosen the sides of the cake with a knife, and tap the bottom of the pan to loosen the cake. Often I let the cake fall out onto the outstretched palm of my hand, then flip it over onto the cooling rack.

Let the layers cool completely on a wire rack.

Next, I prepare the frosting. I plan ahead and set my butter out when I begin making the cake so it will be softened by the time I want to use it. This is the mixture of butter and powdered sugar.

The mixture with the maple flavoring mixed in.

After the milk is beaten in, I test the consistency of the frosting to see how it will spread. If it's too stiff I'll beat it a little more or add a little more milk.

Prepping the cake layers for frosting. I had a little ridge form on this layer, so I'm trimming it with a serrated knife.

After covering a round cardboard with foil, I set down one of the layers (usually the one that has the flatter top so the other layer will stack balanced). Then I spread the frosting with my large spatula.

Adding the second layer after frosting the first, making sure the cake is lined up evenly.

I start frosting the sides with a thin layer, then add more and create a smooth look.

Last, I frost the top and round the edge of frosting from the sides to the top.

The frosted cake, ready for a little primping.

Using my icing decorator, I form a decorative edge along the bottom and the top of the cake.

The finished borders.

Using the remaining frosting, I tint it with some brown food coloring to write on the cake. I used a toothpick to add the color so I could control the shade of brown I would make. Then I mixed the color into the frosting and put it in my decorator's tube.

I change the icing tip to write "Happy Birthday Dad" on the cake.

The finished cake! And because I'm such a good daughter, I didn't even reveal my dad's age. :)

2008 Minnesota State Fair: Spice Cake

2008-12-28T21:28:00.000-08:00

(bottom shelf, right side, red ribbon)
Cakes with Shortening: Spice Cake lot: 2nd place

I started making this cake about 7 years ago, when my dad requested it for his birthday. I entered this category on a whim, and was very pleasantly surprised with the 2nd place ribbon. (The winning cake was made by the Supreme Baker of the Fair, which is the competitor who earns the most points for their entries.) This cake scored very well. The frosting appearance was very smooth, and the layers were even.

Thanksgiving = Pie Time!

2008-12-04T15:48:00.000-08:00

Every Thanksgiving I usually make at least 2 different pies. We were travelling this year, so I needed to make two that would take well to a 14 hour car trip. Apple pie and pecan pie were the clear winners. I will also be entering all three pie categories at the State Fair this year, so I like to get as much practice as I can!

I used pastry and pie recipes from Betty Crocker. (I much prefer the older cookbooks where the pies are in a separate chapter from the cakes, but I digress.) The newer version of the pastry recipe only lists shortening for the fat. If you use lard, use 1/3 cup for a one crust pie and 2/3 cup for a two crust pie.

Better Homes and Gardens is also a good resource for pie recipes.

For the apple pie I like to use Haralson apples. They are plentiful in October in Minnesota, but not much before or after. Luckily, apples keep for a long time in the refrigerator. Remember that fruit will cook down considerably in a pie, so use a lot of apples! I usually use 10 in a pie (8 if I have bigger apples).

I also use more pecans than the pecan pie recipe states - I probably use close to 2 cups. Pecans can get expensive, so look for them on sale. The best bargain for pecans? Fleet Farm! (No joke.)

Yes, I use lard. There's no better way to make a pie crust.

I use a measuring cup that I can push the lard out of and into the bowl. This is great to use for measuring shortening as well.

I use a hand pastry blender to cut the lard into the flour. A good tip is to chill the lard before mixing the crust - it will be flakier with chilled fat.

This is how the pastry dough will look when the lard and flour are blended.

Sprinkle COLD water over the flour mixture and mix with a fork. It will start to come together and off the sides of the bowl.

Form the mixture into a ball.

Getting the pastry cloth ready to roll out the dough. Work the flour into the cloth and rolling pin cover.

As I roll out the crust I rotate my pastry board so it will roll out evenly.

The crust is ready to be laid in the pie pan. Fold the pastry in half, then into quarter. Transfer to pie plate and unfold.

Trim the excess to about an inch from the edge of the pan. Fold the excess pastry under to form a smooth edge. Leave a little extra over the edge of the pan - the pastry will shrink as it bakes.

This is the unbaked pecan pie filling in the shell.

The baked pecan pie!

Two Crust Pies

For a 2 crust pie such as this apple pie, leave about 1/2 inch excess on the bottom crust, fill the shell with the pie filling, then lay the second crust over the filling (fold in quarters again). Trim excess pastry to about 1 inch.

Fold the top crust under the bottom crust to seal the pie crust. (Notice the volume of apples - this will decrease after baking.)

Cut slits in the top crust for steam to escape during baking. Fruit has a high water content, and the water will turn to steam in the oven.

I sprinkle a cinnamon/sugar mixture over the top crust before baking.

The baked apple pie!

Chocolate Emergency

2008-11-10T06:53:00.000-08:00

A Chocolate Emergency is a very common ailment, caused by the need for sweets. It can easily be cured with a dessert that is easy to make and does not have to cool completely before consuming. (Incidentally, my college roommate told me she used to know what kind of day I was having if she could smell the brownies baking down the hall when she came home from class.)

These brownies are great for a Chocolate Emergency, as they also have chocolate chips. The amount of chocolate is instantly doubled, which may leave you dazed and engorged, but feeling quite satisfied.

In case you're wondering....I use Hershey's chocolate/cocoa for everything. I like the flavor best out of all the brands I've tried.

I cut the butter into chunks so it melts more evenly in the microwave.

Next I mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl.

Then I mix in the wet ingredients

Finally, I mix in the chocolate chips.

The only downfall is having to wait the 30 minutes until the brownies are finished baking. By the time they come out of the oven I can only wait for them to cool about 10 minutes before I have to have one. Luckily, brownies are best served warm!

Cookie Fun this weekend.

2008-11-02T15:29:00.000-08:00

I have plans to enter 6 cookie lots at the fair this year, so I need some practice. Cookies are very competitive categories!

I made a batch of chocolate chip cookies and 2 batches of peanut butter cookies with recipes from my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook (1996). I like the results from these recipes, especially the chocolate chip cookies. I'd rather use all butter, but my cookies always brown and spread more than I want them to; now I use half butter, half shortening, and I like the way they turn out much better.

I entered Chocolate Crinkles (Betty Crocker, 1963-1996) in the fair last year in the "Ball cookies, not flattened before baking" lot. Unfortunately, I didn't win a ribbon with those cookies. However, they're still one of Mr. Findlay-Lampkin's favorites. I'm lucky to get a taste of them when he's around. They are almost a cake-like cookie, because of the amount of eggs in them.

When making Chocolate Crinkles, you put a teaspoon of dough in the powdered sugar before forming into a ball.

Make sure to grease the pan with shortening before baking.

The finished cookies! They have a unique look, and are quite delicious!

This year I plan to enter the same cookie lot, only with a different cookie. I will make gingersnaps for my ball cookie. This recipe is from my 9th grade Family Enterprise class at SCC. I'm not sure where it's from, but it's a good recipe. Thanks Ms. Monson!

Mixing the molasses into the creamed sugar and shortening.

Adding the spices, soda, and salt. I like using small cups with measurements of these types of ingredients.

The finished dough

Take about a teaspoon of dough and form into a ball. Gingersnaps are not a large cookie.

Roll the ball of dough in the granulated sugar

Place on cookie sheet

The finished cookies! They will also have a cracked appearance, but will flatten during baking.

Here's an easy dessert - Chocolate Chip Bars

2008-10-26T08:11:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while I will stray from the oven to make a dessert. This is one of my favorites that my mom would make when we were kids - Chocolate Chip Bars. She got the recipe from a cookbook she used in a microwave cooking class many years ago. I don't remember the exact name of the cookbook - I think it may have been published by Hotpoint.
I started making these when I was in college - I remember a friend of mine would come over on Wednesday nights to study macroeconomics, and I'd have the bars ready for our study session.
I've made these bars so many times I have the recipe memorized. They are so easy and do not take much time to make. I will start making dinner and put a stick of butter out to soften as I prepare other food. Then after everything else is done, I can whip the bars together.
As an experiment, I tried baking these in the oven once. This recipe is definitely created exclusively for the microwave!

This is how the batter looks when it is spread out in the pan.

Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top.

7 minutes later, you will have chocolate chip bars! They are best when they are served warm. However, I've never been able to wait for them to cool when I eat them!

My new favorite yeast bread project - Cinnamon Rolls

2008-10-19T19:29:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: Here's the recipe I used, from Better Homes and Gardens. I didn't want to post this earlier because I didn't want any students to get confused about the recipe they used in class.

I decided to try my hand at cinnamon rolls this coming year at the fair. The first time I made them they turned out very nicely. The second time I made them, Mr. Findlay-Lampkin requested that half the batch be caramel rolls. After eating them, he requested that all future batches be caramel rolls. Well, I still need to practice for the fair, so I'll still make a few plain rolls. But I like the caramel rolls too, so I made more this time.

St Anthony students might find this interesting - I believe you have your last yeast breads lab this week.

I use a candy thermometer to measure the temperature of the milk so the yeast activates properly.

The dough hook on my Kitchen Aid mixer helps to knead the dough

I hand knead the dough for a minute or two, just enough to make it manageable. Then I put it in a greased bowl to rise.

Punching down the dough after the first rising. After punching down the dough is divided in half.

"Resting" the halves of the dough.

The dough gets rolled out into a rectangle (about the size of a sheet of paper), then brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with a cinnamon/sugar mixture.

Rolling up the dough with the filling.

In order to have well shaped rolls you cannot cut them with a knife. I use a piece of heavy thread, put it under the roll, and pull the ends in opposite directions to slice the rolls.

A slice of the roll.

When I enter the cinnamon rolls in the fair, I plan to bake separately on a cookie sheet, as pictured below.

This will be how my fair entries look.

This morning I made 2 pans of caramel rolls. To start, you spread the caramel mixture in the bottom of a round pans. I sprinkled mine with pecan chips.

Then I place the slices of the roll on top of the caramel.

The rolls rise again. I think I will try to see if I can get 3 pans the next time I make these - this pan is a little crowded!

The rolls after baking. I loosened them along the sides, and inverted the pan onto a plate.

The finished caramel rolls!

I really enjoy making and eating these rolls. I need a whole morning to make them - they take about 2 1/2 hours from start to finish. But you'll never go back to store-bought or a can again!

Re-entering the foray of yeast breads

2008-10-19T19:16:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I made bread. I used to make my own bread all the time. Unfortunately, I had a jug of water leak while stored under my sink, right next to my Kitchen Aid mixer and its attachments. My uncoated dough hook became a casualty, as the metal oxidized and the finish was compromised. I could no longer use that dough hook; then it took me almost 3 years to replace it. I am now the proud owner of a new coated dough hook, and I'm back in the yeast bread making game.

I tested a recipe for white bread from a cookbook I bought in Jackson, MS. I thought the recipe came together well, but I thought the bread could have been a little more tan on top.

After the bread had cooled and had been wrapped up, I sliced a loaf tonight. I realized that I didn't push enough air out of the dough when I formed the loaves. There are too many air pockets, and the bread looks almost porous. I will be working on my dough techniques through the year.

2009 Minnesota State Fair Entries

2008-10-19T18:51:00.000-07:00

It might sound a little crazed, but I have already planned my entries for the 2009 State Fair. I'm feeling even more ambitious and have 20 entries selected. Hey, if you're going to win a ribbon in every category lot, you have to bake a lot of entries!

Here are the scheduled entries thus far:

Yeast Breads, plain dough: Bread, White
Yeast Breads, plain dough: Bread, Herb (Onion Bread)
Yeast Breads, plain dough: Bread, Raisin
Yeast Breads, sweet dough: Coffee Cake
Yeast Breads, sweet dough: Sweet Rolls, plain
Quick Breads: Other fruit bread, may use nuts (Blueberry Almond Bread)
Egg Cakes: Angel food, white
Egg Cakes: Sponge
Cakes with Shortening: Cake, pound
Cakes with Shortening: Vegetable or fruit type (Pumpkin Cake)
Cookies: Chocolate brownies with nuts and/or frosting
Cookies: Cookies, icebox (Chocolate Icebox)
Cookies: Cookies, ball type, not flattened before baking (Gingersnaps)
Cookies: Cookies, chocolate chip
Cookies: Cookies, peanut butter
Cookies: Cookies, oatmeal, no fruit, nuts, chips, or icing
Pies: Pies, Apple
Pies: Pies, Mixed Berry
Pies: Pies, Peach
Ethnic Baking: Ethnic Baking, bread (Julekage)

Some lots were entered in 2008, with results that could be improved. I also finally replaced my dough hook for my Kitchen Aid stand mixer so I could start making more yeast breads. I will be practicing these recipes for the next 9 months!

2008 Minnesota State Fair: Banana Bread

2008-10-19T11:05:00.000-07:00

(middle shelf, yellow ribbon)
Quick Breads: Banana Bread, nuts, no other fruit lot: 5th place

I used the same recipe for banana bread as I had in 2007. This time, I made sure I had very ripe bananas, and I used 4 bananas. Three isn't really enough to give the best flavor. The loaves must be a certain size to enter in the fair. I made 4 smaller sized loaves so I could pick the most attractive. I won the 5th place ribbon this year, and my score was much higher than last year.

2008 Minnesota State Fair Entries

2008-10-18T15:33:00.000-07:00

I was decidedly more ambitious at the State Fair this summer. After my successes in 2007, I decided to enter 13 lots, with a goal to win 8 ribbons. My overall goal for my State Fair baking is to win a ribbon in every baking lot. I did not enter in the three lots I won ribbons in 2007, but I did enter the other two. There are many lots to enter, so it will take quite a few years to accomplish my goal, but I will enjoy trying!

I spent 2 days baking (immediately after taking a final exam in a summer course at the U of M) pies, cakes, cookies, and bread.

This is how my kitchen and table look when I'm baking so many items. Somehow, I manage to fit them all in!

Here are the final entries.

One item of interest this year...I was not aware that not all entries are scored in a lot if there are over 25 entries. Unfortunately, some of my entries fell into that category. I plan to reevaluate my entries and hopefully this will not happen too many more times!

Quick Breads: Banana Bread (5th place)
Egg Cakes: Angel Food Cake (DNP)
Cakes with Shortening: White Cake, with egg whites (2nd place)
Cakes with Shortening: Spice Cake (2nd place)
Cakes with Shortening: Chocolate Cake (4th place)
Cakes with Shortening: Not otherwise specified (1st place)
Cookies: Brownies, with Frosting, Nuts, or Chips (DNP)
Cookies: Chocolate Chip (Not Scored)
Cookies: Ball type, not flattened before baking (DNP)
Cookies: Bar cookie, with Nuts, Fruit, and/or Chips (Not Scored)
Pies: Apple (Not Scored)
Pies: Mixed Berry (DNP)
Pies: Peach (DNP)

Ms. Findlay-Lampkin wants to hear what YOU have to say.

2008-10-14T18:27:00.000-07:00

To all my St. Anthony students,

I have a questionnaire that I hope you might take a few minutes to fill out for me. I will be using your responses in a paper at the U of M.

Paper copies are available from Mrs. Billeadeau. I also have an online version that you can do.

To go to the online form, click HERE.

Thanks again!

What would YOU like to see on Bake-straveganza?

2008-10-14T13:43:00.000-07:00

To my students and their parents at St. Anthony,

Some of you have been introduced to the blog in class, and recipes are available if you would like to make some of the 2007 State Fair entries. I plan to post the 2008 State Fair entries this weekend.

I am also going to post the process of making an apple pie. There are so many apples in season for fall that it's a great time to bake with them! I have some Haralson apples I will be using.

Also, if you have any requests for an item you'd like to see on the blog, feel free to comment and let me know! I am hoping to put some of our class labs on here as well, so people can see what we do in our foods labs at different levels.

Have a great 4 day weekend!

2007 Minnesota State Fair: Opportunities

2008-10-12T18:20:00.000-07:00

Well, not all my entries made the grade at the fair in 2007. I decided that I needed to re-enter the categories the next year so I could improve my skills and products.

Quick Breads: Banana Bread
(Betty Crocker Cookbook, 1996)

I knew right away what happened with this entry. My bananas were not ripe enough, and I should have used one more. I did not have a great score for flavor. I liked the recipe, so I decided to make the same one in 2008....just with riper bananas.

Cakes with Shortening: Chocolate Cake
Devil's Food Cake (Betty Crocker Cookbook, 1996) with French Silk Frosting (Betty Crocker Cookbook, 1969-1980)

I thought this would be a good choice for a chocolate cake entry, but I didn't realize how competitive this lot would be. It wasn't even my favorite chocolate cake recipe that I use - I like the Cocoa Fudge cake recipe from Betty Crocker (1969 - 1980) with Vanilla Butter Frosting (Betty Crocker, 1969 - present) best. There was nothing special about this cake. It was just a plain old chocolate cake. I decided to make my favorite in 2008 and see if I could improve my showing.

2007 Minnesota State Fair: Toffee Bars

2008-10-12T17:47:00.000-07:00

3rd Place: Cookies: Bar Cookie, Plain, Frosted lot

This one was a no-brainer entry for me. I have been making these toffee bars for over 10 years, so I knew was I going to enter them. These are a Findlay family favorite. They don't take very long to make - it's an easy recipe. You can use walnuts on top, but I'm partial to pecans.

2007 Minnesota State Fair: Pumpkin Bread

2008-10-12T17:28:00.000-07:00

4th Place: Quick Breads: Vegetable Bread lot

This recipe was in a cookbook my aunt made from my grandma's recipe collection. I made the pumpkin bread with pumpkin from my mom's garden. I like to think that was my secret weapon.

2007 Minnesota State Fair: German Chocolate Cake

2008-10-12T17:21:00.000-07:00

3rd Place: German Chocolate Cake lot

This was remarkable, as I really had to bang the pans to get the cake out. One of my layers almost came apart. After regaining a semblance of my sanity, I went ahead and constructed the cake, making sure to even out the sides a bit. I got high scores for flavor with this one. My tip: ALWAYS use butter for everything, even when it says you can use margarine. I'm from Wisconsin - it just wouldn't be right without butter.

2007 Minnesota State Fair Entries

2008-10-12T17:13:00.000-07:00

2007 was the first year I entered the fair. I choose 5 entries I would be comfortable making, and spent the evening before drop-off day baking up a storm. The next morning at 7:45 am we were in line outside the Creative Activities Building at the fairgrounds waiting patiently to drop off two cakes, two quick breads, and one bar cookie entries. The results were posted on Thursday morning (opening day of the fair), and I found my name listed as a ribbon winner in two categories. When we went to the fair, we saw a third entry displayed with a ribbon that had not been posted in the online results. I was very excited about the ribbons, and couldn't wait to start planning for the next year.

2007 Entries

Quick Breads: Banana Bread (DNP)
Quick Breads: Vegetable Bread (Pumpkin Bread) (4th place)
Cakes with Shortening: Chocolate Cake (Devil's Food Cake/French Silk Frosting) (DNP)
Cakes with Shortening: German Chocolate Cake (3rd place)
Cookies: Bar Cookie, plain, frosted (Toffee Bars) (3rd place)

The inaugural post.

2008-09-30T16:47:00.000-07:00

Greetings and salutations! This blog has been created for a few purposes. First, I have an assignment for my Technology for Teaching and Learning class at the U of M. Second, I wanted to chronicle my baking plans for the MN State Fair. And third, I wanted to create a foods resource for my kids at St. Anthony Village High School and Middle School, where I currently student teach. Therefore, Bake-straveganza! has been created. I love to bake, and I hope I can better my skills as well as sharing some knowledge.