Baking with the Bolliers

Aunt Shirley always made the best goodies and this was a holiday staple. You knew you were on the nice list if you got a pint of this in your stocking.  Ingredients: 2 C Whipping Cream 2 tsp Vanilla Extract 2 14 oz Cans Sweetened Condensed Milk 3 Tbs Fudge Topping 2 C Brandy Combine all in a blender and mix on high for 1 min. Make approximately 4 pints.

Jumbo Banana Pecan Muffins, because big muffins are more exciting! Can be served with glaze for an extra special treat. Muffins: 1 1/2 C Flour 1/2 C Brown Sugar 3/4 C Pecans, roughly chopped 1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda 1/4 tsp Salt 1/2 Oil 1 Egg 3 Ripe Bananas 3 Tbs Sour Cream For optional glaze: 1/2 C Powdered Sugar 1 Tbs Milk 1/8 tsp Rum Extract (brandy or vanilla would also work) Preheat oven to 375. Grease and flour a 6 count jumbo muffin tin. In a bowl smash up the bananas with the brown sugar, leaving bananas a bit chunky. Mix in egg, sour cream and oil until well combined.  In a separate bowl mix together flour, baking soda, pecans and salt.  Mix dry ingredients into wet until just combined being careful not to over mix. (Nobody likes a tough muffin.) Pour batter equally into muffin cups and bake for approximately 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes and remove from pan. While muffins are...

Candy Corn Peanut Butter Fudge 1 C Butter 1 C Peanut Butter 1lb Powdered Sugar 1 tsp Vanilla Extract 3/4 C Candy Corn, divided Line a 8x8 pan with parchment paper and set aside. Place butter and peanut butter in a large microwave safe bowl, microwave for two minutes. Stir then microwave for two more minutes. Stir in powdered sugar, vanilla, and 1/2 c candy corn. Pour mixture into prepared pan and smooth out. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 C candy corn on top and gently press into fudge. Let cool and cut into pieces. 

My boys love strawberries and will usually eat a couple of pounds a week. This week was not one of those weeks so I found myself with a few sad strawberries that needed to be used. I decided to adapt one of my favorite sugar cookie recipes using strawberries instead of oil and was pleased with the results. I chopped up half a cup of strawberries and pureed about a cup of whole strawberries. I put the chopped strawberries in a measuring cup and filled the cup to equal one full cup of strawberries and puree to replace the oil called for in the original recipe. These little bites taste just like the biscuit version of strawberry shortcake, all in one bite. We dipped our in whipped cream but you could eat them with ice cream, vanilla yogurt or they are good on their own. The recipe makes quite a few so I froze some of the dough so we can enjoy a little taste of summer when winter comes. Also I recommend refrigerating these bites due to the fresh fruit on them. Strawberry Shortcake Bite...

We have been buying this yummy Root beer milk from our local farmers market. The kids love it but I wondered what other treats we could use it in.  We decided to make a fun topping for our homemade vanilla ice cream. You could certainly make this with regular milk if you can't find the root beer milk locally and add in some root beer flavoring. It was especially good served with some sliced bananas.  Brown Sugar Root Beer Caramel Sauce 1 C packed brown sugar 1/2 C butter 1/3 C Danzeisen Dairy Root beer milk 1/4 tsp salt In a small saucepan over medium heat combine sugar, butter and salt. Stirring occasionally until butter is melted. Add in root beer milk and bring to a gentle boil for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cool before serving. Keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. 

I have always enjoyed baking bread. There is something so satisfying about taking a few humble ingredients and making something extraordinary.  Its also where I find my zen, bread can't be rushed. This bread is easy to make and requires little hands on time but it can't be rushed. You have to give it the time it needs to rise whether it takes an hour or two is up to the dough on that particular day. The temperature of your home, the freshness of the yeast... Find some time to take things slow and bake yourself a delicious loaf, or two, of bread. Watch us make this recipe here ! Wheat and Honey Sandwich Bread Makes two loaves 1 C warm water 1 C milk 2 C whole wheat flour 1/3 c butter 1/3 c honey 1 tbs yeast 1 tsp salt 3 C white flour, plus more if needed In a large mixing bowl place warm water and yeast to proof. In a small saucepan melt butter over medium low heat, add milk until just warm but not hot (you don't want to kill your yeast).  Add...

This recipe falls under” the healthier because I made it” category. This time of year I am on a quest for all things pumpkin and am tempted by the pumpkin-flavored-everything commercials. I like knowing that if I am going to indulge that I am eating quality ingredients. I also love the way my house smells when I bake, its better than any $10 candle (and tastier too). These bars have a soft pumpkin pie filling surrounded by a crunchy, crumbly crust. Pumpkin Crumble Bars For the Crust & Crumble 3 C. Rolled Oats 1 3/4 C Whole Wheat Pastry Flour 1 1/2 C Rapadura Sugar 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 C plus 2 Tbs Unsalted Butter- Softened 1 C. Chopped Pecans or Walnuts- optional (after I made these BJ told me, "You know what would make these even better? Nuts.") For Filling 15 oz of Pumpkin Puree 3 eggs 3/4 C Heavy Cream 1/2 C Rapadura Sugar 1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice (or 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp nutmeg and 1/8 tsp cloves) 1 tsp vanilla Preheat oven...