annie blog

My baby would learn how to drink from a straw on the day that my dear husband brought me an iced coffee from B&N. And of course, the baby seemed to love coffee, too. Murphy’s law…..

My baby would learn how to drink from a straw on the day that my dear husband brought me an iced coffee from B&N. And of course, the baby seemed to love coffee, too. Murphy’s law…..

This is a good dessert. I made it last week with strawberries…but I think that it would be great with peaches or raspberries — or a combination of the two! (From Cook’s Illustrated)

Fruit
8 cups fresh strawberries , hulled
6 tablespoons sugar (2 2/3 ounces)

Shortcake
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (10 ounces), plus more for work surface and biscuit cutter
5 tablespoons sugar (about 2 1/4 ounces)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter , chilled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large egg , lightly beaten
1/2 cup half-and-half plus 1 tablespoon, (can substitute milk)
1 large egg white , lightly beaten

Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy cream , chilled, preferably pasteurized or pasteurized organic
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. FOR THE FRUIT: Place 3 cups of hulled berries in large bowl and crush with potato masher. Slice remaining 5 cups berries and stir into crushed berries along with sugar. Set fruit aside to macerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.

2. FOR THE SHORTCAKE: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. In workbowl of food processor fitted with metal blade, pulse flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and salt to combine. Scatter butter pieces over and process until mixture resembles coarse meal, about fifteen 1-second pulses. Transfer to medium bowl.

3. Mix beaten egg with half-and-half in measuring cup. Pour egg mixture into bowl with flour mixture. Combine with rubber spatula until large clumps form. Turn mixture onto work surface and lightly knead until it comes together.

4. Use your fingertips to pat dough into 9 by 6-inch rectangles about 3/4 inch thick, being careful not to overwork dough. Flour 2 3/4-inch biscuit cutter and cut out 6 dough rounds. Place rounds 1 inch apart on small baking sheet, brush tops with egg white, and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. (Biscuits can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 hours before baking.)

5. Bake until shortcakes are golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Place baking sheet on wire rack and cool cakes until warm, about 10 minutes.

6. FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM: As soon as shortcakes go into oven, place nonreactive, deep bowl and beaters of electric mixer in freezer for 20 minutes. (If freezer is too crowded to accomodate bowl, place beaters in bowl, fill with ice water, and chill on counter. When bowl and beaters are well chilled, dump out ice water and dry thoroughly.)

7. While biscuits are cooling, remove bowl from freezer and add cream, sugar, and vanilla. Beat on low speed until small bubbles form, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium and continue beating until beaters leave a trail, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and continue beating until cream is smooth, thick, and nearly doubled in volume, about 20 seconds for soft peaks.

8. TO ASSEMBLE: When shortcakes have cooled slightly, look for natural crack around the circumference. Gently insert your fingers into the crack and split the shortcake in half.

9. Place each cake bottom on individual serving plate. Spoon portion of fruit and then dollop of whipped cream over each cake bottom. Cap with cake top and serve immediately.

Yummy.

This is a good dessert. I made it last week with strawberries…but I think that it would be great with peaches or raspberries — or a combination of the two! (From Cook’s Illustrated)

Fruit
8 cups fresh strawberries , hulled
6 tablespoons sugar (2 2/3 ounces)

Shortcake
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (10 ounces), plus more for work surface and biscuit cutter
5 tablespoons sugar (about 2 1/4 ounces)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter , chilled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large egg , lightly beaten
1/2 cup half-and-half plus 1 tablespoon, (can substitute milk)
1 large egg white , lightly beaten

Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy cream , chilled, preferably pasteurized or pasteurized organic
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. FOR THE FRUIT: Place 3 cups of hulled berries in large bowl and crush with potato masher. Slice remaining 5 cups berries and stir into crushed berries along with sugar. Set fruit aside to macerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.

2. FOR THE SHORTCAKE: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. In workbowl of food processor fitted with metal blade, pulse flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and salt to combine. Scatter butter pieces over and process until mixture resembles coarse meal, about fifteen 1-second pulses. Transfer to medium bowl.

3. Mix beaten egg with half-and-half in measuring cup. Pour egg mixture into bowl with flour mixture. Combine with rubber spatula until large clumps form. Turn mixture onto work surface and lightly knead until it comes together.

4. Use your fingertips to pat dough into 9 by 6-inch rectangles about 3/4 inch thick, being careful not to overwork dough. Flour 2 3/4-inch biscuit cutter and cut out 6 dough rounds. Place rounds 1 inch apart on small baking sheet, brush tops with egg white, and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. (Biscuits can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 hours before baking.)

5. Bake until shortcakes are golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Place baking sheet on wire rack and cool cakes until warm, about 10 minutes.

6. FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM: As soon as shortcakes go into oven, place nonreactive, deep bowl and beaters of electric mixer in freezer for 20 minutes. (If freezer is too crowded to accomodate bowl, place beaters in bowl, fill with ice water, and chill on counter. When bowl and beaters are well chilled, dump out ice water and dry thoroughly.)

7. While biscuits are cooling, remove bowl from freezer and add cream, sugar, and vanilla. Beat on low speed until small bubbles form, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium and continue beating until beaters leave a trail, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and continue beating until cream is smooth, thick, and nearly doubled in volume, about 20 seconds for soft peaks.

8. TO ASSEMBLE: When shortcakes have cooled slightly, look for natural crack around the circumference. Gently insert your fingers into the crack and split the shortcake in half.

9. Place each cake bottom on individual serving plate. Spoon portion of fruit and then dollop of whipped cream over each cake bottom. Cap with cake top and serve immediately.

Yummy.

This is a good dessert. I made it last week with strawberries…but I think that it would be great with peaches or raspberries — or a combination of the two! (From Cook’s Illustrated)

Fruit
8 cups fresh strawberries , hulled
6 tablespoons sugar (2 2/3 ounces)

Shortcake
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (10 ounces), plus more for work surface and biscuit cutter
5 tablespoons sugar (about 2 1/4 ounces)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter , chilled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large egg , lightly beaten
1/2 cup half-and-half plus 1 tablespoon, (can substitute milk)
1 large egg white , lightly beaten

Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy cream , chilled, preferably pasteurized or pasteurized organic
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. FOR THE FRUIT: Place 3 cups of hulled berries in large bowl and crush with potato masher. Slice remaining 5 cups berries and stir into crushed berries along with sugar. Set fruit aside to macerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.

2. FOR THE SHORTCAKE: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. In workbowl of food processor fitted with metal blade, pulse flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and salt to combine. Scatter butter pieces over and process until mixture resembles coarse meal, about fifteen 1-second pulses. Transfer to medium bowl.

3. Mix beaten egg with half-and-half in measuring cup. Pour egg mixture into bowl with flour mixture. Combine with rubber spatula until large clumps form. Turn mixture onto work surface and lightly knead until it comes together.

4. Use your fingertips to pat dough into 9 by 6-inch rectangles about 3/4 inch thick, being careful not to overwork dough. Flour 2 3/4-inch biscuit cutter and cut out 6 dough rounds. Place rounds 1 inch apart on small baking sheet, brush tops with egg white, and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. (Biscuits can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 hours before baking.)

5. Bake until shortcakes are golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Place baking sheet on wire rack and cool cakes until warm, about 10 minutes.

6. FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM: As soon as shortcakes go into oven, place nonreactive, deep bowl and beaters of electric mixer in freezer for 20 minutes. (If freezer is too crowded to accomodate bowl, place beaters in bowl, fill with ice water, and chill on counter. When bowl and beaters are well chilled, dump out ice water and dry thoroughly.)

7. While biscuits are cooling, remove bowl from freezer and add cream, sugar, and vanilla. Beat on low speed until small bubbles form, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium and continue beating until beaters leave a trail, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and continue beating until cream is smooth, thick, and nearly doubled in volume, about 20 seconds for soft peaks.

8. TO ASSEMBLE: When shortcakes have cooled slightly, look for natural crack around the circumference. Gently insert your fingers into the crack and split the shortcake in half.

9. Place each cake bottom on individual serving plate. Spoon portion of fruit and then dollop of whipped cream over each cake bottom. Cap with cake top and serve immediately.

Yummy.

So, the other day, Jon and I were talking about a movie. He asked me if our oldest son wanted to see it. I said that he probably did want to see it, but that I didn’t want him to, because it had the s-word. To this, Jon seriously replied, “What s-word — Socialism?” Oh, that man makes me laugh.

So, the other day, Jon and I were talking about a movie. He asked me if our oldest son wanted to see it. I said that he probably did want to see it, but that I didn’t want him to, because it had the s-word. To this, Jon seriously replied, “What s-word — Socialism?” Oh, that man makes me laugh.

So, the other day, Jon and I were talking about a movie. He asked me if our oldest son wanted to see it. I said that he probably did want to see it, but that I didn’t want him to, because it had the s-word. To this, Jon seriously replied, “What s-word — Socialism?” Oh, that man makes me laugh.

Well, it has been a different sort of week for the family. Oldest has been at camp this week in the mornings and the two middles have been at Vacation Bible School at our church. So all the boys (except the baby) have been extra tired and ready to go to bed every night. It has been a nice change of pace. During the extra driving this week, I have been listening to 89.1 The Wood, a college radio station out of St. Charles. I heard this song by Amos Lee. The name of the song is “Keep it Loose, Keep it Tight”. And it really got stuck in my head. I think that I might end up buying the album. Anyway, if you’re looking for some good music, you should check him out. Here are some reviews of his album.

Well, it has been a different sort of week for the family. Oldest has been at camp this week in the mornings and the two middles have been at Vacation Bible School at our church. So all the boys (except the baby) have been extra tired and ready to go to bed every night. It has been a nice change of pace. During the extra driving this week, I have been listening to 89.1 The Wood, a college radio station out of St. Charles. I heard this song by Amos Lee. The name of the song is “Keep it Loose, Keep it Tight”. And it really got stuck in my head. I think that I might end up buying the album. Anyway, if you’re looking for some good music, you should check him out. Here are some reviews of his album.