Giving Thanks........{La Tienda}

Many of you know that I LOVE La Tienda! I love their jewellery and I love the story behind it. For those of you who may not have heard of La Tienda it is a fair trade art co-op serving a group of women in the Dominican Republic, they make beautiful handmade items to sell in order to provide for their families. There are about 30 Haitian and Dominican woman working together where all the income is shared within the group.

With it being so close to Thanksgiving I want to give back and how I am going to do that is by baking cookies.....okay there is a little more to it than that so keep reading.  I plan of baking cookies and donating the profits to the women of La Tienda. 

So this is how you need to go about ordering.....
*Email me at cutiepies@hotmail.ca
*Be sure to include in the email your full name, phone number and amount of Chocolste chip cookies you would like to purchase......they aree selling by the half dozen for $8.00
*Once I receive your email I will send you the address for pickup

Pick up for the cookies will be on October 14th in Orangeville between 6:00pm and 8:00pm.  We will also have La Tienda jewellery displayed so when you pick up your treats you can pick up a lovely piece of art to wear proud.  I am really looking forward to seeing the impact that we can make in these women's lives so please open your hearts and help make a difference.

xox

Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread

Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread
*If you are not into making your own dough pull out the bread maker*

Makes: one 9x5x3-inch loaf

Recipe adapted from:  Joy the baker

For the Dough:

2 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 ounces unsalted butter

1/3 cup whole milk

1/4 cup water

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Filling:

1 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg

2 ounces unsalted butter, melted until browned

In a large mixing bowl (I used just the bowl of my stand mixer) whisk together 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Set aside.

Whisk together eggs and set aside.

In a small saucepan, melt together milk and butter until butter has just melted. Remove from the heat and add water and vanilla extract. Let mixture stand for a minute or two, or until the mixture registers 115 to 125 degrees F.

Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula. Add the eggs and stir the mixture until the eggs are incorporated into the batter. The eggs will feel soupy and it’ll seem like the dough and the eggs are never going to come together. Keep stirring. Add the remaining 3/4 cup of flour and stir with the spatula for about 2 minutes. The mixture will be sticky. That’s just right.

Place the dough is a large, greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel. Place in a warm space and allow to rest until doubled in size, about 1 hour. *The dough can be risen until doubled in size, then refrigerated overnight for use in the morning. If you’re using this method, just let the dough rest on the counter for 30 minutes before following the roll-out directions below.

While the dough rises, whisk together the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg for the filling. Set aside. Melt 2 ounces of butter until browned. Set aside. Grease and flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Set that aside too.

Deflate the risen dough and knead about 2 tablespoons of flour into the dough. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 5 minutes. On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough out. The dough should be 12-inches tall and about 20-inches long. If you can’t get the dough to 20-inches long… that’s okay. Just roll it as large as the dough will go. Use a pastry brush to spread melted butter across all of the dough. Sprinkle with all of the sugar and cinnamon mixture. It might seem like a lot of sugar. Seriously? Just go for it.

Slice the dough vertically, into six equal-sized strips. Stack the strips on top of one another and slice the stack into six equal slices once again. You’ll have six stacks of six squares. Layer the dough squares in the loaf pan like a flip-book. Place a kitchen towel over the loaf pan and allow in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes or until almost doubled in size.

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Place loaf in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is very golden brown. The top may be lightly browned, but the center may still be raw. A nice, dark, golden brown will ensure that the center is cooked as well.

Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 20 to 30 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the bread and invert onto a clean board. Place a cake stand or cake plate on top of the upside down loaf, and carefully invert so it’s right side up.

I think this bread is best served the day it’s made, but it can also we wrapped and kept at room temperature for up to 2 days just be sure to serve it warm it is just not the same if you don't heat this up!

Chocolate Biscotti.......if you don't like Biscotti I promise you will love this one!

I never liked biscotti but over Christmas I thought it would be great to bake them as they keep really well for a couple of weeks and also hold up great in the mail:)  I had to play around with a few recipes to find one that I liked and below is the one that finally worked for me!.....also I am very aware that this is all underlined but for the life of me I could not figure out how to take it off!!!!!!!!!

Chocolate Biscotti
Yield: 18 per batch

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup white chocolate chips
8 oz. white chocolate, chopped or chips to dip or drizzle over the biscotti
Directions:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed until pale, about 2 minutes; the mixture may be crumbly.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the eggs and the vanilla and beat for another 2 minutes.  Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the dry ingredients in three additions, mixing only until a dough forms.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Mix in the white chocolate chips.  Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead in any dry ingredients that might have escaped mixing.
Sprinkle some flour on a clean work surface.  Dust your hands with some flour – the dough may be very sticky.  Divide the dough in half.  Working with one half at a time, roll the dough into 10-inch logs.  Transfer logs onto the baking sheet.  Flatten both logs so that they are 1/2 to 1 inch high and at least 4 inches apart.
Bake the logs for at least 25 minutes, or until are just slightly firm.  The logs will spread and crack during baking.  Remove the baking sheet from the oven, place on a wire rack and allow to cool for about 20 minutes.  Working with one log at a time, cut each log into slices 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick.  Stand the slices up on the baking sheet.  Bake the cookies again, this time for 10 minutes.  Transfer to a rack to cool.
Melt white chocolate in a double boiler.  Dip the cooled biscotti into the white chocolate or drizzle over top and set to cool on a silicone mat or some wax paper.

 Enjoy
xox2 cups all-purpose flour, plus some extra for dusting

When I was in New York last year I went to Magnolias's bakery and fell in love!  Here is their vanilla cupcake recipe which I use all the time.  If you like replace the vanilla with vanilla bean paste for vanilla bean cupcakes.

Cupcakes:

• 1 1/2 cups of self-rising flour
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line 2 (1/2 cup-12 capacity) muffin tins with cupcake papers.

In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.

In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not over beat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about 3/4 full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.

Cool the cupcakes in tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

Vanilla Buttercream

The vanilla buttercream we use at the bakery is technically not a buttercream but actually an old-fashioned confectioners' sugar and butter frosting. Be sure to beat the icing for the amount of time called for in the recipe to achieve the desired creamy texture.

2 cups (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
6 to 8 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the cream and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Yield: enough for 2 dozen cupcakes or 1 (9-inch) layer cake

Enjoy,
xox

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have to say these are the best Chocolate Chip Cookies I have ever made in my life! I have been baking them for ten years now and have had no complaints just moans and groans about how these are the BEST chocolate chip cookies I have ever had.  So now because I love you all so much I thought I would share this recipe.......and it came from the one and only MARTHA STEWART.

Chocolate Chip Cookies
*makes about 3 dozen*
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup of butter(room temp)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 large whole egg and 1 large egg white
12 ounces of chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350, line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.  In a medium bowl, whisk together four, baking soda and salt; set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about three minutes, scraping down the sides when needed.
2.  Add vanilla, whole egg and egg white. beat on low speed until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, about one minute.  Add the flour mixture in two batches; mix until just combined.  Mix in chocolate chips.
3. Shape 2 heaping tablespoons of dough at at time into balls.  bake, rotating sheets halfway thought, until cookies are golden brown about 15 minutes or longer.  Once they are done cool them on a rack.  Cookies can stay at room temperature for 4 days. 
*Some tips*
I usually freeze the dough in ball form so we can have fresh cookies when we want them.  Just freeze them on a cookie sheet first then transfer to a zip lock bag once they are firm.
You can add white chocolate chips to this which is my favorite

I hope you and your family enjoy these puppies as much as we do! xox

RuNNiNG and LoViNG it!!!!!!!

Nine years ago I met my hubby. He was a runner a hard core runner.....he wore those shorty shorts... so short they made me giggle! Nine years ago I tried to run.  I tried really hard and it was just not working for me.  I hated it. I did not get it? What was the point in working out? Who wants to sweat and be in pain?  I gave up and went to Starbucks when Christian went for his runs. 
Something clicked for me nine years later.  I started Bootcamp as a way to relieve my stress a couple of months ago.  I ended up loving it! I realized I could do more than I was giving myself credit.  So one day I laced up my sneakers and went for a run walk.  I would run for five minutes, walk for 1 minute. I was doing okay and I was happy.  The next week I tried to go without stopping and I did it.  You have no idea how proud I am of myself for running.  I have now worked up to doing 5km which is super crazy and I love it.  I try to run everyday and I am now enrolled in a half marathon clinic.  I am not sure about it but I know I can do it! 
I have no pictures of me running or doing Bootcamp so here is a picture of my sneakers taken on my Blackberry:)

Family

As most of you may have seen already on my facebook page I have decided to take a little break.  The summer is here and the kitchen has been crazier than ever and I feel like I have been putting my family on the back burner:(  It makes me sad to know that I have been so busy with work and life that I have not be able to give them the attention they need and deserve.  I will still be taking orders just not to the extent that I have been in the past......So please if you need anything at all or get a craving just give me a shout and I would be happy to bake for you.

My crazy husband and crazy daughter!

My mini me and I.......She can drive me up the wall but I just LOVE her to bits

TIme for some summer fun! xox