Joy the Baker

Here’s what I love most about my blog and its readers:

- I can sit at my lap top in awe of my split ends until I figure out something clever to say to you about cookies.

-You’ll indulge me if all I want to talk about is how I’m a smitten kitten.

-You’ll understand when I tell you that I made these peppermint cookies mostly so I could eat the cookie dough cold from the fridge.

- You, dear and darling reader, have made me a millionaire. Well, a millionaire in blog hits. I just realized that I’m well over a million hits on Joy the Baker. Rock and Roll, right? Thanks to you and all of your clicks, I’m feelin’ like a rock star. Bless you and Thanks.

- Here’s how it works- I made some cookie dough. I baked some cookies. I took pictures of them. I threw the dough in the fridge. I drank some whiskey. I pulled the dough out of the fridge. I made more cookies. I ate them. I had company. We ate them. Sorta. Then we forgot about them and remembered the whiskey. That’s how the whole thing works and you like me for it.

Q: How awesome are you? A: So totally awesome.

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What is going on in the world?  Is Al Gore messing with the global temperature again?  We’re sneaking into mid October and here I am in Los Angeles trying to talk myself out of using my air conditioner.  It’s as hot here as it was in July.  We’re talking 90’s people.  90’s!  That’s just not normal.

All I want to do is get the cider going, maybe curl up with some pear upside down cake or anything filled with pumpkin flavor.  What’s stopping me?  All this blasted sunshine and heat.  I know… I know… I shouldn’t let a little sunshine get in the way of my dreams.  

Incidentially, just as I’m writing this, I have my neighbors glorious barbecue smells wafting through my window.  I suppose I can’t be all that grumpy about a little sunshine.  

Are you having more cozy, spice friendly  weather?  Here are some of the deliciously spiced recipes I’ve played with here on Joy the Baker.  No doubt this Fall (as soon as it kicks in)  I’ll share some new goodies with you.  

Now I’m going to go see if I can snatch some barbecue scraps from my neighbor….. 

Gingerbread Pancakes with Homemade Pancake Syrup Yes.  More pancakes.  Don’t act like you’re the least bit surprised.  

Zucchini Sweet Potato Bread This is one of my Dad’s favorite breads.  A grated raw sweet potato adds amazing moisture and flavor to this bread.  Also throw in nuts and dried fruit as you see fit.  It’s totally customizable.  

Super Soft Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies These are easily one of my favorite cookies of all time.  They fall somewhere in between cake and cookie.  Perfect.  And the combination of pumpkin and chocolate is just so dear to my heart.  

Cranberry Orange Almond Oatmeal  This breakfast oatmeal is so good you might not mind dragging yourself out of bed ten minutes early to make it.  Between the oats, dried fruit and almonds, this is one delicious balanced breakfast that would keep any normal person full well into the lunch hour.  I’m a maniac though, so no matter what I eat for breakfast, by 10:30 in the morning I’m ready for second breakfast…. yes… second breakfast.  

What spiced goodies are you baking up for Fall (or Spring, if you’re on the other side of the planet) ?

What a week.  What a week.  Financial crisis. Bail out.  Katie Couric interviews.  Vice Presidential debates.  So much has gone on this week I literally feel exhausted by all of the news.  I do know one thing.  I need the phrase “Joe Six Pack” out of my life forever.  Seriously.  Out.  

I thought I’d treat you all to some blog love.  Why?  Because it’s free, and free is a long long way from 700 billion.  

Smoky Barbecue Sauce-  I know it’s not a dessert and I also know that summer is over but I could eat barbecue sauce by the spoonful.  Really?  Ok… maybe not.  But I love the idea of homemade barbecue sauce, especially if I get to use those darling flippy top jars.  Check out Cooking for Seven to figure out what they heck I’m talking about.  

Ginger and Chocolate Gingerbread-   Yes!  The perfect introduction into Fall.  I’m also thinking hard about pumpkin and chocolate combinations.  It’s not too early, right?

Double Chocolate Layer Cake-  Oh Amanda, you know just how to speak to my heart.  Yes.  My answer is Yes!  I’ll marry you.  Wait…. did you ask?

Sweet Cherry Pie-  Are there still cherries?  Is it not too late?  Maybe there’s something magical in Florida where Mike of Mike’s Table whipped up this pie.   Warm cherry pie with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream- I could die a happy happy girl.  

Banana Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies-  Abby, what have you done?  Would these be a proper breakfast food, because I’m seriously considering these with a glass of milky coffee in the morning.  Please and thank you.

Let’s turn the clocks back to the beginning of Joy the Baker. This extra dreamy lemon pound cake was one of my very first Joy the Baker posts. I nabbed a friend’s fancy camera and after a 15 minute crash course, started baking and shooting my favorite pound cake recipe. Those were the humble beginnings of Joy the Baker. Let’s face it, this is still a humble sight, but I’m dreaming big. Hopefully some of those dreams will bring some fun changes to this sight in the coming months.

I’m bringing you a repeat today because I’m still in the weeds with Joy the Baker life. Want to know what’s going on? Let’s just say it involves learning (and tasting) about 90 international cheeses and memorizing their flavor profiles. Don’t even get me started on the insane wine… that’s a whole other beast.

Sourdough starters? Have I let you down on the starters?

Here’s what I did with my starter- After 7 days of dumping and feeding at room temperature, I fed my starter one last time and put it in the fridge. I plan on using my starter for pancakes on Sunday morning, so I’m going to take my starter out of the fridge Saturday morning, feed it and leave it ajar at room temperature until Sunday morning when I’m ready for my pancakes. I sure hope you’re still playing along!

Want to know more about this incredible pound cake!? Lemon Pound Cake with Warm Blueberry Sauce.

Just the thought of cinnamon rolls-  warm, gooey, soft, sweet- makes me literally swoon.  I love them.  If I were a baking superhero (I’m working on it) my weakness would be cinnamon rolls.

As much as I love the little devils (and I hate to say this) I hate to bake them.  The problem is not the sweet yeast dough or the rolling or the slicing.  I simply have no patience for the waiting that is required of me during the proofing, rolling, slicing and proofing again process.  I realize this is totally unreasonable, but it’s just the truth.

Nicole at Baking Bites seems the understand my need for instant, yet stubbornly homemade cinnamon roll goodness.

I’d like to introduce you to Cinnamon Roll Muffins-  add the yeast, subtract the long rising.

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After a swift 24 hours of sitting on my counter with the lid ajar, here are the (less than exciting) photographic results of my sourdough starter.  

This is the starter just before it’s first feeding.  

I know this isn’t terribly exciting.  

I promise I’ve got some lovely recipes in store for you. I won’t make you suffer through watching bacteria grow for too much longer.

How are your starters coming?

I’m off on a baking adventure and I want you to come along.  

All you’ll need is a cup of flour and a cup of water.  

Want to play?

We’re making sourdough starters.  All they needs is a little attention and feeding and we’ve got starter enough for loaves, pancakes and rolls week after week.  

I already have dreams of Saturday morning Sourdough Pancakes trotting through my head.  While the endless possibilities of loaves and rolls is enticing, we all know that I’m really just doing this for the pancakes.  

Jump on over and we’ll get started!

But wait!

If you’re not interested in making a sourdough starter (gasp!) or you already happen to have one in your fridge (applause!), then check out my musings on Mocha Pots de Creme over at FoodProof.  What are these Pots de Creme I speak of?  Only like the most deliciously rich and flavorful chocolate pudding you’ll ever have.  Go on… I know you’re curious!  

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I mentioned last week how dear my cast iron skillet is to me.

I’ll let you in on a little secret. When I’m not eating the ridiculous baked goods that come out of my oven, I’m eating eggs. Eggs inside of fried corn tortillas. I eat eggs because, as a baker, I always have eggs in the fridge and they’re super easy to fry up and call dinner. Eggs, always eggs, with salt, pepper and tortillas. There, now you know.

I cook my eggs and fry my tortillas in the same cast iron skillet day after day. This skillet is always riddled with the evidence of some sort of cooked egg. But with a little hot oil, some salt and a paper towel, it’s as good as clean.

If you have a cast iron skillet that could use some love, here’s how to season and care for that bad boy. Cast iron skillets are too bad ass to waste away in your cupboard. Get to it!

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Delicious!  Delicious!  Delicious!

I was lucky enough to have a holiday weekend free from hurricane winds and rain.  My prayers go out to those of you who had to put up with that madness from Mother Nature.

I spent a lovely amount of time in a bathing suit and miraculously managed to make an absolutely stellar late summer dessert.

In making these gorgeous roasted plums I also developed a deep love for my cast iron skillets.  I realized this weekend that I use my cast iron skillets for everything, short of boiling pasta.  From pancakes to grits to scrambled eggs to sweet roasted plums.  It’s in and out of the oven.  It’s heavy enough to clobber any would be robbers.  It holds heat like a champion, and it’s just all around reassuring to have in the kitchen.  I have two.  I’m thinking about naming them… that’s how far my love goes.

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It’s about time that I introduce you to some of my friends.

Meet Jill. Jill is one fierce cookie, although me might try to fool you with her demure presence and coy smile.  Do not be fooled.  She’s a firecracker and she’s got your number.

I ventured into Jill’s kitchen one Sunday afternoon to make her famous vegan cookies.  I’m not a big vegan cookie baker, and I thought I reach out to an expert.

I met Jill when I hired her at a tiny Los Angeles coffee shop I managed.  We both learned very quickly that Jill is not a morning person and Joy is.  We also learned that Jill thinks Black Widow spiders are cool and Joy runs screaming for the hills at the mere mention of one.  But Joy and Jill share a deep love for, well… occasional boy talk and fast food tacos.  Joy and Jill are great friends.

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I can humbly say that I made the magic happen with this pizza.

If this pizza were a song, it would be an Al Green song.  It would be Love and Happiness.  This pizza is tight, it’s in the pocket, it’s got soul.

Speaking of love and happiness-  remember when I was down to my last egg and came to you for love advice a few weeks back?  Did I tell you how much all of your comments touched me?  They truly did.  Thank you, again and again and again.

I just wanted to let you know that I have found love and happiness.  It’s all just inside of me.  It’s lovely and amazing.  So I’m back to living the good life, on my own.  I also happen to me making the magic happen, one pizza (and one very hot kitchen) at a time.

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