Baking Solo

Well it has officially been 12 days since I baked last and with the child still sick, I will be heading into the kitchen later this afternoon by myself.  I have to admit that I haven't been very successful finding low calorie recipes that actually satisfy the sweet tooth.  I have begun to think I am a hopeless sugar addict. 

However, many of the biscotti that I enjoy really are lower in calories than alot of the cookies out there. So Today I baked a cinnamon sugar biscotti that really came out great.  It has that wonderful texture and who doesn't love cinnamon and sugar!  So check it out.  I also want to make note that my daughter was taken back to our family Doctor today and she was given a clean bill of health....so no more excuses kid you are going back to school tomorrow!  She can also help me with the rest of the baking that has to get done by Friday.   So if this biscotti is making your mouth water her is the recipe.....or if you are all about the eating and not the baking.... stop in at the Market @Oneida Commons and buy a bag for yourself. 

Cinnamon Sugar Biscotti
2Cups of flour
1 1/2 tsps. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
6 tbsps. of room temp. unsalted butter
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

For the topping:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 beaten egg for brushing biscotti before baking

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 325F.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper
Whisk together flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder and set aside.
In a mixer cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.  Beat in egg followed by egg yolk. Next beat in vanilla extract.  Add all dry ingredients at once and mix until a stiff dough is formed.  Divide dough in half and make into 2    9" logs.  Flatten slighly.  Brush both logs with beaten egg and sprinkle some cinnamon sugar on top.  Save some cinnamon sugar for sides. Bake for 20 minutes and remove and cool on sheet for about 10 mins.  When cool enough to handle cut diagonally into 1/2" slices.  Put cut sides down on parchment lined baking sheet and sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar.  Then bake for about 12 minutes per side.  Don;t forget to sprinkle the other side with cinnamon sugar after flipping.  Take out and cool on baking sheet. 

Now I think I will make myself a cup of tea, put my feet up and indulge myself by eating a biscotti or two!

Low calorie Cookie Recipes

I am now on the hunt for some low calorie cookie recipes.  It seems that my iron will to not eat what I bake has crumbled...no pun intended.  I have been doing extra workouts from all of the quilt of eating the delicious, warm, mouth watering, cookies we have been baking.

I am not the only one in the house that has had a hard time resisting the the cookies!  My husband and of course our daughter have been stuffing them in too, but our daughter who is very tall and thin and of course has her young active metabolism.... has shown no signs of weight gain from all of the cookies that have passed her lips......oh to be so lucky!

So when we do some test cookies.... I will let you know the results and will pass along the recipes.  So happy baking everyone!

And if you have found that you are in need of a little more exercise from all of the sweet treats you have been baking and eating here is the name of a great workout DVD that my mother gave me for christmas this year and I love it!   It is a Jazzercise DVD by the official Jazzercise creator and her daughter, and it has a 60 minute workout, and a couple of different 30 minute workouts on it that include cardio, and weights.  These workouts focus on strengthening your core, but they really work your whole body.

"JAZZERCISE CORE"    TARGET & TONE MUSCLE, FAT BURING, STRENGTH BUILDING

I have been a Jazzercise Junky on and off for about 10 years.  It is truly worth checking out. It sells for $16.99 through the Jazzercise website.

Sorry no cookies

Well, this week has been a total bust for cookie baking.   My partner in crime has been sick, so I have been playing nurse maid all week..... so unless there is a miracualous recovery by tomorrow, our oven will be cold and there will be no smells of fresh home baked cookies in our house! 

The one good thing out of all of this, is it has given me time to work on some other projects around the house....and to get ready for the Free Skin Care Seminar I am giving at the end of this month.  The "Back to Skin Care Basics" seminar is the first of a Four-Part Series of Free Skin Care Seminars that my Skin Therapy business "All About You" is offering here in Oneida, NY.
March 29, 2010 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at 109-111 Madison ST.,  in La Vie Boheme Bistro.

If you would like more information about the Free Skin Care Seminar or to Pre-Register for the Seminar go to http://www.allaboutyou.skincaretherapy.net/ or call 315-264-2512.  
Pre-registration gives you a chance at winning a gift basket that contains professional skin care products as well as a gift certificate for a skin care service at
 "All About You" located at 338 Main ST. Oneida, NY.

Hope to hear from you or see you there!

Jewelry making

My daughter and I have been making jewelry for several years now and we both really enjoy the creativity and the satisfaction of making something that we can wear or give as a gift or sell.  The thought that someone is wearing something we have made is a great feeling.  Now I have been selling my jewelry for several years and as of today I am excited to say that I have opened an Etsy account.  Here are some examples of what I make.  I have found working with beads and mixed metals is really fun and I am totally addicted.  So go to my new etsy site....here is the link:                                                                www.etsy.com/shop/shannontcrandall

Now back to cookies......We tried a new recipe last week and it was a hit.  We made double chocolate walnut biscotti. 
So here is the recipe:
Double Chocolate Walnut Biscotti
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 stick of unsalted butter softened
                                                       1 cup granulated sugar
                                                       2 large eggs
                                                       3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
                                                       1 tbsp. confectioners sugar

Pre-heat oven to 350 F  line baking sheets with parchment paper.  In abowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.  In a mixer beat together butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat until well combined.  Stir in flour mixture to form a stiff dough.  Stir in walnuts and chocolate chips.  On a floured surface form dough into two 9" logs that are about 2'' wide and slightly flatten.  Sprinkle with confectioners sugar. Bake logs for 35 minutes or until slightly firm to the touch. Cool on baking rack for about 5 minutes. Then take off baking sheet and cut diagonally into 3/4'' slices.  Place cut side down onto baking sheets lined with parchment and bake for about 10 mins.  or until crisp.  Cool on rack.

Try this recipe and see if you like it!  We sure did.

Windows of Opportunity

Here are the pictures I promised of our "Windows Of Opportunity" project.  I know this is completely off the subject of what I ususally write about, but in our little City of Oneida we started a program called "windows of Opportunity" which is basically a program that takes the empty store fronts in our downtown and fills their windows with different displays....in this way we try in our small way to help our downtown look more attractive and draw attention to the wonderful old buildings that we have for rent in our business district. We have begun today with a new display....which I am ashamed to say I haven't taken pictures of yet (but I will over the weekend and I will post them for you to see)..this display is focused on showcasing our local artisans and we are blessed to have so many talented people in our community!

Now you may think this story is just a nice little tale, but it gets ugly.   Last week our codes dept. called the chair of our group and told him we were violating codes with our window displays.  Well we meet with codes next week and I will let you all know if our displays stay or go!  We aren't selling anything from the windows and we do not have any signage that is permanent or that is inapproriate or distasteful.

Let me know what you think about this....should government be able to dictate what business owners and building owners put in there space?  Leave me your comments.

Rainbow Chili...a little color on a cold gray winter day

I have always like beans....all kinds of beans....great northern, black, kidney, pinto....well you get the picture.  I have made up one of the easiest, tastiest..... and might I add, nutrious low fat recipes ever! I think you can guess where I am going with this.  I am talking chili, but my chili is called Rainbow Chile.   This chili can be served with biscuits or as I did the other night, fresh corn bread. 

It is so simple to make and I love the fact that I can save all of the cans that all of ingredients come out of and re-use them.  Last Halloween my daughter and I used the cleaned empty cans to make fun party favors.  

Drum roll please....I give you my Rainbow Chili!

What you need..... and you may already have it in your pantry:

1 lb. ground turkey
1 can chili ready tomatoes
1 can great northern beans
1 can black beans
2 cans bush's chili beans in mild sauce
1 can sweet corn
Season with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, chili powder and Frank's Hot Sauce.
Serves 4 to 6 adults.

Brown ground turkey in a large pot. Season turkey with salt and pepper to taste.  Add the tomatoes followed by all of the beans.  Simmer for about 20 minutes.   While simmering add cayenne pepper, chili powder and Frank's hot sauce.  Now I don't measure any of the seasonings....so I can't really tell you how much I use of each.... I just add a dash at a time until it tastes the way I like it.  I will admit that I like spicy, but you may not.... so only add small amounts until you have it just right for you.  While the chili is simmering, I mix up some cornbread to go with it.  A small tidbit (hot spices help to fire up your metabolism ), but if you suffer from a skin condition called Rosacea, hot spices can cause a flare up in your symptoms.

Now to make corn bread you can usually find the recipe right on the cornmeal label.  It is pretty simple and always worth the 20 minute baking time!  If you like you can top your chili with a little bit of grated extra sharp cheddar cheese....mmmm' this is making me hungry.

A quick comment

I just want to say a few things about last night's performances at La Vie Boheme.  Great music everyone!  There was a band of young men that I had personally not heard play before and they were phenominal!  Extremely talented and when I asked them what the name of their band was they said "We have been playing together for a year now and we still haven't figured out a name for our band". 

I told them name or no name keep doing what you do because you are good!

Here's a picture of two of the members.....the picture was taken from La Vie Boheme Bistro's website.

Now on a cookie/ muffin note.... we did as well as we always do as far as sales...so we want to thank everyone out there who enjoys our FOOTIE'S GOODIES.