This is my yulakaga rising and after it is baked.

Our traditional Norwegian Christmas Bread - Yulakaga!!

2 package yeast - or 2 slight tablespoons
1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 beaten eggs
1/4 cup warm water
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon cardamon
7 cups flour
4 oz citron
8 oz light raisins

Soften yeast in warm water.  Add rest of ingredients, saving 3 cups of flour to mix in later.  Add in more flour while kneading.  Let rise until double.  Punch down and then shape into desired shapes.  Let rise until double.  Bake at 350 degrees until it is cooked through.  Tap on the top, it should sound hallow when cooked.

This may be glazed with 1 egg yolk, 2 tablespoons sugar and 3 tablespoon of water or milk.

    My hubby had a craving for caramel corn.  We looked at the mall - they had some, but for $6.50 -I told him I could make him 10 times that much for $6.50!!

     I made a batch - he wanted to give some away for Christmas.  I made three batches total, and will probably make a couple more before the big day.  I used almonds in one batch, pecans in the last 2 batches.



                     Baked Caramel Corn

6 quarts popped corn

1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar - I like dark brown
1/2 c corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt


Mix butter,sugar syrup and salt together, bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  If you want to add nuts, add them to this mixture.  Boil for 5 minutes without stirring.

1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

Remove from heat and add these - soda and vanilla.  Mix this into popped corn and stir well to coat everything.  I mix it all in a large grocery bag, and clean up isn't bad.

Divide into 2 large pans.  Bake 250 degrees for an hour, stirring it every 15 minutes.

Keep in a tightly covered container.

 

                       Fall

Fall is in the air.  I want to bake with apples, peaches, pears & pumpkins! 

I made a couple of peach cobblers - the easy way.

I had 6 cups of sliced peaches, 1 1/2 cups of sugar, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg and 1/2 cup of flour.  I mixed everything together and put into a 9" x 13" pan.

Then I sprinkled a yellow cake mix [dry] over the top, and put 1 cup of butter [cut into squares of 1 tablespoon each] over the top.

Baked this cobbler at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.  It was served with real whipped cream.

Fast, easy and super delicious.  Give it a try.

Vegan version on the top, the original version on the bottom.

I made some oatmeal cookies for work today.  I made a vegan batch and a regular one.  Both turned out well. 

Iced Oatmeal Cookies

Yield: 4 dozen

Ingredients

For the Cookie:
• 1 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 2 cup quick oats
• 2 cup flour

 

For the Icing:
• 2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

 

Instructions

1. In food processor, add oatmeal and pulse until partly ground. Don’t make into a fine powder, leave some chunks. I pulsed mine 6 times, at 1-2 seconds each. Set aside.
2. In mixing bowl, blend together butter with sugars. Mix 1-2 minutes until combined. Add eggs, one at a time. Mix in remaining cookie ingredients and blend until thoroughly combined.
3. Drop by several tablespoons onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 14-16 minutes. I like mine a little bit crunchier, so I went closer to 16 minutes. Remove and cool.
4. To make glaze, whisk together powdered sugar with heavy cream and cinnamon until smooth. Frost each cookie and allow to harden. You can put them in refrigerator to speed up process (about 30 minutes).

 

For the vegan version, I replaced the butter with vegetable oil and for the eggs, 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed with 6 tablespoons of water. 

 

The cream was replaced with water.  Start with a couple of tablespoons of water.

 

This is what the muffins look like.

Yummy!

I wanted to try my hand at making this a vegan recipe.  It passed the test.  Our resident vegan LOVED them! 

Mimi’s Cafe Carrot Raisin Nut Bread

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil or
    ½ c. oil +½ c. applesauce
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs or
   3 T ground flax seed + 9 Tablespoons water – mix and let set while mixing other ingredients
1/2 cup chopped walnuts  or pecans
1/2 cup diced canned pineapple, drained (I just diced up some canned tidbits)
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup finely shredded carrots


Sift first five ingredients into a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar and eggs. Stir the liquid mixture into the flour; mix well. Add the next four ingredients; stir again. Grease and flour a 9-inch square pan or four mini-loaf pans (I did the 9 inch sq pan). Fill the pans 2/3 full with batter. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes. Mini-loaves take about 20 minutes.


I baked muffins for 20 minutes.

Dirty Drinks . . .

I haven't drank very much pop for the past 20 years, but the darn Interns aka -"the Boys" have got me thinking about pop all the time.

The Boys brought in a huge case of diet coke, a ginormous bag of limes and one of our counselors brought in a bottle of coconut syrup and half and half.  

Fortunately for me, I had a diet Dr.Pepper, in case of an emergency.

So . . . get a big cup of ice, slice up a lime or a half of one, squeezing in the juice, add some coconut syrup, slowly pour your pop of choice over the top.  Let is sit for a moment or two.  S l o w l y add some half and half.  It is the best darn drink ever!

After almost 10 straight days of dirty drinks, I've got it under control.  I'm saving them for the weekends now.  Maverick has a great selection of syrups and creamer to make a number of delicious dirty drinks.

I've tried the vanilla creamer and almond joy.  Both are super.

**WARNING**  If you are not prepared to crave soda, don't mix up one of these.  Very addicting.

I can't believe I haven't written a thing for so long!  I have so much to write about.

Last week my hubby & I went to the Blue Man Group!

2 hours disappeared in what felt like 20 minutes.

If you want to really be entertained - go to one of their shows.