I can always expect there to be much excitement in the air when the time comes for the first lab of the semester. Wearing aprons for the first time, working in the kitchen with a group of people you may not have known two weeks ago, anxiously awaiting to see what the teacher has to say about the food, actually sitting at a table , using a napkin, and carrying on table conversation. This is one of my favorite times of the school year. Continue reading
Filed under Muffins
Cinnamon rolls cooking in the oven are just plain good. The cinnamon and sugar melting together sends out an aroma that turns up the senses a notch and makes the mouth water. But, if you’re like me and short on time cinnamon rolls made with yeast dough are not always an option.
Here is an alternative to the timely recipe that you can throw together in a matter of minutes. They are delicious, too.
Filed under Biscuits, Cinnamon Rolls, Quick Breads
Pancakes are a favorite around our house. I usually stick with the same recipe. This is my absolute favorite recipe for pancakes and to me these beat those made from scratch every time. Now that’s just my opinion. But, what am I to do? I can’t keep blogging about the same recipe every semester. I have to reach beyond my comfort zone. Here’s what I did this time around. I demonstrated this Oatmeal-Brown Sugar Pancake recipe found on the Betty Crocker site. I liked it. The brown sugar and oatmeal give this pancake a great flavor.
Filed under Breakfast, Quick Breads
A note to self – Do not deviate from lesson plans that work well!!! Not ever! I got the bright idea from somewhere to let my classes make muffins from scratch the very first time they were in the lab. It was a big mistake. Don’t get me wrong. Their muffins were very good, it was just so hectic. They are not familiar with the people in their group. They know where very little equipment is in the kitchen. They are not familiar with the equipment. So no matter how smart and energetic my students are the first lab has to be something very simple to do. It’s too much for five group members times six kitchens. And please don’t let one group have what they think is an emergency and my assistance is needed in their kitchen. For example, an oven gets magically turned off or a glass is broken or the timer is hard to set!
Filed under Muffins
The first lab of the semester is coming up and there’s a lot of excitement in the air. I am keeping my fingers crossed that these students continue their enthusiasm the entire semester and that I can live up to their expectations. Today they were hanging on to my every word. Moving their chairs so they could see in the demonstration mirror at a better angle. Asking some very good questions. They were so engaged in learning. That is what I want every single day!
The recipe that we are using for our first lab is a variation of a basic muffin. I love it because the muffins are not cake which means they are not loaded with sugar. Most recipes that I have looked at lately have more than a cup of sugar for just a dozen muffins. That will put them at right over 200 calories a piece. Add chocolate chips or a sugar topping and it morphs into cake!
Filed under Muffins
Today is the first day of my summer vacation. It is a gorgeous day here in Atlanta. There is not a cloud in the sky and the humidity is almost nonexistent. Now this is not going to stay, but I am enjoying it while it is here. To celebrate my new unfilled time I just had to make these blueberry muffins with the first blueberries I have received this season. These were shipped here from Baxley, Georgia. When I saw the address I was flooded with childhood memories of the beach. Baxley is about an hour south of McRae which is my hometown. Driving through Baxley meant that we just had to travel through Jesup and we would arrive at our destination St. Simons. Then my sister and I would have all the pool time and beach time we wanted.
These muffins here are not mediocre! They are fantastic. You can find the recipe for them here.
What we did yesterday as a demo and today as a lab was mediocre. I really was questioning whether or not I should blog about this lab, but my students convinced me that I should share my opinion about the new Duncan Hines whole wheat muffin mixes. So here goes.
Filed under corn muffins, Muffins, quick
First Place Winner 2nd Block Kitchen 2!!!
Whole wheat Waffles??? Sure they don’t look like whole wheat. These are crisp and light. Nothing like I expected. At least the second go round!
Filed under Waffles, Whole Wheat
I raved in the previous post about these Buttermilk Biscuits. Southern Living shared four variations of the Buttermilk Biscuits and here is one of them. These Cinnamon-Raisin Biscuits quoting GI Joe ” are vacation good!” Before jumping in the kitchen to prepare them take the time to read the post on Buttermilk biscuits and make the following changes. You’ll have a breakfast hit on your hands.
Filed under Biscuits, Cinnamon Rolls, quick, Recipes
I have been drooling over these biscuits for 2 1/2 years! Why have I not made these sooner you ask? It is a little bit of a change. You see I have been making these since I was 12 years old. They are good!
My Gosh, I have been cheating myself. These biscuits are absolutely the best I’ve ever eaten. And I have tasted my share of biscuits. 2,000 to be exact! I didn’t even figure in the ones that I baked nor the ones I’ve eaten at friends and family. So I know biscuits. WRONG! These are incredible. I first saw them in Southern Living in November of 2007. I even pulled the recipe out to save and try later. I just kept looking at it thinking, “ They can’t be that great.”
My students made this recipe and I wanted to post something different. So here it is Buttermilk Biscuits that got pushed to the back burner. After all I have made buttermilk biscuits many times in my life. What’s the big deal? It appeared again last month in Southern Living Our Test Kitchen Secrets. Secret? What could be so secret about making biscuits?
Welcome to my world of teaching , cooking and blogging about it. Never a dull moment I promise you.
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