King Arthur Flour Bake-Along: Star Bread

 The three weeks that fill in the time between Thanksgiving break and Christmas Vacation go by way too quickly!   Yesterday marked the first official day of vacation and we soaked it in.  We cuddled on the couch and watched a Christmas movie, we did a little bit of cleaning, we worked on our truth in the Tinsel ornaments, and we read.  It was wonderful!  Definitely loving this stage where the kids kind of do their own things and help around the house!  There is no dreading vacation here, but more anticipation of hanging out with them.  It's funny how quickly things change, so sweet moms of littles. . . there is hope.  Hang in there!  It is bittersweet as the stages change, but oh, so wonderful! 

Despite the hurry over the last three weeks to get as much stuff done possible before the kids were home all day long, I did a little baking.  I can't help it.  It's kind of something that I make room for for a few reasons.
1.  We need to eat.
2.  This one way I give myself margin.
3.  Trying a new recipe and learning something new fill my cup.   It's just how I roll. 

 I recently decided that next year, I will be joining in the fun of the King Arthur Baking Challenge.  Each month, they post a new recipe for their baking audience to try out.  They give step by step directions and even make video tutorials so you can really see what is supposed to go down with those recipe directions.  (you know the ones where you read it a bazillion times and you kind of aren't sure how the heck you are supposed to do something. . . it was like that for me and babka.).  The recipe this month inspired me and once I grabbed all the ingredients, I got to work.  

 The first step is always making the dough.  This recipe was ridiculously simple.  It has potato flakes, which at first glance is weird.  But it works.  Also, I was able to find small pouches for like a dollar and it was more than enough for this recipe.  Don't be overwhelmed by strange ingredients. Take all the ingredients and mix together.  Seriously, super easy.  After that, it just sits there and looks pretty. 

 These twists. . . this was the part that stumped me.  I ended up watching the tutorial that KAF made and I really just over complicated it.  It was two slits and twist twice in the opposite directions and pinch together.  It might looks so weird at first, but it puffs up a bit in the oven and ends up looking amazing. 

 My kids were so excited to eat this last Sunday morning.  In fact, they the biggest battle was who was claiming the middle.  I mean, the middles are the best!  I accidentally pressed too hard in my center, so it cut about 2 of the layers. . . oops!  Also, the star reminds me of the star from Tangled.

Have I left you drooling yet?  My oldest just came in and asked if I was going to make this again anytime soon.  I should.  It was easier than I thought, but it actually looks like I spent all this time on it.  You should make it and wow your friends, too!

Star Bread
adapted from King Arthur Flour

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup instant mashed potato flakes
1/4 nonfat dry milk
3/4 cup to 1 cup lukewarm water
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp yeast
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 tsp salt

Directions:
Carefully add your ingredients into your your mixing bowl and knead with your dough hook, until your dough is nice and smooth.  Start with the 3/4 cup water and slowly add more until you get to the right consistency.

Lightly grease. a bowl and place your dough inside and cover.  Let it rise for at least an hour (mine rose all day). 

Divide the dough into 4 equal balls.  Place on parchment paper and let them hang out for about 15 minutes. 

While that's just hanging out, prep your filling ingredients:

  :: 1 beaten egg in a bowl
  ::  another bowl with 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tbsp cinnamon. 

Roll out each ball into a circle about 10 inches in diameter.  It doesn't have to be perfect, because you will be twisting it and baking it, and it really does hide any mistakes you might make. . . trust me!

Place first circle on baking sheet.  Brush with egg and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. 
Cover with second circle and repeat process.
Keep doing this until you put that last circle on. . . just don't do the egg white/cinnamon sugar mixture. 

Find a round cookie cutter and gently (don't be like Jolie and cut almost all the way down.) place it in the center.  It's just there to remind you not to cut into the circle area.  Then, take a sharp knife and cut 16 strips all the way around that middle circle. 

Then take two strips that are right next to each other and twist twice in opposite directions.  Then pinch them together on the top.  Continue until all the strips are twisted.  Let it rise for about 45 more minutes and then brush with a bit of that remaining egg from earlier.  Stick in a 400 degree oven for 12-15 minutes. 

Then listen to everyone tell you how amazing you are.  Trust me.  You will wow everyone. . . just don't tell them how incredibly easy it was! 

You can go here for picture by picture of how it's done.  It helps!

Happy Baking! 

Being a blessing {Free Printable}

As a kid, I remember the mail man who had the route on our street.  He would talk to my dad at the mail box like old friends and he knew us by name.  Every year, my mom would make a batch batches of her pomegranate jelly.  She would always stick a jar in the mail box for our our mail man.  It was one of those memories that I always wanted to copy, only there are a few differences in my childhood compared to my present.  First of all, I live in a much larger town, where the person who delivers my mail could be anyone of 5 or 6 people.  Some of them more pleasant than others (as in my mail doesn't always make it to my front door and when the kids were little, they would ring the doorbell as loud as they could during naptime even though I asked them to knock), which makes it sooo hard.  I also, don't have a mail box. . . it goes directly into my house, which is a bit harder to surprise someone with. 

Until, a week or so ago (I don't remember), a friend posted on instagram this basket with goodies for their delivery guys.   It was so cool!  And totally not something hard to do either.  Just some stuff out of the pantry and a sign.  All this to say thank you to them for saving us time on our shopping (thank goodness for Amazon Prime!).  I couldn't help but copy her. . . it was such a wonderful idea!

I grabbed some snacks that I had bought for the kids, some coke minis, sparkling water (because I'm obsessed, some bottled water, granola bars and M&M's and threw them in a bin I had laying around.  Then, I quickly designed a simple little sign and stuck it outside.  Seriously the easiest thing that can make such a big difference in someone's day. 

Yesterday morning, our mail man rang the doorbell with one of our orders, and he was just so grateful for the goodies.  He said it really helps them!  I'll be honest with you, I wasn't even sure they would take anything, because I had stuck ice cold waters out during the summer for them and no takers (and our guys walk our streets delivering the mail in triple digit heat!).  But, this guy, was honestly grateful and it just made my day that he could be blessed! 

Want to join in the fun?  

You can print out your own sign here.  

 Let me know how you are using it by using the hashtag #outoftherightbrainblog.

Have a wonderful day! 

Friday Favorites {Chrismtas Shopping Edition!}

Christmas is just a few weeks away and while I've spent my week getting as much shopping done as possible before the kids get out for vacation.  With all the shopping I've been doing, I was thinking about what things that I am really loving lately.  Things that make me smile and maybe might inspire you if you are stumped on a Christmas present idea (I am. . . it's no fun!).  So, here's a list of a few things for the kids, a few things for that kitchen lover, and a crafty thing (my mind started shutting down for the night. . . so I stopped).  I hope it helps or maybe brings you some inspiration. 

Kids:

Today, I purged my kids toys because it was just time.  It was time to get rid of all those wonderful toddler and preschooler toys that have been traded in for legos and art supplies.  I'm going to preface this portion of the post, by sharing that my boys are now 9 and almost 7 (as in, I should start designing his birthday invitation soon).  These three things, aside from Legos, are what they are super excited about these days. 

Fling Shot

I had seen this at Target earlier this summer and when it went on sale before Thanksgiving, we bought it as part of their big boys bedroom transformation (Coming soon).  Friends, this game is so much fun!  It's completely magnetic and you can turn it over and play tic tac toe.  We haven't put any holes in the wall yet, so I'd say that's a win!  You can find it here at Target.

K'nex Systems

In all honesty, Legos are the main toy of choice for my kids, but we discovered K'nex this fall and they are are pretty awesome.  Ethan is really in to making things work, this roller coaster has a car that goes along the track using a clock arm.  In some ways it challenged him more than a basic Lego set does.  You can find it here. 

Color Alive Coloring Books

These books are super fun!  The kids like to chill in front of a movie and just color (one is doing that as we speak), so I am always looking for something fun to color.  Plus, these are great for road trips or times when we are waiting.  These are great because the illustrations that they color, they get to snap on our iphone or ipad and they come alive.  They can make Captain America sit on our couch or walk in our front door.  Technology is amazing!  You can find these here. 

Plus Plus

We discovered these this summer, when I was looking for things to fill their travel backpacks and they were such a hit that we bought them more for their stockings this year (shh! It's a secret!).  They basically are these colored plastic ++ (two plus' put together) and you build with them.  The are a lot of fun because you can build things for them, like the box above is for robots, but they are also open ended, which are my favorite toys!  I want to see where these boxes take my child's imagination and the things that they created while sitting at the airport or hanging out at our hotel before bed, was amazing. 

Kitchen:

These three kitchen things are my most used, favorite things ever.  I've talked about them before, but they are seriously the best and if you are in need of a wonderful gift for someone who loves to get creative in the kitchen, here are some of my favorites.

Microwave popcorn maker

We just bought this, and it is super cool!  These are great if you don't want to go to the store and buy microwave popcorn with all the yucky stuff or you don't want to pull out your Whirley Pop for amazing popcorn.  It is simple and works wonders!  Plus, it's dishwasher safe, so definitely a keeper! Here's the link. 

Frother:

I know I have mentioned it a few times, but this thing is amazing.  It gives that perfect frothy milk for your lattes and hot chocolates.  It also does almond milk like a star, so that's an even bigger plus! 
You can find the link on amazon here. 

Corkcicle Coffee Cup

This is a new find. . . like last weekend.  I've always wanted to bring my coffee to Bible Study (because going to that much adds up. . . a lot), but my coffee is always cold before I drop off the kiddos at school.  This basically is the best one I've tried.  The lid is wonderful, too, because we all know that it really matters.  They come in all sorts of pretty colors and manly colors. . . my husband is eyeing the charcoal black one. . . it's super sleek! 

Espresso Powder

This stuff is pretty much amazing and a really fun gift for that baker in your life.  It's kind of expensive, but it totally amps up a chocolate cake or you can make these muffins and amaze your co-workers with your culinary excellence.  It's definitely a good gift for that baker friend who likes to try new recipes. 

Crafty:

I could only come up with one, partly because this is ending up being a long post and I am tired, and also because I haven't been buying things if I don't need them.  You probably don't want to hear how much I love titanium needles for my sewing machine or stuff like that, so I will just leave this one here because it so wonderful!

Paper Pumpkin Subscription

I love getting mail, and this is one of my favorite deliveries each month!  I don't always have time to do them, but I am guaranteed to have cards for peoples birthdays throughout the year!  There are even some gift packages for giving things away, which has been wonderful for spoiling the kids teachers or my friends.  I also like it because it challenges me to try a different design or just take a few minutes to get creative during a busy week.  Getting creative fills my cup!   Each month, you get a small stamp set, ink, and everything you need to make the card.  Sometimes there is enough left over to make the cards go farther or get creative with the leftovers. 

What was something you purchased or were gifted this year that made your year rock?  
 If you have any gift ideas you would like to share, please comment or message me.  I am always looking for ideas for all the people in my life and would love to hear what things your are just swooning over these days.  Feel free to leave a comment below. . . those comments really make my day (really, they do!). 

I should also add that NOBODY paid me any money to write this post.  I get nothing.  It's just me sharing ideas with you.  No biggie.  Thanks for reading it! 

Let's talk Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies are my favorite of all cookies, especially fresh out of the oven.  I am that person who burns my tongue because I can't wait for them to cool just a little bit.  The ooey gooey melty chocolate goodness of a freshly baked cookie is my weakness.  I am drooling just wring this.  There's pretty much no time that we don't have chocolate chips in the house so we can make cookies on a moments notice.

Nine years ago, Jon challenged me to find the best chocolate chip cookie recipe because he didn't think anything could be better than Nestle Toll House (to be said like Pheobe from Friends. . . you know you read it that way!).  I was sure that there had to a better recipe, and you know what, there is.  There are a lot of recipes that are just flat out better.  We haven't made those classic cookies in ages and no longer does Jon refer to them as the regular recipe.  It is safe to say that it has been replaced with several better ones.

So, today I am going to kind of give you a run down of some frequently asked question and share some of our favorites, so make sure you read to the end so you can make our favorite recipe. 

 The 4 Types of Chocolate Chip Cookies
Baking cookies is super scientific and I am no way a scientist (science and math are by far not my strong suits!).  But, there are 4 basic types of chocolate chip cookie:
The classic that gives you a thinner cookie, with crispy edges, like your Nestle Toll House cookie. The Cakey Cookie which is higher and softer, almost like eating cake.
The crispy cookie that is thinner and crunchy all throughout the cookie.
 And finally, the Chewy cookie. . . my favorite.  It is denser, less cakey, and super melt in your mouth.   All these cookies are different because they depend on how soft the butter is, how much flour and that scientific stuff. . . the baking soda/powder element. 

 The most common question I get:
I am constantly asked how I get my cookies to be so fluffy.  This is because I specifically choose recipes that will result in a fluffy, chewy cookie.  These cookies usually have an egg yolk/whole egg combo, melted butter, and corn starch in the ingredients.  These ingredients are a game changer and the result will blow everyone away with how delicious they are!

 

Tips:
:: Your chocolate Chips are a big deal.  The best ones (in my opinion) are Guittard brand chips.  These are a bit more pricey, but you can find them at most Target stores for almost the same price as Nestle or Ghiradelli.  Ghiradelli would be my next favorite.  One of our favorite things about Guittard, is they don't put a ton of additives (like soy) in their chips, so you get a better, more consistent chocolate flavor.

:: Use semi sweet or dark chocolate because your base is already sweet.

:: Don't leave out the salt.  Want to really impress someone?  Sprinkle salt flakes over the top of the cookie before it bakes.  I use unsalted butter, but if you use salted, don't use as much salt, because you might end up with a salty cookie.  Also, know your salt. . . there are tons of different salts out there and each one varies on the salt scale (is that a thing?).  For example, sea salt is my go-to salt, so i use less, because it is a saltier salt.

:: Substitute vanilla bean paste for an even better flavor!

:: Make sure you cream the butter and sugars. . . for several minutes.  This is important and most people forget this step.  The butter and sugars should turn into a creamy light color and not look all chunky.

:: While creaming the butter is super important, it is also just as important  not to overwork your dough once you get your flour and leavening in.  The amount of times you mix that dough depends on how soft your cookies will be.  We could get all scientific and talk about gluten networks but you should just watch some Alton Brown. . . he has an episode that explains how gluten works that is really neat.

:: As hard as it is, let your cookie dough rest for a bit before putting it in the oven.  A lot of times, you will notice that your last cookies turn out better than the first and that's because the dough has been resting for a bit. 

:: Some cookies call for chilling the dough.  So important because you want to cool that buttery, fatty goodness so that the cookies will not overspread.  You can stick the dough in the freezer for half the time and it will accomplish the same thing.  

:: Don't overcook your cookies.  I usually cook them for the minimum amount and let it sit on the cookie sheet for another minute and then take it off.  They keep cooking for a few minutes, but this helps make the most perfect cookie ever!

:: Use a cookie scoop.  It's worth it!

:: And a silpat or parchment paper. 

 My favorite Recipes for making Chocolate Chip Cookies are:

Smitten Kitchen Chocolate Chip Cookies - these are the famous David Lebovitz cookies that actually a bit controversial.  She has the whole story on the blog post that this recipe is on. 

Smitten Kitchen Salted Chocolate Chunk Cookies - I don't usually have chocolate chunk pieces, but these are so good with chocolate chips, so make them.  Sprinkle that salt. . . tell your friends it's fancy.  I won't tell if you eat the whole batch!

 Big, Fat Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie

mini chocolate chip cookies - these are my go to for gift giving.  They are perfect for filling mason jars and bringing just a smile to someone's face. 

And this one. . . the tall, skinny method is my favorite!

 What if I can't have gluten?
Don't lose hope.  We live in a wonderful time where there are a lot of alternatives and helpful ways to make delicious recipes accessible to special diets.  When Ethan was in first grade, his teacher was gluten free and she became my guinea pig.  I tired so many mixes and well. . . they were just okay.  I finally tried the Bob's Red Mill gluten free baking flour (just substitute equal flour for the flour in any one of these recipes above and it will blow your mind.  No joke.  Best gluten free cookies ever. 

If you aren't wanting to make them from scratch, the King Arthur Flour Gluten Free cookie mix is amazing.  All you add is the flour, egg, and chocolate chips!  My kids couldn't stop eating them!

And my absolute favorite recipe:

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
adapted from Bake from Scratch 

Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup light brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1 Tablespoon vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup bread flour
2 tsp cornstarch
3/4 tsp baking soda
 3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy (remember I said that it takes 3-4 minutes. . . I was serious!).  Stop every now and then to scrape the sides of the bowl.  This also gives time for the butter to cool off for a bit so you don't start cooking the eggs when you put them in.

Add your eggs and vanilla.  Beat well.  Slowly add dry ingredients (flours, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt).  Don't over mix!  Carefully stir in chocolate chips.  Scoop out dough and place a few inches apart on your lined cookie sheet. 

Bake for 9 minutes.  It's okay if they look not done. . . they continue cooking out of the oven for a few minutes and you don't want to over cook them so you get that chewy, melt in your mouth soft cookie goodness. 

Cool on a wire rack. 

Happy Baking!