TWD: Allspice Crumb Muffins

Ok, first of all I realize that these aren't muffins. I've yet to unpack my muffin pans, so therefore these are now muffin-bars.

These are really good. I actually left the crumb topping off - partly because I read that it melts off but mostly out of laziness. These were really easy to throw together and I was really happy with how moist they turned out to be. I think these are a hit and I'll definitely be trying them in muffin form - as soon as I find my pans!

This recipe was picked by Kayte of Grandma's Kitchen Table - check out her blog for the recipe. And check out what the rest of the TWD bakers thought of this recipe.

Allspice Crumb Muffins from Baking From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, pages 16-17.

TWD: Flaky Apple Turnovers

These. Are. Incredible.

Seriously, we loved them. They are so good and really pretty easy to make. They take a few hours because of the dough, and that part requires a few steps, but really they could not be easier.

I really loved the dough of these. It has a really nice, unique taste and was really easy to work with.

The filling of these is a basic apple filling, which is a perfect compliment for the dough.

I will definitely be making these again!

And I have Julie of Someone's in the Kitchen to thank for picking these. Check out her blog for the recipe and check out the TWD site to see how all the bakers handled these awesome treats.

Flaky Apple Turnovers from Baking From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, pages 316-317.

TWD: Applesauce Spice Bars

I'm back! I missed TWD (and baking) so much! I've got the basics put away in the kitchen and was itching to get back to baking, so these were the perfect things!

This recipe was super simple to throw together and didn't require anything I didn't have. I left these super basic: just the main ingredients and the chopped up apple, I didn't didn't make the glaze for these because 1. I'm not a big glaze/icing fan and 2. I didn't want anything getting into the simple taste of these awesome bars.

And awesome these are! I really like the simple, sweet flavor of these. They hit the spot perfectly and would make an awesome fall treat. I will definitely be making these again.

These bars were picked by Karen of Something Sweet by Karen, check out her blog for the recipe. And make sure to check out how all the TWD members handled this recipe.

Applesauce Spice Bars from Baking From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, pages 117-118.

TWD: Tribute to Katherine Hepburn Brownies

I actually made these a while ago, which is a very good thing because we had a slight electrical issue in our kitchen at the end of last week and it threw the kitchen into shambles. So, I don't have a picture but I can attest that these are very good.

So, check out the other TWD bakers to see their yummy brownies.

This week's recipe was picked by the winner of the contest to design the new TWD logo, Lisa of Surviving Oz. Check out her site for the recipe.

Tribute to Katherine Hepburn Brownies from Baking From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, pages 96-97.

TWD: Parisian Apple Tart

This week's recipe was one I knew I had to make from the second I saw it. First of all, it's apples - which Doug and I both love. Second, it's an apple tart, which I've always wanted to make. Third, it is so incredibly easy to make and only required me to add one ingredient to my grocery list. And fourth (and most importantly), it was picked by one of my favorite people who just happens to run one of my favorite blogs (ever) and who also happens to be the main reason I am in TWD. So I knew this one had to be done.

And I have to say, Hornedfroggy/Jessica made an awesome pick here! This recipe comes together so quickly and tastes so incredibly good. I love how simple the ingredient list is, it's really a classic group of items, and it tastes so pure and good. I will definitely be making this again ---- actually I have already made it twice! I had a sheet of pastry left and some apples to use up, Doug didn't complain!

This was the first time I've ever used puff pastry and I was really happy to see that it's very simple to use (and I was really happy to find it here!!). I used one whole sheet and one whole apple on my first tart and thought it was really good. The second time I used one whole sheet of dough and two apples and it was really good, although just a little soggy.

So if you're looking for an easy and quick recipe that will really wow people, try this one. You will not be disappointed!

This recipe was picked by Jessica of My Baking Heart, check out her blog for the recipe (and then look at all the other incredible things she has done!) and check out all the TWD members to see how they tackled this one.

Parisian Apple Tart from Baking From My Home To Yours by Dorie Greenspan, page 319.

TWD: Cinnamon Squares

These cinnamon squares were so good. And so incredibly easy to throw together. I was a little concerned that I had messed up the batter because it seemed incredibly runny but it baked up perfectly. 

You'll notice there is no chocolate icing and (you can't really tell) but there is no chocolate in the cake. As much as I love chocolate and I love cinnamon I don't really like them together. Plus not making the icing made these even faster. I did do a lite dusting of powdered sugar on top and that made these taste even better, although I would think vanilla ice cream would make them awesome too.

This awesome recipe was picked by Tracey of Tracey's Culinary Adventures, look there for the recipe. And see how all the TWD members handled this cake here.

Cinnamon Squares from Baking From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, pages 210-211.

TWD: Chipster-Topped Brownies

So I'm a day late and have no picture of these, so let's just write this week off as a fail for me. But I'm already making next week's and there will be pictures!

This week's recipe was Chipster- Topped Brownies. Brownies + Chocolate Chip Cookies = Yum. 'Nuff said :)

This recipe was picked by Beth at Supplicious. Check out her blog for the recipe (and a pic!).

Chipster-Topped Brownies from Baking From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, pages 94-95.

TWD: Fresh Mango Bread (with Strawberries)

I was a little hesitant about this week's recipe because I've never cut up a mango before. But luck was with me Saturday morning before I made this. We were watching Giada at Home and she  demonstrated how to cut a mango, what are the odds! So, using what I learned from my fav Italian chef, I tackled this recipe feeling fairly confident... and it turned out great! 

It was really easy to throw together, smelled awesome as it baked, and has a great taste. My only problem was that my mango didn't produce enough fruit for the whole recipe. I had read on the TWD site that this could happen so I got an extra mango and it still wasn't enough. So to try to keep this from getting too dry or boring I added in about a cup of diced strawberries, which taste awesome with the mangoes. I will definitely be trying this recipe again.

Kelly of Baking with the Boys picked this recipe, check out her blog for the recipe and all the awesome things she has made. And see how all the TWD bakers handled this one, it sounds like there are some interesting variations out there (I heard mention of some muffins and some bakers adding in chocolate chips).

Fresh Mango Bread from Baking from My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, page 45.

TWD: don't worry!

Don't worry, I'm still doing Tuesdays with Dorie. I just never had a chance to make this week's recipe. But I'll be back next week!
In the meantime, check out how everyone handled the Tartest Lemon Tart picked by Babette of Babette Feasts.

TWD: Chocolate Bread Pudding

I am in love with this recipe. It was so easy to throw together and tastes so good. I love the creamy texture of bread pudding and this one is perfect.

I ended up halving this recipe and just making an 8 inch pan. I think I could have added a little more chocolate but otherwise this had an awesome chocolate flavor.
I will definitely be making this recipe again, it's so good!

Lauren of Upper East Side Chronicle picked this weeks recipe. Check out her blog and all the TWD members to see how they handled this awesome recipe.

Four Star Chocolate Bread Pudding from Baking From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, pages 410 and 411.

TWD: Banana Cream Pie

I have to admit, when I first saw this recipe I was both excited and nervous. I was excited because I love banana cream pie, well anything banana, and I've never made one. But I was nervous because I've never made any type of cream pie before and was worried about the custard turning out.
I was amazed when the custard actually turned out really well. I thought for a brief minute that I had messed it up when my custard started to start to clump up, but I kept whisking like crazy and it turned out really good. I used a graham cracker crust for this instead of the regular pie crust and bought whipped cream instead of trying to make it. I knew I'd be flustered by the custard and didn't want to get overwhelmed. I will definitely try making my own whipped cream soon though.
This recipe was picked by Amy of Sing for Your Supper, check out her blog for the recipe. And check out all the TWD bakers to see how they tackled this recipe.
Banana Cream Pie from Baking From My Home To Yours by Dorie Greenspan, pages 342 and 343.

TWD: Blueberry Crumb Cake

I was so excited to try this recipe. I love coffee cakes and I discovered last summer that I love blueberries, so I was pretty sure this would be a hit. And it totally was. This was incredibly easy to throw together and baked up perfectly. We had some after it had cooled and it was perfect and then saved some for the next night. I was afraid it would be dry the second day but it was still really good.
I used frozen berries for this as the fresh are hard to find and really expensive here and I skipped the nuts in the crumb topping. But even with frozen berries this was so good, I highly encourage you to try this.

This recipe was picked by Sihan of Befuddlement, check out the site for the recipe for this incredible treat. And check out all the TWD bloggers to see what they thought.

Blueberry Crumb Cake from Baking From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, pages 192-193.

TWD: French Yogurt Cake With Marmalade Glaze

I was incredibly excited when I saw this week's recipe. It just sounded amazing. Cakes like this are known as pantry cakes in France because they typically include ingredients that you already have on hand. This is true, the only things I had to grab from the store were the yogurt and the marmalade. I ended up with orange marmalade because I couldn't find any lemon and vanilla yogurt because I made the mistake of shopping on a Monday and the yogurt choice was really picked over.

This recipe was really easy to throw together and tasted awesome. It got a little dry the next day, so make sure you seal it up really well. I think this cake would also be great without the glaze with some nice fruit and a touch of whip cream (like this pound cake I made last year).

Liliana of My Cookbook Addiction picked this week's recipe, you can see the recipe there. Be sure to check out her blog and all the TWD members to see how they handled this recipe.

French Yogurt Cake with Marmalade Glaze from Baking From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, pages 224-225.

TWD: Caramel Crunch Bars

These are good, very good. From the moment I saw this recipe I knew there was a good chance that I was going to like these, and I was right.

The are incredibly tasty. I thought the cookie crust was so good and the chocolate layer was the perfect compliment. I ended up using caramel bits on these as I had some in the pantry, and they added a great flavor.

I will definitely be making these again. They are a perfect dessert or snack to have around, as a little goes a long way.

Whitney of What's Left on the Table picked these. Check out her blog and the TWD bloggers to see what everyone thought of these.

Caramel Crunch Bars from Baking From My Home To Yours by Dorie Greenspan, page 112-113.

TWD: World Peace Cookies

So sorry for the lack of TWD posts, Doug and I decided that it would be fun to each spend a huge chunk of January being sick. It was so much fun, each of us taking turns either feeling horrible or trying to take care of the other one. But we're both better now and I'm really excited for this month's recipes.

I was really excited to try these cookies since they're chocolate (yum) and had some rave reviews online. I was really happy with how quickly the dough came together. When I went to cut them they crumbled a little bit but were easy to put back together. The cookies have a nice flavor but got hard very quickly, and I don't really like hard cookies so that bummed me out.

Overall these are a good cookie and I will probably try them again soon.
This recipe was picked by Jessica of cookbookhabit, make sure to check out her blog. And make sure to check out the other TWD bakers.

World Peace Cookies from Baking From My Home To Yours by Dorie Greenspan, pages 138-139.

TWD: Savory Corn Muffins

I was really excited when I saw that this week's recipe was a savory muffin. I'm still kind of burnt out on sweets from Christmas and I have no desire to spend a lot of time on a sweet treat that I won't feel like eating.

I didn't end up making these spicy, we aren't big on spicy around here. Without the peppers these need just a bit more sugar in my opinion. I think I will try this recipe again with just a few tweaks until I find the perfect taste for us.

This recipe was picked by Rebecca of Ezra Pound Cake. Check out her blog and the TWD bloggers to see how they interpreted this recipe.

Sweet and Savory Corn Muffins from Baking From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, page 6.

TWD: Tall and Creamy Cheesecake

When I saw that the last recipe for December was a cheesecake recipe I was both excited and nervous. I've never made a cheesecake before, even though it is something that I've always wanted to try. So I was very happy to see this recipe, because I knew it would be the kick I needed to finally make this awesome treat.

I was so inspired by this recipe and how great it sounded that we decided to make one for each of our parents for Christmas, since my dad and Doug's mom are cheesecake fans. This was so good that all of our parents absolutely raved about it. This has a nice creamy texture and a light sweet taste to it. And it's really actually very easy to make (trust me, I've made it three times now counting the one I just made for us to keep). The most time consuming aspect of this is the baking and cooling periods. This recipe also freezes really well, when we made the cakes for our parents we kept them in the freezer for a couple of days to make sure they stayed fresh and they were perfect.

I think this is a great recipe for someone who is new to cheesecakes, it's simple to follow and tastes great. I will definitely be trying more cheesecakes in different flavors in the future, so stay tuned!

This recipe was picked by Anne of AnneStrawberry, check out this great blog.

This recipe is from Baking From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, pages 235-237.

TWD: Buttery Jam Cookies

I was a little curious when I saw this recipe. I had expected these to be like a thumbprint cookie, a buttery cookie with jam in the middle. Instead these have the jam mixed into the cookies. I decided to try strawberry preserves in this and it was really good. This is a nice, light cookie. Not necessarily one that screams Christmas time, but definitely good.
Heather of Randomosity and the Girl picked this recipe, check out this great blog. And don't forget to check out the TWD blog roll to see how everyone made these.
Buttery Jam Cookies from Baking From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, page 80.

TWD: Sugar Cookies

Ok, I'll admit it: I was really excited when I saw that sugar cookies were one of the recipes for this month. I love sugar cookies but don't make them often because Doug isn't a big fan and I hate to make something just for me. I've also been on the hunt for a great sugar cookie since I moved out of my parents house and thus away from my mom's cookbooks.

This recipe is really good, but I'll probably keep up the search. I ended up just making these as a drop cookie because I didn't have the time or patience to roll them out. These had a nice taste and texture and are really very yummy. I will definitely keep this recipe around to grab when I want something quick and easy, which this one definitely is.

This week's recipe was picked by Ulrike at Kuchenlatein. Check it out!

Grandma's All-Occasion Sugar Cookies from Baking From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, pages 146-147.

TWD: Twofer Pie

So after taking last week off from TWD because it was my birthday and we had an abundance of cake I was really excited to try this pie. Basically it is a pumpkin pie with a pecan pie on top, which makes me a very happy girl. I didn't start liking pecan pie until 2 years ago when I made one for Doug and his family and discovered that I actually like it. This pie doesn't disappoint, it has a nice, creamy pumpkin layer with a crunchy, sweet pecan layer on top, so it's the best of both pie worlds. Doug has already asked me to make it again, which is a great sign.

I had to bake this longer than what the recipe called for, almost 20 more minutes actually, before the center was done. Other than that this is an incredibly easy recipe. Doug and I decided that we prefer this cold, which is how we like regular pumpkin pie. This would be great with whipped cream or even vanilla ice cream.

This recipe was picked by Vibi of La Casserole carree. Check out her blog.

Thanksgiving Twofer Pie from Baking From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, page 321.