Granola Bars ~

I'm a big fan of homemade anything, and granola bars are no exception!  They are the perfect running-out-the-door breakfast necessity as well as an ideal companion to an afternoon espresso or tea.  {and they also make delicious, healthy gifts}  The bonus with granola is that you can 'personalize' the mix to satisfy your taste buds...

Homemade Granola Bars

{adapted from Ina Garten's Back to Basics}

2 cups old-fashioned oats

1 cup slivered almonds

1 cup coconut flakes

1/2 cup toasted wheat germ

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2/3 cup honey

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/3 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped pitted dates

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter an 8x12-inch baking dish and line with parchment paper. Toss the oats, almonds and coconut together on a sheet pan and bake for 15-20 minutes (stirring occasionally) until lightly browned.  Transfer to a large bowl and stir in wheat germ. Reduce oven heat to 300 degrees. Place butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Cook and stir for a minute, then pour over the oat mixture.  Add the remaining ingredients and stir well. Pour mixture in prepared pan, wet fingers and lightly press the mixture evenly into the pan.  Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool for at least 2-3 hours before cutting into squares. 

[Reverie Daydream Images]

An Apple A Day ~

There is something really special about apple season and all the delicious local varietals offered for the picking!  During this time of year, my baskets are always filled with this adored fruit, and baking seems to outweigh all other forms of culinary experiences.  There are favorites such as the Apple Jack Cake with Caramel Cream Cheese Icing, Apple Streusel Bread, and Raw Apple Cake, yet I always like to indulge in something new and this year's recipe proudly joins the must-bake annually ranks. 

Mom's Apple Cake

[adapted from Smitten Kitchen]

7 Small Apples (peeled, cored, and chopped)

1 1/2 Tablespoons Cinnamon

6 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup olive oil

1 2/3 cups sugar

1/4 cup orange juice

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter/Grease a tube pan.  

Toss apples with cinnamon and sugar, set aside.

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix together oil, orange juice, sugar and vanilla.

Add the wet ingredients (slowly) into the dry ingredients, mix well.

Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Pour half of batter into prepared pan followed by half of apple mixture over it.

Pour remaining batter over the apples and place the other half of apples on top.  

Bake for approx. 1 1/2 hours, or until toothpick comes out clean.

[Reverie-Daydream Images]

Fig Bounty

For the past few weeks, I have basically been living off figs.  This particular season, the fig bounty has been of such abundance that I had to come up with ways to use this glorious fruit (not a bad problem to have!).  Besides just eating them fresh off the tree or indulging in this decadent treat, I decided a bread of some sort would be the perfect recipient of my favorite 'end of Summer' fruit.  

And yes, I would be thrilled to know how you satisfy your fig fancy ~

Fig Banana Bread

2 Bananas (ripe)

4-5 Figs (ripe and cut into small pieces)

1/2 cup of melted butter

3/4 cup turbinado (raw sugar)

2 cups of all-purpose flour 

2 eggs

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. cardamom*** (this is what puts it over-the-top)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix mashed bananas and butter in large mixing bowl.  Add the sugar, lightly beaten eggs, figs and vanilla.  Sprinkle baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom over the mixture and stir in.  Add the flour last, mix well.  Pour into a 4 x 8 loaf pan and bake for approx. 1 hour or until toothpick comes out dry.  Once removed from oven, allow to cool for 10 minutes, then slice and serve!     

A Magical Wedding ~

There are weddings, and then there ARE weddings ~ Beth and Bill's special day of love uniting seriously takes the prize for the most magical and memorable wedding I have ever had the pleasure of attending (and being a part of!). 

Truly filled with organic bliss from the moment the invitation arrived until the bride and groom pedaled off into happily-ever-after.  Nature provided the backdrop to this perfect wedding ~ the ceremony took place within the organic vegetable garden which is grown with love by the Bride's mother and father [one of my favorite people in the entire world], a cellist playing the most beautiful music amidst the green bounty, turkeys and chickens adding their cheerful songs in the distant background, organic | local | seasonal food served underneath a 300-year-old Oak tree, and a stunning bride and groom so perfectly made for one another that one begins to believe that fairy-tales do exist. 

I was honored to bake the wedding cakes [3 vanilla cakes layered with lemon curd, 1 coconut cake, 1 chocolate cake with mocha frosting, and carrot cake cupcakes with cream-cheese frosting], and to see them beautifully displayed upon the Jadeite cake stands was a total delight!  Among the many details that made this love affair so special was the fact that everything was so natural, so real, so made-with-love | decorated with love | organized with love by the blissful couple and those who love them [and you must take a peek at the behind-the-scenes here]. 

[Images by Reverie-Daydream]

Easter Traditions

When I was a little girl, my grandmother always baked a coconut cake for Easter. She decorated it with the green grass, jelly beans, and peeps. I thought it was the greatest thing in the world! It was a tradition that became synonymous with this Spring holiday.

Both of my grandmothers are incredible bakers, so I believe this is where I inherited the love for sweet creations. This year, I decided to start the Easter cake tradition for the crumb. Hand-painted blown eggs (a definite labor of love) set perfectly atop my double-layered coconut cake along with the crumb's squeal of "Pink Eggs!" would definitely make my grandmother proud!

I would love to know your fondest Easter/Springtime memories.....

[Reverie-Daydream Images]