Whenever I go out for breakfast, it’s a given that I’m going to choose raisin toast to go with my cheese omelet. Sometimes I think I’m going to go wild and order eggs over easy instead, but no matter the style of egg, raisin toast is a must. Why have boring wheat or white toast when you could choose sweet, buttery, cinnamon covered raisin?! Quite frankly, I think it might be my favorite bread on earth…

Bread:
8 c. all-purpose flour
2 packets active dry yeast
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. sugar
3 eggs
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 1/2 c. milk
1 c. warm water (110 degrees F)
3/4 c. raisins

Filling:
2 tbs. milk
3/4 c. sugar
2 tbs. cinnamon

(I’m using the paddle in this picture, which is kind of a no-no. I couldn’t find my dough hook!)

In a small saucepan, heat milk until it starts to bubble. Remove from heat, transfer into a new bowl, and bring to room temperature. Once cooled, dissolve yeast in warm water and wait until it looks frothy (5-10 minutes). Mix with eggs, sugar, butter, salt, raisins and cooled milk. Slowly add flour in batches until a ball is formed. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth, then place in a large, oiled bowl and let rise until doubled in size.

Once fully risen (should take 1-2 hours depending on the humidity and temperature that day), roll out onto a lightly floured surface until 1/2″ thick. Pour milk onto dough and spread out. Mix cinnamon and sugar, then sprinkle across dough. Starting at the end closest to you, roll the dough to make a spiral. From here, you can either cut the dough into two or three pieces (I did two because the loaves are AWESOMELY HUGE). Tuck ends under, then place in buttered loaf pans. Let rise for another hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Let loaves bake for 45-55 minutes, or until golden brown on the outside.

Note for making killer cinnamon-raisin bread: GUYS, THIS IS SO DELICIOUS. I froze one loaf for later and have been eating one all week. It’s the best first thing in the morning, toasted with butter! If you don’t like raisins you can totally skip them (this would still be delicious without). I think this might be my new favorite recipe… I also know the ridiculous time it takes to make, but I promise it’s WORTH IT. Your next boring, rainy day you have off.. I highly suggest this.

I’m not sure where I got the desire to make fish tacos, but I apparently did so here they are. TO CLEAR UP SOME CONFUSION: although I’m a vegetarian, I do eat fish from time to time. Ever have a bad day and you just feel like killing something? WELL those are the days I just feel like eating fish! Don’t get it? Ah, well I don’t care. ONWARD!

1 1/2 lbs. haddock (or any white fish you like)
1 (12 ct) package corn tortillas
4 tbs. olive oil
Zest from 1 lime
Juice from 1 lime
Handful of cilantro, chopped
2 scallions, chopped

Avocado Cream:
2 avocados, peeled, halved and pitted
1/3 c. sour cream
1 scallion, chopped
1 handful cilantro, chopped
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
Juice from 1 lime
Salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together olive oil, zest, juice, scallions and cilantro until well combined. Pour into a large, freezer safe bag with fish and marinate in the fridge for 1 hour. In the meantime, heat up a small pan. Once hot, dry roast tortillas one at a time. Flip after 30 seconds, then place in a clean towel to keep warm (you can also put your oven on low if you want them super warm). Mash together all ingredients for avocado cream (very easy), and set aside.

Line a large skillet with olive oil (just enough to cover the bottom), then cook fish on medium high. Flip after 7 minutes, then let cook for another 4 (your fish might break up a little bit but that’s okay). Remove from heat, then assemble your tacos!

Note for making terrific tacos: WOAAAAH BABY these were delicious. A perfect fresh summertime meal. Haddock is a great fish for this because it holds up under the harshness of the lime juice and isn’t very fishy tasting… You can top these with anything you want; lettuce, tomatoes, onions… but I went plain. My family loved them! YAY SUMMER.

For the vast interest I have in food and spending time in the kitchen, I don’t consider myself a suzie-homemaker type. I’m pretty messy and most things I bake for my own enjoyment. I actually think I like baking mostly for how messy it is, and I don’t really have many people to feed (besides my parents, of course). I realize that this won’t last forever, and for that I have this recipe. Friends pop by for an unexpected visit? Someone invites you to a BBQ and you need provisions last minute? The boy of your dreams comes over unexpectedly and you need to impress him by quickly whipping up a fantastic dessert? This cake is made for that.

2 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. shortening
3 eggs
3/4 c. milk
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
Zest from 1 lemon
Juice from 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together sugar, shortening, milk and eggs with a hand mixer until well combined. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt, then add in batches to wet mixture until well combined. Lastly, add juice and zest from lemon and stir. Place in lined bread pan and bake for 50-55 minutes.

Note for making delicious lemon cake: YUUUMMMMM. This is perfect with some fresh berries on it with homemade whipped cream (it is summer, you guys). You could honestly put ANYTHING on it and it would be delicious. It’s always nice to have a trusty cake recipe… and for me this is totally it. Skip the lemon and put whatever flavoring you have in it! It’s almost blueberry season and this would be FAAANTASTIC for them…

First and foremost, I’m not going to lie: my mother made this recipe. I was due to have a guest star. I was also due for some sort of break and at long last, I was granted one. SO NOW DIANE DESMARAIS PRESENTS TO YOU… TABOULI.

2 c. bulgur wheat
2 c. hot water (very, very hot)
1 cucumber, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped (about 2 cups)
1 garlic clove, minced

Dressing:
Juice from 1 lemon
3/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, soak bulgur in hot water until it’s completely absorbed. Once soft, add all ingredients. Whisk together dressing ingredients until combined, then stir into tabouli. Let chill, then serve.

Note for making terrific tabouli: Now, I’m not a huge fan of tabouli so I’m probably the wrong person to ask… but she brought it to a work function and it was a big hit! Mint is also a traditional ingredient in tabouli, so you could definitely add it if you want.

It’s SUMMERTIME! Although it’s only May, it has been so freaking nice in New Hampshire. Just the other day it was 85 and humid and I didn’t even know what to do with myself. Ice cream is an absolute staple in hot weather, and it’s really awesome to make at home… The issue? YOU NEED AN ICE CREAM MACHINE. I found this recipe and it stood out because you didn’t need a machine to make it! Plus, sherbet is just awesome…

1/2 ripe pineapple, peeled and chopped
3/4 c. sugar
2 tbs. water or pineapple juice
1 qt. low fat or fat free buttermilk
Zest from one lemon
Juice from 1/2 lemon

In a small sauce pan on medium-high, cook pineapple, sugar, water, lemon juice and zest until sugar is dissolved. Bring to room temperature, then transfer to a blender. Add half of buttermilk then puree until smooth. Pour mixture in to a freezer safe dish and whisk in remaining buttermilk until completely combined. Put dish in freezer and let sit until firm (about 3 hours).

Note for making super sherbet: HOLY MOTHER OF PEARL. This is so good. I’m so stoked on this recipe because it’s not something that will go bad soon… As long as it’s covered in the freezer it’ll keep for weeks! NOT TO MENTION IT’S DELICIOUS AND VERY EASY! The idea of buttermilk really didn’t sound that great to me (it’s really tangy) but I was wrong. I want to make SOOO MANY kinds of sherbet now! Strawberry! Blueberry! WOOOO SUMMER!

Cookies are seriously one of my favorite desserts of all time. It doesn’t matter the kind… they’re all fantastic and so much fun to make. My mom asked me last week for the perfect oatmeal cookie recipe; crunchy on the outside, but buttery and soft on the inside. All I can say is she came to the right person (if there’s one thing I know how to do, it’s bake a darn cookie).

2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 c. vegetable shortening, room temperature
1 c. sugar
1 c. (packed) dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 c. old-fashioned oats
1 c. raisins
1 c. walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, shortening, sugars, eggs and extract until smooth. Mix remaining dry ingredients into a separate bowl, then add slowly to wet ingredients while mixing. Lastly stir in raisins and walnuts. Plop onto a lightly buttered baking sheet (there’s enough fat in them, don’t go too wild), then bake for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown on the edges. Let cool for a few, then serve!

Note for making awesome oatmeal cookies: I DID SUCH A GREAT JOB! These came out fantastic… They’re super sweet and chewy and everything you could ever want in a cookie. The original recipe called for honey, but I skipped that because there was absolutely no need for more sugar… but if you feel like experimenting, have at it! I CANNOT BELIEVE I’M ALMOST HALF DONE A BAKER’S DOESN’T!

I was just checking the weather and this weekend is supposed to be SOOOOO NICE in southern New Hampshire. So nice out that you could probably GRILL outside and it be completely acceptable! I’ve always been fairly hesitant about grilled desserts, but I think that mostly stems from my hatred of Bobby Flay (he’s so harsh and all he does is grill fruit and makes tons of money for it). I was perusing some easy summer grilled desserts and (something similar to) this popped up amongst his usual grilled peaches, pineapples, etc. Chocolate, peanut butter and bananas? Yes, PLEASE!

2 slices of whole wheat bread
1 ripe banana
1 tbs. powdered sugar
1/4 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tbs. peanut butter
Butter for spreading

Mash up the banana with powdered sugar until chunky but not a paste. In a small bowl, melt chocolate chips with peanut butter in the microwave. Heat up your grill (I used a panini press instead), then butter both slices of bread on one side. Butter side down, place one slice on grill and spread banana on top. Take remaining slice, spread with chocolate mixture on non-buttered side, and place face down on top of the banana slice. Grill until the first side has nice char marks, then flip. Cook for a few more minutes, then remove from grill and let cool. Cut into wedges and serve!

Note for making the best banana sandwiches: To tell you the truth, these kind of disappointed me. They’re so ooey-gooey and rich that they seriously made me sick! I KNEW BOBBY FLAY WAS THE WORST! These could be highly improved if there wasn’t sugar in the bananas, and you used less of everything overall. GREAT NOW I WANNA BARF! THANKS BOBBY!

It’s almost summer and you know what that means: CANOBIE LAKE PARK! I hadn’t been in forever, but I met up with a few friends this past weekend to kick off the season. Naturally we pre-partied in the parking lot and I surprised everyone with an awesome loaf of fresh homemade vegan bread!

Zest from 1 orange
Juice from 1 orange
1 1/2 tbs. poppy seeds
2 c. flour
1/4 c. (or 1 single serving package) applesauce
1/4 c. oil (canola or vegetable)
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. soy milk
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, poppy seeds, baking soda and salt. Mix together remaining wet ingredients in a separate bowl, then pour into flour mixture. Once completely combined (with no lumps!) pour into a buttered loaf pan and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick comes clean.

Note for making the best bread: This was a pretty big hit! It definitely got us ready for the big day… The trick to vegan breads is adding lots of binders, such as apple sauce, oil and milk. You could always use an egg substitute but I’d only do that if I had to. Also, it would be really easy to work this into different flavors by holding the orange/poppy seeds and adding whatever you want!

Butter sauces are not for the faint of heart. That is, because, you are using STRAIGHT SATURATED FAT as a topping for carbohydrates… To those of you who are scared of butter, I’m just going to say that everything is okay in moderation. This rosemary-butter pasta is definitely rich, but BOY it’s so delicious I don’t even care how bad it is for me.

1 lb. pasta (I used straight-up spaghetti)
1 stick of unsalted butter
4 tbs. olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
2 rosemary sprigs, chopped fine
1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
Salt & pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In the meantime, heat a skillet to medium-high and add butter and olive oil. Cut the two cloves of garlic in half then place in the skillet with butter. Whisk until butter starts to brown, then add rosemary. Once pasta is finished cooking, strain and put directly in skillet with sauce. Remove garlic (I chop it up and put it back in because I love lots of it), add parmesan, then stir until pasta is completely covered. Serve immediately!

Note for making perfect pasta: I mean, whenever you COVER something with butter it’s going to be delicious, but I feel like there’s more to why it’s so good… The olive oil really makes everything come together, and the cheese gives it a nice saltiness. Not to mention this recipe is VERY easy (I made it in 10 minutes and had it for lunch)! If you wanted to cut the richness of this, add some lemon juice or you could even use a ‘light’ butter (Paula Deen is going to kill me).

One of the many perks of moving home is my mother’s kitchen. I have yet to find a place that I can call a permanent home, therefore I’ve yet to acquire solid kitchen items: one of them being a waffle iron. So basically I get to be spoiled for (hopefully only) a few months! Breakfast is a huge meal in our family, and today I decided to create a twist on a morning staple…

Syrup:
16 oz. carton strawberries, fresh
2 tbs. butter
1/3 c. sugar
Juice from 1/2 lemon

Waffles:
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tbs. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs, separated
2 c. milk (I used soy)
2 tbs. vegetable oil
1 tsp. almond extract
1/2 c. slivered almonds for sprinkling

Start by removing stems from strawberries and slicing. In a small saucepan, heat strawberries with butter, lemon juice and sugar on stove. Reduce on medium while making the waffles. In the meantime, mix all dry ingredients for waffles in a large bowl. Add egg yolks, sugar, milk and extract, and whisk until smooth. Using a hand mixer, whip egg whites in a separate bowl until fluffy and stiff. Add to batter and fold in with a spatula. Heat your waffle iron and either spray with oil or butter (I, obviously, used butter). Pour about a 1/2 cup portion onto the iron, then sprinkle with almonds. Close, then wait until the waffle is golden brown. Remove, top with strawberry syrup (and maybe some regular syrup, too!) and enjoy.

Note for making wonderful waffles: These were good! My family really seemed to like them. I had one and I was STUFFED. Separating the eggs and fluffing the whites is always a great way to make pancakes and waffles extra light. Almonds are probably my favorite nut, so I loved them in the waffles… you could skip them and just sprinkle on top. WOO BREAKFAST!