Baking Basics and Beyond! Recipes and a Review!

Recently my friend Pat Sinclair  sent me a copy of her outstanding second edition  Baking Basics and Beyond ! Literally  it's the ultimate baking guide both for beginners and bakers looking to perfect their skills. It has more than 100 classic and updated recipes. I'm a huge fan!  Pat is also the author who wrote Scandinavian Classic Baking.  I adore that cookbook! This second edition  of Baking Basics and Beyond was presented with the "Baking Cookbook Award" by the Cordon d' Or--Gold Ribbon International Annual Cookbooks and Culinary Arts Program.

So, when I got this book I jumped in! Her recipes were so beautiful that I had a horrible time deciding what to bake! Thanks a lot Pat. You speak to my Baker's heart!  I bookmarked 12 recipes and poured over the wonderful descriptive pages. She does such a great job of describing baking skills. Her tips were perfect not only for beginners, but seasoned bakers as well. Here recipes, as always, made me drool. I finally settled on two recipes to whirl around. The first was one of the final recipes in the book. It was an Onion, Fig, and Asiago Focaccia. She described it so beautifully I couldn't resist! " A traditional Italian focaccia is sprinkled with herbs, usually rosemary, and drizzled with olive oil, making it a nice addition to an Italian Dinner...the contrast between the sweet figs and the caramelized onion is outstanding."   What more can I say?! Well, I can say, "Wow! This really is amazing!"  

 Onion, Fig, and Asiago Focaccia

 by Pat Sinclair from Baking Basics and Beyond  

2 3/4 cup (333g) All purpose flour
1 T (15 g) sugar
1 (1/4 oz[7g]) package active dry yeast
1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) course salt
1 cup (236 mL) very warm water (120-130 degrees Fahrenheit [49-54 degrees Celsius])
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 cup (150 g) sliced onion (1 medium) {I used red onion}
1 cup (90 g) grated Asiago Cheese
8 dried figs, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons (10 ml) coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
Coarse salt


Combine flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in large bowl. Add water and 2 tablespoons (30 mL) Olive oil and mix until a sticky batter is formed. 

 Cover bowl and let batter rise in a warm place for 30 minutes. Dough will have risen, but may not be doubled. Punch down, forcing out any large air bubbles. Cover loosely and allow dough to rise 15 minutes. 

 While dough is rising, heat remaining olive in a  9 inch (22.5 cm) skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onions and cook until tender. You will need to stir occasionally so onions don't burn. When cooked through, onions will be transparent. Cool slightly before placing onions on the dough. They will brown during baking. 

Lightly spray a 12 inch (30 cm) pizza pan with non-stick cooking spray. Press dough in pan, pressing so it sticks to the pan sides. Use handle of a wooden spoon on your knuckles to press dimples in the dough. Place onion slices on top and sprinkle with cheese, figs, rosemary, and course salt. The oil will fill in the dimples. 

 Cover loosely and let rise 30 minutes.  Heat oven to 425 degrees (220 Celsius) with rack in the lower third of the oven. Bake 20-25 minutes or until focaccia edges are brown and cheese is melted. Cool to room temperature and cut into wedges before serving. 

The second recipe made me weep.  It was *that* beautiful.  It also made my husband get up at midnight and eat 6 bars and drink half a gallon of milk. It was a gorgeous lemon bar that Pat called the Sunny Citrus Bar!

Pat Sinclair's Sunny Citrus Bars

 Pat described, "Here's my favorite lemon bar recipe. I use orange juice, in addition to lemon juice, to balance the sharpness of the lemon juice..." I stopped reading after that description. I ran outside. As random as that seems, we have an orange tree in my backyard full of sweet beautiful oranges that have been begging for something like this.  I think that's the first time I've had that literal reaction to a baking book. I just dropped what I was doing and ran outside for an orange! Add the lemon from a friend's tree and I was ready to run with these bars! Run and hide! Run and not share! Run...and run for 5 miles so I could burn enough calories to eat a couple more! I really loved these. Pat called for a 9 by 13 baking pan, but I did use a 10 by 10. My filling and crust are a little thicker than they would be if you used a 9 by 13...so keep that in mind. However...these bars are going to taste divine. They were a perfect balance of tart and sweet with the buttery shortbread-like crust that melts in your mouth. Pat also uses a glaze for her bars. Remarkable. 

Sunny Citrus Bars

by Pat Sinclair from Baking Basics and Beyond . 

Yield 36 bars

Crust: 

2 cups (242 g) all purpose flour

1 cup (115 g) powdered sugar

3/4 cup (170 g) butter

Filling: 

1 1/2 cups (300 g) sugar

3 tablespoons (23 g) all purpose flour 

1 teaspoon (5 mL) baking powder

1/8 teaspoon (.7 mL) salt

4 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup (118 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice (1-2 lemons)

1/4 cup (59 mL) freshly squeezed orange juice (1 orange)

1/4 cup (57 g) melted butter

1 teaspoon (5  mL) grated lemon peel

1 teaspoon (5 mL) grated orange peel 

Glaze: 1 1/2 cups (171 g) powdered sugar

           2-4 tablespoons (30-60 mL) orange juice

Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius) with oven rack in middle.  Lightly spray the bottom of a 13 by 9 -inch (33 X 22.5 cm) baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. 

Crust: Mix flour and powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles course crumbs with some pea-sized pieces. Press crust evenly in bottom and slightly up sides of baking pan. Bake 20-25 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Reduce heat to 325 degrees (165 Celsius).

Filling: Combine sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Beat in egss using a wire whisk. When smooth, stir in lemon juice, orange juice, butter, lemon peel and orange peel and mix well. Pour over hot crust.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until filling is set in the center and a knife comes out clean, although it will still be wet. Cool on a wire cooling rack to room temperature. 

Glaze: Combine powdered sugar and 2 tablespoon (30 mL) orange juice in a small bowl and beat with a small whisk until smooth. Spread glaze over cooled bars. Store bars in refrigerator. 

Thank you Pat Sinclair for sharing this "baking bible"! It's a masterpiece full of timeless baking wisdom, well tested recipes, and just down-right good advice. It's made understandable to not only the beginner, but the experienced baker as well. Pat is a food consultant and cooking teacher with a master's degree in foods and more than twenty-five years of professional experience. Throughout her career she has worked with high profile clients such as Land O'Lakes, General Mills, and Pillsbury.  She lives in Minneapolis...but visits Arizona often in the winter. In fact, it was on one such visit, that we had the chance to meet in person just outside the NBC studio as I was heading in for a segment! She's just a doll. That is of course, how I've come to share this book and her last book Scandinavian Classic Baking with you. Oh the kindred spirits!  I'm certain I'll use this Baking Basics and Beyond with great joy for years to come.  I highly recommend it!  

There you go! Baking Basics and Beyond  now in it's second edition.  A beautiful book by a wonderful lady!

Always My Very Best,

Your Friend Chef Tess

Danish Aebleskivers and "Scandinavian Classic Baking" by Pat Sinclair

Just over a month ago as I was walking into the NBC 12 studio here in Phoenix, a charming woman named Pat Sinclair was finishing up her Arizona Mid-Day Segment.  I met her outside the studio and we started talking briefly, only to find a common passion as sisters in baking (oh laaaawd-koom-bye-yaaa...). We did not bust out our blocks of butter and nutmeg mills and set up base camp right there in the lobby (tempting as that might have been)...Oh be still my heart when she told me she had been on the show introducing her new book entitled "Scandinavian Classic Baking", and asked if I would be willing to read it. Could someone please pinch me now?! It was a pure stroke of Divine Intervention! Pat,  who is a food consultant with almost 25 years experience in test kitchens and recipe development, was offering the Bakeresse more ammo to bake with?! What's not to love about that? 

When the book arrived in the mail, I could hardly wait to pour over the many breathtaking photos and descriptions of this magnificent region. It felt like I was going home as I saw and read the many baking styles from country to country. Why did it feel like home?

I'll tell you why. When my mother, born and raised  of almost pure Danish descent brought home a Swedish-English fiancée...it could have ended badly. However, Dane's are know for their stubborn streaks, and mom was not an exception to that rule. She knew a good thing when she had it. I was born a few years later to both parents of Scandinavian decent. There it is folks. I am a Scandinavian Classic Baker! Pat Sinclair meeting me at the channel 12 studio was not just an accident. Her book of heirloom quality recipes falling into my hands has been like a breath of heaven. In fact, each new page and recipe made my heart almost sing. I wanted to jump a flying leap out of my chair, grab a wedge of Land-o-Lakes...I digress.  The final kicker was  near the end of the book. Aebleskivers. Moment of silence for the fat little Danish fingers of my childhood...daggumit. I love those little puff balls of love. What are they? Well, they're pure fluffy golden heaven in a swirly-whirly butter fried mass of joy. Lightly crisp on the outside with almost a popover note.  I used to eat them until I could see them in my sleep. *Used to* being the operative. Dang diets. Now we eat them on Christmas and birthdays.

  Danish grandmother Dorothy, mother of eleven children gave my mother a family heirloom aebleskeiver pan. 

Grandmother's Aebleskiver pan passed from mom's hands to mine at the time of my wedding. She shared her secrets to perfect Danish aebleskivers at the time as well. So, imagine my joy when I saw Pat's cookbook include a recipe of authentic Danish Aebleskivers! They are not just pancakes. They're almost a cross between a popover and a pancake. The flavor is mild and the texture should be exceptionally light and slightly sweet. The secret is the method. 

The  spelling is usually aebleskiver or ebleskiver. I saw some version of my beloved æbleskiver being sold with a commercially changed pan, It was branded as "Pancake Puffs" and stuffed with all kinds of filling...but truth be known, it wasn't grandma's recipe. Not even close. It was just a pancake.  I'm a pure freak. Pure freak. If you're calling it a classic, it better dang-tootin' be a classic. This one is. Pat Sinclair...you're my hero!

Danish Aebleskiver from

 Classic Scandinavian Baking by Pat Sinclair

yield 35 pancake balls

4 large eggs, separated

2T sugar

2 cups All purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups 2% milk

1/4 cup butter, softened

confectioners sugar

applesauce if desired

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar until foamy. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add the flour and milk to the egg yolks and whisk until smooth.

Beat the egg whited in a large bowl with the electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. When you lift the beater, the whites will make peaks that fold back slightly.

Gently fold the egg whited into the batter until smooth. (Pat's book has a great tutorial on how to fold).

Get out great-great grandma's pan. Try not to cry. Remember you're loved...

Heat aebleskiver pan over medium heat until drops of water sizzle.  (You can use any ol' aebleskiver pan.)

 Place about 1/4 tsp butter in each cup. Add about 1/4 cup batter in each cup. Each cup will be about 3/4 full.

Pat uses a knitting needle to turn over her aebleskivers...I use one of these chop stick thingies...

Cook 1-2 minutes until bottom half is brown. Use the knitting needle (or chop stick) to slowly turn the balls to cook the other sides.  Balls are done when a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Turn out pancake balls onto plate and keep warm in a low oven. 

Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm

Be it braided breads or tarts, muffins or rolls...Pat Sinclair has won perhaps forever, my loyalty and love for her attention to detail and her wonderful book. Thank you Pat. From one baker to another...you have truly inspired! Anyone would be blessed to have this classic baking book in their home. Especially, however, anyone with an appreciation for the baking of the Scandinavian region. It really is an outstanding book. Chef Tess Bakeresse  Pulla Braid approved!

 Once again, special thanks to Pat Sinclair  who is a food consultant with almost 25 years experience in test kitchens and recipe development. Her newest cookbook, Scandinavian Classic Baking was published by Pelican Publishing in Spring 2011. Her first cookbook "Baking Basics and Beyond", published by Surrey Books, has been presented the Baking Cookbook Award for 2007 by the Cordon d’Or- Gold Ribbon Award International Annual Cookbooks and Culinary Arts Program. She has worked for corporate clients Land O'Lakes, Pillsbury and General Mills. She is currently working on her second cookbook, "The Ultimate Empty Nesters Cookbook". She also teaches cooking classes in the Twin Cities.

Buy Scandinavian Classic Baking here

Herb Oils and Essential Oils (Rambling Review)

This seemed like the perfect product review to add to Herb and Spice Week! I think you'll agree. 

Identity Magazine contacted me in February  to let me know that I had won  a Family Physician Kit from Oil Essentials.org during their February "Love Your Identity Giveaway"! I was so excited. I don't win a lot of stuff, but I had no idea what the "Family Physician Kit" was. So I checked it out.

Family Physician® Kit

The Family Physician® Kit is a collection of ten nurturing essential oils, including six single oils and four blends. The stunning box includes tips for using the oils, as well as an audio CD featuring dōTERRA®'s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. David K. Hill. In this audio presentation, Dr. Hill teaches listeners how to care for their family's everyday health needs with simple and safe methods using the ten essential oils included in this kit. Includes 5 ml bottles of Lavender, Lemon, Peppermint, Melaleuca, Oregano, Frankincense, Deep Blue®, Breathe, DigestZen®, and On Guard™ to help families address a multitude of health issues.

The company representative Joni Lang was afraid that I wouldn't know what to do with the oils, but I was excited to try them. I'm adventurous. Plus, I had been looking for a more natural way to add flavor to my cooking and baked goods and this sounded like a good option. Joni wrote:

"I'm so glad you won! I was afraid my amazing oils might go to some one who would have no idea what to do with them, and they would just sit on a shelf.  I am so excited for you to get them and try them out.  I think you will be amazed at the purity.  They are not Certified as Organic because they grow wild in their indiginous habitat.  Not sure I would trust the Certified Organic label anyway as the FDA allow 10% chemicals and pesticides, and it can still be called Organic.  The FDA does have a list of essential oils that they have determined to be "Generally Regarded as Safe" or GRAS.  Our oils that meet that standard have a supplement label right on the bottle and are absolutely safe to ingest and cook with.  One of my favorite things is just to add a drop of Lavender in my cupcake frosting. So yummy!"  

Inside the family Physician kit were simple directions on how and where to use the oils.  Joni's website has some great information including an Essential Wellness Guide that showed was awesome. I enjoyed reading her  Introduction to Oils,  and some  Quick Oil References. 

I used a few drops of  the On Guard with a 1/2 cup of water in the morning to help with my immune system during the colds and flu that seemed to hit my family especially hard this year.

Most intriguing to me was the Oil of Oregano.  I have a dear friend who has sworn by this stuff for years. I've never seen her get sick. Why I haven't tried using it is way beyond me...yet there it was, staring at me. Okay. I'm going to tell you right here, it's the devil strong. You can't just put a drop on your tongue. You'll gage. But, I did purchase some empty gel caps and have been using it regularly. It's helped immensely!  

Another one I have come to love is the lemon oil. I use one or two drops in my bottled water with some stevia and I don't even miss Diet Coke. The lemon oil is so light and fresh tasting and it helps as a disinfectant,  for sore throat relief, neutralize odors and bacteria,  and a digestive aid.

I was very excited that this oil was so pure and safe for consumption.  You can't just use the oils in the craft store.  These are different.  Even some massage oils are not safe to eat. 

You can learn more about the Certified Pure Therapeutc Grade (CPTG) standard HERE. 

I've been using the oils to flavor my olive oil for cooking and baking.

4-5 drops of the oil of oregano and 4-5 drops of the lemon oil make a very refreshing addition to any olive oil. Plus, there's not any flecks of herbs in there.  It's an amazing way to impart a ton of flavor without a lot of mess.  Traditionally when I've made herb oils it has taken about a week for the flavor to really reach full potency. This is instant. What's not to love about that?

I'm sure I'll be using these a lot more in the future. Thank you Joni for the chance to use your amazing oils! I'm  so happy with them!

Visit Joni's Oil Essentials website here.

The Mystery Castle--a Phoenix Staycation Must See

Taking my kids on a field trip was high on my list of things to do during Spring Break. High enough that we went last week just after they got out of school.  My husband Ace had read about this Mystery Castle.  Located at the foothills of South Mountain Park. It seemed like the perfect excursion for a family who loves using natural resources..and appreciates art.  It's built 100% out of recycled stuff...and natural stuff. One thing we couldn't find until we got there was how much it would be to tour the place. So, just for you... 

Right away I noticed this wagon wheel uses as a window. Oh my gosh. I fell in love.

 It's amazing! Upon closer examination...it's even more surprising. There are a million little nooks and crannies with astounding use of recycled material.

 This window caught my eye right away. Look at that glass...it's old glass fridge containers!

 The builder made this house out of nothing. Literally what he found in the dessert an what he was able to purchase amazingly cheap from junk dealers. Out of it, he built a monument of love for his daughter.

 In all of the rooms, natural light is used.

 Okay, I need one of these.

 Bunk beds are built right into the sides of the walls and the natural use of the land.

 I was really impressed with how thick the walls are...and the amazing use of natural light. This is the inside of that window I showed you...with the fridge glass.

The Mystery Castle was built in the 1930s by Boyce Luther Gulley (died 1945) for his daughter Mary Lou Gulley.  Point of interest here..A Life Magazine story (January 26, 1948) ^[1]  was done on the Mystery Castle and this is the metal alligator that guarded the door to the "mystery" treasure to be opened by the daughter Mary Lou. You'll have to go take the tour to see what the treasure was. I was almost moved to tears.

 Perhaps one of the most exciting things for my kids to see...were the rocks. Face has a rock fixation. I'm okay with it. I'm sure he'll be an amazing man. But when he saw rocks turned into art...his giant brain took off! He was talking non-stop about what he could do with rocks at home.  The Pet rock collection was quite extensive there.

 I'm not kidding.

The work with the mortar and stones is intense.

 Really...who uses tires in their walls? I think everyone should.

 Boyce left little notes in nooks and crannies for his daughter as well.  Can you imagine Mary Lou opening this to see a note from her dad in the kitchen?

 I wasn't kidding about the pet rocks. That's a rock.

 The old kitchen...

 A table out of copper coiling...

 The dumb waiter "well" that goes from the patio upstairs to the "bar" below.

 We are making some of these! Wind chimes out of forks and spoons?! Every chef should have one.

Through this little window on the patio you can see Phoenix.

 In the play room there were some really cool things too.

Go see the Mystery Castle . We had an outstanding, inspiring time. Now...I need to go make some wind chimes.