Blog: The MasterChef

Hello fellow bakers! A few of us Journalism students have decided to put out a Christmas and Winter Baking article, to help give you and your families ideas and hints for baking. In this article, there will be cakes, cookies, and other sweet treats! We hope you enjoy! Gingerbread Cookies Courtesy of Lucía Viloria 1 ¼ cup sugar 1 cup salted butter 1 egg 3 tablespoons molasses 3 cup flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons cinnamon 2 teaspoons ginger Pinch of ...

Some of the most common allergens include: dairy, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, and gluten. Some allergies can be anaphylactic, which means if someone consumes the allergen it will result in a severe or fatal reaction. Thus, safe baking in allergy families is imperative. One simple, but extremely important, thing to avoid in baking is cross-contamination. This happens when food or remnants of food...

Cuzzupe, a sweet, lightly orange flavored bread, is a Calabrian staple for Easter. Although cuzzupe is normally a dessert, this Easter treat can be eaten for breakfast and dessert. Easy to make, cuzzupe is very delicious and good to give out as Easter gifts! Ingredients 6 cups of flour 4 teaspoons baking powder 1 cup granulated sugar 4 tablespoons vegetable shortening 6 large eggs ¾...

This delicious yet simple lentil stew is gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, and easy-to-make! It’s the perfect meal for Lent, especially on cold days! Note: This recipe is designed for large families and feeds 7-10 people. If you’re making it for less people, you may need to halve it. Cook time: 10-40 minutes, depending on how much you make and how many of the optional ingredients you add....

It is so easy to grab a bag of chips or some pre-made snack. However, if you take a few extra minutes, you can have a delicious, much better for you, snack available to satisfy your cravings. Here are a few easy and fun healthier snack ideas: Apples or bananas and peanut butter (throw in some dark chocolate)   Strawberries (and pretzels) with homemade whipped cream Whipped cream: ...

Tostones Recipe Ingredients: 3 Plantains 2 cups Vegetable Oil 2 Tsps Salt Garlic Powder (to taste) Sauce: ¼ Cup Ketchup ¼ Cup Mayonnaise Garlic Powder (Optional, to taste) Paprika (Optional, to taste) Instructions: Tostones- Bring canola oil to boil. Cut ends of plantains off, cut down the side of the peel. Peel plantains. Cut plantains, about ½ an inch thick. Tak...

Pretzel Bites This is a recipe that has become a favorite over the years. The original recipe says to serve with beer cheese, but I’ve never done that and they’ve always turned out delicious! Kids love rolling the dough to create the bites! 4 teaspoons active dry yeast 1 & ¼ cups warm water 5 cups flour ¼ cup white sugar, plus 1 teaspoon ¼ cups brown sugar 1 & ½ teaspoons...

Cheese and Herb Biscuits INGREDIENTS 2 c. all-purpose flour 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 4 tbsp. unsalted butter 1/2 c. grated sharp Cheddar 2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary 3/4 c. Buttermilk DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut...

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are a delightful fall recipe and are perfect to make for Thanksgiving! They are made with coconut oil, a healthy substitute for vegetable oil. If you’re worrying these cookies will taste like coconut - don’t! The coconut oil binds the ingredients together perfectly without changing the intended taste. So, without further...

Welcome to the first episode of the Great Homeschool Cooking Show. Your narrator, Garrett, will walk you through the recipe.

TIRAMISU I have tried many different recipes for this Italian classic, but I never could find a recipe that was good enough for me, so I combined different recipes and eventually came up with my own. Be aware that this recipe does contain raw eggs! Makes 9 pieces. Ingredients: 4 egg yolks (just yolks - separate the whites.) ½ cup sugar 1 mascarpone container (8 oz.) 1 package ladyfingers 1...

Apple Cider French Toast Dear reader, there is some valuable information I must share with you about all French toast that you should know before you attempt to make it. If that previous sentence sounds slightly foreboding, that was on purpose but utterly misleading. French toast is by no means an exact science and it is nearly impossible to do wrong. Forgetting an ingredient here or there...

Rebecca's dinner roll recipe: Ingredients: 1 cup warm milk ½ cup melted butter ¾ cup warm water 5 tsp. yeast ⅓ cup sugar 1 tsp. salt 4 - 4/½ cups flour   Directions: Preheat oven to 350* F. Mix the milk, butter, water, yeast, sugar, and salt until combined. Add the flour one cup at a time until you have a soft and elastic dough. Knead the dough by hand, for 3-5 minutes....

Every recipe has a story behind it. Most of my recipes just happen to have the same story: When we were little, my sister was allergic to gluten, wheat, dairy, peanuts, soy, eggs, green bell peppers, peas, and spelt. It wasn’t as hard as some might think it would be, largely because there are pre-prepared foods at the grocery stores which are free from the top 8 food allergens. Eventually, she g...

This homemade yogurt recipe has been a favorite in our family for close to a decade. It is adapted from a recipe in the book The Complete Tightwad Gazette, written by Amy Dacyczyn. Ingredients: 3 cups whole milk 1 cup half-and-half Starter - Roughly ¼ cup of already made plain yogurt (it can be store bought, although if it is, the yogurt must be live culture, or you can use leftover hom...

Modified from the recipe of Mallory (http://chocolatewithgrace.com/buckeye-recipe-peanut-butter-balls/) yield: ABOUT 40 prep time: 1 HOUR additional time: 2 HOURS total time: 3 HOURS Buckeyes are traditionally from the state of Ohio and are a delicious treat consisting of peanut butter balls covered in chocolate. These delicious treats are a favorite of my family because my siblings and I were a...

Chocolate Delight This amazing dessert is from my late, great, sassy grandma. It isn't very hard to make and has become a family favorite! I hope you enjoy.   Ingredients 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup butter 1 cup pecans, finely chopped 8 oz. cream cheese 1 cup powdered sugar 3 cups cool whip, thawed 1 package instant chocolate pudding 1 package instant vanilla pudding 3 cups of vanilla ...

If you ever find yourself visiting Buffalo, New York, your to-do list will probably include trying some of the great food we have around here. We have tons of mom-and-pop restaurants, about a zillion pizza joints, and, of course, chicken wings, which were invented here in 1964. With all the all the hype around savory food, sweets may be the last things on your mind, and you may not know where...

Serves: Variable Ingredients A high heat oil, such as avocado oil 1 stick butter 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1 teaspoon guar gum or xanthan gum Roughly 2 cups milk Roughly 1 cup chicken broth (If you’re making it on a Friday, you can use normal water and add some fish sauce.) Dash of vinegar Several spoonfuls of sour cream Cheddar cheese to taste Salt, pepper, and onion powder ...

These melt-in-your-mouth tea cookies are pure deliciousness with a chocolate surprise in the middle. Read this recipe to find out how to make your own! Ingredients: 1 cup butter 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour ⅓ cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 tablespoon water 1 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts, since they’re cheaper) ½ bag chocolate kisses or more 1 cup powdered sugar (the recipe calls for...

I’ll be honest. This isn’t the real name of this dessert. It’s actually called “Khao Nieow Ma Muang” Since I can’t even say that, much less say it correctly, I have made the executive decision to call it something much easier to pronounce. This is a great dessert to whip up if you decide to make Beef Panang, because if you’re going shopping for Asian ingredients, why not go all out?...

Full of creamy sweetness, this is a simple candy you can shamelessly enjoy and have fun making at home.   These exquisite treats can be made with only three ingredients (even two, if you like):   1-2 tablespoons honey 1 cup butter (in this case ghee, also called clarified butter, was used) 2-4 drops mint extract as flavoring Feel free to experiment with various flavorings. Yo...

It’s early Sunday morning. The house is quiet, and Mass isn’t till 11am. What are you going to do with all of that spare time? You could pick up the Hobbit; maybe you’ll watch The Princess Bride, but you’ve done that before. It’s time for something new...like these pancakes! This pancake recipe is my family’s go-to for Sunday mornings. We’ve been making it for years. It’s quick,...

I used Maesri-brand Panang curry paste, and  followed the cooking directions on the can…mostly! This recipe serves 5-6 people. I like to double the recipe, because I have an addiction! For anyone who has never tried Thai before, you aren't doing this whole 'living' right. That's okay, though. This recipe will fix that! This dish is the culmination of my year-long Thai obsession. My mom bribed me with...

Your friends may say, ''You're as sweet as a cinnamon roll!'' But can you compete with these? Let’s find out! My mom found the recipe for these sweet bits of heaven when looking for something to make for Easter Sunday a few years ago.  I'm pretty sure that we haven't made another recipe since! We call this recipe our 'secret weapon'.  That's because if you bring a few pans of these out while...

Last April my family embarked on a new and exciting adventure by way of our diet. We decided to try out Whole30. If you’ve never heard of it, Whole30 is basically a diet during which you eat no gluten, dairy, sugar, or legumes. You may be wondering what you CAN eat! Any meats, veggies, and fruits are okay, as well as any nuts (other than peanuts), and any spices that do not contain gluten or sugar. ...

Chewy on the outside, gooey on the inside, and covered in sea salt. Meet your new favorite treat: the Nutella cookie! This recipe has only five ingredients and takes just a half hour to make. For anyone who has allergies, substituting a gluten-free flour into this recipes works just as well!   Yield: 1 dozen cookies Time: Approximately 30 minutes   Ingredients:  1 cup Nutella ...

As the weather gets colder and the days get shorter, it’s the perfect time for warm, savory meals in the slow-cooker. This is a very easy recipe for one of the best comfort foods - Italian sausage and pasta. Serves six. Ingredients: 12 links (about 2 lbs) of Italian sausage 6 red or green (or some of each) bell peppers 1 onion 2 28-oz cans crushed tomatoes 1 lb box of pasta (I used gluten-free penne,...

We all love our baked treats, but it can be hard to enjoy them when you think about all of the unhealthy ingredients that are used. That’s why I use certain substitutions to make healthier baked goods. These are just suggestions, but you should experiment to see which ones you like best! Flour Most recipes call for white flour, but I usually use at least half whole wheat flour. Depending on the...

These delicious treats combine the sweet tang of a strawberry with the rich flavor of chocolate, perfect for small parties or special occasions. Here’s how you can make your own:   Ingredients (you can always double it if you want more): Strawberries: 1 pound Semi-sweet (or dark) chocolate chips: 1 cup White chocolate chips: ½ cup Vegetable or Canola oil: 2 teaspoons   Directions 1. Wash and...

Cranberry Orange Breakfast Bread This recipe is for an easy-to-make and quite delicious cranberry orange breakfast bread. To begin, you will need the following ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup granulated sugar 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt ¼ cup butter, softened 1 large egg, beaten ¾ cup orange juice 3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries,...

These baking powder biscuits taste great and aren’t difficult to make, the best of both worlds in my opinion. You will need: -2 cups of flour (I use half whole-wheat flour and half white flour but you can use more white flower if you like. I wouldn’t recommend more than half whole-wheat flour, unless you have whole-wheat pastry flour.) -1 tablespoon of baking powder -1 teaspoon of salt -1/4...

Paleo Salmon Burgers Serves twelve Ingredients: four (4) 14.75 oz cans of traditional-style pink salmon one (1) green bell pepper one (1) red bell pepper one (1) large vidalia onion 1½ cups almond meal six (6) large eggs ¼ cup dried oregano 3 tablespoons of lemon juice 1½ teaspoons black pepper (to taste) 1 teaspoon salt (to taste) 1 tablespoon olive oil approximately...

Paleo Cranberry-Pumpkin Loaf (Plus Sugar-Free Cranberry Sauce!) One thing I always really enjoyed about Thanksgiving was all the great leftovers from Thanksgiving dinner.  Here are two recipes in one; cranberry sauce for the day itself, and a cranberry-pumpkin loaf to greet you on Friday morning, and - since it’s paleo - there’s no wheat or added sugar! (I took pictures so you could see the...

Some say you can’t have the best of both worlds. This recipe says otherwise. Ever wanted to try two of your favorite foods in ONE BITE? Yes, you read that right. Brookies is a fabulous creation of brownies and chocolate chip cookies that you will be dying to try.  For those of you who gave up treats for Lent, this is something you can look forward to on a Sunday or perhaps even Easter! So turn up...

That’s right, SNICKERDOODLE CUPCAKES!  Two fabulous desserts in one.  Actually, it’s more like one dessert infused with the flavor of another dessert.  But you get the idea. Cupcakes have always been one of my favorite sweets to bake.  I mean, homemade-frosting taste tests?! The end result is so much more satisfying to my sweet tooth than something from the store. I got this fabulous recipe from one of my favorite food blogs, Sally’s Ba...

These insanely delicious, chewy cookies are for die-hard chocoholics only. Yield: About 3 dozen cookies (depending on how large you make them) Prep Time: about 15 minutes Bake Time: about 12 minutes Total Time: about 27 minutes Ingredients: 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 1/4 sticks), softened 1 cup sugar 1 cup  light brown sugar 2 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 1/2 c...

Pumpkin has been on my mind lately. Maybe it's the leftover jack-o-lanterns, the ever famous pumpkin spice lattes, or just the fact that it is that time of year, whatever the reason, if you need a new pumpkin treat to bring to the family get-together, or just to spice up your fall baking, look no further! I went looking for the perfect recipe today and found a lovely one here at: http://www.chef-in...

These scones are fluffy, buttery, bursting with lemon and blueberries, and the perfect springtime treat! Yield: 8-15 scones, depending on how large and what shape you make them Prep time: about 20 minutes Bake time: about 10-15 minutes Total time: about 35 minutes For scones: 1/2 cup milk (preferably whole milk) 1/2 cup sour cream (full fat) 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice ...

Baked Ziti is the perfect comfort food - cheesy and saucy and completely irresistible. Yield: 8 servings Total time: 45 minutes Ingredients: • 2 Tablespoons olive oil • 3 cloves garlic, minced • 1 whole large onion, diced • 1 pound Italian sausage • 1 pound ground beef • 1 can (28 Oz.) whole or diced tomatoes, with juice • 2 cans (14.5 Ounce) tomato sauce or marinara sauce • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning • 1/2 ...

This delicious cake is the ultimate blend of mint and chocolate flavours, perfect for any birthday or celebration! Chocolate Cake Recipe Ingredients 1 1⁄2 cups cake flour, plus 1/2 cup extra for flouring the two cake pans 1 1⁄2 cups sugar 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter softened at room temperature, plus 2 tablespoons extra for greasing the two cake pans 1⁄3 cu...

I got this recipe from here: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Easy-Blender-Salsa/Detail.aspx?evt19=1 I did change it a little based on taste and on reviewer comments. Ingredients: 2 (14.4 ounce) cans diced tomatoes (I used two 10 oz cans of rotel tomatoes and one 14.4 can of diced tomatoes) 1 jalapeno chile, seeds and ribs removed (I did not use this since I used rotel tomatoes.) 2-5 cloves garlic, de...

This recipe is for a guacamole dip, which I got from: http://www.foodie.com/recipes/bacon-guacamole-dip. This recipe is really easy, and it tastes good too. :) The original recipe also uses bacon, which I took out. Ingredients: 2 fully ripe avocados 1 small red onion (I used part of a large yellow onion) 1 large fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded, finely chopped 1 large garlic clove minced (I used...

My family has been making these muffins for a long time! They’re great to make because they are healthy, easy to make, and you can multiply the recipe nicely to make plenty for everyone. :)  Ingredients: Oat bran: 2 cups Sugar: 1/4 cup Baking Powder: 2 teaspoons Salt: 1/2 teaspoon Skim Milk: 1 cup Eggs: 1 egg or 2 egg whites, slightly beaten Honey: 1/4 cup Oil or applesauce: 2...

These cookies are sooo good, and they're pretty easy to make, too. :D They can be made either with or without chocolate chips. I personally like them better without; you get more of the peanut butter flavor. I got the recipe from here: http://baking.food.com/recipe/peanut-butter-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies-253722 Ingredients: 2/3 cup natural-style peanut butter, unsweetened (Normal peanut butter works fine too, though you may want to take out a little sugar...

I made these for dinner a week or two ago, and they were yummy. I made the whole bag of potatoes, and my family probably could have eaten more. :D They also are pretty easy. (Note: they are gluten free. You may want to make sure the cornstarch has a gluten free lable on it even though pure cornstarch is guten free.) I got the recipe from here: http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2013/09/12/baked-sweet-potato-fries/ Ingredients: sweet potatoes, about one la...

Tasty and cute, these little cookies are wonderful dessert. Ingredients: Butter, softened to room temperature: 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) Sugar: 1/2 cup Large egg yolk: 1 Almond extract: 1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder: 1/4 teaspoon Salt: 1/4 teaspoon All-Purpose Flour: 3/4 cup Jellybeans: 1 bag Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter and sugar together on medium sp...