Simplicity is often best when it comes to food, as so many classic dishes continue to prove. In search of a side that everyone at the table will enjoy, it often comes down to very basic but delicious concoctions that agree with even the pickiest palates. Take mashed potatoes, for instance, or rice pilaf, or…

Garlic Bread.

Each one is a snap to make, with very humble beginnings, and can be adapted to accommodate whatever creative additions the cook might think of. Traditional garlic bread, however, is barely even worth mentioning. Any recipe that has an ingredient list that reads “one loaf of bread, a stick of margarine, a couple cloves of garlic” is mercifully easy to remember and prepare, but not worthy of raves. Even bad garlic bread is pretty good, because who doesn’t love the stinking rose?

It may seem a bit counter-intuitive to take this easy dish and turn it into something more complicated, but I just couldn’t leave well enough alone. As tasty as plain old garlic bread can be, I wanted something more special, more flavorful, and certainly more homemade.

Even before this loaf was halfway done baking, I knew that this would be one intensely flavored bread, as the kitchen was awash in the smell of roasted garlic. Definitely something for serious garlic lovers, this is the sort of thing that you’ll want to make sure everyone gets a slice of, lest one person feel assaulted by the inevitable garlic breath that follows. You could certainly dial it down a bit and use only one head of garlic, but either way, this is one version that is guaranteed to be 100% more impressive than the usual approach.

Whip out this loaf at your next big family feast, and it will be more than just the obligatory side dish; it will make the meal worth remembering.

Yield: Makes 1 Loaf; 10 - 12 Servings

Garlic Lover's Bread

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Two entire heads of roasted garlic go directly into this bread dough, creating the most aromatic, intensely garlicky loaf you've ever dreamed of.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Additional Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time 3 hours

Ingredients

• 2 Heads Garlic
• Olive Oil Spray
• 2 Tablespoons Vegan Butter
• 1 Cup Warm Water
• 1 Tablespoon Granulated Sugar
• 1 (1/4 Ounce) Packet (or 2 1/4 Teaspoons) Active Dry Yeast
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• 2 Tablespoons Fresh, Chopped Parsley
• 3 – 4 Cups White Whole Wheat Flour or All-Purpose Flour

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
   
2. Peel the papery outer skin off the heads of garlic, but do not separate the cloves. Cut the tops off, and give them a quick spritz with cooking spray. Wrap both up together in a piece of aluminum foil, and pop the whole package into the oven for about 35 minutes. Let cool until you can comfortably handle it, and squeeze out the roasted cloves directly into your food processor or blender. (Make sure you get all of the papery bits off!) Toss in the vegan butter and pulse until you get a relatively smooth paste. Set aside.
   
3. In a large bowl, mix together the sugar and water, and then sprinkle over the yeast. Let it sit for 5 – 10 minutes until frothy. Add in the salt, garlic paste, chopped parsley, and the first 3 cups of flour. If using your stand mixer, install the bread hook and let it slowly kneed the flour in. You can also mix it by hand, until you get a cohesive but somewhat tacky dough. If it still seems too wet, add in more flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until you reach the right consistency.
   
4. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface, and knead by hand for about 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Lightly grease a large bowl, and drop the ball of dough in. Cover with plastic wrap and place somewhere warm for about 1 – 1 1/2 hours until doubled in volume. At this point, you can also stash it in the fridge overnight, and then pick up where you left off in the morning.
   
5. Once risen, turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface again and shape as desired. I braided mine just to make it a bit fancier, but you can always make it into a simple loaf shape. Here is a very good guide for making nicely shaped loaves, and here are a few ideas about making braids. Either way, lightly grease an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan, and place your shaped loaf inside. Give the top a quick spritz with cooking spray or a drizzle of olive oil, and let rise for another hour, until it’s peaking out from above the rim by about an inch or so.
   
6. Once it seems to be almost fully risen, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Bake the bread for about 30 minutes, until golden brown all over.
   
7. Now, for the hardest part: Let the loaf cool completely before cutting into it!  If you’re one of those people who absolutely needs to eat their garlic bread immediately, since it smells so tempting, you might want to consider making it as a bubble loaf so you can pick it apart while still warm.

Notes

You can easily make this bread days in advance and store it in the freezer until you’re ready to serve it. Just make sure you let it thaw at room temperature and do not microwave it to take the chill off. It’s particularly tasty if you take the time to toast each individual slice to give it a nice crunch.  This recipe can also be doubled to make two loaves at once, in case you need to feed a crowd or want to have an extra loaf just in case.

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• 
  European Style Cultured Vegan Butter
• 
  Red Star, Active Dry Yeast, 0.25 oz (7 g)
• 
  King Arthur White Whole Wheat Multi Purpose Flour, 5 lb

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 487Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 181mgCarbohydrates: 97gFiber: 13gSugar: 2gProtein: 18g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.

Like all food trends, Christmas cookies have come and gone throughout the years, as bakers search for the newest and tastiest treats to make for spectacular gifts. However, there is one particular cookie that has been invited back to the holiday parties for decades now, always popular to bake and receive. That would be the sugar cookie, so simple and yet with so very appealing, I tend to think that it has become such a staple of holiday cookie platters mostly due to its versatility. Easily flavored with spices and extracts to suit everyone’s tastes, it’s more of a blank canvas than anything else. Of course, the real draw for me is how easily shaped and decorated sugar cookies can be, allowing for an entirely new look every single holiday season, even if the recipe never changes.

While it would certainly be much quicker to make these classics as drop cookies, it’s all about the cut-outs, if you ask me. Endless varieties of cookie cutters catch my eye every time I find myself shopping for kitchen supplies, and now is the time of year I can put those impulse buys to good use. These shaped cookies can do more than just feed the stomach, but also treat the eyes, and quite possibly elevate one’s mood. The effort put into making these cookies into something special is what truly makes them a perfect gift. It takes a bit of patience, skill, and luck, but I have a few tips to help you get started in case you need some reassurance.

1. Always chill your dough thoroughly before working with it, even if the recipe you’re using doesn’t say to. It will be so much easier to work with when it’s cold, and you will get a smoother surface when it’s not so sticky as well. If you want to take out some extra insurance, you can also toss your rolling pin into the fridge beforehand as well!

2. Can’t find or don’t have a rolling pin in your kitchen? No need to run out to the store, an empty bottle or thick wooden dowel will work just fine.

3. Place your ball of dough directly on the silpat or piece of parchment paper that you plan to bake on. This is an especially good idea if you want to make more intricate pieces, as they are more likely to get mashed and distorted if you need to move them after cutting. You should still lightly flour this surface though, just to prevent any foreseeable mishaps.

4. Lightly flour the rolling pin and cookie cutters to prevent sticking.

5. Thinner is generally better when you’re gauging the thickness of the dough. Of course, you don’t want to so thin that you get holes or tears, but I prefer to keep it about 1/8 of an inch thick. However, as long as the entire length of dough is completely even, you’ll be in good shape. Just keep in mind that thicker cookies will take longer to bake, and are more likely to brown around the edges or stay soft in the middle. And depending on how you like them, that may be a positive thing, too!

6. Lay out as many cookie cutters as possible at once. You’ll get a better idea of how much space you have left, and how best to arrange them to prevent waste.

7. Press down firmly, making sure that the cutters push all the way through your layer of dough. If you remove the shape and discover that your cookie is still attached to the main dough in some areas do not replace the cutter and try again. You’re more likely to add extra unsightly lines than cut it out perfectly. Instead, carefully run a paring knife around the uncut edges, tracing the design exactly.

8. Remove the excess dough between your shapes in manageable strips. Don’t try to peel it all off at once, and definitely don’t rush. The smaller details will need some additional attention to stay intact, so break off the length of extra dough periodically and pick it up fresh from new corners if you get stuck.

9. If at any point your dough isn’t cooperating, chances are that it has simply become too warm. Pop the whole tray back into the fridge for a few minutes to cool down before proceeding and you’ll get much better results.

10. Re-roll scraps no more than two times; beyond that, the dough will become rather tough and unpleasant to eat. Of course, you could always use those cookies as ornaments so as not to waste anything!

That all sounds pretty simple now, right? So if you’re still with me, head on over to the post I wrote a year ago with a few tips on how to ice your perfectly shaped cookies once they’re baked and cooled.

Despite my best intentions, that “day off” on Thanksgiving never actually happened. Instead, I found myself baking frantically all afternoon, rushing to complete this month’s Daring Baker Challenge before it was too late. Shuna Fish Lydon’s caramel cake was an excellent choice by Dolores, Jenny, and Alex, but putting it off until the very last moment was just asking for trouble. Sure, the first attempt was edible, but it sure as hell wasn’t pretty, and most disappointingly, was inexcusably bland. Unwilling to give up and serve this boring, amateurish cake, it was back into the kitchen for me!

Keeping things simple and veganizing the cake by using EnerG to replace the egg, there was no time for fancy ingredients or iffy procedures. Adding a pinch of five spice powder to the batter this time in hopes of livening up the flavor, the situation started looking better by the minute. Into a long, thin jelly roll pan it went this time, baking in a record 15 minutes. It certainly wasn’t one of the more difficult recipes to begin with, but at this point it seemed like a done deal.

Naturally, there was only one thing I wanted to do with this jelly roll: Roll it! When that cake wrapped snugly around the layer of silky and sweet caramel frosting, making it out in one piece, the clouds suddenly seemed to lift. All it needed was a light dusting of confectioner’s sugar, and then to gild the lily, a few pieces of star-shaped caramel candy.

This was a whole different beast than the original cake- and thank goodness! Some claimed it reminded them of gingerbread, while others could only puzzle over that enciting spice. There were raves, and a chunk of it was taken away with the dinner guests. What a relief, and a what a wonderful way to celebrate one full year of being a Daring Baker!

Perhaps the early disappointment was lucky, because it led to a far more spectacular dessert in the end.

Watching as the days flick by and my favorite time of the year looms ever nearer, I can barely contain my excitement. I adore the holidays, and all the time in between, if only because I have a perfectly good excuse to bake around the clock. Festive cookies, cakes, pastries, and candies all capture my imagination, and every dessert for any family feast must be a show-stopping grand finale. Now, I know that not everyone shares my enthusiasm for these winter celebrations, and even fewer take the same attitude about baking extravaganzas. In fact, I’m betting that the stress of simply cooking for such large parties of picky guests is enough to send any sane host or hostess over the edge, let alone worrying about some finicky dessert.

However, it doesn’t have to be a huge production. Would you believe that you could make a pie in about 5 to 10 minutes of hands-on time, and without the hassle of making a crust? It’s true! You can skip all that fussy dough making, chilling, and rolling out, and get straight to the good part- the filling!

Just in time for the holidays, Mission: Impossible Pies is my latest ebook which will guide you through creating your own delicious and dead-easy, crust-less pies. Recipes include:

Apple Streusel Pie
Banana Creme Pie
Chocolate Fudge Pie
Coconut Pie
Cookies and Creme Pie
Cran-Cherry Pie
Lemon Curd Pie
Mint Chocolate Chip Pie
Peanut Butter Pie
Pecan Pie
Pumpkin Pie
Sweet Potato Pie

…And of course, color photos are included for each sumptuous pie, so you’ll know exactly what to expect. For just $5, treat yourself, and your loved ones to the gift of pie this year!

…And no winners, either. You see, that’s what happens when no one actually makes the recipe. There were a lot of great suggestions and enticing ideas floating around in those comments, but not a single person followed all of the rules.  More importantly, no one even made their stuffing! How do you know it’s good without testing it out? Sure, we can all guess judging by the ingredients and methods, but come on, cook your damn entry!

Whew, okay, just had to get that off my chest. I still love you guys, but trust me, I’ll never even utter the word “stuffing” again after this fiasco. No “dressing” either, as long as we’re referring to the thanksgiving side dish. Nope, I’m ready to wash my hands clean of this Thanksgiving business already, how about you? If you’re in the same predicament and still have family to host, don’t worry, I won’t leave you hanging. For the morning after, here’s a quick recipe that’s sufficiently seasonal but still good for any time of the year, not to mention dead easy to make even after suffering the traditional Thanksgiving feast hangover.

Apologies for the lousy picture; It’s hard to control my appetite first thing in the morning, and before I could snap another shot, this whole stack had mysteriously disappeared.

Yield: 4 - 6 Servings

Cornbread Cranberry Pancakes

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Fluffy yet hearty pancakes stack up with tart fresh cranberries in every bite.

Ingredients

• 2 Cups Fine White Cornmeal
• 3/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
• 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 2 Cups Plain Non-Dairy Milk
• 1 Teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
• 1/4 Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
• 1/2 Teaspoon Maple Extract - Optional
• 1/2 – 1 Cup Fresh or Frozen Cranberries

Instructions

1. Standard pancake procedure here: Combine the wet and dry ingredients separately, excluding the cranberries, and then pour the wet on top of the dry. Whisk just enough to combine, being careful not to over-mix.
2. Set a large skillet over medium heat and let it get warm. If you drop a tiny splash of water in, it should scuttle around a bit; not immediately sizzle off, and not just sit around doing nothing. When it gets to that stage, give it a lightly spritz with cooking spray.
3. Ladle about 1/4 – 1/3 cup of batter for each pancake, and drop a handful of cranberries into the center of each raw puddle. Wait until bubbles form and pop on the top before flipping, about 2 minutes.
4. Cook for an additional 1 – 2 minutes on the other side, until evenly browned. Serve immediately, or keep warm in an oven preheated to 200 degrees for 30 minutes at most.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 370Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 497mgCarbohydrates: 59gFiber: 4gSugar: 14gProtein: 8g

Thanksgiving is just around the corner now, approaching with alarming speed. Everywhere you look there’s another helpful suggestion about what to serve, how to lay out the table with coordinating colors, and even who to invite. There’s a whole lot of pressure here to sneak these ideas in under the gun, before plans are set and put into motion. Hopefully I’m not too late to hop on this train, as some people I know have been planning this event for weeks already, and others who have even begun to cook and freeze their desserts in advance, since the real cooking will be such an ordeal. Yikes, I never thought that such a humble holiday would become this huge production!

So any way, here I am, trying to be helpful, giving you this recipe that quite frankly, isn’t great. It’s a healthy, whole-grain alternative to what is usually a starchy carb-fest with pieces of stale bread, but I’ll admit it straight away- It’s lacking in the flavor department. I wouldn’t want any of you to serve it as is to Uncle Bob or Aunt Helen, who are already suspicious of your vegan ways. Instead, I thought I would offer you this recipe as a challenge; What would you do to remedy this sad stuffing?

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to modify the following recipe so that it’s vastly improved from this original state. The only restriction is that you may not change the grain (I will make exceptions for quick-cooking barley though. I would have used it myself if there was any on hand!) Just do me a favor and link back to this post on your blog, and email me directly to let me know that you’re entering this contest. You have until November 20th to submit your variation, and I’ll do a round up that same day. The winner will be awarded a prize, to be announced later since I have no idea what it will be right now. Just trust me, it’ll be good, so get to work and turn this wreck into an awesome Thanksgiving side dish!

Lack-Luster Barley Stuffing

1/2 Cup Pearled Barley
1 1/2 Cups Vegetable Stock
1 Bay Leaf
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Medium Onion, Diced
1 Clove Garlic, Minced
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Rosemary
1/2 Cup Chopped Mushrooms
1 Zucchini, Diced
1/2 Cup Frozen Peas
1/2 Cup Chopped Walnuts
Salt and Pepper

Rinse and drain your barley, and set aside. Place the stock in a medium pot, and bring it to a boil. Add in the washed barley and bay leaf, and let simmer for 30 – 45 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed and the barley is al dente. Remove the bay leaf.

While the barley is cooking, you can start on the other components so that it comes together quickly. In a saute pan, heat up the oil over medium-low and add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until the onions start to take on a golden brown color, and add in the garlic. Saute for an additional 3 minutes or so to get some color on the garlic, and then toss in the rosemary, mushrooms, and zucchini. Mix everything around and cook just until the zucchini look somewhat translucent and are tender. Add in the peas at the last minute just so that they can defrost.

Toss the barley and veggies together in a large bowl, and mix in the nuts, plus salt and pepper to taste. Stir well to get a good distribution of everything, and serve warm.

Now tell me, what will you do differently?