Baking Day!

[CanadaSue]

0615, SD has left for work & my morning chores are all done. Refrigerated baking ingredients are coming up to room temp on the counter, recipe books are out & open & I'm gearing up for a fun day of baking. I'm looking forward to this. Last year, I scrambled at the last minute, exhausted, to throw together a few things.

This year, I've been lucky enough to pick up most of my baking ingredients on sale - staples, seasonal ingredients & I'm eager to try a bunch of new to me cookie & square recipes. I'm also going to try a ton of loaves & muffins.

I'll freeze most of it & plan to keep baking off & on for the next few weeks. I've got little baskets of baking to put together for friends & coworkers - none of whom will be expecting them.

Gonna give SO another hour to stir his lazy butt out of bed, then I start making kitchen noises!

[Mrs. Hermit]

Could you post some of your recipe titles to inspire me? I am SO not in the Christmas mood this year. My brain is still telling me it is late October!

[CanadaSue]

I'm determined to break out of my Xmas 'baking rut' this year. Of course I'll bake all our favourites but am trying some stuff as well. I put this one together last night. Easy, delicious & RICH! Cut the squares SMALL. I gambled & did it all in the food processor - saved time & dishes:


ORANGE SQUARES

1 medium orange
1 cup of raisins

1/2 cup margarine or butter, (I used marg)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt


Cut the ends off the oranges & quarter them. Reserve 2-3 tbsp of orange juice for the glaze. Quarter the orange, then toss it & everything else into the food processor. Process it to smithereens - or until the orange is cut into little bits. You end up with a lumpy batter - that's cool.

Grease a 9 x 13 pan & spread in the batter. It's thick - it's supposed to be. Bake it at 350 for 25 minutes.

Mix up a glaze, (optional), of 1, 1/2 cup of icing sugar & the reserved orange juice. Spread it on top of the squares while they're still a tad warm. The top of the squares will be a bit lumpy with yummy fruit bits - no worries. Place the whole thing in the fridge until well cooled. When the glaze has hardened, cut it into small squares. I kept some of it in the fridge for immediate piggery & froze the rest. Later today or tomorrow, I'm gonna make another batch.

I'm wondering if it would work with other fruit besides orange - lemon, candied peel... I'll have to think about that.

And I wasn't kidding - these are RICH!

[lisa]

Originally Posted by CanadaSue

I'm determined to break out of my Xmas 'baking rut' this year. Of course I'll bake all our favourites but am trying some stuff as well. I put this one together last night. Easy, delicious & RICH! Cut the squares SMALL. I gambled & did it all in the food processor - saved time & dishes:


ORANGE SQUARES

1 medium orange
1 cup of raisins

1/2 cup margarine or butter, (I used marg)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder









1/4 tsp salt


Cut the ends off the oranges & quarter them. Reserve 2-3 tbsp of orange juice for the glaze. Quarter the orange, then toss it & everything else into the food processor. Process it to smithereens - or until the orange is cut into little bits. You end up with a lumpy batter - that's cool.

Grease a 9 x 13 pan & spread in the batter. It's thick - it's supposed to be. Bake it at 350 for 25 minutes.

Mix up a glaze, (optional), of 1, 1/2 cup of icing sugar & the reserved orange juice. Spread it on top of the squares while they're still a tad warm. The top of the squares will be a bit lumpy with yummy fruit bits - no worries. Place the whole thing in the fridge until well cooled. When the glaze has hardened, cut it into small squares. I kept some of it in the fridge for immediate piggery & froze the rest. Later today or tomorrow, I'm gonna make another batch.

I'm wondering if it would work with other fruit besides orange - lemon, candied peel... I'll have to think about that.

And I wasn't kidding - these are RICH!

To clarify...the oranges arent peeled then...just cut the ends off?

[CanadaSue]

I'm sorry, yes... peel & all. It adds a nice, colourful, 'lumpy' look.