Can you guess what it is?

CAN YOU GUESS WHAT IT IS?

Can you guess what I baked up today from the picture? 

Scroll down to find out......

mmmmmmmmmmm.......................................yummmmmmmmmyyyyy........................................

Do you know what it is yet?

(Thick crust pizza $14)

.....some homemade pizza!

Who doesn't love pizza especially when it's homemade. I absolutely love the smell of fresh pizza dough after it's risen and you work your little hands and fingers to stretch it out. At least that's how I do it. There's really no need for a rolling pin for this job. I either separate the dough to make a thin crust pizza or use all of the dough to make a thicker crust pizza like the one in the picture above. You can even take this method even further and make individual pizza buns. Then I top it with some homemade sauce that my mom taught me to make and that her mother taught her to make. Then top it with lots... and lots of fresh mozzarella. I especially love if the cheese gets a little dark and crispy. Who wants pizza for dinner?

Leandra

MOTHER'S DAY GIVEAWAY!

"A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie."- Tenneva Jordan

Mother's play such an important role in our lives:

It's also around the time that I first started experimenting with cakes. So, for Mother's Day I am holding a contest. From now until May 8th every time you read a blog entry, post a comment and you will be entered to win a 6 inch cake or a pie for Mother's day. For every post that is made when you make a comment also add  1. Your name 2. Why your mother is so special to you and 3. Your mother's favorite flavor of cake or favorite pie. Winner will be announced Wednesday May 9th on my blog and be ready for pick-up only Saturday May 12th.

P.S. If you tell someone about my blog e-mail me at crumbsandcrusts@gmail.com, tell me their name and if they make a comment on a post you will receive one extra entry into the draw.

Good luck!

Love you mom.

Leandra

HONEY

BREAD & HONEY

"And the only reason for making honey is so as I can eat it." - Winnie the Pooh

( $4 a loaf)

I didn't have any bread left at home today so I baked some. I actually bake this bread often because it's the only one that always gets eaten right down to the last slice. My daughter is not the biggest fan of bread in general but she will eat this one. The sweetest thing is that it's made with honey.

I enjoyed my slice this afternoon buttered with a cup of tea....yummmy!



YOU PUT THE LIME IN THE COCONUT...

YOU PUT THE LIME IN THE COCONUT...

AND DON'T FORGET SOME RASPBERRIES.

(Coconut cake filled with fresh coconut, rapsberries and a lime icing.

Serves: 30 price $90.)

This cake I made for Easter dinner at my sisters. It was the first time she had a gathering at her house for a holiday so I decided I would bake a cake for her and all the guests. There were two reasons that I decided to experiment and bake a coconut cake. First, it's spring and I thought it would be nice to have something fresh tasting and fun. Coconuts and limes made me think of sunshine, drinks and smiling faces. All the ingredients for a great party! The second is she doesn't drink milk so I decided I would try to use coconut milk to bake this cake. Something I've never used before in a cake but what better way to experiment than on family....right? The cake was a success. I will make this cake over and over and over again.

BAKING TIP #1

The other part to this coconut cake story success is I mixed the batter with egg whites beaten to stiff white peaks. Well, lesson learned.....YOU MUST let the egg whites come to room temperature or get them warm enough (without cooking them) or this will take you much longer than needed. Dare I even say 20 or more minutes. I was almost ready to give up and then a thought came to me.What would happen if I warmed them? I placed the egg whites on top of the stove with the oven turned on for few minutes. Just until the stainless steel bowl felt warm (equal to my body temperature). Then I removed them from the stove top and put them to the mixer. Voila! Perfectly beaten egg whites with stiff peaks.

SPLISH SPLASH DUCKIES TAKING A BATH

SPLISH SPLASH DUCKIES TAKING A BATH

(Cake $150 : Yellow cake with a cannoli filling & mini chocolate chips. Serves 60)

I made this cake around May of last year (2011) for a baby shower. She knew she was having a boy. Babies can make everyone so happy. Ever notice how when you're at a baby shower everyone is smiling. Maybe it's all the cute socks, outfits, little toys and diapers that the mother-to-be receives for gifts. Maybe it's all the great food....the belly that you can't stop touching hoping to feel it kick...all the great people that you meet and the fun games that are played. Maybe it's a combination of all the above with the anticipation of the date of arrival talked about over coffee, tea and...Cake!

How it all began

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

For the past (almost 7) years I've enjoyed baking!

It all started when I when I was growing up. We had pies with whipping cream at my grandmother's (dad's mom)  house for all our family get togethers. I remember my grandmother baking as many as eight or more pies to fill our family of sweet tooths and my eldest cousin whipping up the cream!

My mother also bakes. She would bake us these fabulous birthday cakes growing up that not only looked great but tasted awesome! She would decorate the trim of the cakes with gummie bears & smarties and the write on them Happy 4th ( or whatever age you were) Birthday with your name on it. It was always fun to have a birthday party with cake. My favorite cake is still chocolate because of my mother. My mother also baked pies because my father loved them and so did all of us kids. There was nothing better than to have pie & ice-cream right after dinner.

(Picture at top is of  4 inch mini Apple pie's $4. each)

 

Before I married my husband we decided to move in together. Well... I moved into hungry man dinners in the freezer. Although there are a few things that he was great at cooking I felt it was my time to learn to cook. I would take on one challlenge at a time until I got it.

Then I decided that I should bake something...

The first thing I decided to bake was an Apple pie. I enjoyed baking that pie just as much as I do today. After having such a success at pie's  and butter tarts I then took on cakes.

I love...love...love to bake! I've realized that there are so many stories that come out of  baking and creating something that they need to be shared.

I hope you enjoy reading my stories of my crumb and crust creations!....

maybe with a mini pie and ice-cream.

Leandra