Bread Baking Day #2: Pear, Ginger,and Vanilla Quickbread

This month's bread baking day is being hosted by Becke of Columbus Foodie. As you can see by my title, she chose "Bread with Fruit" as this month's theme. I had plans to make a bread that begins with a starter made from fermented apples. I forgot about the apples fermenting on the top of my refrigerator and had to toss them out. I'll start that up again soon and make it another time. So, with my busy weekend of Blogathonning I've decided that a quick bread will be my best bet for this event. I love love love ginger and pears aren't too shabby either. This is a recipe I've had for years and years and I'm very happy for the theme this month, as I haven't made it for years and years..I had quite forgotten about it buried in my recipe box. I hope you like it too!

Pear Ginger Quickbread:

1/4 cup unsalted butter (1/2 stick or 2 ounces) at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/4 tsp vanilla bean paste (or the same amount of vanilla extract)
1/2 cup small dice crystallized ginger
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
zest of one lemon, minced
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups pears, peeled and diced (medium dice will do) I used Anjou pears, but most should work in this recipe. I've also used bosc with great success
___________________
-Preheat your oven to 350f. Prepare one 9x7" bread pan by spraying it with pan spray.
-Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
-Cream together the butter, sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy.
-Add the eggs, one at a time, incorporating well between each addition, mix in the vanilla.
-Alternate mixing in the sifted flour mixture and the buttermilk, starting with 1/3 flour, then 1/2 the buttermilk and so on ending with the flour, mix until the flour just starts to disappear. Fold in the pears.
-Scrape the batter into the prepared bread pan and bake for 50-60 minutes (check earlier if you don't trust your oven).
-Cool in the pan for about 5 minutes then turn out onto a cooling rack to complete the cooling.
Slice, spread with butter or cream cheese, or eat it naked! I think next time I might try this with blueberries instead of the pears. I believe Becke will be posting a roundup for this event on her site in the next few days, I'll have a link up once it is posted!

Happy Baking!

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Texas Sheet Cake (or: Showing My Appreciation to the Folks at G's Workplace for Their Kind Sponsorship)

Now, before I go into my babble about this recipe, I would like to point out that you can still sponsor me and my charity at the Blogathon website. Sponsorship ends tomorrow(Tuesday July 31st) at midnight Eastern Time (that's 9PM Pacific and everything else in between). If you want to read how my posting every half hour for 24 hours straight turned out for me(there is a bit of wackiness and some things you didn't know about me) check out my posts from July 28th and July 29th, I was here from 6am to 6am (there are 49 posts, so if you have the time...). That said, on with my post!

This is a cake my Mom has made for us since before I can even remember. We always requested it for birthdays (well, until we discovered ice cream cakes...yum). I'm not really sure why it's called a "Texas" sheet cake, so I asked my Mom and she has told me it's because the recipe originated in Texas. My theory is that it's big and big things come from Texas (not always good big things, but in this case it's a very very good thing). It's moist with sour cream, chocolate-y with cocoa powder and it's big. The icing sits on top of the cake like a thin coating of fudge. This is also a great cake for picnics (especially family get-togethers, because..well, it's good and it's big...). I'm making this cake as a big thank you to the folks at G's work who sponsored me (you know who you are, I won't name names..) in my insane 24 hour Blogathon for the wonderful charity First Book (did I mention there is still time to sponsor me?)

Oh, and Mom, I did mess around a bit by upping the cocoa powder in the cake part of the recipe to see if that makes for a more chocolate-y cake (as you said the last time you made it it seemed lighter than you remember). I also added some vanilla bean paste to the cake part (extract can be used)

Texas Sheet Cake (makes one really big jelly roll pan)

1 cup unsalted butter (8 ounces, two sticks)
1 cup water (H2O)
1/2 cup cocoa (I used natural unsweetened for this, and this is twice the amount as stated in our usual recipe)
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c sour cream (I upped this amount from 1/2 cup just in case the extra cocoa tried to dry out the cake)
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste (you can also use an equal amount of extract, maybe some that you made a few months ago...maybe like the stuff I made during the Blogathon(why do I almost always type in Blogathong when I type that in? It's a wonder I caught it during the wee hours of the morning during the event)?

Cocoa frosting:
1/2 cup butter (one stick, 4 ounces)
6 Tbsp milk
1/4 cup cocoa
pinch of salt (this is another one of my additions to the recipe, cause a little salt is oh-so-good in icings)
1 lb. confectioners sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts (pecans are what I am using for this today)
____________________
-Prepare one 15 1/2 x 10 1/2inch jelly roll pan by spraying it with pan spray, or you can line it with parchment paper if you want to lift it out of the pan (I did this, cause I'm a freak for parchment paper, you'd think I had stock in a parchment paper company).
-In a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda, set aside.
-Combine butter, water and cocoa in 2-qt. saucepan. Bring to a boil.
Remove from heat.
-Stir in combined flour, sugar and salt. Add sour cream and eggs; mix well. Pour into prepared pan.
-Bake at 375, 20-25 minutes. While warm frost with:

Cocoa Frosting:

-Combine milk, butter, cocoa and pinch of salt in saucepan, bring
to a rolling boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
-Add sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth, add the nuts, mix until blended.
-Pour over the warm cake, spread out and let it set up.

Cut yourself a big ole slice of the cake and enjoy with a nice glass of milk...or tea (not Texas tea) or coffee. Yum!

Happy big baking! And thank you everyone for your support!

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We made it! Blogathon 2007 is now over

for those of us in the A Group. There is still the B Group at it, so don't forget to go to Blogathon and check them out and support them! You can also still sponsor me up to 48 hours after this is all over at 9:00pm Pacific time tonight!

And now the things I learned from this year that I will remember to do next year (I hope I remember).
1. Make sure to get a good amount of sleep the night before the blogging starts. The four hours I got before starting yesterday at 6am was no where near enough rest needed to do this kind of thing. I think if I had felt more well rested to start out, I would have gotten a few more things accomplished. But all in all I'm very happy with my performance...I don't think I did too poorly for a newbie.
2. Snacks of veggies and fruits are better than the chocolate things. I really didn't touch the chocolate much though. I haven't really felt very hungry really....more kind of ill or something. I'm guessing that was due to exhaustion rather than anything else.
3. Drink lots of water and tea...I did this, and I think it's one of the reasons I'm still here blogging.
4. Have a great support system in place. I am very blessed to have G, who was willing to stay up all night with me despite my telling him he could sleep over and over and over again. I am very glad he was awake to help me through some tough times. I'm also very thankful for family and friends who were kind enough to comment and to donate. You all seemed to have great timing and knew when I was in need the most. Thank you everyone.
5. Have a few things in your back pocket to post. Or even have some sort of gimmick or theme to follow. I think if I had had a more strict theme, I might have had more relevant posts. I had a few random babbling posts, but then I think we're all entitled to that when we've been awake for 20 plus hours. My camera helped me out of quite a few posts that I wasn't sure about.
6. Have a look around at the other bloggers participating and post comments during the wee hours of the morning. It really helps boost the spirits, and if I do this next year, I'll try to do much more of that than I did (I really quite shy...even if I don't come across that way).
7. Have fun. I don't think I could have survived for 24 hours without any fun! And listen to music! It really helps.
That's about all I can think of for now.....

Despite the few periods of extreme exhaustion, I really had a great experience and would do this again (but give me at least a week to recover).

Thank you again to everyone who sponsored me and supported me along the way! I'm going to go have a nice long nap now.....sweet dreams everyone!

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You remember that Vanilla Extract Demo?

Well, this is what it looks like now. It's just starting to develop that brown color that we all associate with vanilla extract. I did open it up and have a whiff, it's still strongly vodka smelling with really nice vanilla starting to come through. I think in 2 to 4 months it should be pretty nice. I'll have to remember to do an update on it from time to time. Anyway, the How to Make Vanilla Extract post was entertaining as well informative...I suggest you have another look at it!

Only half hour more to go! I can't believe I made it. I am thinking of cool sheets and nice blankies a lot though, I must confess.

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Wow

364 blogs so far have raised $116,692.19. That's fabulous. That makes Mr. Wooden Figure Guy do a mellow happy dance.
I'm very happy with my total for this first time participating in Blogathon. You've all helped me raise $300 for First Book. That far exceeded my expectations. Huge thank you to everyone. Remember though, it's not quite over yet..there is still time to sponsor!

Stay tuned...we'll be checking in on the vanilla extract I made earlier.....

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It's kind of like I've got my head in the clouds...

that's how spacey I feel right now. Enjoy these photos taken from an airplane from Colorado home to SFO (not that I live in the airport, I live rather south of the airport...but that's really random babbling...)

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I can almost feel my pillows under my head.....Mmmmm, cool sheets. Getting very close now!

Bender gazed into the crystal ball....

do you know what he saw? He says the end is nigh! Two hours to go! I think we should all take a nice stretch. I'm planning on a very nice long nap this morning, how about you?

I've been doing all this for a great cause. First Book provides children of low income families with the opportunity to learn to read and own their first books. I don't know where I would be without books, so I'd hate to think of someone else going without! Sponsor a blogger today (maybe me?)!

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Digging into my back pocket

for something to post. I've decided to do a few photos from our honeymoon. We spent the time in Estes Park, Colorado. I've loved it there since I was a teenager and my family would vacation there. G had never been to Colorado before, so it was a great choice.

Twin Owls (or is it twin sisters...man my brain is not keeping up with me):


Really tasty Burrito from Casa Grande, Estes Park


Final one for this post, Us:


Don't forget to have a look a the blogathon page for updates and to check out other blogs! There is a whole B group of bloggers that started at 9pm Pacific time yesterday, so they'll be continuing on through 9pm Pacific tonight!

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Still working on

My ice cream, I got it to the perfect softened consistency. Not quite soupy, not solid either. Mmmmmm. Definitely uplifting. I needed it badly. My last 5 minute cuddle break with G had me feeling very much like just packing it in and falling asleep. I'm sure I'll still feel like that off and on for the last few hours..but, it's really down to the last three hours! I can't believe it! And "Dancing Queen" is currently playing on the internet radio station, how can you go wrong with that? No need to answer that question. Nothing like a little silly music in the wee hours of the morning to help one along. And, random babbling begins.

And here's a photo of the moon I took two months ago, enjoy!

Only 3 hours left! Have a look at First Book, it's the charity I've been blogging for for the past 21 hours! Sponsor me if you are awake!

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Been Waiting for this for Hours!

Yum. It's the mint chocolate chip ice cream I started making way back at post # uh....17, well, you can find it here and it progresses from this post. So, basically what this post is going to be is a whole bunch of gratuitous ice cream photos. Enjoy!
It is really tasty, by the way. Quite worth waiting for..and it's given me a bit of a second or well, I think fourth by now, wind (maybe wind is too strong a word, maybe it's more like a light breeze. Enjoy the photos! Only 3 1/2 hours to go.......must keep blogging, must keep blogging, must keep blogging blogging blogging.....

Feel free to lick the screen if you want.

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Confessions of a 24 hour blogger...

I'm really really exhausted now. I felt refreshed after the shower and now I could fall asleep at my keyboard any minute. I'm going to keep on going, never fear, but I forsee my posts getting weirder and weirder as the hours go by..... Probably lots more photos, much less typing. Perhaps it's time for some online games.

That is all for now, see ya in half hour (I hope to have ice cream soon, that might give me a bit of a boost)!

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Tim the Enchanter Shows Some Skin

To prove he's willing to go the extra mile for charity! I'm thinking maybe he needs a calendar with sexy poses like this one (he really knows how to work the camera). I'm also thinking maybe I'm getting a bit punchy. Something to ponder.

Anyway, you don't have to show any skin for charity, you just have to sponsor me or someone else at Blogathon!

The Word on the Ice Cream is:

Not ready yet. Still a bit on the soft side. I'd call it just about perfect for eating, but I would like to try to get a nice scoop out of it before I partake so I'm having a bit of watermelon to tie me over.

There are now only 5 hours left for me in this blogathon. I can tell my posts are starting to get a bit short, but I'm pretty much past the point of baking anything else, I don't wish to tackle anymore dishes in between posts!

Now to decide which movie to watch, or at least have on as background for the next two hours.....

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I've returned...

From what might possilbly have been the best best shower I've had in a long long time. I feel much better. A tad more awake and quite refreshed. Think I'll have a big glass of ice water, some tea and some sort of snack now..then I'll be back with an ice cream update, and more than likely a few more photos of one of my little inanimate friends! Oh such promises!

I bet you just can't wait for me to return.

In the meantime, have a look over at the blogathon page if you like. Maybe you might want to sponsor some poor blogger who has been doing this for 18 1/2 hours now, hmmmmmm? You know you want to, so just do it already!

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3/4 Behind Me!

Well, so far I'm doing ok. There have been down times for me when I've just felt exhausted, but I've kept on plugging away. I think my next step will be a nice shower and then perhaps some sort of fruit snack or something.

I've found most of the amusing food facts on that site I posted in the last post to be kind of not really all that profound, so I'll search on for some other facts to post in the next few hours!

In the mean time, have a look at First Book and think about sponsoring me!

I'm off to shower, then I'll be back with some comment responses!

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6 1/2 Hours to Go

And I'm waiting for a second wind...well, third wind at this point. I think I'm going to start searching the web for strange food facts and start to post them here. It will help keep my brain a bit on track.

Here is one to start with, taken from this site:

Approximately 71% of American chocolate eaters prefer to eat milk chocolate

Well, that's not really that strange, is it? I mean in the general scope of things. But to me it is a little odd, as I am a fan of dark chocolate. The higher the cacao amount the better (well, I like anything up to about 78 to 80% anyway).

Finally, for this post, I'd like to thank my latest sponsor! It's so nice to get something this time of night after being online for so long. And, of course, a thank you to all of you who have been commenting and sponsoring and supporting me tonight (and all the other bloggers as well!). And Tim has brought me a ball to play fetch with, so I must be off to do that for a bit. See you in half hour, with another silly food fact.

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Here are a Few Things...

That I bet you didn't know about me.....

1. I am terrified of clowns. The creep me out. I even go so far as to avoid the clowns that make animal balloons at our local farmer's market. I'm not sure why this is, perhaps I had a traumatizing event with a clown when I was a child that I have sinced blacked out. They are very disturbing.

2. I played the violin throughout high school. I was not a protege, but I could keep up with our symphony orchestra!

3. I love to draw, I also love to work with clay, someday I hope to somehow work these and baking all into a career of some sort (very strange combination I think though).

That's all I can think of for now..but I think I'm hitting a bit of a writing block right now. Hopefully I think of something else to write next post, or you will be getting more strange photos of the toys hanging out on my desk (it's a shame my Darth Tater has gone missing!).

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Tim the Enchanter

Begs you to please go sponsor me, if you are awake that is...or he may just have to go pointing at things and making them blow up! He's a very busy man. I'm doing the Blogathon for First Book, and I think you should go check them out!

Thank you! That is all.

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Only 8 Hours Left to Go and We Have Achieved Ice Cream!

Well, just about anyway. It's churned, it looks beautiful, the flavor rocks (fresh mint is definitely the way to go, it has a nice herbal finish instead of an overpowering extract-y finish). It just need to "ripen" in the freezer..or set up, or...freeze.

There will be photos in the wee hours of the morning of scooped lovely ice cream and cookies! Stay tuned...or check tomorrow, as I certainly don't expect anyone to be up at 2 or 3 AM, unless you are a fellow Blogathoner. If you are up at that time, and the full moon has you feeling a bit crazed, feel free to donate in the form of sponsoring me and the charity I'm blogging for. First book, have a look!

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The Cookies are Out and Cooling

And I've started up the ice cream machine! Wooooooo! So in about half hour I should have semi frozen ice cream that can finish solidifying in my freezer for a few hours. Then I shall have some lovely ice cream to share (photos of) with all of you. It will be so very yum! Stick around....
Chocolate for the ice cream

Chopped Chocolate

Mint chip ice cream churning away (I can never get a good photo of the ice cream machine innards)



Oh, and go check out Blogathon, it's really a great thing!

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Running Low on Steam

I'm currently really tired and just waiting for dinner to arrive. I think once I've eaten I'll feel more energy. I seem to keep forgetting to have a decent meal. I've had the pancakes at 6am, the pizza rolls around noon..and then a few small munches of the guacamole. I wasn't aware of how much time blogging every half hour took up! I'm having loads of fun though and it feels good to be able to help First Book in even this small way.

So, sponsor me! Or go to the Blogathon website and sponsor someone else who's charity you fancy. Go find some blogs to comment on, it's a great spirit booster!

Cookies should be finished baking by the next post! Stay tuned for "rustic" chocolate shortbread!

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9 1/2 hours to go...or something like that!

My cookies are in the oven, I have food on it's way. Coffee will be arriving with the food. I think I'll be set for a bit then. yay! My G rocks! Anyway, here are the cookies so far. I must say it's not my best neatest cookie rolling and cutting job, but I'll just call them "rustic" to get around that!






Just had a new sponsor! Thank you so much!!

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Waiting...

I am currently waiting for cookie dough to chill and ice cream mix to be ready to churn..I figure another hour or so for both of these. G is going to be a spectacular husband and venture out for some sandwiches (sarnies) and some form of coffee substance very soon. I'd just like to take this post to thank everyone again for their supportive posts and their sponsorship. You have all kept me going and made this much more fun than I had even imagined! Thank you! I'll be back in 30 with more dough photos, I hope!

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The Dough is in the Freezer

And I haven't had any new sponsors for ages. I am very happy with what I've raised so far though, so I won't complain! I will beg and plead without shame some more at the bottom of this post!

I've made the shortbread dough, as you can see from these photos:






The dough was a bit too soft to roll out (my butter was very very soft) so I've popped it into the freezer for a quick chill. Hope to have them baking in the next hour!

I'm not sure what number post this is....Hmmmmm. I'll have a count at 8:00 Pacific time.

Check out First Book, I am blogging to raise money for them today. Feel free to sponsor me. 49 posts in 24 hours, and I'm just a little bit more than halfway there! I'll be here until 6am Pacific time, so do feel free to drop in and leave a comment or two, it really helps boost my spirits!

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Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

Since I'm making that mint chocolate chip ice cream I figured I should make something nice to go with it. I might as well treat myself to a nice treat around 2am when I'm starting to feel a bit sluggish, right? So I've found a recipe here. It seems very straightforward and has very few ingredients so I figure it's will be a snap to throw together in a half hour or so! I'll be starting these cookies for the next post! Tune in :D.

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Seeing as I'm Blogathoning for First Book...

I figured I should have some photos of books or something like that! My husband G is currently camped out on our couch reading and was kind enough to let me take his photo! And what follows is a photo of a few of my cookbooks (I have an addiction, I can't help it..there is another bookcase just about full of cookbooks as well).



So, read a book, sponsor me and help some children in need get their own bad (really it's good!) book habit!

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