Maple Layer Cake {from Martha Stewart}

Ingredients

A few years back I had decided to take a part time job, at a local bakery while the kids were in school. I wasn't new to working in a bakery, but this one was different. Owned and operated by a fourth generation Italian baker, Joe and his wife Annie. What I enjoyed the most about this time was that Joe took his time to teach and share everything he knew about baking, everything.
I learned to make old world style breads and pastries, that are still to this day the best I have ever had! While I decided to let the job go to pursue staying at home and growing my small soap business it didn't stop me from continuing to bake on an almost daily basis for years.
I have tweaked the recipes found in popular bread books and following the techniques for bread baking that Joe shared I have come up with a few favorites of my own, I wanted to share.
My Cottage Style Focaccia Recipe:
3 cups unbleached white flour {not self rising}
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon salt
3 glugs olive oil
2 teaspoons yeast {rapid rise}
a couple handfuls of Shredded Parmesan Cheese
4 tablespoons Basil {i love. love. love basil}
1 small cast iron skillet
Prepare your cast iron skillet ahead of time by pouring in 3 glugs {equal to 3 tablespoons} of Olive Oil in the skillet…then set it aside.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
I start by combining yeast, water and honey in a measuring cup and set it aside…let it sit for about 10 minutes while you combine flour, salt, basil, cheese and olive oil.
In the summer when we have an overabundance of tomatoes, I will slice them up to dry and add some to this recipe.
Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the yeast mixture. Blend everything in together then start to knead the dough, I use my Kitchen aide mixer with bread hook attachment for kneading but there have been many time I have used just my hands…both will work fine. Kneading with your hands is a good way to get rid of frustration!
If you are kneading with your hands, be sure and lightly dust your workspace with flour first so it doesn't stick.
With the kitchen aide I knead the dough for 5 minutes, with my hands it's a bit longer. Try not to tear the dough when kneading. You will know the dough is ready when the consistency is almost like elastic and not sticky anymore.
Let the dough rest for about 15 minutes you can begin to flatten it out with your hands, directly in your oiled skillet. After it's flattened out in the skillet just flip it over and make sure it has a good covering of olive oil all over.
Cover it and let it rise {about 15-20 minutes}, then sprinkle the top with salt and then pop it in the oven. I'm terrible about timing my baking, I usually just take a peak to see if it's turned brown on top to know it's done. But by my guess it takes about 20 minutes to bake.
If this is the first time you have ever made bread, I know it seems a bit complicated but trust me once you do it a few times you don't even need a recipe.
Happy Bread Making!

We gathered wood for this winter months ago, but the cool nippy air came sooner than we thought and the wood stove has been busy taking the chill out, I love that stove. I've collected so
many types of handmade baskets that I use not only for laundry, fabric, nick knack keeping but now even for holding my kinlin. The boys were busy with Bri collecting black walnuts in hopes to start their own little income this winter, which has turned out to be more like a project, a very BIG project! There's no wonder why black walnuts aren't available in the grocery store {no one is willing to shell them}. The boys did mange to shell enough for Black Walnut Butter Cookies and a Black Walnut Pie for Thanksgiving, but that was with the helping hand of mom and pop of course .

When they do something, they really do it! Here's our trailer wagon full of Black Walnuts. Baking hasn't been the only thing on my mind lately, infact I've headed back to the sewing machine on a frequent basis making a few new handbags that friends and family requested. Mom mailed me a pattern for making knitted caps for the boys; of course this will play out in front of the wood stove while keeping my toes warm.
Well, I'm off to bake my molases cookies and bread, here's the recipe below …..

Homestyle Bread

6 1/2 cups flour
2 packages instant yest
2 cups warm water
1 tb. salt
3 tb. sugar
2 tb. shortening
3 tb. olive oil

Use a small bowl and measure out your warm water and yeast, then I add my sugar to this and let it sit while i mix the rest of my ingredients into the larger mixing bowl. Add your yeast/water/sugar mixture and either mix together with your hands or use your electric mixer with the hook attatchment. Knead for 10 minutes and cover, let sit in a warm place until it rises {double in size}, it usually takes about an hour.
Now preheat your oven to 425 degrees and use shortening to grease 2 loaf pans.
Once it doubles punch down the ough and divide in half. On a floured surface flatten out each half with your hands and roll dough up tightly to form a loaf. Place them each into a loaf pan and cover in a draft free, warm place for 35-50 minutes {until doubled}.
Pop them in the oven for 25 minutes or until they ar golden brown on top. Butter the top and cover for another 30 minutes before slicing into it.
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Oatmeal Molases Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups oatmeal
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup shortening
2 eggs, beaten
5 tablespoons light molasses
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, oatmeal, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
In another large bowl, beat the sugar with the shortening until smooth and creamy; mix in beaten eggs, molasses, and vanilla. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients. Stir in walnuts and raisins. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until slightly browned. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.