I’ve been running around like a headless chicken lately. Demanding workload and a hectic personal life do not leave me with much time to write. Luckily, I still manage to squeeze in time to bake. Baking is therapeutic to me. At times like this, I turn my attention to familiar territories. I rein in my adventurous side in the kitchen and reach for tried-and-true favourites.
Which recipes made the cut?
Look familiar? That would be respectively the 2013, 2012, and 2010 edition of Melissa Clark’s Apple Cranberry Crumb Pie. My family adores the mix bag of flavours with rum-soaked raisins, dried figs, Northern Spy apples, fresh cranberries, walnut, streusel, cinnamon, lemon, and nutmeg.
Wild blueberry pie also made the cut. These are my annual wild blueberry pies from 2013, 2011, and 2010. It is always a treat.
Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies? LOVE them. And I always use the Cook’s Country recipe incorporating melted milk chocolate in the batter. It lends a little something extra special that many people can’t quite figure out.
My vote for banana bread also goes to Melissa Clark’s Lemony Olive Oil version. I made it with olive oil, with butter. I added decadent chocolate chips or traditional walnuts. I flavoured it with zippy lemon zest or sultry coffee. I dressed it up or I served it as casual as can be. It is a recipe that has yet to fail me.
Next week’s vacation in Australia cannot arrive soon enough. Lamingtons, here I come.
