Daring Bakers Challenge: Povitica

The Daring Baker’s October 2011 challenge was Povitica, hosted by Jenni of The Gingered Whisk. Povitica is a traditional Eastern European Dessert Bread that is as lovely to look at as it is to eat!
Povitica with pumpkin filling

There’s always something special about bread with a spiral inside. Its unassuming exterior renders it almost indistinguishable from any other loaf of bread. But far from being just any other loaf of bread, it has something special to offer. Perhaps it’s a savory, herby filling that, when surrounded by dense bread, could just about pass itself off as an entire meal. Or that classic cinnamon swirl that so many of us loved as a child. Or just maybe, an autumn treat filled with spiced pumpkin butter. No matter your filling of choice, this Povitica recipe will have you racking your brain for new flavor combinations to pair with the slightly sweet, dreamy dough.

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Maple Walnut Granola

Maple Walnut Granola, unbaked

Part of undertaking a challenge such as October: Unprocessed is getting out of your food comfort zone. I’ve always been comfortable with my routine of buying boxed cereal at the store. Of course I bought organic, and of course it contained only a few wholesome ingredients. But it’s still a processed food and it’s pretty intensely packaged. Five or six cups of cereal inside a plastic bag inside a paper box? Why pay for all that packaging?

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Spiced Yogurt Muffins

Spiced Yogurt Muffins

I need to prepare for the 2011 LA Cupcake Challenge. I’m not sure what it takes to prepare for such an event. Cupcake visualization? An all-you-can-eat cupcake contest? Avoiding cupcakes for weeks prior to the event? I’m open to suggestions.

Last year, I made it through almost all of the cupcakes. I have been invited to judge the contest again this year, so maybe I can improve upon my ability to put away dozens of mini cupcakes within three hours.

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Daring Bakers Challenge: Apple Cider Doughnuts

The October 2010 Daring Bakers challenge was hosted by Lori of Butter Me Up. Lori chose to challenge DBers to make doughnuts. She used several sources for her recipes including Alton Brown, Nancy Silverton, Kate Neumann and Epicurious.
Apple Cider Doughnut

There was never a doubt in my mind about how I would interpret this month’s challenge. Apple cider doughnuts fresh off the conveyor belt are a staple of my autumn weekends. I can’t drive past the orchard without stopping for a dozen mini doughnuts. The hint of cider and spice coupled with an outer crust of cinnamon and sugar is irresistible.

As I wait in line to buy doughnuts I am hypnotized by the rows of doughnuts being churned out from the small machine, four at a time. The machine plods along, unaware that the line winds out the door. However, most of us don’t mind the wait. We know that once we reach the cash register, the doughnuts in our white paper bag will have been scooped off the conveyor belt only seconds before. There is nothing better than a fresh, hot apple cider doughnut on a crisp fall morning.

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Carrot Spice Muffins

Carrot Spice Muffin, sliced in half

We are lucky to have an abundance of delicious carrots at our local farmers market. It’s one of my favorite purchases every week. They even come with the greens attached. I’m sure there’s a cooking method for the greens, but I haven’t yet experimented with them. Anybody have any recommendations for carrot greens? For now, the carrot greens go to enrich my compost pile. And the carrots this week went into these muffins!

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Rhubarb Berry Pi

Rhubarb Berry Pie

Saturday, 7:10 am. The farmers market had just opened and we found ourselves in front of a bright display of strawberries and marionberries. As we selected one of each type of berry, the farmer appeared in front of us and half-whispered, “I’ve got one container of tayberries back here if you’re interested.” The Boyfriend and I exchanged looks. “What’s a tayberry?” I asked. He produced the half pint container and replied, “They’re like gold. They won’t last long.”

I’m not sure if it was his clever marketing or the gorgeous purplish-black hue of the tayberries, but we were sold. We brought home the most delicious collection of strawberries, marionberries, and tayberries. Our CSA share added boysenberries and rhubarb to our bounty. Now, each and every one of those berries could have made their way into our stomachs within a few hours. But I had grander plans for them: pie.

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Blueberry Strawberry Quick Bread

I miss fresh berries during the winter. Luckily, I found some strawberries in my freezer. My first instinct was to make strawberry muffins, but I decided to try a quick bread instead. Of course, I didn’t have enough strawberries, so I added some frozen blueberries as well.

This bread is quick and easy. It doesn’t get much simpler than this. Two mixing bowls, one loaf pan, and into the oven it goes. An hour later, you’ve got a healthy snack!

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Banana Oatmeal Spice Muffins

Banana oatmeal muffins are my go to muffin.  I always have the ingredients on hand and it’s so easy to whip up a batch.  My basic recipe is very forgiving.  I can change it up in any number of ways and the muffins still come out delicious.

This time I’ve made them healthier and added a bit of spice.  Now I don’t feel so guilty when I reach for one to help me get through those last two hours of the workday!

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