Tag Archives: baking soda

Breads, Snacks & Appetizers

whole wheat “easy cheesy” crackers

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It may seem obvious but the motto of cracker making should be “the thinner the better.” I’ve made various cracker recipes that perhaps will eventually make it to the blog, but here’s one that we really liked! We even ate the “too thick” ones.

I did one batch in pretty flower shapes and then said, “Forget this!” and moved on to the efficient method. :)

Of course, the USA is the ruling nation on variety, right? 50 different types of everything on the shelves. Well, in Ecuador we don’t have that and that’s okay…but every once in a while I miss things likes Triscuits, Wheat Thins, etc. So, hello! Make your own variety!

This really is an easy recipe (at any elevation) in the whole line of cracker recipes, so give it a try…

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Breads, Breakfast

breckenridge biscuits

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I’m obsessed with my I bought a couple months ago, specifically about high-altitude baking. I mean, I read it like a novel.

The author-cook {} talks all about her trials with cooking at various elevations and I’m just over here nodding through it all. It’s been a joke these last few years to bake things properly, no matter what I try!

Well, I’m done trying to adjust my own sea level recipes. I’m all about following hers to the T, because they’ve been 100% successful so far.

These biscuits are now a permanently saved & hand-copied-onto-a-notecard recipe that I will always use here in Quito. They are just as fluffy-wonderful as they would be in Eugene, Oregon.

The author is incredibly thorough and detailed in each recipe, giving notes on elevations of 0; 3000; 5000; 7500 and 10,000 feet. My printable version will only show the 10,000 ingredients & instructions. If you live anywhere above sea level, seriously buy this book. And, no, the author has not asked for an endorsement nor even knows I exist. I told you I was obsessed. ;)

 

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Breakfast

high-altitude glazed cinnamon scones

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As usual, I have included the original sea level notes in my printable recipe below, so this is for everyone!

Just to give you a little picture of what’s happening at the moment… I’m currently sitting at my computer, feeling the floor (and maybe the walls) literally shake. If you have ever lived in South America, you probably have experienced their version of partying. It’s almost 10:00, it started over an hour ago and it will probably go on for a couple more hours at least. Someone (I don’t know if just a neighbor or if the guards were called) is banging repeatedly on their door but to no avail. Besides the cultural differences which has been already written about in many books, I think I have just always been an old soul. How does anyone have the energy to scream and stomp and scream and cheer and holler and dance for so many hours to music crashing through most floors of this tall apartment building?

Update later: the party lasted almost 5 hours and multiple people tried to get them to stop. I didn’t call the guards because I knew it was futile, but I would have if they had woken the baby. Thank goodness they didn’t. He and Mike slept like…babies. ;) This is different than when we lived in Arequipa, Peru – we were told by our neighbors (after other neighbors partied all night) that if one called the police, the police would tell the “guilty” who called them. This would endanger them depending on the situation so no one ever called. Everyone partied and everyone hated it, haha! 

Oh goodness, that has NOTHING to do with these amazing breakfast scones, but I am having a hard time concentrating. :)

These really were amazing! Especially with a steamy cup of coffee right next to it.

I adapted it for high-altitude and it actually worked well the first time! Usually at 9800 feet elevation it takes multiple tries, if ever, to get dough recipes to rise (or not collapse) properly.

I’m really falling more and more in love with the website. It really does share terrific financial tips, recipes, and so much more. You can thank for these scones!

 for the printable recipe.

Sweets: Cookies & Bars

white chocolate-dipped cranberry-oatmeal cookies

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Looking Back: Originally posted on Dec 23, 2010.

From Original Post:

Whew!  Long name.  But turns out not that difficult to make…plus they’re pretty!

It’s basically a normal cookie recipe made fancy by the dipped look. ;)

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Sweets: Cookies & Bars

perfect pumpkin cookie

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Looking Back: Originally posted on Dec 18, 2010.

If you followed this blog back in 2010, you’ll remember how crazy I went with pumpkins! I cooked up a bunch and used it to make all sorts of cookies, muffins, bread and more.

 

When a I followed posted , I immediately saved the recipe and ta-da, have now shared it with you. I remember actually making them in my Grandma’s house in Idaho. Let me tell you, it’s harder to cook in someone else’s kitchen than I had originally thought! But it was enjoyable.

Print the recipe  (just slightly adapted from ).

Sweets: Breads & Muffins

non-vegan vegan pumpkin muffins

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Looking Back: Originally posted on Feb 22, 2011.

Weird title? Yes, well, I really wanted to try this recipe I found which happened to be vegan and I didn’t have “vegan chocolate chips” and other items, so this is just slightly adapted to what I had in my pantry!

It was very well-received by the husband and his football buddies over watching the Oregon game. I don’t say that to say, “look how good a baker I am…” but rather to remind myself of the details of the day I made these.  ;)
See my About page about why this blog even exists. 

 

For the true vegan version, where I found this recipe.

Here’s a  of what I did!

Sweets: Breads & Muffins

ribbon pumpkin bread

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Looking Back: Originally posted on Nov 17, 2010.

This was a simple fun recipe I made a few years ago.

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Sweets: Cookies & Bars

high-altitude ginger molasses cookies

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As I mentioned before, I tire of trying to adjust my own recipes to produce good results at high elevation, so I went on a hunt for a proven ginger cookie recipe. I’ll always save my mother’s for when I’m baking at sea level, but this I found is a phenomenal substitute.

How to describe how it tastes…?

In one word – CHRISTMAS. It tastes like Christmas, folks.

I didn’t adapt a single part of Mountain Mama’s . It’s that awesome.

Also, as she says and as I’ve tested out more than once, these freeze really well!

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Breakfast

applesauce oatmeal muffins

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Looking Back: Originally posted on Nov 20, 2010.

If you’re looking for a sweet muffin, this isn’t your recipe. But it is a good muffin!

It’s easy to make and a gives you a good quick healthy breakfast option. They’re pretty heavy so one was enough for me at a time, but I do hope you enjoy them!

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Sweets: Breads & Muffins

white chocolate & pecan pumpkin muffins

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Looking Back: Originally posted on Nov 12, 2010.

From the original:

I badly wish I could just transfer the smell of these muffins through my computer to yours.  Even if you don’t like the muffins (which would be difficult to believe), you would love the smell.

I often make tiny adjustments for our own taste preferences, but  was perfect…well, I made mini ones instead of regular, but that’s the only change I made.  You can check it out or just go straight to printing .

P.S. If you have a door to your kitchen, lock it.  I literally didn’t have all the muffins out of the tray yet before 3 people had eaten them.