Bettina bakes all the things: yogurt cake

In my last job, I took on the role of office birthday baker. It was a nice opportunity for me, who lived alone, to try new recipes and not worry about eating entire cakes or batches of cookies on my own. Sometimes though, when a birthday was in the middle of the week, or when I had to work late the night before, it was helpful to have a recipe I could rely on to come together quickly, easily, and deliciously.

For those times, that recipe was a yogurt poundcake. One bowl, no electric mixers, and one pan.

Farmers' Market Friday : peach & blueberry cobbler

Originally posted September 9, 2011 on Bettina Writes. 

One of my favorite cakes I've made features caramelized peaches with a buttery cake textured with the addition of cornmeal. I've made it as is with just peaches, or added blueberries to the peaches, or switched them out for nectarines or plums. It's delicious, but a little time consuming to make, so I was looking for a way to get the same flavors together in an easier format, when I came across this recipe for peach cobbler with cornmeal biscuit topping, from the website for the same farmers' market from where I bought my peaches and berries.

I've adapted the recipe slightly--the one on Fresh Farm's website sounds great as is, but I love the combination of peaches with blueberries (and I like to make cobbler topping with powdered sugar for the texture). I made a large version for a Labor Day BBQ to say goodbye to summer; I had to leave before the cobbler was served, but I was assured it was "scarfed down"... which is exactly what I did with the individual portion I ate for breakfast this morning. (NB: don't miss the bonus recipe at the bottom!)

Bacon chocolate chip cookies

Originally posted August 9, 2011 on Bettina Writes. 

One day, I'll have a blog named "Bakin' with Bacon," and it will all be recipes that include my favorite porcine product, and when it makes me wildly famous, I'll get to spend quality kitchen time with Kevin Bacon, because in this fantasy he loves a pun as much as I do. That day is not today, but that doesn't mean pig candy can't make a guest appearance here every now and then. And what better grand entrance than with bacon chocolate chip cookies?