Monday, February 22, 2010

Baking Is My Love Language

I am enamored with baking. To me, it's such a heart-warming, nostalgic way to show love to my family. As the saying goes, "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach," and I have no shortage of men in my abode!

Lately, though, I see a tragic trend of fewer and fewer women donning aprons (optional) and baking up something special for their families, friends, or neighbors in their kitchens. Some have even admitted proudly that they never bake, unless it's Pillsbury cookie dough in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. It's as if baking went out of style when June Cleaver and Leave It To Beaver went off the air. Well not in this house!

Let's just say it was a big hit!

For Sunday breakfast, I made this blackberry cream cheese coffee cake--a recipe one of my best friend's shared with me several years ago. I don't know why I've never made it before. As you can see from the picture, it's one of our new family favorites. My little boy proclaimed, while cutting yet another piece, "Mom, you're a good cooker." Now that's praise!

Blackberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
1- 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
2 lg. eggs
1/4 c. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1-3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. blackberry jam
2 T. powdered sugar

-Beat 1st three ingredients at medium speed until creamy. Add eggs, milk and vanilla until smooth. Combine flour, next three ingredients; add to cream cheese mixture, beating at low speed until blended.
Spread batter into a greased and floured 9 x 13" pan. Dollup with jam and swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 min. or until cake leaves side of pan. Cool slightly and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Enjoy!

May I encourage you to head to your recipe box (or the Internet) and bake something yummy for your family this week? If you don't have children (or children at home), who else in your life would appreciate a freshly baked good? Coworkers? College students? An elderly neighbor? If you do it, they'll devour it (and feel very loved too)!

Visit Tasty Tuesday for more recipe ideas!


10 comments:

  1. I'm so happy to have discovered your blog. Your love of baking and your entertaining tales of other misadventures make me feel right at home here. =) Now, if only my kitchen were clean enough to do some baking...

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  2. Thanks, Aiming4Simple! Glad you're feeling right at home :) Remember, if all else fails, just move the stuff to another spot so you can do some baking. ;) Or you can follow the tip I shared here: http://momsinneedofmercy.blogspot.com/2009/12/messy-monday-take-it-one-foot-at-time.html

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  3. Do you think this recipe would work with any other tpye of jam? I have all of the other ingredients in my "pantry", so I'd love to make it today!

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  4. Hi Angie,
    I think so. I think raspberry would be great. (Strawberry or grape would probably work well too). I'd love to hear how it turns out & what kind of jam you end up using!

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  5. Ok...the more often I come to your blog, the wider my hips will become. I know there is going to be a direct correlation! This sounds heavenly!!

    Also, agree with you on the other part of your post. I don't want to be a baking snob, but when I offer my daughter baked goods, I want them to come from my kitchen, with ingredients I selected, and assembled with great love. Something about Pillsbury cookie dough doesn't cut it. Also, my mom baked homemade for us...always! I'm so glad she passed that tradition along to me.

    Thanks for sharing.

    Lisa

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  6. I found your blog a couple of days ago, and I'm enjoying it. :) Thanks!
    I agree that it is sad that less and less people seem at home in their kitchens these days.
    I looooove to bake, but have been trying to scale down on it lately so that we can be generally more healthy (I am trying to lose baby weight!).
    ~Alicia

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  7. it was great talking to you today...i had to hurry to my computer to see how your coffee cake turned out!:) looks wonderful...cinnamon-apple jam works out for a good fall taste. anyways, your blog is very uplifting...quite the reflection of who you are!:) way to use your gift of journalism!:) ~Alicia VT :)

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  8. took your advice, i baked bread for my family tonight and it really was uplifting to see the smiles and giggles over warm freshly baked bread. thank you for inspiring me to take the time out of my day to just do it!

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  9. I agree - I love to bake for family, friends, neighbours....whenever I get a chance to bake I will most definitely take it. This looks SO GOOD - I can't wait to force it on people at the next potluck...I don't think they'll mind :)

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  10. Alicia, I'm still trying to lose a little too! I do have some healthy baking recipes--like apricot oatmeal cookies (very low fat and sugar, pretty much just oatmeal and apricots) and some others. I'll share them sometime!
    Alicia V.--so good to talk to you today too! Thanks for the nice comments.
    Kevswifey--good for you! :)
    Sara, I don't think they'll mind at all ;)

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