ABC: Nut-Crusted Chocolate-Banana Swirl Cake

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I have not posted anything with my baking group from ABC in so long; I’m surprised to see I’m still part of it!

Thank you Hanaa for keeping me in the fold and not kicking me out to the curve.

For 2012, the ABC bakers decided to bake from Abigail Johnson Dodge, The Weekend Baker and she was kind enough to pick our inaugural recipe.

She describes this as an “elegant brunch coffee cake” and after making it today, I could not agree more.

I planned to do this cake back in late December in order to have it ready to post in our early January schedule.

Then, life; sort of happened and this fell through the cracks.

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GCC: Spaghetti al Limone

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I’m going to start with a quick apology.

I have been so absent from posting because, well… I have been absent from cooking.  The past two weeks I have been basically living on cereal and grilled cheese sandwiches.

Did you know that if you melt a bit of cheese on your skillet and then put your toasted grilled cheese on top, you get the best crust EVER?

Try it – you will never see a grilled cheese sandwich the same again.

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Braided Hazelnut Bread

I continue on my “master the yeast” path.

Since cooking has taken a HUGE backseat to other things happening in my life, my “Recipe to try” folder in my computer is bursting at the seams with tons of recipes waiting for me to make. And what better way to start the New Year than with a yeast bread recipe?

This is one of them.  I first saw it back in May (see how long ago!) in the Fisher & Paykel site “Our Kitchen” which is run as collaboration between friends that work for the company.  If you have not discovered this site, go now and put it on your reader list.  The photos are gorgeous and the recipes are truly one of a kind.  

Just like this Braided Hazelnut Bread.

The recipe got my attention because of the hazelnuts (love them!) then it lost my attention because it has apples in it - and if you have been reading me for a while, you know how I feel about cooked fruit in anything sweet.  But, I figured that Tom would love it and it has been a while since I have cooked anything specifically to his likings.

But, once I took it out of the oven, the smell was just too good to pass up having a quick taste.

I’m officially converted!

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