Bready or Not

• If you're using a bread machine, add the ingredients in the recommended order and run on dough cycle or full bread mode. I prefer to do dough cycle and bake in the oven.
• If you're using a stand mixer, blend water and sour cream. In a separate bowl, combine bread flour, brown sugar, gluten, salt, and yeast. Mix wet and dry ingredients together and knead with a dough hook.

Either method: Keep an eye on the texture. If it's wet or too tacky, add more flour. If it's too lumpy or thick, splash in a tiny bit more water as needed.

• Let dough rise until it has doubled, 1-2 hours. Grease or non-stick spray a bread pan.
• Lightly grease a surface and dump your dough onto it. With your greased hands, form the dough into a loaf shape by gently folding. Set in the pan--or glop it in, and smooth it out (that's still a professional method, I think). Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap or a shower cap.
• Let dough rise in a warm spot until it's crested to desired height, 30-60 minutes. Watch it.
• Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
• Bake bread for 20 minutes. Cover the top with foil to prevent heavy browning, then bake for an additional 15-20 minutes. When it's done, it'll sound hollow when tapped.
• Remove bread from oven and hold it over a rack so it will gently drop out; use a spatula to carefully loosen it, if needed. If you want, you can brushed the top with some butter to soften the crust and give it a shine.
• Let the bread cool at least 45 minutes before cutting. Also, you can let it cool completely and then wrap it several layers of plastic wrap before placing it in the freezer. Keeps well in freezer up to one month.

OM NOM NOM.

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 8 X 8 inch pan (or 9 X 9 inch) pan with aluminum foil so that it hangs over the sides. Apply non-stick spray.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cream of tartar and salt in a medium size bowl and set aside.
• In a large bowl, mix the brown sugar and butter. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined. Add the dry ingredients. Add the apple pieces. Spread the batter in the prepared pan.
• Whip out a squeeze bottle or jar of dulce de leche or caramel. Drizzle over the batter.
• Combine the strudel ingredients in another bowl and chop together until the butter is mostly down to pea-size chunks. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the batter.
• Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the top is lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan comes out clean. Allow to cool completely. Lift the bars out by the overhanging foil and cut into bars. The edges will be crisper and more solid, while the center may be messier and sticky with caramel. It's all good.

OM NOM NOM.

• In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients but the chocolate chips and water. Pour 1/3 or 1/2 the mix into a high-powered food processor or blender. Pulse. Stir it with a spoon or spatula--it will be thick and gum up the machine. Pour the blended mix out, then add in more of the nut-date blend until everything is mostly blended. It's okay to have some chunks. Add the mini chocolate chips.
• Squeeze the mash between your fingers. If it doesn't want to stick together, stir in water by 1/2 teaspoon until it's cohesive.
• You can shape them in two ways. Use a tablespoon scoop to form a ball, then compress them with your hands to tighten. Or, make bars. Place a sling of parchment paper in a bread pan. Pour the mash in. Compress as tightly as you can. Remove using the sling and cut to preferred size.
• Keep stored in covered dish or closed baggie in fridge. Makes about 9 tablespoon-sized balls or 7 bars. Will keep for upward of 2 weeks.

OM NOM NOM!

• Coat an 8-inch square pan with butter or non-stick spray. Stage the sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla, and marshmallows so they are ready to add quickly.
• This can be made in the microwave or on the stovetop. Either method: on low, gradual heat, melt the butter in a large container.
• Once the butter is melted, remove from heat and stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. Add marshmallows and stir to melt. The hot butter should melt the marshmallows, but if needed give it an extra zap in the microwave or briefly heat on low on the stovetop. Stir until no white streaks remain.
• Remove from heat again, if needed. Add in the cinnamon cereal and 1/4 teaspoon salt. As soon as everything is coated, pour it into the prepared pan. Quickly spread it to the corners and evenly press it down. Sprinkle more coarse salt and turbinado sugar on top.
• Let the pan cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

OM NOM NOM!

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Cream together the butter, cream cheese, Biscoff spread, and sugars. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well. Sift dry ingredients together and slowly incorporate them with the wet ingredients. Add the chocolate and marshmallows and incorporate.
• Use a tablespoon scoop or tablespoon to drop dough onto the cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Leave them on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before moving to a rack to cool.

OM NOM NOM.

• The dough can be made the day before baking. In a large bowl, combine with butter and sugars. Add the egg and vanilla, followed by the dry ingredients. Add the chocolate chips or other additions last. Wrap with plastic wrap to chill in fridge overnight or for several hours, at least.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add a tablespoon of butter to a 10-inch cast iron skillet and set it in the oven for a few minutes.
• On the plastic wrap, form the dough into the rough shape of the skillet. When the butter has melted in the skillet, pull it out and rotate it to cover the base with butter. Carefully add the cookie dough, and using a spatula, press it in to the edges.
• Bake until the cookie is golden brown and just set in the center, about 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, at least, or 30 minutes if you want it set enough to slice.

OM NOM NOM.