The Joys of Baking Katie Sharpton

The Joys of Baking

What activities do you engage in, whether it is a daily or weekly basis, bring you happiness? Every time I watch a cooking or baking show, it always makes me want to whip up something yummy to share with my family and friends. The process of measuring, whisking, and beating creates space in the mind and eases negative thinking. Any activity which takes your whole attention, especially if it’s simple and repetitive can have a calming quality. Baking gives you something new to engage your mind, is a great stress reliever, and brings a sense of accomplishment when baking for other people. According to a recent study, a little creativity everyday will help towards your happiness.

February is National Bake for Family Fun Month. What do you love to bake as a family? It is a joy to learn about and taste the traditional baking of other cultures. Pignoli Cookies, a traditional treat from Italy, are a lightly sweet and nutty cookie, covered in pine nuts. The Black Forest Cherry Cake is well known in Germany and is made with a few layers of chocolate cake with cherries and chocolate shavings in between. Baklava is a layered Middle Eastern dessert that alternates layers of crispy filo dough with layers of ground nuts and sugar. It is never too late to try something new. Grab your siblings and together as a family engage in the joys of baking.

If you already enjoy baking, check out the program 4-H, which is America’s largest youth development organization for youth ages 9-19, those who are 5-8 years old are considered Cloverbuds. This program is a dynamic non-formal education program and provides opportunities to learn life skills and gain knowledge while having fun. Baking is one of the many 4-H projects. Members in their first year learn baking basics such as nutrition, measuring, and kitchen safety. In baking, youth will also learn how to measure dry and liquid ingredients, basic baking terms, how to make biscuits, muffins, pancakes and cookies, how to judge the quality of each food product, and also about jobs and careers in food preparation. By joining a local 4-H club, you will gain experience on demonstrations and showing at the Bi-County Fair. For more information, contact the McKinley County Cooperative Extension Office at (505)863-3432.

Here is an easy bread recipe that is packed with flavor and blueberries!

Blueberry Muffin Bread

Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup granulated sugar • 1/2 Cup Salted Butter • 2 eggs • 1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract • 1 Cup Milk • 2 Cups All-purpose Flour • 2 tsp Baking Powder • 2 Cups Blueberries, Fresh or Frozen

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. 2. Grease a 9 inch loaf pan. 3. Cream together the butter and sugar. 4. Add the eggs, vanilla and milk beating well. 5. Beat in the dry ingredients and until well combined 6. Add blueberries and mix by hand gently with a spatula being careful not to crush the berries.

7. Pour batter into your loaf pan and bake for 60-75 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

8. Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to finish cooling.

Katie Sharpton, MPH Family and Consumer Science/4-H Agent McKinley County Cooperative Extension Service 505- 863-3432

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