The World's Easiest Breakfast Bar

I hate it when people misuse the word literally.  It's not a superlative!  That being said, these are literally the easiest thing I know how to bake.  These bars take less than 10 minutes to throw together, and you can make them with basically whatever combination of nuts/fruit/juice you have on hand.  They probably don't even need altitude recalibration, but I'm practicing for the sake of practicing.  You *literally* can go wrong, but it would be hard! 

Set oven to 350 degrees.  

In a large bowl, mix the following:

2 cups oats (quick or regular)
1 cup + 1 tablespoon whole wheat pastry flour (or any kind of flour)
1 cup chopped dates (or any dried fruit; raisins or cranberries also work well)
1 cup + 1 tablespoon apple juice (or orange)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup almonds (or any nuts or seeds)

Grease a 9x13 pan and pour the mixture into it.  

Bake for 35-40 minutes.  They're done when they're golden on top and soft-solid on the bottom (not hard, but not gooey).  

*This recipe is slightly modified for the altitude by: increasing the liquid and flour (1 tablespoon each); decreasing the oil (1 tablespoon); decreasing the temperature (25 degrees); and increasing the bake time (5-10 minutes) according to the super-helpful altitude guide from Betty Crocker. 

Upside Down Plum Cake

This cake is the perfect summer recipe.  It's my favorite mix of tart and sweet, and it's oh-so pretty.  It also takes advantage of the delicious, ubiquitous summer plum.  Adapted from Mom's Kitchen Handbook.  


 

6 to 8 plums, depending on size
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 stick unsalted butter (8 tablespoons), divided
1 cup + 2 1/2 tablespoons whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup almond flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
11 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs, separated
1 cup + 3 tablespoons buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 
Cut plums in half and remove pits.  
Sprinkle brown sugar and 2 tablespoons of butter over the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan.  Place the pan on a burner to melt the butter and sugar together over low heat.  Spread evenly over the bottom of the pan.  
Place the plums flat-side down into the cake pan.  Arrange the halves so that the fruits are touching.  
Use an electric mixer to cream the remaining butter and sugar together.  Add the eggs and mix until well-blended.  Add buttermilk and vanilla and mix again.  
In another bowl, mix remaining dry ingredients (all but sugar) together.  
-Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture.  Cream together until batter is smooth.  
Pour the batter over the plums in cake pan.  
Place in the oven with a baking sheet underneath to catch any spillage.  
Bake for about 33 minutes.  
Cool completely (at least 1 hour).  Flip cake by placing a plate over the pan, then flipping and lifting the pan off of the cake.  
Enjoy!

High Altitude Pizza Dough

I do not have the temperament of a baker.  I have no patience for mistakes.  When I make a new recipe and it doesn't come out the first time, the odds are good that I will never make it again.  So I don't like to "experiment" or "play around".  I'm always on the hunt for recipes that will be easy and taste good.  The first time.  I googled for awhile before finally finding a recipe for high altitude pizza dough.  I found tons of advice and tips about how to adjust my old recipe, but that's not what I was looking for.  I just wanted someone else's tried-and-true recipe to start with.  I finally found this one, from the Denver Junior League cookbook (via food.com).  I made some minor adaptations, but overall it fit the bill nicely.

Ingredients:
1 package dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon honey (I subbed 1/2 tablespoon sugar)
3/4 cup cold water
1 tablespoon dried rosemary (or oregano), chopped

Directions:

In a small  bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water and let stand 5-10 minutes, until slightly bubbly.
In large bowl, combine flour, salt, olive oil, and cold water.
Add yeast mixture and rosemary and stir to blend.
Knead by hand until smooth, about 10 minutes.
Form into ball and place dough in oiled bowl, turning to coat entire surface.
Cover with plastic wrap and towel, and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Divide in half, and shape each piece into a 12-inch round.
Crust may be prebaked 7 minutes before adding toppings, or top uncooked crust with desired toppings and bake 10-12 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.