Mason Cash Mixing Bowl Archives - Pacific Merchants

Posts Tagged ‘Mason Cash Mixing Bowl’

Halloween Treats – It’s a Cake in a Jar!

Friday, October 11th, 2013

Happy Friday, folks! With Halloween less than three weeks away, we here at Pacific Merchants have been crafting and cooking Halloween projects and recipes like mad people. I spent yesterday afternoon making delicious cakes with our Kilner Jars in preparation for Halloween. For a more refined, friendly, and cute take on the Halloween spirit, this baking project proves a great family activity, but is easy enough to whip up on your own for a party or your home. Surprisingly easy with great opportunity to satisfy everyone’s creative Halloween ideas, and of course, your sweet tooth.

What you’ll need:

-1 box white cake mix or your favorite cake recipe (white cake is great because you can add food coloring to change the color!)
-Non-stick Spray
-1-2 tubs whipped white frosting
-Food coloring
-Halloween Sprinkles
-(3) 0.5 Liter Kilner Round Clip Top Jars. You can also use preserve jars, but I love the look of clip tops for this.
-1-3 Mixing bowls, if you’re making more than one color batter or coloring your frosting.
-Piping Bag/tips (or you can just spread the frosting on)

On to the instructions. Step one: Put a cake in a jar. . . I kid. But really. . .

1. Make sure your jars are clean. It’s really important when using any canning or preserve jars to make sure they’re clean: You don’t have to sterilize them like you would if actually canning something, but just make sure you clean them before baking in them.

2. Preheat oven according to your box or cake recipe.

3. The only part of these jars that shouldn’t go in the oven is that orange rubber seal. See it? It’s super easy to remove: just pull at the tab and it should pop right off. If you’re using preserve jars, just leave the lids out of the oven.

4. Grease your jars! Easy to forget, so I’m putting this step up front. Non-stick spray comes in handy here as jars are harder to grease than an open pan.

5. Batter time! I used white cake to match any frosting or decoration I would later adorn the cake with. I kept the batter white, but try making some green, purple, or red batter for a more intense Halloween cake experience! I dyed the frosting, hence why I recommend using white frosting as well. Our Mason Cash Mixing Bowls are great for batter making. They’re easy to clean, big enough to mix up a huge batch of batter, and the white interior makes it easy to see when all your color is blended in (if you’re coloring your dough.)

6. Pour batter into Kilner Jars, filling up about half way. The cake will expand and rise in the oven, bringing the top of the cake right above the lip of the jar. If you want to be able to close the clip top jars completely including frosting/decorations, pour batter a little less than halfway full. Making cakes in jars that you can close makes for a great hostess gift, school lunch treat (use a smaller jar) or holiday gift!

7. Place jars on a baking sheet or pain, and stick ‘em in the oven. I kept mine in for 43 minutes. The batter densely sits in these jars, so I followed directions for a bundt cake on my boxed cake mix, versus a 8” or 9” pan or cupcakes. Plus or minus a few minutes won’t hurt anyone.

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8. Keep an eye on the cakes when they’re in the oven. They’re ready when you can stick a toothpick or knife through the center of the cake and it comes out clean.

9. Take out, and let cakes cool completely before going to town with icing/decorations. We don’t want messy melting icing (unless you do).

10. Once cakes are cool, frost those babies. I put whipped white frosting in a piping bag with a professional piping tip to get that cool star effect. You can also just use a hefty zip-top bag with a professional tip, or no tip, just cut the corner off; it just won’t have that star effect. You can even just use a butter knife and spread the icing on smoothly. Two of the cakes I frosted with plain white frosting, and the third cake I frosted with my own mixed green frosting. Get creative here! Mix and match your cake color with your frosting color and/or decorations. Decorate with sprinkles, candy corn, sugar eyeballs, or cupcake flags. Most kitchen supply stores and even some big craft stores like Michaels have awesome sugar bats, pumpkins, ghouls, etc. Drip with red food coloring for a more gruesome cake.

11. Grab two spoons, a scarfing partner, and go to town. Or just tackle that cake solo; that may or may not have been what I did. Enjoy!

Tune in next week for some awesome Halloween roundups and DIY projects, brought to you by yours truly. Now go have a craft-tastic weekend!

Tags: Baking Recipe, cake in jar, cupcake in jar, halloween, halloween craft, halloween dessert, halloween kids, halloween treat, kids halloween project, kilner jar craft, Mason Cash, Mason Cash Bowl, Mason Cash Mixing Bowl, mason jar craft, Pacific Merchants, Pacific Merchants Blog, treat in jar
Posted in Baking, Crafts, holiday, Kilner, Mason Cash, Pacific Merchants | Comments Off on Halloween Treats – It’s a Cake in a Jar!

National Watermelon Day and a Great Watermelon Recipe

Saturday, August 3rd, 2013

Nothing says “summer” like biting into a big, juicy slice of watermelon. Since tomorrow, August 3, is National Watermelon Day, we think it’s the perfect time to introduce you to a more grown up watermelon recipe. It’s not that we have anything against biting into a big, juicy slice of melon, but should your occasion call for something a little less messy, here’s a great, summery alternative!

This colorful savory watermelon salad is most beautiful when served in our round Calabash serving set. The shape of the bowl mimics the shape of the watermelon in a cute way and the rich brown tone of the Acacia hardwood offsets the reds, pinks and greens in this salad beautifully! This dish serves a crowd, so it’s great to bring to a picnic or party. If you’re making an extra-large batch and need a bigger bowl, try one of our larger Ma son Cash Mixing bowls!

Sweet and Spicy Watermelon Salad

Ingredients

– 1 medium watermelon, cubed (about 15 cups) Not sure how? Here’s a tutorial

– 1 red onion, thinly sliced

– ½ cup fresh mint, minced

– 3 cucumbers, cubed

– 8 oz crumbled feta cheese

– 1 heaping tsp cayenne pepper

– 1 tsp black pepper

– 2 tablespoons lime juice

– 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

– ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

– Sea salt, to taste

Instructions

In the bottom of your serving bowl, whisk together the spices
Add the lime juice, vinegar, and olive oil, whisk to combine
Add in cucumbers, red onion, mint, and feta. Stir to combine well.
Toss the watermelon in with everything else.
Taste for seasoning. Add more salt, pepper, lime juice or cayenne if necessary
Serve cold or at room temperature.

One of my favorite things about this salad is how easy it is to change up. Sometimes I add tomatoes, sometimes I leave out the feta, and sometimes I use basil instead of mint. No matter what variation I use, it tastes great! This salad is as delicious as it is easy, and it’s a great way to turn a classic taste of summer into something a little more sophisticated! What’s your favorite way to eat watermelon?

Tags: acacia hardwood, acacia wood, acacia wood bowl, Acaciaware, cheese and watermelon, easy recipe, easy summer recipe, fruit salad, Mason Cash, Mason Cash Bowl, Mason Cash Mixing Bowl, Mixing Bowl, Pacific Merchants, Pacific Merchants Blog, salad, salad bowl, salad with fruit, side for bbq, sides for barbecue, Summer, summer recipe, summer recipe with watermelon, unique salad, watermelon cheese, watermelon feta, watermelon salad
Posted in Acaciaware, Canning, holiday, Mason Cash, Pacific Merchants, Recipes | Comments Off on National Watermelon Day and a Great Watermelon Recipe

Perfect Pecan Pie Recipe and Tips

Friday, July 12th, 2013

Today is National Pecan Pie day! Like so many of those other food related holidays, we think that it’s a pretty good excuse to get creative in the kitchen and bake something delicious, and pecan pie is one of my personal favorites! Even if you’re not a pecan pie fan, this simple recipe is sure to change your mind. It is fragrant with orange peel, rich with bourbon and cinnamon, and amazing with vanilla ice cream. So let’s get started! This is a great pie to finish off a summer BBQ, but it’s also wonderful for the holidays, so make it now and bookmark it for later! Trust me, it’s a total crowd pleaser at Thanksgiving!

First, gather up your equipment. You’re going to need a saucepan, a mixing bowl that can handle heat (our Mason Cash cane mixing bowls are perfect,) a rolling pin, a pie dish, a baking sheet and a whisk. If you’re making crust from scratch, you’ll need a separate bowl for that. I suggest popping a Mason Cash bowl in the fridge for your crusts. They stay cold forever, which makes for a better dough!

A note on pie dishes: You’ve probably noticed that there are a lot of different kinds of pie dishes on the market. On a recent trip to the cooking store in my area I saw flimsy foil dishes along with metal, Pyrex, enamel, ceramic and stoneware. For pies with a pre-baked crust, I’m partial to enameled pie plates like our Enamour dish. It conducts heat really evenly which is essential for baking an unfilled crust. For other pies, I really love terracotta bakeware. I use our Mason Cash terracotta pie plate for pretty much every fruit pie I make, along with this pecan pie. It promotes a really crisp crust, but keeps it flaky and buttery, rather than drying out the crust. Now on to that pecan pie recipe!

Ingredients

Pie crust (either store bought or use our favorite recipe HERE)
3/4 stick unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon bourbon or whiskey
Zest of one orange
¼ tsp cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
2 cups lightly toasted pecan halves (1/2 pound)

Instructions

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 12-inch round.
Place in buttered terracotta pie dish.
Trim edge, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang.
Fold overhang under and lightly press against rim of pie plate, then crimp decoratively.
Lightly prick bottom all over with a fork.
Chill until firm, at least 30 minutes (or freeze 10 minutes).
Meanwhile, melt butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat.
Add brown sugar and cinnamon, whisking until smooth.
Remove from heat and whisk in corn syrup, vanilla, bourbon, orange zest, and salt.
Let cool for 2 minutes
Lightly beat eggs in a medium bowl that can handle heat.
Gradually beat the corn syrup mixture into the eggs, whisking the whole time
Put pecans in pie shell and pour corn syrup mixture evenly over them.
Bake on baking sheet until filling is set, 50 minutes to 1 hour.
Cool completely.

Enjoy! It’s National Pecan Pie day, so the calories definitely don’t count.

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Posted in Baking, holiday, Mason Cash, Pacific Merchants, Recipes | Comments Off on Perfect Pecan Pie Recipe and Tips

Summer Strawberry Shortcake

Tuesday, June 18th, 2013

Last week wasNational Strawberry Shortcake Day! For us here at Pacific Merchants, even if we’re late, it’s just a great excuse to get out our Mason Cash baking supplies and bake up a storm!

To make strawberry shortcake, you’re going to need a few bowls in a few different sizes: one for making the fruit filling, one for whipping the cream, and one for mixing up the dough. Naturally, this was a perfect excuse for us to whip out our Mason Cash strawberry mixing bowls. They come in four sizes, so I used the littlest one to eat out of, the next up for the whipped cream, the 2 quart for the strawberries, and the large mixing bowl to make the dough!

Mason Cash bowls are perfect for strawberry shortcake because both the bowls and the desserts are classics with a long history. Strawberry shortcakes were actually mentioned in Shakespeare’s Merry Wives of Windsor, so we felt it was natural to make a British heritage dessert in bowls from a British heritage company. And while Mason Cash isn’t Shakespeare old, it does date back to the early 1800’s. So let’s get cooking

You can use anything from angel food cake to pound cake to biscuits for your shortcake dough. Personally, I love this scone-inspired dough. It’s not too sweet, it’s sturdy enough to hold up to juicy strawberries, and it comes together easily with just a little work and very little equipment, just a large mixing bowl, a couple of butter knives, and a wooden spoon.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cold unsalted butter
1 large egg,
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Zest of one lemon
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup half and half

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and place rack in middle of oven.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs.
Whisk together the egg, half and half, lemon zest and vanilla extract and add to the flour mixture, mixing just until the dough comes together. Do not over mix the dough.
Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead dough gently four or five times and then pat or roll the dough into a 7 inch round.
With a 3 inch round cookie cutter or an overturned drinking glass, cut out rounds and place the scones on the baking sheet. Brush the tops of the scones with a little cream.
Bake for about 15 – 20 minutes or until nicely browned and a toothpick inserted in the center of a scone comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Once those scones are cooling, start on the strawberry filling. Because strawberries are so good this time of year, they don’t need much, just a little sugar, some orange zest, maybe a splash of vanilla and (if you’re serving adults) a dash of bourbon, which really highlights the sweetness of the berries. This mixture fits perfectly into a medium Mason Cash bowl, or you can use your large strawberry mixing bowl again.

Ingredients

2 pounds fresh strawberries
¼ cup granulated white sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
Zest of one orange
Zest of one lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons good bourbon, optional (if you wouldn’t drink it, don’t use it)

Instructions

Wash, hull and quarter the strawberries.
Toss strawberries with the sugar, citrus zest, vanilla extract and bourbon
Let sit for at least 30 minutes and up to an hour before using

Next, use a small bowl to whip up some cream. You can use a larger bowl and more cream if you want more whipped cream, but 1 cup of cream is plenty for me (probably because I put ice cream on my shortcake as well. Do this right before serving or your whipped cream will fall flat.

Ingredients

1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted
¼ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Combine cream, sugar, and vanilla in a bowl
Whisk until medium peaks are formed
Serve!

Now, assemble your shortcake!

Split each scone in half.
Put a few strawberries on the bottom of the scone.
Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream
Put a generous helping of strawberries over the top of the ice cream
Top with the second half of the scone
Top with whipped cream and more strawberries.
Enjoy

Tags: baking, baking from scratch, Baking Recipe, desert recipe, dessert, dessert from scratch, dessert recipe, how to bake, making dessert from scratch, Mason Cash, Mason Cash Bowl, Mason Cash Mixing Bowl, Pacific Merchants, Pacific Merchants Blog, Pacific Merchants Recipes, Pacific Merchants Trading Company Blog, recipe for strawberries, recipe with strawberries, strawberry bowl, strawberry kitchen, strawberry shortcake, strawberry shortcake desert, strawberry shortcake dessert, strawberry shortcake recipe, Summer
Posted in Baking, Mason Cash, Pacific Merchants, Recipes | Comments Off on Summer Strawberry Shortcake

4 Bean Chili and Halloween: The First Stop on My Holiday Cooking & Overeating Binge

Thursday, October 27th, 2011

It’s so hard to believe that it’s almost Halloween! You know what this means don’t you? It’s time to…well…put away your scale. I’ve already begun to have conversations with myself about NOT dipping into the trick or treat candy. The conversations go something like this: “You don’t need that, you’ve had it before, it tastes the same” – and then I eat it anyway – AUGH!

Halloween marks the beginning of the end for me…the end of the year that is. I will be cooking and overeating nonstop from now until New Year’s Day. I actually bought my first can of cranberry sauce for a salad dressing, and began to dream about ginger bread cookies. Sorry, I can’t help but jump ahead. The best part of it is that I’m already looking forward to New Year’s Day. We have a family tradition of going to the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena. The parade is nice, but you want to know what I’m really looking forward to? Eating a bacon wrapped hot dog from a street vendor at 7 a.m. Sounds crazy I know, but you can’t mess with tradition. You just have to do it.

What are your Halloween traditions that mark the beginning of the holiday season?

My Halloween Traditions

Fight with my son about his costume not being too scary.
Pull out my multitude of fake pumpkins and hope the Santa Ana winds don’t blow them away.
Medicate my dog’s food in her Mason Cash pet bowl so she won’t have a heart attack.
Pull out the holiday decoration and eat Snickers bars.

Make a huge pot of low fat, high fiber, healthy turkey chili, and then pile on cheese and sour cream.

Attempt to convince myself I am still a “healthy” eater by making a fresh tangerine and avocado salad using my Pacific Merchants acacia wood salad bowl

Homemade Bean Turkey Chili is one of my favorite fall treats. I can’t think of a meal more perfect for Halloween evening to energize the little ones before a long night of trick or treating. It’s warm, hearty, and quick and easy to prepare amidst the hustle and bustle of the day’s holiday activities. The smell of it simmering on the stovetop, how it looks in my favorite Mason Cash Pudding Basin and, of course, the mouthwatering taste can’t be beat. The perfect presentation is almost as important as the taste – almost! My eyes feast first, then my taste buds, and it couldn’t be a more divine moment.

As a chef I use a wide array of kitchenware when I cook and serve meals, but I have to say the Mason Cash and Acacia wooden products from Pacific Merchants are some of my absolute favorite go-to pieces, and are the perfect “assistant” in the kitchen. I especially love using my hand carved Calabash Acacia Dipping Bowls to prep my ingredients when I’m cooking chili on a breezy fall afternoon. And my Mason Cash Mixing Bowls and Pudding Basins are both beautiful and versatile. The Pudding Basin’s sleek design lends itself well to be used as a mixing bowl, serving bowl, pasta bowl, ice cream and cereal bowls! The perfect kitchenware is like the perfect pair of shoes. Makes you feel like million bucks whether you’re lounging around the house or showing them off to family and friends.

4 Bean Turkey Chili

Makes 24 8oz servings

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 large white or yellow onion – diced

1 large yellow bell pepper – diced
1 large red bell pepper – diced
Pinch of salt and pepper

2 pounds of lean ground turkey (not extra lean; you need some fat for flavor.)
4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
4 teaspoons dried thyme
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
3 Tablespoons chili powder

40 oz can pinto beans – drained
30 oz can dark red kidney beans – drained
30 oz can black beans – drained
30 oz can white beans – drained
28 oz can diced tomatoes
15 oz can tomato sauce

6 cups low salt chicken broth
3 Tablespoons corn starch

2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup ketchup
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 large bay leaf

In an extra large soup/stock pot warm olive oil over medium heat and sweat the onions and peppers with a pinch of salt and pepper until they appear translucent – about 4-5 minutes.
Increase the heat to high, add in turkey meat and begin to brown.
Season the turkey with salt, pepper, cumin, thyme, garlic powder, and chili powder.
Once the meat is browned, add in the beans, tomatoes, and tomato sauce.
In a small Mason Cash Mixing Bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the cold chicken broth and add to the chili – stir to combine.
Add in remaining ingredients – apple cider vinegar, ketchup, seasoning, and bay leaf – and simmer over low heat for 40 minutes.
Serve warm in a Size 42 Mason Cash Pudding Basins.

Tangerine & Avocado Salad

One head of butter lettuce

One 6 oz can of your favorite tangerine slices (refridgerated)

One large avocado

One pinch Garlic Salt

One pinch Seasoned Pepper

Cut lettuce into bit sized pieces. Pour in tangerine slices and slice avocado into a large Pacific Merchants salad bowl. Use a bottled mango dressing or you can use a home made dressing using white wine vinegar, olive oil, aged balsamic vinegar and garlic salt.

Share with your friends: http://www.pacificmerchants.com/blog/?p=638

Tags: acacia wood, acacia wood bowl, Mason Cash Baking Dishes, Mason Cash Mixing Bowl, Mason Cash Pudding Basin
Posted in Chef Louise Featured Blogs | Comments Off on 4 Bean Chili and Halloween: The First Stop on My Holiday Cooking & Overeating Binge

Bake Paska- Ukrainian Easter Bread

Friday, April 8th, 2011

Ukranian Easter Bread

Paska is a very popular, slightly sweet egg bread, consumed throughout Eastern Europe in countries such as Ukraine, Russia, and Poland as part of Easter celebrations. Each country’s recipe differs slightly from the recipes used in other countries, but the symbolism associated with the bread tends to remain the same.

Not only is Paska baked throughout Eastern Europe, but those who enjoy it also decorate the top by arranging pieces of dough into designs prior to baking. Detail ranges from braiding, rosettes, and crosses, to more ornate styles. Try out our recipe for Ukranian Paska, and have fun decorating the top however you like!

Braided Paska

Paska Recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Sugar plus 1/2 Teaspoon Sugar
1/2 Cup Lukewarm Water
1 Package active dry yeast
1 1/2 Cups milk
2 1/2 Cups plus 5 cups all purpose-flour
3 Large eggs, beaten
1/3 Cup melted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Directions:

Scald the milk and set aside so that it can cool to a lukewarm temperature. Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon sugar in water and sprinkle yeast over it. Mix and let stand 10 minutes.
Combine the yeast mixture with scalded milk and 2 1/2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Cover and let rise until light and bubbly
Add eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, melted butter, salt and 4 1/2 to 5 cups flour to make a dough that is not too stiff nor too slack. Knead until dough no longer sticks to the hand and is smooth and satiny (approximately seven minutes in a mixer, but longer if done by hand). Place in a greased mixing bowl, turn to grease both sides. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise until doubled. Punch down and let rise again.
Reserve 1/3 of the dough for decorating. Shape the rest into a round loaf and place in a 10- to 12-inch greased round pan. Now shape the reserved dough into decorations of choice (swirls, rosettes, braiding, etc.). Cover the pan with greased plastic wrap and let rise until almost doubled.
Heat oven to 400° Fahrenheit. Brush bread with 1 large egg beaten with 2 tablespoons of water. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F. and bake an additional 40 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer registers 190° F. If necessary, cover the top of the bread with aluminum foil to prevent the bread from over browning. Remove from oven and turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.

Tags: Baking Recipes, Easter Bread, Easter Recipes, Mason Cash Mixing Bowl, Mason Cash Recipe, Mason Cash Recipes, Mixing Bowl, Pacific Merchants Recipes, Paska, Paska Recipe, Ukranian Paska, Ukranian Paska Recipe, Ukranian Recipe
Posted in Mason Cash, Recipes | Comments Off on Bake Paska- Ukrainian Easter Bread

Bake Hot Cross Buns this Easter!

Friday, April 1st, 2011

Hot Cross Buns have traditionally been eaten at Easter by Anglo Saxons for hundreds of years. Although the first recorded use of the term “Hot Cross Buns” dates back to 1733, many believe that the buns actually pre-date Christianity.

The Saxons, Eostre and Hot Cross Buns

While Easter is synonymous with the coming of Spring, baby animals, and (everyone’s favorite) egg hunts, Easter actually gets its name and from the German Goddess Eostre. Historians believe that Eostre was the German goddess of the dawn, and in some cases, was considered a “Spring-like fertility goddess.” Traditionally, Germans would celebrate Eostre by feasting throughout the month we now know as April. It is believed that Saxons ate Hot Cross Buns during these feasts, which were meant to symbolize the four quarters of the moon.

Eventually, the buns became highly popular throughout England, specifically during the Easter season. Protestant monarchs attempted to ban them due to an alleged tie to the Catholic church, but were unsuccessful due to their incredible popularity.

Superstitions Surrounding Hot Cross Buns

There are many superstitions that surround Hot Cross Buns. An English superstition states that buns that are baked and served on Good Friday won’t spoil or become moldy during the coming year, while another states that giving a bun to someone who is sick will help them to get better.

Legend also has it that by sharing a hot cross bun, two friends will be ensured friendship in the coming year as long as they say “Half for you, half for me, between us two shall goodwill be” while consuming the bun. Ships that carry Hot Cross Buns are supposed to ensure safety against shipwreck when carried on a boat, and kitchens that have a Hot Cross Bun hanging within them are supposedly protected against fires and ensured a perfect result when breads are baked (the hanging bun is supposed to be replaced annually).

Hot Cross Buns Recipe

Bun Ingredients:

2 Tsp. Active Dry Yeast
1/2 Cup 2% Milk (110-115º Fahrenheit)
1 Tbsp Softened Butter
1 Egg
4 Tsp. Sugar
1/4 Tsp. Salt
1 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
2 Tbsp. Raisins
2 Tbsp. Dried Currants
1/4 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon
A dash of ground Allspice
1 Egg Yolk
1 Tbsp. Water

Icing Ingredients:

1/4 Cup Confectioners’ Sugar
1/8 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
3/4 Tsp. 2% Milk

Directions:

In a small mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm milk. Stir in softened butter, egg, sugar and salt. Combine 3/4 cup of flour, currants, raisins, allspice and cinnamon; add to the yeast mixture and mix well. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to form a soft dough.
Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about four to six minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once in order to grease the top. Cover and let dough rise in a warm space until doubled– about one hour.
Punch dough down; shape into six two inch balls. Place balls two inches apart on a baking sheet coasted with nonstick cooking spray. Using a sharp knife, cut a cross on top of each bun. Cover and allow to rise until doubled– about 30 minutes.
Beat egg yolk and water; brush over buns. Bake buns at 375° Fahrenheit for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. Combine icing ingredients and pipe over buns.

Tags: Anglo Saxon Easter Recipes, Anglo Saxon Recipes, British, British Easter Recipes, British Easter Traditions, Buns, Easter, Easter Recipes, Easter Traditions, Eastre, English Easter Recipes, English Easter Traditions, Eostre, Historical Easter Recipes, Hot Cross Buns, Hot Cross Buns History, Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Mason Cash, Mason Cash Bowl, Mason Cash Mixing Bowl, Pacific Merchants, Pacific Merchants Blog, Pacific Merchants Recipes, Pacific Merchants Trading Company Blog, Recipes, Traditional Easter Recipes
Posted in Mason Cash, Recipes | Comments Off on Bake Hot Cross Buns this Easter!

Beating the Super Bowl Bloat with a Better Breakfast!

Monday, February 7th, 2011

Make Breakfast with Pacific Merchants!

Did you know Americans consume more food on Super Bowl Sunday than any other day of the year, except Thanksgiving?

If you’re one of the many who perhaps indulged a little too much during the big game, and you’re feeling a little remorseful, never fear! Pacific Merchants has a great recipe (courtesy of Weight Watchers) to share with you. The perfect size to fit in our Mason Cash one-cup ramekins,, this Breakfast Casserole is a great energy breakfast, able to pack a punch in a small serving, yet still fill you up.

Ingredients

2 slices whole wheat bread
3 Tbsp. Red Onion, diced
3 Tbsp. Zucchini, diced
3 Tbsp. Red Pepper
2 Large Eggs
2 Large Egg Whites
1/8 tsp. table salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
Low fat shredded cheese, about 2 Tbsp.

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly coat two Mason Cash 8 ounce ramekins with cooking spray. Cut a circle from each slice of bread and firmly press into the bottoms of both ramekins; set aside.
Lightly coat a medium saute pan with cooking spray; heat over medium high heat. Add onion, red pepper and zucchini to pan; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften and onion is translucent, about three to five minutes. Promptly remove from heat; set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites, salt and pepper until well combined; stir in cooked vegetables and cheese. Pour equal amounts into each ramekin. Bake, uncovered, until a knife inserted into center comes out clean (about 20 minutes). Remove promptly from oven; let sit for five to 10 minutes before serving. Yields one ramekin per serving

This is a great breakfast idea for those who are trying to get a good mix of complex carbohydrates and proteins yet still eat lightly, or who may be looking for good portion control for breakfast.

Tags: Breakfast Recipes, Delicious Recipes, Healthy Breakfast Recipes, Healthy Recipes, Mason Cash, Mason Cash Mixing Bowl, Mixing Bowl, Pacific Merchants Recipes
Posted in Mason Cash | Comments Off on Beating the Super Bowl Bloat with a Better Breakfast!

Win A Mason Cash Romantic Heart Mixing Bowl!

Thursday, January 27th, 2011

Mason Cash Romantic Hearts Mixing Bowl

Win A Mason Cash Mixing Bowl!

How would you like to win a Mason Cash Romantic Heart Mixing Bowl from Pacific Merchants this Valentine’s Day?

How To Enter:

Winning is EASY! Just head on over to our Mason Cash Facebook Fan Page, become a fan, and then write on our wall! Tell us who your “sweetie” is (mom, boyfriend, brother, dog, etc.) and what you would use this Mason Cash Mixing Bowl to make for them.

Want to get creative in your entry and post a video or picture telling us about your sweetie and what you want to make for them? Feel free! On February 7th, we’ll pick a winner, and they’ll receive our Mason Cash Romantic Heart Mixing Bowl for free, just in time for Valentine’s Day!

Contest Rules:

Sorry, employees of Pacific Merchants or their family members are not eligible to win (we’ve got to keep things fair), and there is only one entry per person for this contest. This prize cannot be redeemed for cash or substituted for any other items. Sorry, but retailers of Pacific Merchants or Mason Cash products are not eligible.

Tags: heart mixing bowl, Mason Cash, Mason Cash Mixing Bowl, Pacific Merchants, pacific merchants contest, Pacific Merchants Trading Company, pink mixing bowl, Valentine's Day, valentine's day contest, Valentine's Day Gift
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Bake Gigi’s ‘Tarte Aux Pommes de ma Maman’

Tuesday, January 4th, 2011

Tarte Aux Pommes de ma Maman

If you’ve ever called our offices and been greeted by a happy French accent, you’ve ‘met’ Gigi, on of our Account Executives. Originally from Paris and Dijon, France (respectively), Gigi has been with us since early 2010.

Since January is National Apple Month, Gigi has supplied us with her recipe for “Tarte Aux Pommes de ma Maman,” or “Mum’s Apple Tart.” “It’s super easy to make and it’s so delicious,” she said. “I grew up with it; my mum would bake it for me on Sundays or if I would get a good grade on my mathematics test.” We hope you enjoy this tarte as much as Gigi and her family do!