What’s Been Cooking in Your Kitchen?


Ever since the pandemic interrupted our daily lives, several of us have sought refuge (and subsequent weight gain) in our kitchens. What better way to pass time, be with family and teach a little math and science along the way to the ultimate tasty treat?

We reached out to three local families to see what’s been keeping them busy in their kitchens. Give one or all of the recipes a try!

Charkatz Family Mixed Berry Crumble Recipe

Charkatz Family, Pikesville
Neal, AJ, Will and Melissa

Crumble Mixture

  • 1 cup old fashioned oats
  • 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoon chopped almonds, toasted
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons applesauce
  • 6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces

Fruit Mixture

  • 2 packages of frozen berries
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • Lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400. Combine berry mixture. Transfer into a baking dish. Combine crumble mixture. Add crumble mixture on top of berry mixture. Bake for 30-35, until golden brown.

Dain Family Sugar Cookie Recipe

Dain Family, Ellicott City
Raquel, Gregory, Eli, Renee, Hannah, Andrew and Giselle
  • 4 cups sifted all-purpose flours, plus more for surface and more if needed
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • Royal Icing for Holiday Sugar Cookies

Directions:

1. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Gradually mix in flour mixture. Turn out dough, and divide in half. Flatten each half into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds of oven. Let one disk of dough stand at room temperature just until soft enough to roll, about 10 minutes. Roll out dough on a lightly floured work surface to just under 1/4-inch thick, adding more flour as needed to keep dough from sticking. Chill in refrigerator until firm, about 30 minutes. Cut out cookies using desired cutters or templates. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets as you work. Roll out scraps, and repeat once. Repeat with remaining disk of dough. Chill cookies in freezer until very firm, about 15 minutes.

3. Bake cookies, switching positions of sheets and rotating halfway through, until edges turn golden, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Decorate with Royal Icing.

 

Stewart Family Zucchini Bread Recipe

Stewart Family, Lutherville
Stefanie, Brooklyn, Brennan (not pictured: Jordan)
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 2 cups raw zucchini (grated)
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 tsp cinnamon
  • 3 tsp vanilla 
  • Optional: 1 cup nuts, sunflower seeds or raisins

Directions:

Beat eggs and oil, mix with sugar and vanilla. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together. Add the dry ingredients to egg mixture. Fold in zucchini. Fold in nuts, raisins per preference. Grease and flour two (2) bread pans. Pour mixture in. Bake at 350 for one hour.  


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