More About Bake Sales

Saturday morning, 8am: I left the house with a car-full of goodies I'd baked for the DC Food Bloggers Bake Sale. A few local bloggers gathered resources and baked away - all for a wonderful organization called Share Our Strength. Read all about the fantastic results here, on this great blog from Colleen, our first-rate organizer.

Hard working DC food bloggers early Saturday morning!

It felt great to put my energy into baking for a cause. This is the first time I've participated in an event like this. I don't have kids, so never had to make cupcakes for a kindergarten class, or offer brownies to the soccer team. I've gotta say - I liked it a lot. And then, I got email and a comment here from folks who bought the granola. Talk about a great feeling. Affirmation! Is there anything better?

So, when Phoebe and Cara, the brains behind the brilliant Big Girls, Small Kitchen - asked me to participate in their Virtual Bake Sale for The Valerie Fund - supporting research for pediatric cancer - I was ready and willing to do what I could.

Phoebe & Cara have collaborated with Baking for Good to raise funds. (BFG is a fantastic site that sells yummy artisan-made baked goods, and returns 15% of every purchase to the cause of your choice.) So, help us out - it's easy and delicious - Phoebe & Cara's mouthwatering Peanut M&M Blondies are available for sale now. I'm thinking they'd be great snacks for your kids in college - after all, exam season is coming up.

And, in the meantime, if you're called upon to bring something to a bake sale, might I suggest these easy recipes:

Granola - I made this nutty mix, as well as pecan, cranberry, crystalized ginger; walnut, blueberry; and, dried cherry, chocolate chip, and toasted almond. I used Chinese take out boxes from The Container Store for a 12oz package.

crummy photo - it was late at night!

Puppy Biscuits - These are Dylan-approved. And little mini-dog bones are a great giveaway! Lure the dog owners!
Fregolattas - I adore this cookie/tart. It's a recipe from Gourmet that I've made for years. For the Bake Sale, I made 6" tarts in paper pans. Tripling the recipe made 12 tarts. I used my homemade raspberry jam, which I think made all the difference.

Here's the embarassing part. I forgot to take a picture of the finished product.

Fregolatta
from Gourmet, 2002
equipment: 10" tart pan with removable bottom

6 oz butter, softened
1/3 c sugar
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp salt
1-1/2 c flour
1/3 c raspberry jam
1/3 c sliced almonds

Beat together butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
Beat in extract and salt.
Add flour and mix until just combined.
Reserve half the dough, wrap in plastic and chill. Press remainder into the pan, evenly across the bottom and up the sides. Chill until firm, at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350·
Spread preserved over the bottom of the tart shell, then crumble the reserved dough over the preservse.
Sprinkle with almonds.
Bake in the middle of the oven until golden brown, about 40 minutes.
Cool tart in the pan, on a rack, then remove the side of the pan.

Serve warm, or at room temperature with whipped cream or ice cream.

"Where do you think you're going with all those dog biscuits?"