Sugar People Rocking the Holidays!

Pumpkin Bars with a Cream Cheese Layer

Cranberry Vanilla Biscotti encrusted with Almonds

Our Classic Sugar Lady

And her Classy Sugar Gentleman

the infamous Double Dark Chocolate Brownie
Greetings, All-----all this just to whet your apptite for the Holidays.  For order information, check our Facebook page under Studabaker's Bakery!!, or call   541-476-9677
Weekly updates are posted on Facebook,
the bakery is in full swing!
Season's Eatings to all of you!  

Disconnect! Aaaargh!

Greetings Studabaker's Fans!
        I've run into an internet snag-----my provider is no longer serving my location, and I'm finding it difficult to find a replacement.  Yikes!   I am writing from the library computer right now, and will post as able----but if you need to place an order, call me at 541-476-9677.  And of course, come see us at Grower's Market on Saturday's.  Last week's market was a huge success!  Can't wait to do it again this week!  I guess my blogging days are on hold for the time being!

Blessings

Sue

FYI

So people, before I see y'all on Saturday, I need to say something about my prices.  This is my least favorite part of my business, but since I have to face the upward climb of prices for all my ingredients, I may as well just do this now so we can all enjoy seeing each other.
Scones and bagels will now be $1.00 ea. for take-home, or 6/$5.00.  The scones will be a little bigger than they were in 2010, and the higher price will help me keep 'em coming!
A toasted Bagel and schmeer will be $2.50  and I also plan to offer heated scones with house made lemon curd and devonshire cream for that price.
 Marionberry Streusel Hearts will go up a little to  $7.00, but the Marionberry Streusel Rolls can stay at  $3.00. 
Also planning to keep single servings of the Marionberry Cobbler at $3.00, with a full one going for $32.00 (must be ordered ahead.....12 large servings)
For our opening day I will be keeping the menu pretty simple (compared to what we used to offer, anyway), but look forward to bringing back old favorites as we go along. 
O.k., now I feel better. 
Let the baking begin!!

There must be Fifty Ways to Serve a Bagel........

I was thinking about it.
Seriously, there must be Fifty Ways to Serve a Bagel.
(You will now have that old Paul Simon tune stuck in your head----at least it's catchy!  Grin)
I am ruling out the Classic: toasted bagel and cream cheese----that's a given.
So I thought it might be fun to challenge myself to post a different way to serve a bagel, every Monday-----if you stay tuned, by the end of the year you'll have an amazing repertoire of bagel possibilities.   And I'll have a cookbook!  Ha!  Win-win!

So today I want to share what I packed for the Childrens Festival in Jacksonville to share with my grandkids.  I was out of just about everything----it  was my shopping day.  But I still had some apples, peanut butter, and the ever available bagels. (I always keep a stash in the freezer----how handy)   Here's what I dreamed up:

First I defrosted the bagel----it takes about an hour for one of our big bagels to defrost.  You can speed it up in the microwave, but I prefer the old-fashioned way.

While the bagel was quietly thawing, I pulled together the other elements.  My concept was to offer grilled wholewheat bagel wedges and cinnamon apples with my killer, healthy P-Nutella Dip.
P-nutella Dip
 Measure into a small bowl:
4 tbsp. chunky peanut butter (I prefer Adams)
  2 tbsp. dark cocoa
  2 tbsp. honey
  2 tsp. vanilla
approx. 2 tbsp. water, to thin it-----up to you how thin you want it.
Mix all the ingredients in the small bowl----very simple.
Cinnamon Apples:   Core apples and cut into wedges.  Toss with cinnamon (approx. 1 tsp. per apple)
These are a little messy as finger food, but you don't have to worry about them turning brown, and the combination of cinnamon apples and p-nutella dip is-----yummy!
Grilled Bagel Wedges:  Slice bagel in half horizontally.  Spread liberally with butter.  Grill cut side down in a skillet.  Give it a couple of minutes, so it gets brown and crispy.  You can flip it over and let the other side get brown, too-----I did.  I was aiming for some crunch.  Let cool, then cut into bite size wedges.  These also pair nicely with hummus, ranch dressing.  What would you choose?  Let me know!  .

I packed the dip in cute little individual glass containers with lids, the apples went into ziploc bags, and so did the bagel wedges.  I also packed plenty of napkins and wipes!  It was fun, convenient, and quick to prepare. 

This post needs some pictures----but we ate the evidence :-)  Let me know if you try any of these recipes, and how you liked them, I'd love to hear your comments!

Studabaker's: The Next Generation

Here's how the new stand will look----you will have to hunt for it, we will be in a new location.

Got a welcome email from Marti at Grower's Market last week that there is now space for Studabaker's to return to the market.  Yay!  Not sure where she'll be placing us, so I'm sharing how the stand will be looking.  Keep you eyes peeled!  And pass this on to anyone who's been asking when we will come back.

The second happy confirmation came from my daughter Rachel------she will be helping me at the stand for the next four weeks, and bringing Shayna with her.  Shayna will be in training!  The next generation of Bagel Girls!  Can Lily be far behind?!   (If Lucas ends up helping at the stand, we will have to come up with a different title for him.  I guess Bagel Boy would work :-)

Planning to offer Bagels to go, Bagels with Schmeer (cream cheese----but you knew that), Scones, Marionberry Streusel Hearts, Walnut Brownies, Lemon Bars, Raspberry Date Bars,  Carrot Cake, Cupcakes, and Marionberry Cobbler for this first time out.  The stand will be very much order-driven----if someone asks for Spanakopeta one week, I will make enough to share on Saturday.  We will see what everyone is hungry for!   That will help determine what shows up each week.

Yes, I know, the tables are empty here-----they will be full on Saturday!

I'll be using this blog a lot to post news, recipes, menus for the coming week-----stay tuned.  If you become a member here you will get regular updates.  Just sayin' :-)
Can't wait to see you all next Saturday.  It feels good to be getting back to work!

Advantages of Having My Own Playkery :-)

So, my lawnmower mechanic calls me today.  Yes, I have my own personal lawnmower mechanic, I am blessed :-)  He lives around the corner, and fixes mowers as a sideline. 

He's a busy guy, and a hard worker, and today when he got back to me about my recalcitrant riding mower, he mentioned that it's his birthday.

"Well Happy Birthday!"  I exulted!  (I don't know why, I just love birthdays.  They make me happy)

So I went right to my freezer, pulled out a cupcake and a birthday candle, and voila!  Instant birthday congratulations from me and my bakery (or should I say playkery.  So....much.....fun!  Dan is getting a candle, not a rose----but his cupcake looks a lot like this one, only with peanut butter frosting :-)

I also had a nice time meeting my new neighbors this morning------last time I filled an order for Blueberry Muffins (avalable at Bohemian Rhapsody btw)  I made a few small ones and stuck them in my freezer for.....who knows what?  Apparently, it was my new neighbors!  

It's the little things, you know?

This Saturday is my grandson Lucas' 4th birthday----that's him as a little guy about three years ago.  He's asked for vanilla cupcakes with strawberry icing.   So you know what kind of extra cupcakes are going to be stashed in my freezer this time :-)   If you have an upcoming event and need some little festive treat to offer, give me a call.  I just might have something for you :-)

Admit it, you didn't know this about bagels......:-)

Shaped and waiting to be boiled

You can tell this is a small operation----we boil a dozen at a time.  The big bakeries have huge vats for this purpose.

Can you see the steam rising?   I know, me neither----but it's there.  I'm just a poor photographer.

From the top----time to fish these guys out!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can you smell these???  I know, me neither-----haven't figured out the app to convey that. You will just have to imagine!!

O.K. how many of you knew that bagels are boiled in water before they're baked?  (Rachel and Becky, put your hands down, you grew up in this bakery and have an unfair advantage...)

Just as I thought, you didn't know----so here are some pics to show how we make them here at Studabaker's.  One of these days I'll get brave and post a really hilarious and embarrassing video of Stu, me, Becky, Rachel, and our friend Moriah, taken about 15 years ago,  showing how Stu kneaded the dough by hand, and when it was ready, all of us took positions at the four corners of the baking table (Moriah was stationed at the end between Rachel and Becky) .  Like an athletic event.  Which it kind of was------Stu and I would roll bagel-size balls of dough, and then throw them across the table to whichever girl was empty handed.  The girls would then poke a hole in the ball of dough and shape it into a bagel shape, and then line them up on the table.  (sounds easy, but it's a learned skill.....much laughing was always involved)  In the background you could hear whatever music we were playing that day-----Bob Dylan,  James Taylor, Fiddler on the Roof.     The headgear on all concerned is flamboyant and----weird.  Stu is sporting a red bandanna tied around his head, I for some reason am wearing a ruffled mobcap, and the girls had interesting versions of either mobcap or bandanna on their heads.  We look like a cross between hippies and Amish women.  And the conversation is.....entertaining.  Maybe I won't post that video.....  Anyway, no matter how offbeat we were, the bagels were always good, and our girls got a very hands-on education.  Rachel recently commented that the bagel stand was a big part of their math curriculum! 

There's a new crop of potential bagel-benders coming up now-----our oldest granddaughter Shayna turns six this week!  Won't be long now before I can start showing her the ropes!     She was here this weekend for the Open Bakery event, and greeted people at the driveway and would show them to the Cottage Green, where the tables were set up.   A hostess already----this Mimi is smiling big :-)