The Meyer lemons came home with me, and I finally could make these beautiful rolls that sparked my attention so long ago. Plus Alex recently bought me a new dough hook for my KitchenAid mixer so I needed a reason to give it a good test run. I’m happy to report the dough hook did it’s thing perfectly and the rolls were delicious too

The rolls are soft and ever so slightly lemony. It pairs well the with sweet cream cheese frosting that I squeezed in some of the lemon juice for a nice tang. Even though we finally have some snow in Nebraska, I couldn’t help thinking about Spring while enjoying these rolls.

If you don’t see Meyer lemons in your grocery store you could always use whatever citrus was available. Navel or blood oranges would be good!

MEYER LEMON SWEET ROLLS
seen on Cheeky Kitchen

2 cups very warm water
2 tablespoons dry yeast
2/3 cup instant nonfat dry milk
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
5 to 5 ½ cups all-purpose flour
Zest of 6 Meyer Lemons

for the frosting/icing:
1 (8 ounce) block cream cheese -don’t worry it doesn’t need to be softened
6 cups powdered sugar
Juice of 6 Meyer Lemons

In a large bowl, whisk together the warm water and yeast. Allow the yeast to “proof” for about 5 minutes. You will know your yeast is alive and well if it gets a nice foamy head on it. No foam = Dead yeast

Dump your yeast into the bowl of your mixer. While your mixer is running on low add in the dry milk, 1/2 cup of sugar, and salt. Add 1/2 cup of softened butter to the mixture, as well as the egg. Slowly begin pour in the flour, one cup at a time. Add just enough flour to create a soft (but not sticky dough). Let the mixer knead the dough for about 5 minutes until it becomes nice and elastic.

Give it a spritz of oil over the top of the dough, place it in in a large, clean bowl, cover lightly with a damp towel, and let it rise in a warm place for one hour. My favorite place to let dough rise is in my oven with the light on. 

Once the dough has risen remove from oven and being preheating your oven to 375 degrees F.

Divide the dough into thirds. Use a rolling pin to spread the dough into a long, thin rectangle (about 1/2 inch thick). Melt the 1 cup of butter and spread approximately one-third of the melted butter over the long rectangle of dough. Sprinkle the zest of two lemons across the butter (you can sprinkle more for a lot of lemon flavor), then sprinkle 1/3 cup of sugar across the melted butter. Roll the dough up tightly, then slice into 1 1/2 inch rolls, and transfer to a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat until all the dough has been used.

Let the rolls to raise on top of your preheating oven for 20-30 minutes. Bake rolls in the oven for 16-18 minutes, or until the tops are a light, golden brown. Remove and frost immediately with Lemon Meyer Cream Cheese Icing.

For the icing, beat together all of the fresh-squeezed juice from the lemons, cream cheese, and powdered sugar until very smooth. Spread over warm Lemon Meyer Sweet Rolls.

Are you a breakfast eater? What is your favorite breakfast food?

I love breakfast! During the week it is usually simple like a smoothy or cereal. On the weekends I love to make frittatas, or eggs, or pancakes. Something that requires more effort than a smoothy. 

I knew I wanted to make an egg recipe I’ve never tried before, go beyond scrambled eggs. I saw someone else in the challenge post a photo of Scotch eggs and I knew immediately this would be the perfect opportunity to try this odd egg. Are you familiar with scotch eggs? They are a (peeled) hard boiled egg covered in sausage then breaded and fried. They sounded delicious. A perfect breakfast food served hot with a steamy cup of coffee on a lazy weekend morning. Don’t you think?

Welllllll, apparently this is not the traditional way to eat these beauties. They are typically eaten cold (shudder) with a salad. Cold hard boiled eggs I can do, but cold sausage is another story. The best part of making these at home is that you can eat them hot with a steamy cup of coffee for breakfast, if you’d like (and I do like).

Since pork sausage is a little on the greasy side I opted to bake these instead of frying to save a few calories. If frying is your thing by all means fry away! I also was concerned about my hard boiled egg being too dry after baking it, so I did a soft boiled egg instead. It worked beautifully!

SCOTCH EGG
4 hard boiled for 10 minutes (or soft boiled for 6 minutes), peeled
1 lb. ground sausage (I used pork but you could use turkey if you’d like)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Divide sausage into four equal patties. Flatten patties and place egg in the center.

Wrap meat around the egg. Pressing to seal. Place sausage balls into a jumbo muffin tin.

Bake for 25 minutes. And enjoy hot or cold!

Fried version: Once the sausage is wrapped around the egg, roll the sausage ball in a beaten egg, then roll in breadcrumbs. Deep fry in hot oil for for 8-10 minutes, turning frequently.

What are your favorite egg recipes? I am a huge fan of frittatas! I usually make one frittata every weekend. 

Last winter I found this scone recipe on the King Arthur Flour website. I was searching for a way to use some candied ginger I picked up at the store. By the way, if you’re suffering from nausea candied ginger is a great thing to snack on to help ease that queasy feeling. The candied ginger is a slightly sweet and spicy addition to these pumpkiny scones. My favorite part is when a piece of the ginger is on the outside of the scone and it almost becomes caramelized. Mmmm. I doubled the curry powder and added some dried ground ginger to the recipe. I like the spice. The original recipe is very mild so don’t be afraid of the word “curried”.

These are perfect with your morning cup of coffee or your afternoon cup of tea. Trust me I’ve tried them both ways! If you’re really in the pumpkin mood serve these for Thanksgiving breakfast.

CURRIED PUMPKIN AND GINGER SCONE
found at King Arthur Flour

3 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger
1/2 teaspoon curry powder I used 1-1 1/2 teaspoons
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon turmeric (optional)
5 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter or margarine, cut into eight pieces
1/2 cup cooked, pureed pumpkin or squash (canned is fine)
1 cup buttermilk, plain yogurt or sour cream (low-fat or nonfat is fine)*I used buttermilk

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, curry, turmeric and sugar. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender, your fingers, or with an electric mixer, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin or squash and buttermilk, yogurt or sour cream till smooth. Add this to the dry ingredients, stirring till just combined.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, and pat or roll* it into a 10-inch square about 1/2 to 3/4-inch thick. Cut the large square into 2-inch squares, and transfer them to a parchment-lined or lightly greased baking sheet, leaving about an inch between scones.

Bake the scones in a preheated 425°F oven for 20 minutes, or until they’re golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and serve them warm, or at room temperature. Yield: 25 scones.

* I shaped mine into about a 10-inch circle and sliced into 8 wedges. Baking time remained the same. 

Granola is one of those things that can be enjoyed any time of day. It is fabulous on yogurt and it works just as well on vanilla ice cream. We’re picky granola eaters in our house. We like granola that has a good clump to it and I finally found something that fit the bill perfectly.

Personalize your granola with your favorite nuts, seeds, and dried fruits. This recipe makes a large batch so fill it up with things you love. The recipe below is what we like. It started as a “clean the pantry out” ingredient list and now is a favorite. 

CLUMPY GRANOLA
3-3 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups slivered almonds
1 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
pinch of salt
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chopped dates
6 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup REAL maple syrup
2 Tablespoons honey
2 Tablespoons molasses
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 – 1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup walnut oil (can use vegetable oil)

Preheat oven to 250. Use 2 baking sheets lined with parchment for this –you don’t want your granola crowded.

In large bowl mix oats, nuts, berries, and salt.

Mix together brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, molasses, vanilla, and oil in microwave safe cup/bowl. Cook for 1 min. Stir making sure sugar is dissolved.

Pour over granola and stir making sure to evenly coat everything. Divide granola between baking sheets, spreading evenly and pressing down so everything is in a thin tightly packed layer.

Cover loosely with foil. Bake for 30 min. After 30 minutes switch pans so pan on lower rack doesn’t burn. Bake another 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes so granola can brown.

Remove from oven and let granola cool completely. DO NOT SNITCH!! Granola needs to stay together in order to get the best clumping after it has cooled. Once it has completely cooled break into clumps.

Many of you may have plans to attend or host a New Year’s Eve party or a New Year’s Day brunch. Here are some recipes from my archives that may inspire you. I hope you all have a happy and healthy 2010. Thank you for reading, I enjoy your comments and feedback so keep it coming.

See you in twenty-ten!

Jamie

NEW YEAR’S EVE IDEAS:

Boneless Chicken Wings

Olive Penguins

Date and Cheddar Cheeseball

Homemade Irish Cream

NEW YEAR’S DAY BRUNCH IDEAS:

The Best Cinnamon Rolls Ever

Gluten Free Sticky Rolls

Marbled Chocolate Banana Cake

Breakfast Cups

Egg Bake or Breakfast Casserole

Before you get excited about this Danish breakfast treat, I must let you know that you have to have a special Æbleskiver pan. Æbleskiver pans have several half-circles which you pour in your batter and fry that side first. Then using a skewer or knitting needle you flip them over to fry up the other side. For years I have been wanting a pan, and within 10 months I have been gifted two (thanks Mom & Grandma!). Below are pictures of what my two pans look like.

With Fall in the air and Thanksgiving right around the corner, I have been seeing lots of recipes featuring pumpkin pop up. Nicole from Pinch My Salt made pumpkin cake doughnuts that I could not get out of my mind. I have made yeast doughnuts before, and have always wanted to try my hand at making cake doughnuts. Unfortunately, one needs to plan ahead if one wants cake doughnuts for breakfast. This is where the idea for pumpkin Æbleskivers was born. Æbleskivers don’t require all the time that is required for doughnut making, but taste just as wonderful. Instead of dusting them with powdered sugar, I rolled them in a sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg mixture. I served the pumpkin Æbleskivers with a dollop up whipped cream. I hope my Danish ancestors would be proud of my adaptation.

PUMPKIN ÆBLESKIVER
2 1/4 c AP flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 T sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c pumpkin puree
2 egg yolks
2 egg whites
4 T butter, melted
2 c buttermilk
vegetable oil for frying

Whisk together dry ingredients. Stir together egg yolks, pumpkin puree, melted butter, and butter milk. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir until combined. Beat egg whites together until stiff peaks form. Gently fold egg whites in to the batter.

Over medium-medium high heat preheat your Æbleskiver pan. Pour a little oil into each cup. Add about 1-2 T of the pumpkin batter to each cup. Cook for about 2 minutes, then using a skewer or knitting needle turn each Æbleskiver over. Cook for another 2 minutes, until both sides are golden brown. Remove to paper towel lined plate. Toss with sugar mixture. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream. ENJOY!

SUGAR MIXTURE
1/2 c sugar
1 T cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Mix all together.

WHAT OTHERS ARE COOKING UP:
The Mennonite Girls made Frosted Pumpkin Doughnuts
Food for Thought made traditional Æbleskivers
and of course the inspiration Pinch My Salt’s Pumpkin Doughnuts

Mom and Dad sent me home with a few zucchini fresh from the garden the last time I visited. I chopped them up to add to my scrambled eggs, along with some sauteed onions. I thought the sugar snap peas would be a nice addition, and boy was I right. After quickly gobbling up my veggie scrambled eggs, I wished I had more peas so I could enjoy this dish again the next day for breakfast. I love summer time and all the fresh fruits and vegetables we get to enjoy here in the Midwest.

SUGAR SNAP PEA, ZUCCHINI, AND ONION SCRAMBLE
Serves 2
20 or so Sugar snap pea pods, shelled
1 small -medium zucchini, chopped into half moons
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 T Olive Oil
3 eggs, beaten with a splash of water
salt & pepper to taste
cheese, optional

Heat skillet over medium-medium high heat. Add oil, onion, and zucchini. Cook until zucchini and onion soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in peas, cook for 1-2 minutes. Pour egg mixture over the cooked vegetables. Stir to scramble. Cook until eggs are soft. ENJOY!

BROCCOLI BREAKFAST QUICHE
1 pie crust
4 eggs *
1 1/2 c milk
1 tsp onion powder (you could use less)
1 c cheddar cheese
1/2 lb sausage, cooked (or ham, bacon, etc.)
2 c broccoli, steamed (asparagus is good too!)
1 Roma tomato, sliced
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place pie crust in 9 inch pie tin. Place cooked sausage in bottom of pie crust and top with steamed broccoli. Beat eggs and milk together until thoroughly combined. Add onion powder, salt & pepper and 1/2 c cheese, to egg mixture and stir well.  Pour egg mixture over sausage and broccoli. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 c cheese over the “pie”. Lay tomato slices over everything. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until egg mixture is set. ENJOY!

*I used 3 egg whites and 1 egg –just to lighten it up a bit.

OTHER RECIPES USING BLACK SHEEP FARMS PRODUCE:
Beet Greens and Garlic Scapes with Pasta
Tom Thumb Lettuce Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette
Baby Bok Choy Pesto

ROASTED BROCCOLI
1 bunch broccoli, chopped
2 T EVOO
salt & pepper
shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Toss broccoli with oil and salt & pepper. Let broccoli cook for 10-15 minutes, turning half way through. ENJOY!

My mom recommends serving with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese –I haven’t tried it this way yet, but I am sure it is delicious. The broccoli picks up a delicious nutty flavor when roasted. I am addicted to roasting almost all my veggies.

Take note fathers and children, Mother’s Day is quickly approaching. Do you want to serve your mother or wife breakfast in bed? Bless your heart! These breakfast cups take little effort to put together, and they can be personalized to your family’s flavor preferences. In the bottom of my cups I have colby-jack cheese and bacon, you could substitute any meat or cheese you would like. I left my egg whole, but you could lightly beat it and stir in some chopped veggies, which would be delicious. Using crescent rolls from the refrigerated section at your local grocery store make this breakfast a cinch. Have fun coming up with your favorite meat, cheese, veggie combos! I think these would also be cute for a bridal shower or baby shower brunch. Yum!

BREAKFAST CUPS
Serves 4

1 package crescent rolls
4 eggs
2 pieces bacon, cooked
cheese
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 4 muffin tins. Unroll crescent rolls, pinch together two triangles and fit to muffin tin. Place a little cheese and half a slice to bacon in bottom of crescent-lined muffin tin. Carefully add egg. Cook for 10-15 minutes. You want the crescent roll to become golden brown and the egg to be set. ENJOY!

I figured a breakfast smoothie was a terrific way to use up the tofu, and combined with fresh pineapple and frozen orange juice it was a refreshing breakfast option.

PINEAPPLE-ORANGE SMOOTHIE
6 oz Silken Tofu, cubed
1 1/2 c ice, crushed
2-3 T frozen orange juice concentrate
1-1 1/2 c pineapple, cubed
1 T honey
splash of vanilla extract

Put all ingredients into blender and pulse until desired consistency. Sit in the warm morning sun and ENJOY!

Other Smoothie recipes:

Diet, Dessert and Dogs: Sweet and Simple Sweet Potato Smoothie
Tongue Ticklers: Papaya Smoothie
Simply Recipes: Mango Lassi

There is something about buttery cinnamon and sugar encased in a warm dough, slathered with cream cheese that makes you say “AHHHH”. The smell of cinnamon evokes a warm homey feeling for me –and I don’t think I am alone here. Romans used to use cinnamon in their love potions, Egyptians in their embalming rituals, and I used it in the World’s Best Cinnamon Rolls.

I have made several different recipes for cinnamon rolls for the years, all were good, but when I made these I knew I found the recipe that I hope to become famous for –at least in my family. My great grandma Dorothy makes a mean cinnamon roll(I don’t have her recipe, yet), but I would totally take this recipe and do a Bobby Flay style throwdown against her. I mixed the dough and let it rise in my bread machine, before I rolled it out and filled it. These cinnamon rolls are as big as your head and incredibly delicious. I looked through the cupboard and realized I was out of vanilla extract, so I added some vanilla instant pudding and skipped the additional sugar.

THE BEST CINNAMON ROLLS EVER
1/4 c warm water
1/2 c milk, room temp.
1/2 c half & half, room temp.
1 egg, beaten
1/2 c butter, softened -divided
1/2 tsp salt
4 c AP flour
1 box vanilla instant pudding mix
1 T rapid rise yeast
1 c brown sugar
2 T cinnamon

You may want to look at your owners manual for your breadmachine, but this is how I did it for mine.

Add the ingredients through yeast in the order listed, use 1/4 c of the butter. I used the dough cycle. Once it was done kneading and rising, roll the dough out on a floured surface into a 18×30 inch rectangle. Mix together remaining 1/4 c butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Spread this mix over the rolled out dough. Starting at the long edge of the dough, roll up tightly, pinching to seal. Using plain dental floss, slide it under the dough log and slice your rolls every 2 inches.

Line a jelly roll pan with greased parchment paper. Place rolls 2 inches apart. Cover and let rise in a warm place (the oven with the light on is perfect) until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Rolls should be touching each other after rising, if not push them together so they are touching.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 c confectioners sugar
1/2 stick butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla

Mix until smooth and well combined.

Spread on warm cinnamon rolls and enjoy immediately! ENJOY!

Scone, apparently the correct pronunciation rhymes with John, is a biscuit like bread served with tea in England. I think most people in the US know what a scone is because they can find them in the pastry case at Starbucks. Accompanied with a hot cup of coffee or tea, scones make a delicious breakfast. However, if you prefer something super sweet with your coffee, you better opt for a muffin instead (or increase the sugar to 1/2 c). Scones are not super sweet, but with the addition of blueberries and almond extract they do pack a lot of flavor. Start brewing your coffee or tea and enjoy a tasty scone for a quick on-the-go breakfast or a nice sit down brunch.

BLUEBERRY SCONES
Yield: 12 scones

2 3/4 c AP Flour
1/3 c sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 T baking powder
8 T cold butter
1 pint blueberries, dusted with flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract(I think lemon would be good too)
2/3 c half & half

Stir together all dry ingredients. With a pastry blender cut in cold butter, it is alright  if some chunks remain. Stir in blueberries. In a separate bowl mix together the wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture, being careful not to “pop” any blueberries. On a parchment lined cookie sheet divide dough into two rounds. About 6 inches across, 1 inch thick. Moisten the tops of the rounds with a little brushed on milk, and sprinkle with a little sugar. Using a cold knife cut each round into 6 triangles.  Carefully pull the triangles apart, so there is a 1/2 inch space between each. Put cookie sheet in the freezer for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F, bake scones for 25 minutes, or until baked all the way through.  They are delicious served warm. ENJOY!

Others who are talking about scones:

Pinch My Salt: Buttermilk Cranberry Scones
Karina’s Kitchen: Strawberry-Chocolate Chip Scones (Gluten Free & Vegan)
Mennonite Girls Can Cook: Cranberry Scones
Sticky, Gooey, Creamy, Chewy: Apple Cheddar Scones Sounds Yummy!
Vegan Eats!: Hungry Girl’s Snazzy Blueberry Scones
101 Cookbooks: Raspberry Mega Scones

Up until a couple weeks ago, I thought English muffins were a magical bread product that could only be produced in commercial bakerys, that the recipe was a secret and baking them would be an impossible task for the amateur baker. I was extremely happy to find out how wrong I had been. Baking or rather cooking English muffins in your home is an attainable goal. Like me, you may be surprised to learn that you do not bake English muffins, instead you cook them on a griddle. I now have no need to purchase store bought English muffins EVER again.  You mix the dough in your bread machine, roll it and cut out the muffins, allow to rest for 20 minutes, and finally cook for about 10 minutes. Can you believe how easy it is? I found my recipe at the home baker’s Mecca… King Arthur Flour.

I love my English muffins twice toasted with butter and jam, or as a breakfast sandwich with egg, ham (sausage or bacon will do) and cheese, or as Eggs Benedict. Mc Donald’s has nothing on me!

ENGLISH MUFFINS
from King Arthur Flour
Makes about 16 muffins

1 3/4 cups (14 ounces) milk, warm
3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) butter
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons (7/8 ounce) granulated sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
4 to 4 1/4 cups (17 to 18 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
2 teaspoons instant yeast

Place the ingredients in the pan of your bread machine following the manufacturer’s instructions. Use the “dough” or “manual” setting. After the cycle is complete, transfer the dough to a cornmeal-sprinkled surface and roll it out until it’s about 1/2-inch thick. Cut out circles with a floured 3-inch cutter. Re-roll and cut out the leftover dough. Cover the muffins with a damp cloth and let rest for about 20 minutes.

Heat a frying pan or griddle to very low heat. Do not grease, but sprinkle with cornmeal. Cook four muffins at a time, cornmeal side down first, for about 7 minutes a side. * Warning: the cornmeal can burn, causing your kitchen to get a little smokie. Make sure to use your exhaust fan if you have a highly senstive smoke alarm.

Check after about 3 to 4 minutes to see that the muffins are browning gently and are neither too dark nor too light; if they seem to be cooking either too fast or too slowly, adjust the temperature of your pan or griddle.

When the muffins are brown on both sides, transfer them to a wire rack to cool, and proceed with the rest. If you have two frying pans (or a large griddle), you’ll be better able to keep up with your rising

I have a series of apple related posts, after receiving a giant bag of apples from my grandma, I have made tons of applely treats. My daughter Sasha loves pancakes and applesauce, and I thought she would be delighted if I combined the two. Needless to say, she was not disappointed. These are a perfect fall breakfast, we paired our pancakes with a sausage patty.

APPLE PANCAKES
2 c AP Flour
1/4 c brown sugar
2 T baking powder
1 t salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 c milk
1 single serving container of non sweetened applesauce
1/4 c butter, melted

Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Combine eggs, milk, applesauce, and butter; add to dry ingredients and mix well. Pour about 1/3 cup of batter onto a lightly greased hot griddle. Turn when bubbles form on top; cook until second side is golden brown.

APPLE TOPPING
2 T butter
3-4 apples, pealed and sliced thinly
1/8 c brown sugar
2 T half and half

Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Simmer apples and sugar in butter until apples are soft and carameled colored. Stir in half and half. Serve warm over pancakes. ENJOY!

My other pancake recipes
Banana Walnut Cornmeal Pancakes
Biggest Loser Blueberry Pancakes

My other apple recipes:
Apple Fritters
Apple Pie with Strudel Topping

I have made regular ole glazed doughnuts, which turned out wonderfully. Honestly, there is nothing like eating a doughnut that is still warm. Making yeast doughnuts are not something you can whip-up on a whim however,  you need to wait for them to raise before you can fry them. All the waiting is well worth it, I promise.

The other weekend we were low on grocery supplies, and I was craving something doughnutty. I still have a small surplus of apples from my great grandma’s tree that needed to be used. Like a light bulb going off in my head it came to me, APPLE FRITTERS!

This fall at the farmer’s market  I had an apple fritter that was as large as my head. It was a perfect combination of crispy outside and soft inside. It was delicious. I have never had homemade apple fritters before and wondered how difficult it would be to make at home. I found my recipe at the appropriately named The Picky Apple blog, after searching for a recipe that included chopped apples, not fried apple rings. I did try to make an apple fritter as big as my head, like the ones at the farmer’s market. I failed miserably. The outside was super crunchy (which I like), but the inside was not cooked. I did not have enough oil to adequately fill my dutch oven to fry such a giant fritter. I settled with doughnut hole size fritters, and enjoyed the applely deliciousness. These are so easy to make. You must try this recipe!

Head on over to The Picky Apple get the recipe. ENJOY (I know I did)!

Paula Deen. The Queen of all things delicious. I don’t think I have ever made one of her recipes that I did not love, or see her cook something that did not make my mouth water. Well I take that back, the other day on Paula’s Home Cooking she was making Peanut Butter Cheese Fudge, and my stomach did flip-flops.

I recently made Paula’s Cinnamon Rolls for my husband to take to work, they were a huge success, the pan came back empty. This recipe is a MUST TRY! For me it is a WILL MAKE AGAIN!

Click on the cinnamon roll link to get the recipe.

The other day I was shopping at Aldi’s, where I picked up a bag of ripe bananas on the cheap. I thought a good use of these bananas would be to take some and make them into pancakes. Sasha loves bananas, so I made these tasty pancakes for her for breakfast. I found the recipe at epicurious.com. It called for pecans, which would have been wonderful, but I only had walnuts in the cupboard. I followed the recipe exactly, except for changing the type of nut. They were quick and easy to make. Give them a try, find the recipe here.

I picked up a pint of blueberry muffins at the Farmer’s Market last week; last night I turned them into the most delicious blueberry muffins. These are the best blueberry muffins I’ve ever had; and as a bonus they are low in calories! Truly a delicious breakfast (or snack) without the guilt. Each muffin contains 169 calories, so don’t feel bad about reaching for seconds. I found the original recipe on Cooking Light’s website, but due to the availability of ingredients in the pantry I needed to adapt it to fit my needs. Below is my adaptation. ENJOY!

THE BEST BLUEBERRY MUFFINS
Yield: 16 large muffins
Serving size: 1 muffin
160 calories (45 from fat)

1 2/3 c quick-cooking oats
2/3 c whole wheat flour
1/2 c AP flour
3/4 c packed light brown sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 c fat-free sour cream
1/2 c skim milk
1/4 c canola oil
2 tsp lemon juice
2 large eggs
2 c fresh blueberries
2 T granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place oats in a food processor; pulse until oats resemble coarse meal. Place in a large bowl, add flours and next 5 ingredients (through salt) to oats in bowl; stir well with a whisk. Make a well in center of mixture.

Combine sour cream and skim milk, stir to thin out sour cream. Add oil add eggs; stir well with a whisk. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Stir in lemon juice. Gently fold in blueberries until just combined.

Spoon batter into 16 muffin cups coated with cooking spray; sprinkle batter with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Bake at 400° for 18-20 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center.

Remove from pans immediately. Place on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

*If using frozen berries, toss with 2 T flour to coat.

When we arrived, we went to the grocery store and picked up a few snackie foods, something to get me by during the day. We then went to our hotel to check in, much to my surprise, NO MICROWAVE! For breakfast I had Quaker Oatmeal, that I made by heating water in the small coffee pot. It was delicious, except I had to eat it luke warm, because there where no utensils, and I had to use my fingers. Yeah I am roughing it.  Lunch consisted of Yoplait Yo-Plus yogurt (eaten with my fingers and for digestive health) and cheese slices with Toasted Wheat Thins chips, not too terrible. I did call the front desk and ask if there was a microwave for their guests to use, well lo and behold they delivered one to my room.

Tonight’s meal is looking more promising; we are going out to eat with my husband’s boss and his wife. Chart House Restaurant was recommended to his boss; I checked out the menu, everything sounds like it is going to be delicious; I just wonder if it will cost both arms and legs to eat.

Haven’t eaten wheat bread in awhile? Why don’t you start simple and have whole wheat pancakes or waffles. Wheat is an excellent source of fiber and iron. These waffles are delicious, in fact, my two year old ate an entire four square waffle herself. The entire time she was eating it she kept saying “Yummy momma, mmmm.” I don’t think I will ever miss waffles made with white flour. I am a changed waffle eater.

Top your waffle with sugar free syrup (extremely low in calories) and you have yourself a low calorie and filling breakfast.

HOMEMADE WHOLE WHEAT WAFFLES
from RecipeZaar

3 cups whole wheat flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 c oil
4 eggs
4 c buttermilk
pinch of nutmeg or cinnamon

Whisk together dry ingredients; combine oil and eggs in a measuring cup, add to dry mixture. Pour buttermilk in and whisk till all clumps and lumps are gone. pour 1/2 Cup of batter onto a hot waffle iron (for a 7 inches round), or 1 1/2 cups or ballet on a square iron (8″ by 8″ makes 4″ squares).

Last month I bought a five pound package of whole wheat flour, and have been wanting to use it for baking. This bread is quite dense, so the thinnest slice is very satisfying. I added a 1/2 c of chocolate chunks for a sweet surprise. Getting chocolate in your slice of bread is like winning the lottery, you may get a slice that has none or you may get the mother load. This bread makes approximately 24 slices per loaf with 148 calories per slice. Not too bad for a satisfying snack. I recommend eating this bread plain, it is so flavorful, butter or jams are not needed.

WHOLE WHEAT BANANA SOUR CREAM BREAD
3 ripe bananas, mushed
2 1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 1/4 c brown sugar
2/3 c fat free sour cream
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 c vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 c chocolate chips/chunks (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all ingredients until well incorporated. Pour into greased 9×5 loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes. Bread is cooked completely when a toothpick or knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack before slicing (1-1 1/2 hours) ENJOY!

This recipe has been entered into the Banana Bread Bake Off. Wish me luck!

My sister is a super fan of NBC’s The Biggest Loser. She recently purchased The Biggest Loser Cookbook. Check out Amazon, they have tons of Biggest Loser goods. My sister sent me a recipe for better for you blueberry cakes. I omitted the blueberries because I did not have any on hand, the pancakes were still delicious and very filling. I made my pancakes into two 1/4 c cakes instead of four 1/8 c cakes. Two scrambled eggs, half an orange and a glass of V8 juice made a delicious breakfast with less than 350 calories.

BIGGEST LOSER BLUEBERRY PANCAKES

1/2 c reduced fat buttermilk
1/2 c whole grain oat flour (I used whole wheat flour)
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! 0 calorie spray
1/2 c fresh or frozen (not thawed) blueberries

Makes 2 (4 pancake) servings

In a small bowl combine the buttermilk, flour, egg white, baking soda, vanilla and salt. Whisk just until blended. Stir in the blueberries. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until it is hot enough for a spritz of water to sizzle on it. Briefly remove the pan from the heat to mist lightly with I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! spray. Return the pan to the heat. Pour the batter in 1/8 cup dollops onto the skillet to form 4 pancakes. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until bubbles appear on the tops and the bottoms are golden brown. Flip. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until browned on the bottom. Repeat with the remaining batter to make 8 pancakes total.

Serve immediately with I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spray and syrup if desired (syrup is additional calories.. I used sugar free low calorie syrup.. just 35 calories per 1/4 cup which is plenty!)

If you only want to make 1 serving at the time, the batter will keep in your refrigerator for up to 3 days

Per serving: 140 calories, 8 g protein, 20g carbohydrates, 3 g fat (less than 1 g saturated fat), 5mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 687 mg sodium

Joffery’s Coffee & Tea company is offering bloggers a chance to sample their new coffee flavor… FOR FREE. 10,000 spots are available to beta test their new flavor. If you love coffee, especially free coffee, go to their website to sign up to participate. As of Monday morning, their are 810 blogs participating, so you should be able to sign up your blog. ENJOY!

Last Saturday morning, I made these doughnuts for breakfast. Everyone loved them. I covered our doughnuts with powdered sugar and others with a chocolate glaze. I never knew making your own doughnuts could be so easy. I do not have a lot of prior experience working with doughs (other than cookie dough). This year I have made more batches of various doughs than I ever have before, and am enjoying working with them.

Making the doughnuts was really fun, it is something that you don’t get to do everyday. Sasha was right there in the kitchen wanting to help. After I rolled out the dough she was already using a glass to cut them out. It was a fun mother-daughter activity! I must apologize, I do not have any photos of the fresh doughnuts, we ate them all. Take the time and try this recipe, it was delicious.

Yeast Doughnuts
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown

1 1/2 cups milk
2 1/2 ounces vegetable shortening, approximately 1/3 cup
2 packages instant yeast
1/3 cup warm water (95 to 105 degrees F)
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
23 ounces all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting surface
Peanut or vegetable oil, for frying (1 to 1/2 gallons, depending on fryer)Place the milk in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat just until warm enough to melt the shortening. Place the shortening in a bowl and pour warmed milk over. Set aside.

In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and let dissolve for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, pour the yeast mixture into the large bowl of a stand mixer and add the milk and shortening mixture, first making sure the milk and shortening mixture has cooled to lukewarm. Add the eggs, sugar, salt, nutmeg, and half of the flour. Using the paddle attachment, combine the ingredients on low speed until flour is incorporated and then turn the speed up to medium and beat until well combined. Add the remaining flour, combining on low speed at first, and then increase the speed to medium and beat well. Change to the dough hook attachment of the mixer and beat on medium speed until the dough pulls away from the bowl and becomes smooth, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a well-oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

On a well-floured surface, roll out dough to 3/8-inch thick. Cut out dough using a 2 1/2-inch doughnut cutter or pastry ring and using a 7/8-inch ring for the center whole. Set on floured baking sheet, cover lightly with a tea towel, and let rise for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oil in a deep fryer or Dutch oven to 365 degrees F. Gently place the doughnuts into the oil, 3 to 4 at a time. Cook for 1 minute per side. Transfer to a cooling rack placed in baking pan. Allow to cool for 15 to 20 minutes prior to glazing, if desired.

* I rolled the doughnuts holes in powdered sugar, immediately after removing them from the oil.

I thought Alton’s doughnuts were so delicious, I used his recipes for Chocolate Doughnut Glaze and Doughnut Glaze. The chocolate was the best. We could hardly wait for the glaze to set before we tasted them.

Chocolate Doughnut Glaze
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup whole milk, warmed
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Combine butter, milk, corn syrup, and vanilla in medium saucepan and heat over medium heat until butter is melted. Decrease the heat to low, add the chocolate, and whisk until melted. Turn off heat, add the powdered sugar, and whisk until smooth. Place the mixture over a bowl of warm water and dip the doughnuts immediately. Allow glaze to set for 30 minutes before serving.

Doughnut Glaze
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown

1/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Combine milk and vanilla in a medium saucepan and heat over low heat until warm. Sift confectioners’ sugar into milk mixture. Whisk slowly, until well combined. Remove the glaze from the heat and set over a bowl of warm water. Dip doughnuts into the glaze, 1 at a time, and set on a draining rack placed in a half sheet pan for 5 minutes before serving.

I realized that I was so focused on reducing fat content that I forgot to add the baking soda. OOPS! The bread did not rise at all and was extremely dense, but still very flavorful.

Banana Nut Bread
1 c flour
1 c brown sugar
1/2 c butter **I used 1/4c shortening and 1/4c applesauce
1 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c chopped pecans
3 large bananas mashed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In your mixer cream sugar and butter **(shortening and applesauce). Add eggs and vanilla. Slowly add flour and soda. Stir nuts and mashed bananas in by hand. Pour into loaf pan. Bake 1 hour, or until knife inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool on wire rack before serving.