Banana Scones

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Muffins & Scones and tagged with banana, breakfast, brunch, food, recipe, scones, yogurt April 5, 2013

Banana Scones

Weekends are great for having a lovely leisurely breakfast (or brunch) so I’m getting you ready for the weekend with this recipe for some great tasting banana scones. The flavor of banana is unmistakeable and enhanced by cinnamon and a little nutmeg. A little like warm comforting banana bread but not so sweet. I think they are perfect just as they are, but the original recipe I found included a Brown Butter Glaze to put on them after they are baked. This could elevate them to a dessert if you are so inclined. We enjoyed them plain, so no glaze for us, but I am including the full recipe here.

The scone dough is tender and lightly seasoned. It includes mashed banana and yogurt as the moisture source in the dough. The recipe produces a large yield ( I got 30 small-sized scones), but they freeze well, so you could bake half and freeze half to be baked at a later time, or just make half the recipe for a reduced number of scones. If you do freeze them, remember to add about 5 minutes to the baking time. You will have some lovely breakfasts to look forward to in the weeks ahead.

BANANA SCONES WITH BROWN BUTTER GLAZE

YIELD: about 14 – 16 large or 25 -30 small scones

INGREDIENTS:

Just a few ingredients, including yogurt or sour cream.

For the scones:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour*
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
8 Tablespoons ( 1 stick ) cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 cup mashed banana ( about 3 – 4 bananas)
1 cup low-fat greek yogurt or sour cream
Buttermilk, if needed, plus more for brushing the tops

For the glaze:

8 Tablespoons, (4 oz.) butter
1 1 /2 – 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 Tablespoons milk, plus more as needed

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 400*F. Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.

2. In a very large bowl, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Whisk to blend. Stir in the pieces of cold butter and cut into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal and the largest pieces of butter are the size of peas.

Cut butter into the dry ingredients.

3. In a second bowl, combine the mashed banana and yogurt and stir to blend. Add the banana mixture to the bowl with the dry ingredients.

Fold banana mixture into dry ingredients.

Fold together gently with a spatula until a dough begins to come together. (Be careful not to over mix, as it will result in tough, dense scones.) If some of the dry ingredients are not incorporating into the dough, add a bit of buttermilk 1 tablespoon at a time just until all dry ingredients are moistened and incorporated.

4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Gently knead a few times to ensure even mixing. pat the dough out into a slab about 3/4 -to-1-inch thick. Cut out rounds of dough using biscuit/doughnut cutters (about 3 1/2-inch diameter for large scones or 2 1/2 inch diameter for smaller scones.) Place dough rounds on the prepared baking sheet at least an inch or two apart. Lightly brush the tops with buttermilk.**

5. Bake the scones until the tops are golden brown and scones are just set, about 16 – 18 minutes for large scones and 14 -15 minutes for smaller ones. Let cool on a wire rack.

Don’t they look tender and light?

6. While the scones are cooling, make the glaze. Heat the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Let melt and continue to cook, swirling occasionally, until the butter is a deep golden brown color, being careful not to burn it. Set aside to cool slightly. Transfer the browned butter to a bowl and whisk in the confectioners’ sugar. Whisk in the milk a little at a time until the mixture is smooth. Spoon or drizzle the glaze over the scones and let set before serving.

Scrumptious with a little butter on a warm scone.

* I prefer using half white whole wheat flour in as many baked goods as is feasible, but you can use all all-purpose flour if you wish.

** At this point you can place the unbaked scones on a baking sheet, transfer to the freezer and freeze until solid. Then store in an air-tight container and save for later. To bake after freezing, just bake as normal but add a few minutes onto the baking time and check to be sure they are fully baked through.

SOURCE: Adapted from The Kitchen, via Annie’s Eats.

Corned Beef Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Quick Meals, Sandwichs and tagged with corned beef, food, grilled cheese, lunch, quick meal, recipe, sandwich April 4, 2013

Grilled Corn Beef and Cheese Sandwich.

Did you know that everyday is some kind of National Food Holiday? And some days celebrate more than one kind of food. I don’t usually pay much attention to this sort of thing because some of them are just plain silly. For instance, you could get pretty tipsy if you celebrate National Mulled Wine Day, or bust a gut for National Nutella Day, or get really greasy fingers on National Fried Chicken Day. See what I mean?

However there is one that I could get into in a big way. I really love grilled cheese sandwiches, and if there was a day to celebrate them, I would eat them all day. Well, SURPRISE! Grilled cheese is so highly regarded it has not just a day, but a whole month devoted to it, and this is it. April is National Grilled Cheese Month. Yea, I am totally in.

If you like corned beef and you love grilled cheese sandwiches, then you are gonna love this sandwich that combines both along with some glazed onions cooked in dark beer. WOW! what a combination.

With some corned beef left from our Irish meal, I made these sandwiches for a weekend lunch. You can make the sandwich anytime using corned beef from the deli, but I used what I had on hand. You start by slowly cooking sliced onion in a little butter with some sugar, salt and pepper, then add dark beer such as porter or stout. Let that cook slowly to condense it into a syrupy liquid. Add the corned beef and heat it up. Then layer up the sandwich, and grill it. Rich, gooey, filling and soooo good.

CORNED BEEF GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH

Worcestershire sauce and whole grain mustard contribute their flavors, too.

MAKES 2

1 1/2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon sugar
salt and pepper
3/4 cup dark beer, such as porter or stout
2 ounces deli sliced corned beef, cut into strips
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon whole grain mustard
1 1/2 cups grated cheese
4 slices marble rye bread

1. Melt 1/2 Tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sprinkle with the sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden, about 10 minutes.

Cooking the onions with seasonings.

Add the Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and beer and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender and the liquid is slightly syrupy, about 8 more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the corned beef.

Corned beef added into the pan.

2. Divide half the cheese between 2 bread slices; top with the corned beef mixture, and the remaining cheese and 2 bread slices.

Layer up the ingredients on the rye bread.

3. Melt the remaining 1 Tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sandwiches and cook, pressing occasionally with a spatula, until the bread is toasted and the cheese melts, about 4 minutes per side, adding more butter to the pan if needed.***

*** I used my panini pan to grill the sandwiches, and instead of using butter to toast them, I spread mayonnaise on the outer sides of the bread. This makes a nice golden toasted sandwich. I read somewhere that chefs in restaurants use mayonnaise for grilled sandwiches, so now I do it, too.

Don’t let the remainder of that beer go to waste, enjoy it with your sandwich.

SOURCE: Food Network Magazine, March, 2013

Orecchiette with Kale and Breadcrumbs

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish and tagged with dinner, food, kale, Pasta, recipe, vegetarian April 3, 2013

Orecchiette with kale and breadcrumbs.

In Italian, orecchiette means “little ears”, and for this dish that pasta is the perfect shape for holding the kale and bread crumbs. I love the fact that there are so many different shapes of pasta and each of them, or similar ones, are meant for a specific type of sauce. One cannot get bored with pasta when there are so many to choose from.

I had never cooked with orecchiette before, but on reading the recipe, it looked like something I would like (including my newfound fondness for kale). This is a hearty dish that is vegetarian, but accepts the addition of meat -in this case, sausage-very well. I wasn’t sure if a meal consisting of only pasta and kale would be adequate for Mr. D. so I decided on adding crumbled Italian sausage rather than whole links or slices because of the shape of the pasta. In the supermarkets that I go to, this pasta shape was hard to find. The “name brand” pasta companies didn’t seem to have it. I finally found it in the isle with imported foods.

The yield of this recipe is large, probably enough to feed 6 people. I used half a pound of pasta and kept all the other ingredients the same, plus I added half pound of ground Italian sausage (no casings). This was enough for two of us with enough left over for another meal, or for lunches. It is very flavorful; we really enjoyed it, and the homemade bread crumbs are a great addition. Whatever dry bread you may have on hand can be used for the crumbs. I had a piece of baguette that I used and it worked out well.

ORECCHIETTE WITH KALE AND BREADCRUMBS

YIELD: about 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 large bunch of kale, trimmed of thick stems
kosher salt
5 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 cup coarse fresh breadcrumbs
3 garlic cloves, chopped, divided
2 tablespoons ( 1/4 stick) unsalted butter
4 anchovy fillets, packed in oil, drained
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 lb. orecchiette pasta
3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 pound ground Italian sausage, optional

1. Working in batches, cook kale in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 4 minutes. Using tongs or a skimmer, transfer to a rimmed baking sheet; let cool. Set aside pot with water. Squeeze out excess liquid from kale. Chop leaves and set aside.

Cook, cool and drain kale, then chop.

2. Heat 3 Tablespoons oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and cook, stirring often, until beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Add 1/3 of the chopped garlic and cook, stirring often, until breadcrumbs are golden, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; let cool.

Making the breadcrumbs.

3. If using sausage, crumble sausage in a large heavy pan, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until browned. Drain any fat rendered, and set the sausage aside, then proceed with step #4 using the same pan.

4. Heat butter and remaining 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add anchovies, red pepper flakes, and remaining 2/3 chopped garlic; mashing anchovies with a spoon, until a paste forms, about 2 minutes. Add reserved kale and 1/2 cup water. Cook, stirring often until kale is warmed through, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Kale with seasonings in the pan.

Add in the cooked sausage.

5. Meanwhile, bring reserved kale cooking liquid to a boil; add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Add pasta and 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid to kale mixture and stir to coat. Increase heat to medium and continue stirring adding more cooking liquid as needed, until sauce coats pasta.

Drained pasta added into the mixture.

Mix in Parmesan and 1/2 cup breadcrumbs; toss to combine.

6. To serve, divide pasta among bowls and sprinkle with remaining bread crumbs.

SOURCE: Bon Appetit

Tiramisu, a Lightened-up Version

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Desserts and tagged with coffee, dark chocolate, dessert, food, Kahlua, recipe, tiramisu April 2, 2013

Today marks the beginning of my second year writing this blog, and I wanted to share with you something fabulous. I think this recipe is certainly that. Rich, indulgent and just plain delicious!

Tiramisu, with less calories and fat but still rich and delicious.

Most likely you have had tiramisu at one time or another. You know, the elegant, espresso-soaked sponge cake dessert, which is characterized by its rich layers of buttery mascarpone cheese and sweetened whipped cream, topped off with shaved chocolate. If you have never had it, then I suggest you try this lightened up version for a treat that still delivers the flavor of the original without all the fat and calories.

Tiramisu, an elegant dessert.

The classic recipe packs a wallop; a day’s worth of fat and almost 600 calories. Mascarpone is Italy’s version of a dessert butter; delicious to be sure, but you don’t need so much to make a dessert which is still rich tasting. To lighten it , this recipe subs in 1/3 less fat cream cheese, with still a bit of mascarpone for richness, and mixes it into a lightly sweetened egg custard. Egg whites are whipped, then folded into the custard, eliminating the need for whipped cream. Crisp lady-fingers get dipped into Kahlua-spiked coffee and are then layered with the creamy custard-like filling. A dusting of bittersweet chocolate adds one more layer of flavor for an indulgent treat that will truly be a pick-me-up, for that’s what “tiramisu” means.

Two layers of sweet, creamy indulgence.

We were guests at my sister-in-law’s home for Easter dinner, and this is what I brought for dessert. Everyone thought it was divine. I needn’t have worried that they would detect it wasn’t the original version. It disappeared so fast no one even questioned it.

TIRAMISU

SERVINGS: 10

INGREDIENTS

Ladyfingers, 2 kinds of cheese, Kahlua, and eggs.

1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup ground dark roast coffee
1/2 cup sugar, divided
3 large egg yolks
2 Tablespoons Kahlua (coffee-flavored liqueur), divided
5 large egg whites
2 Tablespoons water
8 ounces 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
2 ounces mascarpone cheese, softened
24 crisp savoiardi ladyfingers ( 1 [ 7oz.] pkg.)
3/4 ounce bittersweet chocolate, finely grated

1. Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil, and remove from heat. Add coffee; cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Strain through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a medium bowl; discard grounds. Cover and refrigerate until needed. I brewed extra coffee in the morning, then into 1 1/2 cups coffee I added 1 Tablespoon espresso powder; heated up the mixture to dissolve the espresso, then chilled it.

Espresso mixed with brewed coffee for a strong coffee flavor.

2. Combine 1/4 cup sugar, egg yolks, and 1 Tablespoon Kahlua in the top of a double boiler, stirring well with a whisk. Cook over simmering water, whisking constantly, until thick and candy thermometer registers 160* (about 9 minutes). Remove from heat; refrigerate 10 minutes.

Cooking the egg yolks with sugar and Kaluha.

3. Place egg whites in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until medium peaks form. Combine the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until the candy thermometer registers 250*. With mixer at low speed, carefully pour hot syrup over egg whites. Gradually increase speed to high; beat for 2 minutes or until stiff peaks form (do not over mix )

4. Combine egg yolk mixture, cream cheese, and mascarpone cheese in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth.

Egg yolk mixture beaten with cream cheese and mascarpone.

Gently stir one-fourth of egg white mixture into cream cheese mixture; gently fold remaining egg white mixture into cream cheese mixture.

Fold egg whites into egg/ cheese mixture.

5. Add remaining 1 Tablespoon Kahlua to coffee. Quickly dip 12 ladyfingers into coffee mixture; arrange in the bottom of an 11 x 7-inch baking dish. Note: I used an 8″ x 12″ pan and 15 ladyfingers, without changing anything else, and there was enough coffee and custard to cover adequately.

Ladyfingers dipped and placed into bottom of baking dish.

Spread half of cream cheese mixture over ladyfingers.

Spread with half the cream cheese mixture.

Sprinkle with half of the chocolate.

Sprinkle with half the chocolate.

Repeat procedure with the remaining ladyfingers, coffee mixture, and cream cheese mixture . Sprinkle with remaining chocolate. Cover and chill at least 2 hours.

This makes a full pan.

Cut into squares and remove with a spatula.

Try it. I’m sure you will love it!

SOURCE: Cooking Light

Chicken Roulade

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish and tagged with chicken, dinner entree, food, herbs, prosciutto, recipe April 1, 2013

Chicken Roulade served over fettuccine.

I would hazard a guess that chicken in some form is on your table at least once a week, ( with the exception of non-meat eaters). I know its on our menu on a regular basis; so with that amount of frequency I am always on the lookout for a new way to cook it. I’m not a person who is satisfied with the same old, same old. Variety is the spice of my life. Therefore when I came across this recipe which first of all was described as “quick and easy”, but secondly called for a filling rolled up in a boneless chicken breast I was immediately interested.

Roulade is a French term for a thin cut of meat that is stuffed, rolled, then browned before being roasted or braised. In this case the stuffing consists of a garlic and herb spreadable cheese and some prosciutto. rolled up inside a thinly pounded boneless chicken breast. The chicken is browned, then braised in a light wine sauce and served over fettuccine. Let’s face it sometimes white meat chicken can be pretty bland, but the flavors in the filling here were a nice contrast to the chicken; a little salty, a little smoky, and a little cheesy. All in all I think this chicken dish is one you would be proud to serve to guests.

While the recipe was not as quick and easy as the recipe would lead you to expect, it certainly was not hard, nor lengthy to prepare. Start by pounding the chicken breasts well between two sheets of plastic wrap, then spread each one with the mixture of herbed cheese and chopped prosciutto. Roll up and tie in a couple places with kitchen twine to keep them rolled while you brown them, then add a little wine to braise/cook them to completion. While this is going on, boil a pot of water and cook the fettuccine. Make a salad to go with it and your meal is complete. I would serve this to guests because when plated it is quite impressive, and besides that it tastes really good!

Please note that in my version I used Laughing Cow garlic and herb wedges, because I couldn’t find a spreadable cheese like the one called for. My filling was more crumbly than spreadable but it worked out well all the same, and kind of melted together as it cooked.

CHICKEN ROULADE WITH HERBED CHEESE AND PROSCIUTTO

SERVINGS 4

INGREDIENTS

An herb and garlic cheese and prosciutto make the filling.

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (I only had three.)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 Tablespoons spreadable light garlic and herb cheese ( such as Alouette Light)
2 ounces prosciutto, chopped
8 ounces uncooked fettuccine
2 Tablespoons chopped flat-leat parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons EVOO, divided
2 Tablespoons white wine
2 Tablespoons water

1. Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of plastic wrap; pound each piece to 1/4 inch thickness using a meat mallet. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper.

Pound chicken out to about 1/4 inch thickness.

2. Combine cheese and prosciutto in a small bowl. Spread 1 1/2 teaspoon cheese mixture over each breast half.

Spread a small amount of filling on each chicken breast.

Roll up chicken, jelly-roll fashion, starting with narrow end. Secure chicken rolls in several places with twine. Set aside.

Rolled, tied and ready for browning.

3. Meanwhile start a pot of salted water to boiling and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well Place pasta in a large bowl. Sprinkle with parsley and drizzle with 2 teaspoons olive oil; toss gently to coat. Cover and keep warm.

4. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken in pan, and cook 6 minutes, browning on all sides.

Brown well before adding wine and water.

Add wine and water. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 6 minutes more or until chicken is done. Remove chicken from pan, and let stand 2 minutes. Remove twine, and cut each roulade crosswise into 5 equal pieces.

5. To serve: place about 1 cup pasta mixture on each of 4 plates; top each with 5 pieces roulade. Serve immediately.

Plated and served with a green salad.

I felt that this meal needed some sort of green vegetable to complete it, so I made a spinach salad to go along with it.

Since I made this whole recipe for only 2 of us, we had chicken left over which I placed on top of a mixed garden salad for lunch the next day. A delicious lunch and great way to use up the chicken.

SOURCE: Cooks Illustrated

Shrimp Fried Rice

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish and tagged with brown rice, dinner, egg, food, recipe, Shrimp, Stir Fry, vegetables March 29, 2013

Shrimp Fried Rice

Turn your kitchen into a Chinese restaurant. Why order take-out when you can order in! With this recipe you can make your own version of shrimp fried rice.

Fried rice is typically made with rice that has been pre-cooked and allowed to cool so that it will fry and not steam when added to the other ingredients of the dish. So left over rice that is dried out is ideal. If that is not available, cook some rice in advance and let it become cold, and some what dry.

Shrimp, rice, egg, and lots of veggies.

Fried rice usually includes eggs, meat or seafood, vegetables, peppers, spices and soy sauce. Extra flavor is gained by the addition of onions, scallions and garlic. A wok is the cooking utensil of choice but a large non-stick skillet works equally well.

This shrimp fried rice is full of vegetables and makes 4 generous servings, so you’ll need a large skillet at least 12 inches wide or a large wok. Be sure that you do not over cook the vegetables, they should be crisp-tender.

Although the recipe states that it makes 4 servings, my husband and I were able to devour most of it with only a small dish left over. We loved it and I can’t wait to make it again.

SHRIMP FRIED RICE

MAKES: 4 SERVINGS

Have all ingredients prepped before starting to cook.

1 1/2 cups water
1 cup instant brown rice
2 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
4 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
4 teaspoons canola oil, divided
2 large eggs
8 ounces peeled and deveined raw shrimp
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
4 cups stringless snap peas ( I used asparagus in mine. )
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
4 scallions, chopped

1. Combine water and rice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to med.-low and simmer until water is absorbed, 10 – 12 minutes. Allow to cool, but stir occasionally to prevent clumping. Spreading the rice out on a baking sheet is helpful in cooling it quickly and preventing it from clumping.

2. Combine hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and sesame oil in a small bowl. Set aside.

3. Heat 1 teaspoon canola oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggs and cook, stirring to help break into smaller pieces, until just set, about 45 seconds. Transfer to a small bowl.

Eggs cooked just until set.

4. Add another 1 teaspoon canola oil to the skillet and return to medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until pink 1 1/2 – 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate or bowl.

Saute shrimp until pink and just cooked.

5. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons canola oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in snap peas, bell pepper, carrots, and scallions; cook stirring, until tender-crisp, 3 – 4 minutes.

A colorful combinations of vegetables.

6. Stir in the rice and the reserved egg and shrimp; cook, stirring until heated through, about 1 minute. Gently stir in the sauce mixture and remove from the heat.

Add in rice, shrimp and egg.

YUM! So good.

SOURCE: Eatingwell.com

Morning Glory Muffins

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Muffins & Scones and tagged with breakfast, brunch, carrots, coconut, food, muffins, organic, recipe, vegetarian, whole wheat March 28, 2013

Morning Glory Muffins

Just the name of these muffins puts you in a good mood doesn’t it? Somehow it feels like you’re going to have a good day. I like to call them “glorious morning muffins”, and they are one of my favorites. They can turn the dreariest morning into a glorious one. : )

These carrot-flecked whole-grain muffins can be made ahead so you can hit the floor running on a busy morning. Add a non-fat latte and your day will be off to a healthy start.

COCONUT-CARROT MORNING GLORY MUFFINS

YIELD: 12 muffins

Assemble the ingredients and they go together quickly.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup whole wheat or white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, plus 2 tablespoons for garnish
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
2 large eggs
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup vegetable oil, or coconut oil, melted if necessary
2 cups shredded carrots
1/2 cup shredded coconut, plus 2 tablespoons for garnish
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350*F. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray or line with paper liners

2. Whisk whole-wheat flour, 1/2 cup oats, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and allspice in a medium bowl.

3. Whisk eggs, applesauce, honey and vanilla in a large bowl. Whisk in oil. Gently stir in the flour mixture just until moistened. Fold in carrots, 1/2 cup coconut, raisins and nuts, if using.

4. Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Mix together the remaining oats, and coconut. Sprinkle on muffin tops.

5. Bake at 350* until they spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only moist crumbs attached, 30 – 35 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Delicious as they are when first made and eaten warm, they also seem to improve over night and taste even better the next day, when flavors have had time to blend.

SOURCE: Eatingwell.com

Peasant in a Pan

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Carolyn's Originals, Main Dish, Quick Meals and tagged with bratwurst, cabbage, dinner, food, kielbasa, one-pan meal, pierogies, recipe, vegetarian version March 27, 2013

Sauted cabbage, cheddarwurst and pierogies.

This dinner is about as rustic and peasant-like as it gets and it doesn’t have a recipe. This is a put-together that I make because Mr. D. loves it, and it is so easy. Besides that it is nutritious, utilizes convenience foods, and tastes super-good. My only concern when I make it is the sodium content, which can be high when you use processed meats. So be mindful of that and check labels when choosing your meat.

This is not a meal that I ever thought I would include in my blog because it is so ordinary, but at the urging of my husband here it is. Whenever I make it, this is what he says after the first bite: “MMMMMMMM” I think this is probably a “guy’s meal”.

Simple to make, hearty to eat.

This dish is a take off on the traditional kielbasa and sauerkraut but it also incorporates pierogies, and onions. This is how I prepare it:

WHAT YOU NEED:

1 package frozen peirogies, filling of choice. We like potatoes and onions.
1 package Cheddarwurst individual sized kielbasa, 6/pkg. Or you can use frankfurts, or bratwurst.
1/2 a medium-sized cabbage, roughly sliced or chopped. More if you like and are feeding a large group.
1 large onion, halved, then sliced into half-moons
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
seasonings that may include nutmeg, 5-spice powder, or some type of bavarian spice blend.
small amount of water

WHAT YOU DO:

1. Bring a pot of water to boil. Cook pierogie according to package directions. Do not overcook.

2. Melt butter and olive oil in a large skillet. (large enough to hold everything–this is a one pan meal.) Add sliced onions and sauté to soften. Add the chopped cabbage and continue to sauté to lightly brown and soften the cabbage.

3. Season this mixture with what ever spice blend you may have. Usually nutmeg is a good choice. I use Tsardust Memories from Penzeys Spices and it includes salt, garlic, cinnamon, black pepper, nutmeg and marjoram.

4. Place the cheddarwurst on the cabbage mixture and cover. If it is sticking to the pan, add a small amount of water just to keep from sticking. Allow this mixture to steam slowly while the pierogie are cooking.

5. Add cooked pierogie to the pan, spooning some of the cabbage mixture over them. When everything is cooked and thoroughly heated through, serve. I like to melt some additional butter and drizzle it over the top just before bringing to the table.

A complete meal in one pan.

On this occasion when I made it, I had a small amount of kale to use up, so I added the chopped up kale leaves to the mixture just before putting the cheddarwurst in the pan. A nice way to get in some extra fiber and nutrition. I must say that when you know how to make a meal like this you can then swap in other vegetables or substitute a different type of meat –or no meat at all for a vegetarian version–and you will never be at a loss for a quick meal idea.

Try this out, give it your own spin, and I hope you will like it.

SOURCE: This is a Carolyn invention.

Corned Beef Hash with Eggs

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Breakfast, Brunch, Main Dish, Quick Meals and tagged with breakfast, brunch, corned beef, eggs, food, hash, potatoes, quick meal, recipe March 26, 2013

Corned Beef Hash with Eggs.

If I am lucky enough to have some corned beef left from our St. Patrick’s Day meal, I like to make corned beef hash. I can remember back to when I was child visiting my grandmother, and she made this same meal in a black cast-iron frying pan. She kept the pieces of potato rather large, almost like home-fries, and they got brown and crusty, along with the meat. She also added any carrot that might be leftover and lots of onion. As she served it, she topped each serving with a poached egg. I loved, loved, loved it. Although I now have and use her cast-iron pan, I can’t seem to quite duplicate what she created. Perhaps over time, my memory has enhanced what it was like, but that is what I aim for whenever I make hash.

This year I was fortunate in having a good-sized piece of corned beef left and I cooked extra vegetables so I could make this hash dish.

CORNED BEEF HASH WITH EGGS

SERVINGS: About 4 servings

WHAT YOU NEED:

3 cups of cooked potatoes, cut into cubes, about 1/2 to 1 inch.
2 Tablespoons olive oil, Or 1 Tablespoon oil and 1 Tablespoon butter; I think it helps brown up the potatoes.
1 onion, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons Horseradish
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
about 1/2 pound corned beef, cut into pieces about the same size as the potatoes
optional: left over carrots, sliced
1/4 cup heavy cream

WHAT YOU DO:

1. Heat oil in a heavy fry-pan, cast-iron, preferred. Add potatoes, cook until golden in color, 10 – 12 minutes.

2. Add onion, season with salt and pepper. Cook until potatoes and onions are browned, about 5 minutes

Browning the potatoes and onions.

3. Add horseradish and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in corned beef ( and carrots, if using).

Add in corned beef and carrots.

Add cream, drizzling evenly over all.

Pouring in the cream.

Make 4 depressions in the mixture and break an egg into each one. Cover lightly and cook until egg whites are set.

Cook until eggs are set.

Serve each portion of hash with an egg.

SOURCE: Martha Stewart

Hot Cross Buns

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Bread, Rolls and tagged with breakfast, food, recipe, snack, sweet buns, yeast dough March 25, 2013

Hot Cross Buns

A hot cross bun is a spiced sweet bun made with currents or raisins and marked with a cross on top, traditionally eaten during Lent, but especially on Good Friday.

There are many superstitions associated with hot cross buns. “One of them says that a piece given to someone who is ill is said to help them recover. Because there is a cross on the buns, some say they should be kissed before being eaten. If taken on a sea voyage, hot cross buns are said to protect against shipwreck. If hung in the kitchen, they are said to protect against fires and ensure that all breads turn out perfectly. The hanging bun is replaced each year.”** HaHa, I guess it would need to be!

**quote from Wikipanion

Tall, pillowy, and delicious, I’m sharing it with you!

Another saying that I particularly like says that sharing a hot cross bun with another person is supposed to ensure friendship throughout the coming year. By sharing this recipe with all of you I hope that we will continue to be “friends” in the coming year as I am coming up on my one year anniversary of writing this blog on March 31. I value all of you who read this blog and all who have decided to follow me as I continue to write about my cooking adventures, some with fantastically good results (like this recipe, I think), and others with somewhat less than stellar results. But that’s why I blog; to share it all–the good, the bad, and the in-between.

If you have seen or purchased hot cross buns at the supermarket you know that they are smallish round buns, with the white cross on top. I, personally, find them to be quite dry, sometimes overcooked, and practically tasteless. The ones you can make at home are so much better there really is no comparison. Yes, they take a little time because they are a yeast dough, but if you have a bread maker it is so easy, you will wonder why you haven’t made them before. This recipe is one that I got from King Arthur a few years ago and since I first made them I don’t deviate or make alterations because they rise so well and once baked make a light, tender, pillowy, bun with an aroma that is unbelievable. The flavor is derived from the spices that go into the dough, but also from a flavoring called Fiori di Sicilia, an all-natural citrus- and vanilla-scented flavoring. It is available through the King Arthur Baker’s Catalog. In its absence you could use a little vanilla, and either lemon or orange flavoring, and they would still be fantastic .

HOT CROSS BUNS

YIELD: Makes 14 buns

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup apple juice or rum
1/2 cup mixed dried fruit (I use a mixture of candied citron, lemon peel and orange peel)
1/2 cup raisins or dried currants
1 1/4 cups milk, room temperature
3 large eggs, 1 separated
6 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia flavoring
2 teaspoons instant yeast
1/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 Tablespoon baking powder (this is not an error)
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

TOPPING

1 large egg white, reserved from above
1 Tablespoon milk

ICING

1 cup + 2 Tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 teaspoons milk, or enough to make a thick, pipeable icing

1. Mix the rum or apple juice with the dried fruit and raisins, cover and microwave briefly, just till the fruit and liquid are very warm. In my microwave this would be 1 minute at 50% power. Set aside to cool to room temperature. While this is cooling you can be mixing up the remainder of the recipe, because the fruits go in at the end.

2. Mix together all of the dough ingredients except the fruit, and knead, using an electric mixer or bread machine, till the dough is soft and elastic. Mix in the fruit and any liquid not absorbed.

This is what I do: Following instructions for your bread machine layer in the liquid ingredients first, followed by the flour mixture ( i.e. 4 1/4 cups flour plus all the spices, brown sugar, salt and baking powder) Make a depression in the top of the flour and pour in the yeast last. Start the bread machine on the dough cycle, and let it mix up everything. When it is almost at the end of the mixing phase, add the fruits and any liquid. Check soon after to see if the dough looks too wet, and add the remaining 1/4 flour if it needs it. Allow the machine to finish the dough cycle till it has risen. Proceed with step 4.

3. Let the dough rise for 1 hour, covered. It should become puffy, though may not double in bulk.

4. Remove the dough to a floured surface and divide the dough into ball-sized pieces, about 3 3/4 ounces each.

A 1/3 measuring cup or muffin scoop makes about the right portion. You should make about 14 buns. Greasing your hands helps with handling the dough and shaping into balls. Arrange them in greased pans. Suggested pan sizes include 10″ square, 9″ x 13′, or two 9″ round cake pans. The cake pans were a good choice for me allowing for 7 buns in each (see picture), as I gave away one pan of buns.

Seven buns in each cake pan.

5. Cover pan(s), and let the buns rise for 1 hour, or until they’ve puffed up and are touching one another. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 375*F. I have had good success with putting my pans on top of a heating pad set to “low”. The consistent temperature gives a high rise, and the baking powder in the dough gives it another boost in the oven as they bake. I think this is what makes these buns so light and pillowy.

6. Whisk together the egg white and milk, and brush it over the buns. This gives the buns a nice shine when baked.

7. Bake the buns for 20 – 22 minutes, until they are golden brown. Check internal temperature with an instant read thermometer. Temperature should be 160 degrees. Some people have reported that the buns in the center of the pan may be a little doughy still at 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, and transfer to a rack to cool.

Note how high they rise and the shiny tops from the egg wash.

8. Mix together the icing ingredients, and when the buns are completely cool, pipe it in a cross shape atop each bun.

Pipe crosses on top when they are cool.

Tall, Pillowy and delicious.

The frosting crosses looked a little thin, so I want back after taking these pictures and made the crosses bigger with more frosting. We like frosting! 🙂

SOURCE: slightly adapted from King Arthur Baking Company

Delicious on a Dollar

Devoted to the preparation of healthy & economical foods that taste fabulous!

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Hot Cross Buns

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