Forever Figs

On one of our trips to Riviera Maya, the first course of the day ALWAYS started with a bowl of fresh figs, and smoked salmon with cream cheese!  No, I'm not pregnant!  Those were the cravings that took hold of me and, of course, it wasn't something I would readily fix in my kitchen!  Or would I?

On a recent stop at Trader Joe's last week, a container of figs practically jumped into my cart!  Instead of cutting them up and plopping them into my mouth, I decided to make another compote for my oatmeal or frozen yogurt!  This would also be great spread onto crostini for an elegant appetizer.

Decadent Fig Compote

2 cups figs, cut up

1/2 cup amaretto

3 Tbsp butter (or use 2 Tbsp to cut down on fat)

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/8 tsp of cinnamon

1/4 tsp of each cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg

Bring all to a boil in a small saucepan.  Reduce the heat to simmer for about 15-20 minutes.  Let it cool a bit to serve or refrigerate for later use.  Delicious!!

Blueberry Compote

So what is a compote?  A fancy French word for fruits stewed in syrup!  It's a great way to use those Summer fruits when you've overbought   succumbed to the buy one get one free sales.  There's nothing worse than getting to the middle or bottom of a pint container of luscious blueberries and most of the remaining ones have fuzzy mold on them.  So, instead of waiting for this scenario, bring pints home and either freeze them for later use or make a compote to crown your pancakes, waffles or oatmeal!


Blueberry Compote

1 pint of washed blueberries

2 Truvia packets  (I gotta cut back somewhere)

1/4 cup water

2 Tbsp Cassis liqueur (continuing with the French theme, it's a berry liqueur)

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Add all ingredients to a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce to simmer and continue to cook stirring at times for about 15 minutes.  Cool and serve or refrigerate to use later.

Chicken Roulade Stuffed with Garlic and Prunes

If you want to make an elegant entree for your significant other, this fits the bill.  A roulade is just a fancy name for roll as in yule log.  In Italian it's a braciola, stuffed and rolled, simple.  Once you get the hang of it the rolade comes together quickly and you'll want to use this technique over and over again with a  different stuffing.  Be creative!

My chicken stuffed with garlic and prunes would be a great dinner party item.  It can be  doubled or tripled  with ease.  And if prunes aren't your '"thing", substitute dried apricots.

Ingredients:  (serves 2)

2 skinless chicken breasts, butterflied and pounded

1/2 cup chopped prunes

1 tsp lemon zest or dried lemon verbena

1 clove of garlic, minced or a 1/2 tsp of garlic powder

1/4 cup flour

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbs olive oil

string to tie the roulades

splash of white wine

splash of chicken broth


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butterfly and pound the chicken breasts and lay flat.  Mix the prunes and garlic in a small bowl.  Spread the mixture on both breasts, close to one of the ends.  In a couple of plates/pie tins have the flour in one, egg in another and panko in the last.  

This is where it gets messy.  Roll the chicken while enclosing the prunes in the middle.  Secure each with 2-3 pieces of string each.  Now dredge each chicken into the flour first, then egg, and lastly the bread crumbs.  Gently set aside.

In a large skillet that is oven proof, melt the butter and oil and bring to medium heat.  Begin to brown the "rolls" turning gently so all sides are light brown.  Splash in the white wine and broth and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until done.  Remove from the oven, cool slightly and cut into pieces being careful to also remove the string.  Wonderful and what an impressive presentation!

Fruity Homemade Granola

I've been known to make some healthy food around here.  It's not all pasta and desserts.  Usually I'll cook mostly veggie concoctions and chicken or fish until my hubby has a hankering for a hunk of meat!  

This granola recipe was adapted from Heidi Swanson's book called, "Super Natural Cooking".  My almost daughter-in-law loaned it to me for inspiration.   I scaled back the amounts to make half a batch.  Although I've made granola before, this batch was hands down more flavorful than the one of the past.  It's a keeper!  Delicious by itself or as a topping with yogurt.

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup chopped nuts.  Any assortment will do.

2/3 cup raw unsalted sunflower seeds, shelled of course

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

3/4 cup dried fruits.  I used dried blueberries,  chopped mango and chopped pineapple.

1 tsp of  ginger root zest

1 tsp of  orange peel zest

1/2 cup honey

1/8 cup coconut oil

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

In a large bowl combine the oats, nuts, sunflower seeds, coconut, dried fruit, ginger and orange zest.  Stir to blend.  In a small saucepan heat the honey and coconut oil on low heat a few minutes until it thins out.  Pour this over the oat mixture and mix well until coated.  Spread onto a baking sheet (cookie sheet) and bake for a total of 40 minutes.  During this time stir every 10 minutes.  Cool and store.

Easy Mixed Fruit Cobbler

It doesn't get much easier than this.  I admit, when I was a working mother I would cheat a bit and use Bisquick for dumplings, waffles, pancakes, and biscuits.  So, for you working moms, this one is for you.  Or if you just want to throw a quick dessert together for company or your family, use this recipe.

I had an assortment of fruit getting riper by the minute and what better to make than a cobbler.  You can use up all those peaches, nectarines, apples and raspberries.  I did.  The only thing that may have made this tastier would've been to add a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream!

Easy Mixed Fruit Cobbler

adapted from Cooks.com

2 Tbsp melted butter

1 cup Bisquick baking mix

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk

2 1/2 - 3 cups fruit of choice (I used a combination of raspberries, peaches, nectarines and a small apple), peeled and cut up, then put in a pan with a small amount of water.  Cook down until apple is soft.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Pour the melted butter into an 8x8 inch baking dish.  Mix Bisquick, sugar, and milk.  Pour over the butter and spoon fruit on top.  Do not mix.   Bake for about 30 minutes.  This recipe can easily be doubled.  (Just use a larger baking dish.)

Peach Dumpling Cake

Sometimes I get carried away at the Farmer's Market.  It's as if I morph into a starving person in the buffet line!   All the pretty fruits are displayed beautifully and as you walk by, if the vendor is smart, you'll be offered a sample.  That usually clinches the deal.  Last week, I walked away with peaches, nectarines, strawberries, butter lettuce, yellow squash, lemon cucumber, large tomatoes,  concord grapes and plums.   This week as they quickly ripen, I'm looking for ways to "finish" them off!  We can't seem to eat them quickly enough!

Even though Summer is hanging on, I feel the crisp Fall air in the mornings and realize I'll soon be making the cobblers, soups and stews of harvest time.  But nothing is written in stone in the cooking world, so I baked a peach dumpling cake which was devoured in record time!  It's a variation of my pear dumpling cake and if you ask me, the peach cake wins!  Try them both and you be the judge.

Ingredients

1/2 Tbsp coconut oil (or butter can be used)

dusting of flour

2-3 peaches, peeled cored and sliced  NOTE:  Leave 1/3 of the peaches in slices and chop the remainder.

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk

1/8 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups flour

1  Tbsp cinnamon

a sprinkle of sugar for the top

1 Tbsp chopped nuts (I like pecans) for the topping

 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare a 9 inch round pan by greasing with coconut oil and dusting with a bit of flour., shaking out the excess.  In a bowl blend the eggs, sugar, milk and salt.   Add flour and most of the cinnamon into the sugar mixture, blend and then add the chopped peaches.   Pour into the pan.  Arrange the sliced peaches into a spoked wheel pattern.  Sprinkle with sugar, pecans and a bit of cinnamon.  Bake for about 55 minutes.  Cool and serve.  If your grandma ever made peach dumplings as mine did, this is the best and easiest substitute I've found.

Mango Strawberry Ice Cream??

After so many recent computer glitches, I'm glad to be back.  The glitches aren't necessarily fixed, but I've found different ways to maneuver without chucking the whole computer!

This "ice cream" recipe, and I use that term loosely, was developed from my hunger for something sweet and creamy.  There just happened to be a mango on the counter to help with the decision.  Why not use soft tofu (I heard those "yucks") and mango to whip up an ice cream -like dessert?

I learned years ago about how to transform tofu into something delicious and edible.  This had to work...and it did!  If hubby ate it, then it passed the taste test!

Ingredients:

Serves 4

1 box of soft tofu

1 mango, peeled and cut from the seed

2 Tbsp strawberry jam or preserves

1 packet of Truvia  sweetener (optional)

For garnish add a small handful of chopped almonds and mini chocolate chips or garnish of your choice.

In a food processor mix the tofu, mango and jam together.  Put in the freezer to set for a few hours.   Scoop and serve with favorite garnish.  Okay, so it's not ice cream, but it did satisfy a craving and sometimes that's half the battle.

Dover Sole with Avocado Mango Salsa

Dover sole is a fish that frequents my kitchen.  Why?  Because it's so versatile, inexpensive and just plain good no matter what you do with it.  It is very mild in flavor and texture and prepared simply, it melts in your mouth!

The avocado mango salsa was incredible!  I'll be making that again for tacos, dip or quesadillas.  It was that great!

Avocado Mango Salsa

This is better made ahead and allowed to chill in the refrigerator.

1 mango, peeled, cored and diced

1 avocado (ripe but not mushy), peeled, cored and diced

1/4 cup diced red onion

1 tsp or more of jalapeno, minced

1/3 of a lime, juiced

2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Mix all the above ingredients and it's ready!

Dover Sole

I like to cut the sole into 4 inch pieces.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, dredge in a bit of flour on both sides.  Melt 2 Tbsp butter into a 12 inch non-stick skillet.  On medium high heat, place the fish fillets in and cook for about 3-4 minutes on both sides.  Other fish can be used, however, if thicker, cook longer.  Serve immediately and garnish with the avocado mango salsa.

Note:  No quantity given for fish or flour.  For 2 people I used 1/2 lb or less of fish and maybe 1/2 cup of flour for coating.

What's on the Grill?

I have to admit, I've never been much of a grill person.  Even though fire is a necessary part of cooking, I still have a fear of singeing my eyebrows or hair when lighting the beast, the grill.  I usually always leave that task to my hubby, the up and coming grill master!  He's gone through the  fire lighting steps numerous times but I still can't quite go there.  It's kind of like teaching him how to start the washing machine, I suppose....must be a mental block!

We still work well together no matter what the project is.   When grilling, I'll do all the prep and then he takes over.  This weekend we grilled marinated pineapple and foil wrapped new potatoes.  When roasting potatoes in the Winter, the oven method is the only way to go, but I love the results you get on the grill.  If cooked right the potatoes have a nice crunch around the edges but still very moist.  The pineapple was unbelievably juicy,  and sweet with a hint of ginger and lime.  So good!

For the pineapple marinade:

Place the following in a small bowl.

2 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 lime, juiced, with a bit of zest

knob of ginger (thumb size), minced or zested

1 1/2 tsp low sodium soy sauce

Place cut pineapple on the grill a few minutes on both sides to get those beautiful grill marks.  Then baste with the marinade, turn and baste again.  These don't need much cooking time, 10-15 minutes total.

For the foil wrapped new potatoes:

Spray a large rectangle (about 15 inches long) heavy duty foil with cooking spray.  Arrange 3-4 potatoes  (1/8 inch thick) slices on the foil.  Sprinkle with a  a Tbsp of fresh chopped chives and parsley, a bit of salt and pepper.  Drizzle with olive oil and dot with about 3 Tbsp of butter (optional)  If you have chive blossoms on your plant, include some of those!   Throw on 2 cut up garlic cloves and close the foil package.  Cook on the grill (upper part) for about 35 minutes.   Enjoy!  And especially enjoy the fact that there aren't any dishes!!

Un-fried Prawns with Mango Cilantro Dipping Sauce

Over the years I've steered away from most deep fried foods including deep fried shrimp.  My new secret weapon to achieve a crunchy crust is panko bread crumbs.  I like the fact that they are light and unseasoned so you can use them in most recipes instead of regular bead crumbs.  Because of the short cooking time associated with fish, I can still pan fry with a little butter/olive oil combination, and still feel like I've cut back on the fat.    At least these aren't dredged and soaking in oil!  These turned out light and delicate with a nice crunch.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. medium/large shrimp, removed from shells, cleaned and deveined

1 egg or 1/4 cup eggbeaters

3/4 cup panko bead crumbs

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

1 mango, peeled and cut up

2 Tbsp fresh cilantro

a drizzle of olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Dip the  seasoned shrimp in egg first, then coat with the bread crumbs.  Heat the butter and oil on medium heat enough to melt the butter.  Place the shrimp in pan and cook on one side about 2 minutes, turn and cook the other side.   Meanwhile put the mango and cilantro in the blender, puree and add a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper if needed.  Serve on the side or drizzle some over the shrimp.  Sooo good!  Serves two hungry adults.

In a "Jam" Passion Fruit Bars

On our last trip to Hawaii we happened upon a farmer's market.  On any given day in different areas you can find a great farmer's market.  In Hawaii, it's everything you'd expect it to be.  Vendors selling lotions fragrant with tropical scents, Hawaiian clothing, trinkets made from coconuts, and loads of fresh fruits and vegetables.

As we passed one of the fruit stands, a gal held out a sample of the best avocado I've tasted in a long time.  Being a hop, skip, and a jump away from California's legendary avocados, you'd think they would be in abundance in Northern Nevada.  Unfortunately, this time of year, you're lucky to grab one from Mexico.  Primarily they are shipped from Chile.  So, back to the Hawaiian farmer's market...  We purchased one avocado the size of Rhode Island (actually the size of a child's football) and proceeded to have several sandwiches (counted 7) from this soft green wonder!  Where can you find a great tasting gigantic avocado for $1.00?!!  I know, I should be exporting them!

In addition to the avocado, I purchased some honey and passion fruit jam after happily sampling it.  Yum!  It waited in the cupboard until the right recipe came along.  I didn't want to just spread it onto a mediocre piece of bread!  I had this recipe in my files, not sure of its origin.  It called for raspberry jam in it, which I'm sure is great, but what if I replaced that one ingredient with this golden goodness, passion fruit jam?

Ingredients:

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter

3/4 cup passion fruit jam from Hawaii (or your favorite jam will do)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease an 8 inch square pan.  In a bowl mix the brown sugar, flour, baking soda, salt and oats.  Mix the butter with a fork or your hands, until it is a crumbly consistency.   Press 2 cups of the mixture into the pan, spreading evenly.  Pat it down.  Then spread the jam over the top and sprinkle the remaining oat/flour mixture over the top.

Bake for about 35 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool, cut and devour!  These are really good!

The website for the Hawaiian  jam is: www.honomujams.com

Quilt-Free Fruited Truffles

It appears as if I never do any baking.  The fact is I don't produce enough baked goodies to become good at it.  I try.  But, another reason you don't see many decadent treats on this blog is because I'll  have to eat them.  Someone has to do it! 

Last week my first Christmas cookies slid out of the oven.  They're gone!   I followed a recipe from a book I just finished, "The Christmas Cookie Club", by Ann Pearlman.  It's worth the read.  Instead of shelving it, I chose to make a few of the cookies, the molasses ginger crisps (they were amazing) and the fruited candies (similar to my amaretto balls, but without the guilt).  I changed some of the ingredients (of course) and this is what I came up with.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 cup each of raisins, dates and prunes.  (I used 3/4 cup golden raisins and 1/4 cup regular raisins...I ran out)

1 cup walnuts or pecans (I used walnuts)

1/2 cup crystallized ginger

1 Tbsp amaretto

For rolling, I used confectioners sugar and  cocoa.

In a food processor, combine the fruit, nuts and ginger.  Pulse until well blended and the mixture comes together (in a big clump)  Add the amaretto (optional) and pulse to mix in.  With wet hands make walnut size balls.  Roll into the topping of sugar or cocoa.  Refrigerate for later.  Makes approximately 36.

NOTE: If you or children are allergic, you may want to try crushed vanilla wafers instead of nuts!

Tips for Fooling Your Tastebuds

As most of you know I've embarked on another "diet plan".  This has been the story of my life, unfortunately, because of the choices I've made and probably because of the "pudgy gene" I've acquired!  I take one look at my lineage (grandmother) and I see the pounds lining the areas where I constantly try to carve them away.

Over the years and with alot of knowledge in this area, I've come to realize that you need to fool your taste buds.  This will make the road to weight loss an easier and more flavorful path. 

Here are my tips:

Instead of peach pie cut up a  peach, sprinkle with cinnamon and truvia. mix it well and enjoy!

Roast, roast, roast your veggies with a sprinkle of olive oil, sea salt and pepper.  The roasting brings out the goodness and sweetness.  My favorites are roasted red peppers, eggplant, bok choy and believe it or not, cabbage!

Roasted cabbage with lemony mahi mahi

When you have a sweet tooth, make a fresh fruit smoothie.  Just ice, about a cup of fresh fruit, a dash of truvia and vanilla and water. blend and you have it!  My lifesaver has been an orange smoothie.

If you like applesauce, make your own.  Don't buy a big jar filled with chemicals!  Peel and chop apples, add a little water and cinnamon and cook on low.  If you don't want chunky applesauce. place in the blender for a swirl.

And finally, start an herb garden with perennials like oregano, thyme, lavender, chives, and some mint.  Come summertime add cilantro, parsley, basil and rosemary.   With these you can embellish your meats, fish, salads, desserts and dressings or marinades.  My latest creations have been numerous variations of marinades like chili lime, ginger lemon thyme, or rosemary lavender dressings.

Dried lavender from the garden.



Dried oregano ready for the sauce!



Dried Lemon verbena - great in anything!

If you're limited to lettuce, dress it up with handfuls of herbs.  It will wake up the taste buds and fool them into thinking you're eating something special.  But, actually you are!  You grew and nutured those herbs for that healthy meal...

Cobbler and Comfort Food

This time of year there would be a flurry of activity in my kitchen.  It's the perfect time of year for baking with pumpkins, fruits and zucchini.  Last year I was busy baking pumpkin gnocchi, soups, bread puddings and one of my favorites, a pear cobbler crisp!  Oh, how I miss the baking and inventing new recipes.    When I can't work in the kitchen I'll go out to the garden.

One thing I managed to do before the snow hit the other day was to harvest some of my herbs.  With our short growing season (and this year was especially brief), I keep with mostly perennial herbs, like lavender, thyme, and oregano.   A welcome addition to my garden this summer was lemon balm.  Unfortunately, it does not winter very well, so I pulled it, hung it upside down to dry,  and harvested the leaves for that summer flavor  in the dead of winter.  It goes well in recipes for fish, chicken, pastas and desserts.  I'll be planting it again next season!

To celebrate this year's harvest, I'm re-posting my pear cobbler crisp.  Make some and enjoy!  It can also be made with peaches, just as good!

Ingredients:

2 large ripe pears, peeled and sliced
1 T sugar
2/3 c oats
1 tsp cinnamon
2 T crystallized ginger pieces
3/4 c flour
1/2 c sugar
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 c milk
dash of cinnamon on top

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease a 9 x 9 glass baking pan.  In a bowl mix the pears, sugar, oats, cinnamon and ginger.  Pour into the pan.  Then mix the remaining ingredients and place over the pears.  Stir only slightly.  Add a few drops of butter and a dash of cinnamon.  Bake for 40 minutes or so.  This is better as it gets cold in the refrigerator, but hard to resist when it comes out of the oven.  The warmth of the ginger makes it a perfect and simple snack cake.

Mystery Snack Cake

When I was growing up, my mother would whip this snack cake up for us kids.  There was always one "secret" ingredient that was added to the mix.  Depending on your taste, or, perhaps what you have on your pantry shelf, some ideas might include, fruit cocktail, (my favorite), pineapple chunks, peaches or pears.  You decide what the mystery ingredient will be!

A funny sideline story to this, was that the recipe card was sitting in my file for over 30 years.  I followed it exactly.  When it came out of the oven and as was sampling it,  I knew something was terribly wrong!  I went to my mom's to find her original recipe.  (I had copied it right, or so I thought.)  Well, I hadn't turned the recipe card over to see the finishing touches of this snack cake on the back.  The pictures posted are without the topping which really makes it delicious, and keeps it moist.   Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp vanilla

1 large or medium can of __________________. Substitute fruit of choice.

For the topping:

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a bowl, mix all ingredients in order, up to the can of fruit,  by hand.  Pour into a greased pan (8x8  or an 11x7).   Mix the nuts and brown sugar and spread on top.  Bake for about 1 hour.  Let cool and serve.

Thanks, mom for the revision!

Tropical Bread Pudding

As I went on my long walk this morning, I couldn't help but notice the telltale signs of summer coming to an end.  Fall is right around the corner.  The aspen trees around the neighborhood have begun to change colors.  My mums are blooming and this year the sedum plants are starting their "blush" earlier than usual.  Perhaps we're poised for another long cold, snowy winter.  It's almost time for heartier soups and stews, but until  the snow flies, I refuse to give up those tropical summer flavors.

I'm a big fan of bread pudding and have a few recipes up my sleeve for the colder months.  Bread pudding is one of those comfort foods like mac and cheese and heartier soups.  To lighten this one up,  I used pineapple, coconut milk and Hawaiian sweet bread as a base.  It turned out surprisingly well! 

Ingredients:

4 cups Hawaiian sweet bread, cubed (You can use French bread, too)

2 cups cut up fresh pineapple

1/2 c lite coconut milk

1/4 c sugar

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/2 tsp cardamon

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

3 eggs, beaten

1/4 c pecans

2 Tbsp brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350. (375 for high altitude)

In a large bowl add the bread,  pineapple, coconut, sugar and coconut milk.  Stir and let it sit for about 20 minutes.  Then add the cardamon, vanilla, and cinnamon to the beaten eggs in a separate small bowl.  After stirring the egg mixture, add it to the bread mixture, add the nuts (optional) and pour it into an 11 x 7 glass pan that has been "pan sprayed".  Sprinkle the brown sugar on top and bake until firm - about 45 minutes.

Multigrain Prune Muffins

As I may have mentioned, we are gearing up for a kitchen face lift/remodel.  The great thing is I'll have a wonderful "new" kitchen.  The not so pleasant thing is that I need to go through every cupboard to either purge, donate, sell or keep.  The task has been daunting only because I choose to be organized about it.  Or I think I'm organized.  Organized chaos, maybe.

We built our home over 24 years ago.  My kitchen , to me, is extremely functional, so that's not the issue.  Mainly, I'll be getting new appliances, (except for my awesome double oven)  new flooring, and beautiful granite slab counter tops.  I can't wait for the transformation.  But, like the butterfly, it must go through a metamorphosis,  first.  So, back to removing every bit of 24 year's worth of accumulation, plus 5 "junk" drawers.  How did this happen?  Where did all this STUFF come from?   Will I ever use it again?  Have I even used it once at all?

I'm down to the bare necessities, pots, pans, glasses, cups, utensils, dishes,  etc.  Should I toss the rest?  Tempting, at this point!   No, I take a bake break!   I found some prunes in the pantry, well within the expiration date.  (I also have to remove the two bottom shelves of STUFF in my pantry!)  I found this recipe from an old Cooking Light magazine, (stuffed into one of those "junk" drawers!)   I subscribed to it over 17 years ago.  It worked beautifully with a few revisions.  Don't let the ingredients scare you, especially the prunes.  They add a fruity moistness to the muffins.

Multi Grain Prune Muffins

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 c whole wheat flour

1/2 c oats, uncooked

1/3 c sugar

1/4 c cornmeal

1/8 c flax seed meal

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup prunes, pitted and chopped

1 c low fat yogurt, honey or vanilla flavored

3 tbsp canola or vegetable oil

1 egg, lightly beaten

cooking spray

Combine the first 10 ingredients in a bowl.  Combine the prunes and next 3 ingredients in another bowl, stirring well.  Add to the dry ingredients.  The mixture will be very thick and sticky.

Coat a muffin tin (12 slots) with cooking spray.  Spoon mix into tin and bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.  Enjoy as a snack or quick breakfast with fruit.  Lots of fiber in these!

I'll keep you posted on the remodel.  Phase I - Demolition starts Monday!

Lemon Pecan Loaf with Amaretto Glaze

For Father's Day I was assigned the task of creating dessert.  Most of the men in our family love strawberries, and they are certainly in their peak right now.  (Strawberries, that is!)  Instead of a traditional shortcake or pound cake for a strawberry shortcake, I came up with this lemon bread inspired by Betty Crocker.

I made a few adjustments to it, ingredients and altitude, and the result was a nice light, lemony success to accompany some perfectly ripe and sweet strawberries!  Of course,  scoops of vanilla bean ice cream topped it off in lieu of heavy whipped cream.  It also makes a perfect "stand alone" snack or breakfast cake.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 cup milk (low altitude increase to 1 1/4 c)

1 Tbsp lemon zest

3 Tbsp oil

3 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

1/4 cup sugar

3 Tbsp lemon juice

1 - 1 1/2 Tbsp amaretto

Preheat oven to 375 (350 for lower altitude).  Grease the bottom of a loaf pan (9x5).  Place all the ingredient in a large bowl,  through the egg, and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 30 seconds.  Pour into the pan and bake for approximately 55 -60 minutes.  If a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, it's done.  Remove and poke holes every one inch,  using a long toothpick. 

 In a small bowl, mix the sugar, lemon juice and amaretto, and drizzle over the top.  Cool the bread for 10 minutes, remove from the pan and continue to cool on a rack.  Try to wait before slicing it.  About an hour will do.  Eat it plain, with coffee, milk or as a shortcake.  Enjoy!

I sliced it!  It had to be tested.

Apple Cranberry Crumble

As an ode to Winter (for the 20th time), and just because you need sweets once in a while, I made this crumble.  I've tried crisps and cobblers but never a crumble, at least not intentionally or by following a recipe.  This was adapted from Global Gourmet, but changed drastically.

When I say drastically I mean I didn't have anything that resembled the ingredients in the recipe.   Let the substitutions begin!  I used whole fresh cranberries that I had in my freezer.  As part of a cleansing program I boiled these down to capture the juice and wondered what to do with the actual tart fruit.  Cranberries worked nicely in this, however, they aren't in the store this time of year, so you can substitute more apples or maybe some berries.

Ingredients:

Filling:

3 cups of precooked  apples (with 1 Tbsp water, 1 Tbsp cinnamon and sliced, peeled apples cooked for 20 minutes)

1 cup cranberries (you can try canned whole ones)

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/8 cup oat bran or flour

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Topping:

1/2 cup oat bran or flour

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp salt

Note:  I used oat bran because that's what I had  in my pantry.  It was one of those unlabeled bulk finds.  It had a number on it for grocery checkout, but the number meant nothing and I bravely decided to use it anyway instead of oat flour.  One of those true experiments!   You can use flour if you wish.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For the filling,  place the apples and cranberries in a large bowl.  In a smaller bowl place the brown sugar, oat bran and cinnamon, mixing well.  Pour this into the fruit bowl and combine.  Place the filling into a buttered 8 x 8 inch baking pan.

For the topping, Put the oat bran or flour and sugar in a bowl.  Cut the butter into cubes using a fork or food processor, blend until mixed.  There will be chunks still.  Add the oats, almonds, cinnamon and salt and mix.  Cover the pan of fruit with this topping, pop in the oven and bake for about 30-35 minutes.  Serve warm or cold.  Serves 8.

Enjoy!

Change and the Hummingbird

Change is not always good or comfortable.  But, I've learned over the years to embrace it.  It may take you to places and situations  that will cause you to grow, if you're a willing participant.  


This year I decided to conquer several different classes to better myself as a person, foodie, writer, etc.   I'm from the class of "If it's going to be, it's up to me".  Therefore, I aggressively enrolled in my first class, Culinary Sanitation and Health.  Check and done!  Now I go into restaurants and find myself evaluating their sanitation practices.  Not good, because if you look close enough you'll find infractions everywhere.  I created a monster!  I have to say, though, it's probably a class that should be taught in all high schools. 


My next class was "Writing and Publishing your non-fiction book".  Great information for anyone moving in that direction.  It was the "jump start" I needed, although alot of credit goes to my dear friend, Cathie, who's been my guide and cheerleader all rolled up into one great lady.  You can visit her blog at www.supernovel.com/blog


My next endeavor or class will supply the tools to further build my website to make it more interactive and professional.   The classes are "paced" at two lessons per week (way too slow for me), so I'll probably take on another fun class like conversational French.  I have a plan! 

For this year, and perhaps the rest of my life I will be "hummingbird-like", flapping my wings at a rapid pace, but with a calm demeanor, hovering when I need to and drinking in the sweetness of life.  We can learn alot from these miniature creatures.

  On that note, I just took out my hummingbird cake of Southern origins which is loaded with banana, pineapple and pecans.  To frost or not to frost, that is the question!  We will see...I'll worry about that tomorrow....so Southern!