Buttermilk Spice Muffins

If you've ever been to Mimi's Cafe, you've sampled their spice muffins along with the assorted bread basket.  I adapted this with some minor revisions.  Instead of all whole wheat flour, I mixed it up.  These are not overly sweet at all.  Next time I'll even add more spice...love that spice!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

For the muffins:

1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs plus 1 egg white

1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour (or you can use all of either one)

2 tsp baking soda

1 large tsp cinnamon (I would sneak more in)

1 tsp nutmeg

3/4 cup plus 1 tbs low-fat buttermilk

For the topping:

1 cup chopped nuts (I used pecans)

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a bowl, beat the oil, applesauce and sugar.  Then add the eggs, egg white and continue to beat.  In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Add the flour mix  in batches alternating with the buttermilk and mix well. 

In a small bowl mix the topping ingredients.  Prepare a muffin pan by spraying with non stick spray or by using muffin liners.  Fill each cup 3/4 full.  Sprinkle the nut topping over the top.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Memorial Day - Remembering and Grilling

What does Memorial Day mean to you?  Hopefully, it means remembering and honoring our wartime heroes.  These men and women made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom, so thank you !

When Memorial Day comes around,  the rush to the campgrounds and gathering around the grill begins.  Me?  I'm usually busy in my garden and more than likely covering my newly planted tomatoes with sheets and such to protect them from the evil late May snow storm.  It happens every year..you think I'd learn.  But, my garden survived and is thriving with all the saturating rain, a treat for the high desert region.

So, what's going to be on your grill as you celebrate our fallen soldiers with friends and family?  Here's a mix of suggestions.  And before you take that first bite, say a prayer and thank God for the freedoms we enjoy every day!

Maple salmon

Gorgonzola sliders

Shrimp kabobs

Grilled and steamed steelhead trout

Why not grill a pizza?

Grilled eggplantwith melted mozzarella

Whatever you decide, have a great day!

My Signature Pasta - Pasta of the Month

I guess it's no longer a secret, huh?  This recipe goes back to 1997 or so, when my son had relocated to Monterey California.  We went to visit for Easter and took him out to a quaint restaurant (name unknown, darn it) which was housed in an old Victorian home.  Each room had a few intimate tables, service was great as was the food.

I love pasta but didn't want the "red sauce" kind.  The dish I chose was a penne pasta with simple garlic, spinach, mushrooms and pine nuts.  Perfect!  As I devoured it, I secretly "picked it apart" ingredient by ingredient so I could replicate this at home for my family.  Job well done, she says!   It's my "go to" signature pasta now.  I can probably make it in my sleep!

Ingredients:

2 cups dry penne pasta

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 large garlic clove, minced

1/3 yellow onion, sliced

3 cups spinach

7-8 mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup raisins

2 handfuls of pine nuts, toasted or not

2 ladles of reserved pasta water. extra drizzle of olive oil

Parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)

Boil water for the pasta.  Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the onions first.  Add the mushrooms, garlic and spinach and cook until spinach is limp.  Add the raisins, then the cooked pasta, remembering to drain and reserve some water.   Add the pasta water to moisten, the extra drizzle of olive oil and pine nuts.  Stir well and serve.  Great left over, too!

NOTE:  Sorry..no picture.  I'll post it next time I make this wonderful pasta!!

Lancer's Spinach Salad Dressing

If you've been around these parts for at least 25 years, you would recognize the name, Lancers, as being the restaurant that burnt to the ground on Mount Rose Highway.  It had a prime spot for viewing the lights of Reno and evidently the food was amazing.  I did manage to salvage their spinach salad dressing recipe, which in my opinion, is the best! 

I made a batch for Easter dinner and now that my spinach is maturing in my garden it may be time to make more.  It's that good!

Ingredients:

1/2 Tbsp sugar

1/2 Tbsp salt

1/2 Tbsp dry mustard

1/2 Tbsp steak sauce (like A-1)

1 tsp garlic powder

1/4 cup burgundy wine

1/4 cup ketchup

1 cup olive oil

1/4 cup wine vinegar

1/4 cup honey

Mix all the ingredients in a 4 cup capacity bowl.  Pour into a jar and shake.  Serve over spinach.  Delicious!

Dutch Baby Pancake for Momma!

Last Sunday, Mother's Day I rose early.  Not much sleeping in when a cat is in the house!  I decided to fix myself and hubby, of course, a special breakfast.  Most mornings start with coffee and cereal for him and usually an egg or egg white with fruit for me.   On Sundays years ago when my son was small we'd have pancakes or french toast! 

This recipe for a dutch baby pancake was so easy it's scary.  Just mix it all and throw it in the oven, but what a special treat!  Now, I've never claimed to be a morning person and this morning I proved that!  Instead of the "required"  3 eggs I only cracked open two, spaced out a bit and continued with the ingredients!   Should have had more coffee.  The results were still quite good.  It was more of a custard instead of a light pancake. 

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp butter

3 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

zest of half a lemon

3/4 cup flour

a dash of cinnamon

1 cup of partially frozen blueberries


Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Put the butter into a 10-12 inch oven proof skillet.  A cast iron one is perfect.  Put the pan in the oven while making the batter.

In a blender combine the eggs, milk, salt, vanilla, and zest.  Then add the flour, and cinnamon and mix.  Take the pan from the oven and pour the batter into it.  Sprinkle the berries on top and bake until puffed.  Around 12-15 minutes.

Garnish with powdered sugar, a dab of butter and syrup.    This is a baby a mother could love!!

such a pretty baby!