Orange Cardamon Muffins

Orange Cardamon Muffins

 These muffins don't look like much but let me tell you, they're delicious.

The cardamon has a slight peppery taste with hints of citrus that pairs well with the orange zest.

3/4 c sugar

2 eggs

1/2 c avocado oil

1/2 c milk

1/4 c orange juice

zest of 1 1/2- 2 oranges

1/2 t vanilla

1 t ground cardamon 

2 c flour

2 t baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

3 T course sugar

Preheat oven 350 and line muffin pan, with muffin pan liners.

Whisk together all the wet ingredients, whisk well.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, then add to the wet ingredients and fold everything together until there are no dry bits of flour left. 

Pour batter into prepared muffin pan, and top with course sugar.

Bake for 20-22 minutes until risen and starting to tuen golden brown around the edges. A toothpick inserted onto the center of a muffin should come out without we batter clinging to it, 

Makes about 10-12 muffins, depends on how full you fill the muffin pan. 

 Enjoy! 

Overnight Oats

Overnight Oats

 Perfect for breakfast or lunch. 

1/4 c oats

1/2 c almond milk, any milk will do

vanilla, a few drops

1/4 banana, mashed

1/2 T chia seeds

cinnamon, a few shakes

pecan, about 1 T chopped

1/2 c blueberries, fresh or frozen

Place all ingredients in a jar (except for blueberries), shake well. Open jar and top with blueberries or any fruit of your liking. Keep in fridge and enjoy.

Apple or Zucchini Bread

Apple Bread or Zucchini Bread

 This recipe makes a deliciously moist, sweet apple bread with a crispy top. The grated apple can easily be substituted for grated zucchini for a delicious Zucchini Bread.  

 A family favorite.

Makes 2 loaves: 

3 1/4 C flour

1 1/2 t salt

2 t baking soda

1 T cinnamon

1 3/4 C sugar

1 C brown sugar

1 C avacado oil

4 eggs, beaten

2 heaping C grated apple or grated zucchini 

1 T vanilla 

1/3 C water

Preheat oven to 350* degrees. 

In a large bowl combine flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and sugars, stir well. 

In a separate bowl combine oil, eggs, apple, vanilla and water. Give a good stir. 

Mix wet ingredients into dry, stir well. Grease and flour two standard loaf pans, pour batter into prepared pans.  Bake for 1 hour, or until toothpick comes out clean. 

Enjoy!

Bacon, Potato and Asparagus Quiche

Bacon, Potato and Asparagus Quiche 

This is our favorite quiche recipe. Perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Take your pick and thank me later. 

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• 1 packaged refrigerated pie crust 
• 2 potatoes chopped & fried in oil with lots of onion, cook, drain, set aside
• 5-6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
• 9 -10 asparagus, some chopped & some saved to place on top of quiche before baking 
• 1 cup shredded cheese, your choice (I used sharp cheddar)
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• salt & pepper, to taste 
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• Preheat oven to 375*
• Spray pie pan with cooking spray, place pie crust in pie pan, set a side.
• In a large bowl add all ingredients, except 6 asparagus for the top of quiche before baking.
• Pour over pie crust. Place remaining asparagus on top. 
• Bake 40 - 50 minutes or until golden brown or no longer jiggly.
• Let cool for 15 minutes, then serve.

Enjoy! 

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Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Cinnamon Glaze

Baked Pumpkin Donuts with 

Maple Cinnamon Glaze

We love Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Cinnamon Glaze. Perfect for fall gatherings or a breakfast gathering or just because. 

2 cups all-purpose flour

1½ teaspoons baking powder 

½ teaspoon salt 

¼ teaspoon baking soda 

½ teaspoon nutmeg 

1½ teaspoons cinnamon 

¼ teaspoon ginger

½ cup brown sugar

1 cup pumpkin puree

2 eggs

2 tablespoons milk

¼ cup butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Maple Cinnamon Glaze

1½ cups powdered sugar
½ teaspoon maple extract
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons milk

Preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare a doughnut pan by spraying with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger. Set aside.

In another bowl, cream together the brown sugar, butter and pumpkin. Add in the eggs, mix well, then mix in the milk and vanilla. Stir in the reserved dry ingredients.

Place the mix in a large zip-top bag. Cut off the corner and pipe into the doughnut pan.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven, let rest for 5 minutes, then remove from pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, make the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, maple extract, cinnamon and milk.

When the doughnuts are cool, dip them in the glaze. Return to the wire rack to allow the glaze to set.

Enjoy! 

Orange Dark Chocolate Chip Scones

Some days call for something simple and sweet. So here you go, Orange Dark Chocolate Chip Scones. Love the flavor combination of the rich dark chocolate and the freshness of the orange zest. Now all you need is a hot cup of coffee. 

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, cut into cubes
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1 teaspoon orange bakery emulsion (extract)
1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest, you can add extra if you like

2/3 cup heavy cream or buttermilk

 sugar, for the tops of scones

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. Combine flour and sugar, baking powder and salt.

3. Add butter, using a pastry cutter to cut in butter or you may want to use your fingers to be sure butter is evenly mixed into the flour mixture.
4. Stir in dark chocolate chips, zest and extract, then add heavy cream/buttermilk. Use spatula, gently stir dough until it holds together.

5. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times to incorporate all ingredients.  Sprinkle dough with flour if it gets sticky. 

6. Gently pat the dough into a circle that is 3/4 inch thick. Cut circle into 6 wedges, transfer wedges to the cookie sheet, leaving at least 1/2 inch of space between them. 

7. Sprinkle with sugar and bake 15-20 minutes or until the tops are beginning to brown and spring back when you push them. Do not over bake.

Enjoy!

Date and Blueberry Energy Balls

Date and Blueberry Energy Balls

My family has truly enjoyed these energy balls a whole lot. I must say they are delicious, chewy with the perfect about of sweetness and loaded full of goodness. This recipe is definitely a keeper. Give it a try. 

1 cup almonds, any nut mixture will work

1 cup walnuts

2 cups of dates, pits removed

1/2 cup dried blueberries

1/2 cup dried coconut

1/4 c chia seeds 

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of sea salt

 Place almonds and walnuts into a food processor and pulse until nuts are finely chopped. Don't over mix or it will start to look like flour.

Place mixture into a large bowl and set aside.

Add all other ingredients to food processor and mix until all ingredients are incorporated. This may take some stopping and scrapping off of the walls of the food processor, it is really sticky. 

Pour mixture into the bowl with the almond and walnut mixture and use clean hands to mix all ingredients together. 

 Lay a large piece of parchment paper out on the countertop. 

Use hands to form 12 energy balls.

 Store in a airtight container and store in refrigerator.

Enjoy!

Strawberry Scones

I must say, there are few things I love more than lazy weekends at home with nothing to do but swim in the pool and relax on the couch with my family. On these rare occasions I love to indulge in home cooking, with fresh out of the oven baked goods. Scones are the perfect treat when one can't be bothered to cook a meal but still wants something more than a slice of toast.

There’s just something about a scone that can make my breakfast that much better. These light and slightly sweetened scones with fresh strawberries are sure to impress anyone. A dab of your favorite jam or Devonshire cream and you have the perfect scone! These lovely scones freeze well and can be prepared in advance and go straight from freezer to the oven. Could your weekend get any better?

Strawberry Scones

1 cup strawberries, or any fruit, cut into bite size pieces

3 tablespoons sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons butter, cut into cubes

2/3 cup heavy cream or buttermilk

sugar, for the tops of scones

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.Cut fruit into bite-sized pieces. Sprinkle fruit with 1 tablespoon sugar, set aside. Be sure to make the pieces small, or they tend to fall out of the dough if cut into larger pieces.

Combine remaining sugar with flour, baking powder and salt. Add butter, using a pastry cutter to cut in butter or you may want to use your fingers to be sure butter is evenly mixed into flour mixture. Stir in fruit; then add heavy cream/buttermilk. Use spatula, gently stir dough until it holds together.

Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times to incorporate dry ingredients. Be gentle so you don't break up fruit and don't overwork the dough. Sprinkle dough with flour if it gets sticky.

Gently pat the dough into a circle that is 3/4 inch thick. If any of the fruit pokes out, push back into dough. Cut circle into 6 wedges, transfer wedges to the cookie sheet, leaving at least 1/2 inch of space between them. Sprinkle with sugar and bake 15-20 minutes or until the tops are beginning to brown and spring back when you push them. Do not over bake.

Enjoy!

Migas

Migas is a true Tex-Mex breakfast dish which consists of eggs, strips of fried corn tortillas and a host of colorful ingredients, such as tomatoes, jalapenos and onion or whatever else you have lying around. That is the beauty of migas. All you need is your fried tortillas, eggs, jalapenos, tomato and cheese, and the rest is up to you. Your options are endless.

Growing up I remember watching my Mom make this traditional Mexican concoction. This is probably the first egg dish that I, a professed egg-hater at the time, could actually enjoy. I have since been transformed into a discriminating egg eater. The word Migas, which is derived from the Spanish word for crumbs, describes exactly what is left behind, only crumbs.

Migas

Cooking oil, enough to fry the corn tortilla strips

2 corn tortillas , cut into strips

onion, chopped, to taste

1/2 of a jalapeno, seeded and diced

1 roma tomato, seeded and diced

3 eggs, lightly beaten

handful grated cheese

salt and pepper, to taste

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and fry the tortilla pieces until slightly crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the jalapeno and onion and cook for 3 minutes, then add tomato and cook for 1 minute. Set aside. Pour in the eggs and mix with a spatula, scraping up the eggs as they cook. While the eggs are still runny add the onion, jalapeno, tomato, tortilla strips, salt and pepper. Gently stir, add the cheese, toss a few times until the eggs cook and cheese melts. Serve with your favorite hot sauce.

Enjoy!

Doughnut French Toasts

The break is over and I am back to living, loving and cooking. We are through with all of the school year events and have now recovered, so I am back in action with the things that I truly enjoy.

My son says he can eat this morning, noon and night. Even though I often would like to agree with him, I try to keep this for only special occasions. Doughnut French Toast is very hard to resist. I don't mind making treats like this for him considering he has a healthy appetite and an incredible palate for an array of foods just like his Mom and Dad. He will eat pretty much anything we make, which helps in planning menus.

For those days when only a donut will do, I highly recommend this recipe. With four teaspoons of vanilla, the milk and egg mixture quickly transforms ordinary French Toast into an incredible toast that taste amazingly like a donut. Regardless of when the craving hits you, whether it is morning or late night, most of us have these few basic ingredients close at hand.

                                 
                                                                 


Doughnut French Toasts
Nigella Lawson

2 eggs
1/4 cup whole milk
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 slices from a small white bread loaf or 2 slices from a large white loaf — each large slice cut in half
2 tablespoons butter plus a drop of flavorless vegetable oil for frying
1/4 cup sugar

However, you can, if you like, turn this into a dinner party doughnut-allusive dessert by whizzing up a couple of handfuls of hulled strawberries, 4 tablespoons powdered sugar, and a spritz of lemon juice in the blender to make a sauce to pour or puddle over.

Beat the eggs with the milk and vanilla in a wide, shallow bowl. Soak the bread halves in the eggy mixture for 5 minutes a side.

Heat the butter and oil in a skillet, and fry the egg-soaked bread until golden and scorched in parts on both sides.

Put the sugar onto a plate and then dredge the cooked bread until coated like a sugared doughnut.

Serves 2

Enjoy

Ricotta Pancakes with Strawberries

Good morning everyone!  Some of you know school was out (woo hoo!) due to the weather. So I decided to make Ricotta Pancakes with Strawberries for breakfast =).  I love the flavor combination of strawberry, lemon and ricotta it is so refreshing. YUM!

Ricotta Pancakes with Strawberries
this makes about 10-12 small pancakes

1 cup of all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 egg, separated
1 meyer lemon, zest
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
powder sugar

Slice strawberries, put in bowl and add powder sugar (to taste) and stir well, set aside. In a bowl sift together the dry ingredients, set aside. In another bowl add the melted butter, milk, ricotta, egg yolk and lemon zest, and a squirt of lemon juice and mix well. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until the dry ingredients are moistened. In a small bowl add the egg white and beat until soft peaks form. Gently, fold the egg whites into the batter. Heat griddle over medium heat, butter lightly. Laddle onto griddle. Cook until bubbles form on top and bottoms are golden brown turn pancakes over and cook till done. Top your pancakes with the strawberries, powder sugar, maple syrup or what ever your little heart desires!

Enjoy!

Lookin good

mmmmmm.......