Butternut Squash Cake

 This is a moist, spicy cake that your family is sure to love. It whips up in a flash which makes this a quick and easy recipe. Try using canned pumpkin in place of the squash if you don't have any fresh butternut or buttercup on hand. Each variety of squash will give a slightly different flavor, but all would be equally delicious! 

I found this recipe when I did a recipe search for butternut squash, then tweaked it a bit. Harv said it is one of his all time favorite cakes now.  I also made it using buttercup squash with equally good results. Butternut squash has a little better flavor tho as far as I’m concerned. 

BUTTERNUT SQUASH CAKE

4 eggs

1 cup oil

2 cups sugar

2 cups cooked, pureed butternut squash

¼ tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

2 TB cinnamon

1 tsp cloves

½ tsp each: nutmeg, allspice and ginger

2 cups flour

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. 

Put in a greased and floured 9x13 pan.

Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and cake springs back when lightly touched in center.

Allow to cool, then ice with cream cheese icing.

Icing:

8 oz cream cheese

½ cup butter

1 tsp vanilla

1 lb powdered sugar

Beat all ingredients until light and fluffy.  Spread over cake.

(Really only need half this much icing)

Fire In The Hole Chili

This recipe was created for a Chili Cook Off at the Christian Alliance Church 10/28/12. Usually I would put pinto beans, lima beans and sliced olives in here also, but frankly, the roaster pan was too full! LOL

This morning at church several people asked me if i thought I'd win and I told them, "I highly doubt it as my chili is probably too hot for most people". But loo and behold, I won!! My hubby is so excited because the prize is tickets to a Browns vs Steelers game. :) He's pretty darn pumped!!

This makes a HUGE batch so beware! I'll try to do the math an cut it back to a more manageable size recipe and post later.

FIRE IN THE HOLE CHILI                                                              

(Batch more than fills a roaster)

3 TB olive oil

2 lg onions, chopped

2 lg green peppers, chopped

6 lg Hungarian Hots Banana Peppers, finely chopped

6 lg jalapeno peppers, finely chopped

5 habanera peppers, finely chopped

¼ cup minced garlic

2, 1lb packages of hot sausage

3 lbs lean ground beef

3, 12oz tomato paste

2, #10 cans diced tomatoes

1 #10 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 #10 can black beans, drained and rinsed

4 cups cooked navy beans

4 cups cooked black eyed peas

2, 15oz cans white hominy corn

4 TB (1/4 cup) ground cumin

2 ½ TB Chili Ancho Molido powder

 3 TB zesty or hot chili powder

Sauté veggies in olive oil in large stock pot.

Add the sausage and ground beef stirring to break apart meat.

Continue to cook, stirring occasionally until no longer pink.

Add remaining ingredients, stirring to distribute seasonings evenly.

Remove 10-12 cups of chili for the wimps. Then to the remaining chili add:

8 more diced jalapenos

4 more diced habanera

4 more diced Hungarian hots banana peppers

¾ cup Valentina Salsa Picante (Mexican hot sauce)

4 Cups ChiChi’s medium salsa

2 TB cayenne pepper

APPLE CIDER PORK ON CIABATTA ROLLS

I have been cooking a lot of poultry lately and was in the mood for some beef, so I asked my hubby to bring home a roast. What he brought was a bone-in pork roast. hmmm.... I happened to have some fresh cider and thought that might make a nice marinade for pork. Then decided I'd rather just put it in the crock pot and forget about it. The following is the recipe I came up with for a quick, low fuss meal on a busy day. I had some ciabatta rolls on hand and a bunch of blue cheese. The combination was a smash! Feel free to mix up the cheese and bread combos to add some variety. 

APPLE CIDER PORK

2-3lb lean pork roast

2 cups fresh apple cider

½ cup soy sauce

2 TB fresh ginger, minced or grated

½ lg onion, coarsely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced or thinly sliced

Ciabatta rolls, Baguettes or other hard roll

Blue cheese, feta cheese or your favorite cheese

Place all ingredients in a crock pot. Set on high for 5 hours or more or until pork is tender and separates easily.

Pull pork off bones, separating and removing any fat.

Slice buns and toast lightly.

Fill bun with shredded meat and top with cheese of choice.

You may strain the juice and use for dipping if desired. 

The leftovers also freeze well. :) This would be a great recipe to do in bulk in a roaster for a crowd. 

FOUR CHEESE PIZZA WITH HOMEMADE SAUSAGE

When I was growing up we raised our own cows, pigs, chickens and rabbits for meat. We even had a meat cutting room in our garage. My dad and oldest brother did all the butchering, but all of us kids helped in the processing of the meat. I remember my dad making sausage and always loved his recipes. So a few years ago when visiting my brother I copied dad's recipes for several kinds of sausage. His recipe for Breakfast Sausage is one of my favorites. I get migraines, and the nitrates in sausage and other processed meats is a trigger, so I buy bulk ground pork and make my own using dad's recipes. I was in the mood for pizza tonight so I took out a package of this home made sausage to defrost this morning.

I know I have shared my pizza recipe before, so I won't repeat the dough recipe for now. If you can't find it in the archives, just let me know and I will repost. Below is my process for constructing the pizza.

FOUR CHEESE PIZZA
1 recipe pizza dough (see archives for recipe)
Roll out dough onto pizza stone.
Coat with olive oil and pressed garlic
Spread with 1 TB pesto or 1 tsp Italian herbs
Top with thinly sliced roma tomatoes.
Salt & pepper tomatoes
Cover with a thin layer of each of the four cheeses:
Mozzarella, Parmesan, Cheddar, Feta
Top with cooked sausage.
Add thinly sliced onions and chopped green peppers.
Sprinkle with red pepper flakes.
Bake at 420 for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

BREAKFAST SAUSAGE

5lbs ground pork

1 TBL kosher salt or sea salt

1 ¾ tsp scant ground white pepper

1 1/2 TBL + rubbed sage               

1 tsp nutmeg                                    

1 tsp thyme                                     

1 tsp cayenne pepper  

1 tsp garlic                      

1 cup ice water       

Combine all seasonings and mix into the ground pork with the ice water until well combined.  Divide into 1 lb containers or plastic bags and freeze until ready to use.                          

Chicken Minestrone Soup with Herbed Parmesan Biscuits

Fall is the perfect time to start making soups again. There is something so very comforting about a simmering pot of soup filling the house with delicious aromas! Tonight I was debating between making Aroz Con Pollo and this soup. I guess it's obvious which won out. LOL I'll make the Aroz Con Pollo next time. :)

This is one of my Go-To soups when I have leftover chicken and lots of veggies on hand.  You can change it up by switching veggies or meat such as substituting sausage or turkey for the chicken or adding green beans and yellow squash or corn.  Add pasta or leave out the kidney beans, but this is my basic recipe. Play with it as you like and make it your own.  

I also wanted biscuits or something to go with it. So I created this recipe to go with my soup. I didn't want plain biscuits, instead I wanted something quick and easy to make, but with a little more flavor. This was the result. Absolutely delicious! Crisp on the outside and tender on the inside with just enough cheese and herbs to be a treat in and of itself. I dare you to eat just one, or two, or three for that matter! Enjoy!

CHICKEN MINESTRONE SOUP

8 cups chicken stock

1 cup each chopped: Celery, onion and carrots

1 TB chopped garlic

2 cups each chopped: Roma tomatoes*, zucchini and broccoli

2 tsp parsley

1 ½ tsp basil

1 tsp black pepper

½ tsp marjoram

½ tsp sea salt

1 can Cannellini beans or Kidney beans

Pour chicken stock into a medium stock pot and turn on medium high heat.

Add vegetables to stock pot in order (veggies that take most time to cook are listed first, less time to cook listed last)

Add seasonings and simmer until veggies are almost done.

Add White or red kidney beans and heat through.

*May use a can of tomatoes instead of the Roma tomatoes.

Sometimes I also add pasta before the beans. Cavatapi is one of my favorites for this soup.

Herbed Parmesan Biscuits

2 ¼ cups Bisquick

1 TB parsley

1 ½ tsp basil

½ tsp garlic

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 TB melted Butter with more for dipping baked biscuits

2/3-3/4 cup milk

Combine Bisquick with seasonings and cheese.

Add melted butter and milk, starting with 2/3 cup and adding more milk 1 TB at a time until soft dough is formed.

Drop by Tablespoonfuls onto baking stone or cookie sheet.

Bake at 415 for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown and set.

Dip hot biscuits into melted butter.

Try adding other cheeses and herbs into the dough before the milk and see what combinations you can come up with. Suggestions: Swiss cheese and dill, Gruyere and rosemary, Cheddar and red pepper flakes. The possibilities are endless!

Back In The Saddle Again....

Well it's been a while since I've posted. Fall is the time to get back into a routine and solidify the schedule again! My laptop battery died and I got out of the habit of posting, since I usually posted after dinner while watching TV with the hubby. Being tied to the desk kind of stunted my style. LOL Then I went on a 6 week "Saggin to Braggin Cross country Extravaganza" tour, holding 15 Essential Bodywear shows from Ohio to IN, MT, WA, OR, CA, AZ, Co and back home! It was a fun time with the hubby and really enjoyed meeting up with friends and family along the way. So nice to have a business that I can take with me wherever I go!! And I get to write off the whole trip!! woo hoo!! Enough about that, on to the recipes!!

Last night my son Ben called and wanted to bring his new girlfriend over to meet us. When Ben comes, he usually gives me his menu request. LOL Since I had just gotten back from this road trip I wasn't up to his #1 Menu choice; Marinated Garlic Ribs and Fettuccine Alfredo, but he was happy with option #2; Chicken Divan and Pumpkin Roll. I'm pretty sure I have posted Chicken Divan before, so I'll just post the Pumpkin Roll here for now.

There is nothing that signifies fall better than pumpkin anything! Pumpkin rolls, Pumpkin Cake, Pumpkin Muffins, etc. I'm in the mood for squash of all kinds, so I'm sure more fallish recipes will be forth coming. :)
For now, here is the Pumpkin Roll recipe we used at The Antique Oven. It is quick, easy and always a crowd pleaser.

PUMPKIN ROLL from The Antique Oven

Beat together:

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup pumpkin puree

1 tsp lemon juice

Add, mixing well:

3/4 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 TB cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

1 tsp ginger

Grease and flour a jelly roll pan, or grease well and line with parchment paper.

Pour batter in pan, smoothing to edges and leveling batter evenly.

Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.

Dust parchment, waxed paper or tea towel generously with powdered sugar.

Turn cake onto towel.

Sprinkle with more powdered sugar and gently roll up cake, starting with the short end.

Let cool while rolled up.

Meanwhile, mix up the filling:

4 TB butter or margarine

8oz cream cheese

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

When cake is cool, gently unroll and spread with the filling.

Re-roll the cake gently so as not to break it apart.

Wrap with plastic wrap and keep in fridge until ready to serve.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

HISTORY:

This is the recipe we came up with at The Antique Oven.  We liked to add a little more spice than the average recipe for just a tad more zing! This recipe freezes well and works great for catering as it is quick to make, stores well, looks pretty when served and is fairly cheap to make. For added pizzazz, whip up a quick cinnamon sauce (even a caramel sauce would be good) and drizzle it over each slice before serving.

Orange Ginger Sweet Potato w/ Edamame

Recently I was given some sweet potatoes and I have been playing around trying to find new ways to serve this yummy vegetable.  I had the inspiration to try it with ginger and orange, and then kind of proceeded from there. When it was almost done I realized I hadn't prepared anything green to go with it so I decided to try just adding the edamame right into the pan with the rest.  It was delicious!!!! This would make a great Vegan meal by itself, but I served it with blackened salmon this time. I will definitely do this recipe again. So glad I wrote it down while I could remember what I did. lol

I'll post some of the nutritional benefits of these ingredients after the recipe.

ORANGE GINGER SWEET POTATO W/ EDAMAME

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into ½” pieces (about 2 cups)

¼ cup onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 ½ tsp grated fresh ginger

1 tsp dried or 1 TB fresh grated orange zest (colored part of peel)

2 TB coconut oil*(see note below)

¼ cup orange juice

2 TB hot pepper jelly

1 cup frozen edamame- run under warm water to defrost-drain.

Salt and pepper to taste

Place the coconut oil in a large skillet on medium heat.

Add garlic, onion, ginger, orange zest and potato.

Sauté until potatoes are barely tender.

Add orange juice and hot pepper jelly along with the defrosted edamame.

Continue to cook, stirring occasionally until potatoes are tender and edamame is cooked.

*NOTE:

If you don’t have coconut oil you may use butter, olive oil or grape-seed oil, but the coconut oil adds a nice flavor to this dish.

Ginger: This tuber is known to aid in digestion and calm an upset tummy. It is used to help with sea sickness, morning sickness and for people going through chemotherapy. It has antibacterial qualities and has been proven to aid in preventing several kinds of cancer in mice. It is also said to help with arthritis pain and aid in blood thinning and lowering blood pressure. 

Edamame:

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)

Energy 448 kJ (107 kcal)

Carbohydrates 12 g

- Sugars 3 g

- Dietary fiber 6 g

Fat 6 g

Protein 12 g

Thiamine (vit. B1) 0.2 mg (17%)

Riboflavin (vit. B2) 0.3 mg (25%)

Niacin (vit. B3) 1.1 mg (7%)

Pantothenic acid (B5) 0.6 mg (12%)

Vitamin B6 0.2 mg (15%)

Folate (vit. B9) 358 μg (90%)

Vitamin C 11.4 mg (14%)

Vitamin K 37 μg (35%)

Calcium 71 mg (7%)

Iron 2.5 mg (19%)

Magnesium 72 mg (20%)

Manganese 1.2 mg (57%)

Phosphorus 190 mg (27%)

Potassium 569 mg (12%)

Zinc 1.6 mg (17%)

Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults.

Source: USDA Nutrient Database

Raw Sweet Potato

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)

Energy 360 kJ (86 kcal)

Carbohydrates 20.1 g

- Starch 12.7 g

- Sugars 4.2 g

- Dietary fibre 3.0 g

Fat 0.1 g

Protein 1.6 g

Vitamin A equiv. 709 μg (89%)

- beta-carotene 8509 μg (79%)

- lutein and zeaxanthin 0 μg

Thiamine (vit. B1) 0.1 mg (9%)

Riboflavin (vit. B2) 0.1 mg (8%)

Niacin (vit. B3) 0.61 mg (4%)

Pantothenic acid (B5) 0.8 mg (16%)

Vitamin B6 0.2 mg (15%)

Folate (vit. B9) 11 μg (3%)

Vitamin C 2.4 mg (3%)

Vitamin E 0.26 mg (2%)

Calcium 30.0 mg (3%)

Iron 0.6 mg (5%)

Magnesium 25.0 mg (7%)

Phosphorus 47.0 mg (7%)

Potassium 337 mg (7%)

Sodium 55 mg (4%)

Zinc 0.3 mg (3%)

Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults.

Best Cinnamon Rolls EVER!!

I made these rolls for the people at our Condo unit in Bradenton Beach Florida. Several wanted the recipe. So here it is! Enjoy!! 

HISTORY:

I was given this recipe from a lady at Gig Harbor Christian Church when we lived in Washington State. When I had my restaurant in Greenwich, Ohio, these cinnamon rolls were one of the most requested items. People would call to find out what time we expected them out of the oven. J

SUE’S CINNAMON ROLLS

1/3 cup powdered milk with water to make 1 cup

½ cup margarine (1 stick)

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 TB yeast dissolved in 1/4 cup lukewarm water

4 cups flour

Filling:

½ cup sugar

½ cup brown sugar

1 TB cinnamon

½ tsp cloves

Icing:

1/3 cup butter or margarine

1 lb powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1-4 TB milk as needed to make smooth consistency

Heat milk in microwave or stove top until hot but not boiling. Add margarine and stir to melt. Allow to cool to lukewarm. Add sugar, salt, yeast and egg. Beat well. Stir in flour one cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (or overnight).

Punch down dough and turn onto floured surface. Knead lightly. Roll into a rectangle, dusting with flour as needed. Spread surface with about 2/3 of a stick of butter or margarine. Mix together filling ingredients and spread over butter. Roll into a log and cut into 12 equal sections. Place in greased 9x13 pan and allow to raise until rolls rise above the edge of the pan. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes. Test for doneness by lightly tapping the center of a roll. If it is done it will spring back or remain the same. If it needs to go longer the center will sink.

Allow to cool slightly before icing. (spreading icing too soon can make them sink)

NOTE:

I love the flexibility of this recipe! You can mix the dough and leave in ‘fridge until morning to form, or form at night before you go to bed and either leave in the ‘fridge overnight to bake later in the morning or leave it out to rise so it will be ready to bake first thing when you wake up.

Fennel Slaw, Zucchini Sticks with Sweet Onion Dip And Thai Burgers

A while ago I visited a restaurant outside of Sea Side on the Oregon coast that served a delicious Fennel Slaw. I hadn't used fennel much but vowed I’d try to replicate that slaw some day. I searched the web but have never found a slaw recipe like it. So I played a little and this is what I came up with. It’s been a few years since I was out West so my memory is a bit foggy as to the exact make-up of the slaw I had tried, but this is good in its own right so I am satisfied… For now…

As to the zucchini sticks:

I found this recipe on the web, but the recipe didn’t print out with the website’s name so I can’t give credit where credit is due. The recipe called for baking the zucchini, but it didn’t seem to be crisping up well, and we were hungry, so I  pulled out the cast iron skillet and fried them to finish quicker.  I wasn’t sure how my hubby would react to this twist on the french fry, but he loved them. Yea! I added a little roasted fennel to try that out. it was also delicious dipped in the Sweet Onion Dip. :) Finish off with a Thai Burger (listed previously on this site) on a whole wheat bun and you have a yummy, healthy meal.

FENNEL SLAW

1 bulb fennel

½ green pepper, diced

1 small jalapeno , minced

½ poblano pepper, minced

1 large carrot, finely shredded or minced

1 large rib celery, diced

1 small onion, diced

1 tomatillo, peeled and finely diced

Cut off stalks from fennel and save to use in soup stock.

Shred or finely dice fennel into medium bowl.

Add remaining ingredients and stir.

Dressing:

2 TB red wine vinegar

2 TB sugar, honey or agave syrup

2 TB hot pepper jelly

2 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp dark sesame oil

Combine dressing ingredients and stir into vegetable, mixing well. 

Stir again just before serving. 

ZUCCHINI STICKS WITH SWEET ONION DIP

Zucchini Sticks:

3 medium zucchini, unpeeled, cut into 3” sticks

1 TB salt

1 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/3 -1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 egg, beaten

Olive oil if frying

Place the zucchini sticks in a colander over a bowl.

Sprinkle with the salt and let rest for about an hour to drain.

Pat dry.

Beat the egg in a small bowl.

Combine the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese in another bowl.

Dip the zucchini in the egg, and then roll in the bread crumbs.

You can either fry or bake them. 

To fry- heat olive or grape seed oil in large fry pan and cook in batches turning with tongs until browned and crispy.

To bake- Heat oven to 425.

Bake on greased baking sheet or stone about 20-30 minutes, turning one half way through, until golden.

Sweet Onion Dip:

1 TB butter or olive oil

1 medium sweet onion, sliced

2 TB cider vinegar

2 TB honey, agave syrup or sugar

1 TB prepared mustard (I used horseradish mustard)

1 cup mayonnaise

Salt and pepper to taste

Fry onions in the oil or butter until soft and golden.

Add onion with remaining ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until creamy.

Spinach Artichoke Soup

I had the most amazing Spinach Artichoke soup at Berardi’s in Norwalk a while back.  I vowed I’d try to duplicate it and this is my first attempt. The flavor of the soup is good, but the color is totally different than theirs. While mine is a beautiful vibrant green, theirs was a mellow creamy yellow. Maybe I have too much spinach, or maybe it was blending the spinach rather than finely chopping it. Either way it was pretty darn good for a first attempt.  I think I’d add a touch more lemon next time and maybe cut back on the spinach. Also- maybe try fresh spinach over the frozen. I also plan to cut out dairy from my diet so I’ve been thinking about how to do this vegan- Maybe pureed tofu instead of the half and half? Veganaise? Have to think on that…

Here are some interesting facts about spinach from Wikipedia: 

Spinach first appeared in England and France in the 14th century, probably via Spain, and it gained quick popularity because it appeared in early spring, when other vegetables were scarce and when Lenten dietary restrictions discouraged consumption of other foods. Spinach is mentioned in the first known English cookbook, The Forme of Cury (1390), where it is referred to as spinnedge and/or spynoches. Smooth-seeded spinach was described in 1552.

In 1533, Catherine de' Medici became queen of France; she so fancied spinach that she insisted it be served at every meal. To this day, dishes made with spinach are known as "Florentine", reflecting Catherine's birth in Florence.

During World War I, wine fortified with spinach juice was given to French soldiers weakened by hemorrhage.

Spinach has a high nutritional value and is extremely rich in antioxidants, especially when fresh, steamed, or quickly boiled. It is a rich source of vitamin A (and especially high in lutein), vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, magnesium, manganese, folate, betaine, iron, vitamin B₂,calcium, potassium, vitamin B₆, folic acid, copper, protein, phosphorus, zinc, niacin, selenium and omega-3 fatty acids. Recently, opioid peptides called rubiscolins have also been found in spinach.

Spinach is also high in calcium and iron, but for some reason the body doesn't absorb these as will as from other food sources. 

Here are some interesting facts about artichokes form Wikipedia:

The total antioxidant capacity of artichoke flower heads is one of the highest reported for vegetables.Cynarin, an active chemical constituent in Cynara, causes an increased bile flow. The majority of the cynarin found in artichoke is located in the pulp of the leaves, though dried leaves and stems of artichoke also contain it. It inhibits taste receptors, making water (and other foods and drinks) seem sweet.

This diuretic vegetable is of nutritional value because of its exhibiting an aid to digestion, strengthening of the liver function and gall bladder function, and raising of the HDL/LDL ratio. This reduces cholesterol levels, which diminishes the risk for arteriosclerosis and coronary heart disease. Aqueous extracts from artichoke leaves have also been shown to reduce cholesterol by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase and having a hypolipidemic influence, lowering blood cholesterol. Artichoke contains the bioactive agents apigenin and luteolin. C. scolymus also seems to have a bifidogenic effect on beneficial gut bacteria. Artichoke leaf extract has proved helpful for patients with functional dyspepsia, and may ameliorate symptoms of IBS.

So by now you are either bored or ready to make this soup for the health benefits. LOL 

I hope it's the latter. :)

SPINACH ARTICHOKE SOUP

1 or 2 pkg. frozen chopped spinach

2 cups chicken broth**

33.5oz jar artichoke hearts

3 TB butter or oil *

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

3 TB flour

2 ½ cups half and half

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

¾ - 1 tsp coarse pepper

1 – 1 1/2cups liquid from artichokes

Bring spinach to boil in ½ cup water.

Cook, breaking apart spinach until thawed completely.

Pulse all but ½ cup spinach with the broth in a blender until fairly well chopped.

Meanwhile, sauté vegetables in the oil or butter until tender.

Add flour stirring for a minute or two.

Slowly add the half and half and cook stirring often until it begins to thicken.

Add remaining ingredients and simmer about 10 minutes. Do not boil or the milk may curdle.

*I used Wildtree’s Grapeseed Oils (2 TB Garlic and 1 TB Lemon). You may also use Extra Virgin Olive oil.

**I use Better Than Bullion No Chicken Base with water for the chicken broth.

Banana Oatmeal Muffins

My daughter gave me a big tub full of cookbooks that she acquired in a book club but never used. She is now Vegan and therefore no longer wanted them. The tub sat in my kitchen for weeks and I finally made the time to start going through all those WONDERFUL cookbooks to decide what I will keep, what I will pass on to others and what goes to Goodwill.  In the bottom of this tub I found this recipe. I have no idea where she got it but it is supper yummy! This is now one of my top 2 muffin recipes along with my grandmother's Refrigerator Bran Muffins. 

BANANA OATMEAL MUFFINS

Combine in large bowl:

2 cups flour

1 cup oats (quick or old fashioned)

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 ½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

¾ tsp nutmeg 

Combine in separate bowl:

2 eggs

1 cup mashed ripe banana (1large or 2 small)

1 cup buttermilk

½ cup oil

1 tsp vanilla

Pour wet ingredients over dry and mix until just combined. Over-mixing can make muffins tough.

Divide dough between 12 greased or paper lined muffin cups (or 9 giant muffins)

Topping:

¼ cup packed brown sugar

2 TB oats

Combine and sprinkle over muffins before baking.

Bake in 375-400 oven for 15-20 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched in center.

If using greased cups, let cool 5 minutes in pan before removing to wire rack.

I didn't do the topping as I was almost out of muffin papers and my tins were full enough as it is. I did giant muffins because I didn't have enough of the regular size. I also added the nutmeg. The original recipe didn't have it and I really like banana and nutmeg together. 

These muffins are very moist and tender and perfectly yummy!! I put the leftovers in a gallon zip lock bag and they kept very well on my counter for several days. 

Now this is the way to eat your oatmeal!!

Yummy Alfredo Mix by Wildtree

I had taken some chicken out of the freezer for dinner but my day got away from me and I didn't have time to make what I had previously planned. So.. what to do... once again I am rummaging through my cupboards trying to decide what I can toss together in a short time.

Lo and behold, I have some Wildtree Alfredo mix. I rarely use mixes for several reasons.

1. They tend to have ingredients that I try to keep out of my diet.
2. I usually like the taste of scratch meals much better.
3. Mixes tend to be not as economical as making it yourself and I am a tight wad. :)

But mixes do have their place in this world and this is one of them. If you have to use a mix, Wildtree's Alfredo mix is awesome! A bit on the expensive side, but if you figure this vs going out to eat it's not too bad.

I steamed some fresh green beans, Stir fried some lightly seasoned chicken and cooked some pasta while making the sauce. I followed the lighter version on the mix, using half the amount of butter called for and more milk. I also added a little fresh Parmesan to thicken it a little quicker.

It was awesome! The flavor was great and the whole meal only took about 20 minutes to prepare (most of that was boiling the water for the pasta).

If you are interested in learning more about Wildtree products, contact June Billman in Greenwich Ohio. They contain no preservatives, sulfates, MSG or GMO's.

Add whatever meat and veggies you like. Quick. Easy. Yummy!

Roasted Salsa Verde

My husband is a produce guy and brought home a case of tomatillos. He only needed 10 of the 25lbs box for his customer. He was going to give them away and I jumped in and said I wanted to use them. I thought I had a recipe for tomatillo jam somewhere... but alas, I couldn't find it. So... what to do with all these tomatillos?

I decided to make some salsa. I took out a 12x18 jelly roll pan and filled it with a single layer of peeled, halved tomatillos. Place under a broiler until nicely browned. I then put the tomatillos in the food processor and re-filled the pan with half a head of peeled garlic, 1 large onion, cut into 8ths, a large green pepper, cut into chunks, 2 large jalapenos cut in half and the rest of the pan with halved roma tomatoes. Broil like the last pan. After pureeing both batches of roasted veggies I pureed a can of peaches to help off-set the tartness of the tomatillos. Stir all together and add a touch of sea salt. YUMMY!

Makes about 8 cups of salsa. I took this with some chips to a Super Bowl party tonight. I plan on using some of this salsa for enchiladas later in the week and will probably freeze the rest.

What do you do with tomatillas? I still have about 10 pounds left. lol

Thai Style Burgers with Thai Aoli

I haven't been doing as much creative cooking lately as I'd like. I'm finally in a place where I feel I can spend a little more creative time in the kitchen again. YEA!!!!! So I'm thumbing through some of my old favorites and trying to decide what "fun" recipe I can do with the ingredients I have on hand. Let's see... I have ground pork, and lemongrass... hey- didn't I have an awesome Thai burger recipe somewhere? So I go digging around and strike gold! I did have to go out and buy some mushrooms and ciabatta rolls, but I had everything else on hand and it is well worth the trip to the store. lol

This recipe is an adaptation of one I found in my favorite Thai cookbook: Greatest Ever Thai, easy and delicious step-by-step recipes by Parragon Publishing, Queen Street House, 4 Queen Street, Bath BA1 1HE,UK. This is a great starter book if you’re looking to branch out in foreign foods. It has easy to follow directions with illustrations, and a description of ingredients in the front of the book to help the beginner.  If you don’t yet own a Thai cookbook I highly recommend this one. 

I used a combination of ground pork and ground chicken. I am always a little leary of buying ground chicken for some reason, so I just thaw a few boneless skinless breasts, cut them into chunks and pulse them in a food processor to grind. 

I served this with oven baked fries seasoned with Wildtree's Lime Chiptole Rub and grapeseed oil with a mixture of quartered mushrooms, onions and green pepper wedges tossed with Wildtree's garlic and Lemon grapeseed oils and baked with the fries after fries have started to soften. 

THAI STYLE BURGERS w/ THAI AOLI

BURGERS:

1 small lemongrass stem or 1 TB lemongrass paste

1 small fresh red chili, seeded (or 3 TB sweet chili sauce)

2 garlic cloves

2-4 scallions (1/3 cup sliced)

7oz closed cap mushrooms

2 lbs lean ground pork (May substitute all or part for ground chicken or turkey)

1-2 tsp Thai fish sauce (may substitute soy sauce)

3 TB chopped fresh cilantro

Ciabatta rolls or bun of your choice

AOLI:

1/3 cup mayonnaise

Juice of ½ lime

1 tsp lemongrass paste

1 TB sweet chili sauce

Place lemongrass, chili, garlic and scallions in a food processor and process to a smooth paste.

Add mushrooms and process until finely chopped.

Add pork, fish sauce, sesame oil and cilantro.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Form meat into burgers and chill until ready to cook.

Fry burgers in 1 TB oil until brown on both sides and center juices run clear. You may also bake them at 400 for 25-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix Aoli ingredients to use as sauce for the burgers.

Great as is or served with slices of fresh tomato, red onion and lettuce or cabbage.