A Yummy Recipe from a restaurant in Hawaii

I had some cut lemons left over from last weekends catering job that needed to get used and I absolutely hate to throw anything away, so.... I decided to try my orange bread recipe with lemons. :) 

My sister in law gave me this recipe years ago. I’m not sure where Fritzie got it, but it is a unique recipe and I love it. Everyone makes zucchini bread, pumpkin bread, etc, but I've never had another bread like this one other than this recipe. This makes very dense but moist bread. Serve it with honey butter or cream cheese. It also freezes well, as most sweet breads do.  

I think I'll add a lemon glaze too. to give it a little more flair. :) 

STEWARTS ORANGE BREAD

From Stewarts Café in Waikiki, Hawaii

4 cups flour

1 2/3 cup sugar

2 TB baking powder

½ tsp salt

2 eggs

½ cup oil

1 ½ cups milk

1 orange finely ground skin and all to make 1 cup

Mix first four ingredients and set aside.

In a stand mixer beat eggs until thick.

Slowly add oil and beat one minute.

Combine ground orange with dry ingredients alternately with the milk, beating well after each addition.

Divide into 2 greased and floured loaf pans.

Let rest for 20 minutes while oven heats to 400.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until loaves have risen to the top of the pans and started to brown slightly.

Turn oven down to 300 and continue to bake for an additional 30 – 40 minutes or until done.

Allow to stand in the pans for 10 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Lasagna and Focaccia Bread

Lasagna is one of those foods that almost everyone likes. What's not to love? Thick, rich meat sauce, juicy tomatoes, lots of gooey cheese... yummmmm. The smell of the sauce bubbling on the stove is one of those fragrances that bring you warm fuzzies. Can't you just envision mother or grandma standing over a steaming pot on the stove, the windows fogging up as the fragrant aromas fill the kitchen? 

And to top it off I just had to make Focaccia Bread. Focaccia bread is basically in-between pizza and garlic bread. I use my pizza dough recipe, and roll it out on a jelly roll pan. Top with lots of garlic, a little olive oil, herbs or a little pesto and some cheese. I used  both Parmesan and fresh mozzarella, then added slivered onions, green pepper and thin slices of roma tomatoes. 

Lasagna

Sauce:

1 TB EVOO (olive oil)

1 large onion, diced

1 medium green pepper, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 lbs lean hamburger

4 cups diced tomatoes

12oz tomato paste

2 cups water

1 TB parsley

2 tsp basil

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp salt

2 TB sugar

1 bay leaf

Filling:

12oz cottage cheese mixed with 2 beaten eggs

2 cups parmesan cheese

4 cups mozzarella or equivalent of sliced fresh mozzarella

Package dry lasagna noodles (do not cook noodles)

Sauté onions, peppers and garlic in EVOO until tender.

Add the lean ground beef and stir as hamburger cooks to break up meat.

Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 1 hour or more.

Heat oven to 350.

In a 9x13 pan or 2, 8” square pans layer:

Sauce

Dry Noodles

Sauce

Cottage cheese mixture

Parmesan cheese

Mozzarella cheese

Repeat layers to make 3 or 4 layers depending on how deep your pan is.

Bake for 40 to 60 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

Wings and Things

Tonight I was in the mood for wings. I marinated the wings in Kraft Free Caesar Dressing then popped them on the grill. Well, actually, they were the last thing on the grill. Let me back up a bit.

Here is tonight's menu:
Grilled garlic bread,Carrots, grilled potato slabs and marinated wings.

First I marinated the wings.

Then I scrubbed a few potatoes and slice them lengthwise into 1/4 - 1/2" thick slabs. Pour a few TBS of olive oil into a pan and add 1TBS of Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. I really like the Pampered Chef Italian Seasoning Blend.

Next I slice some Italian Bread into 1/2" slabs and lightly butter both sides. I then sprinkled a little garlic powder and some of the Pampered Chef Italian Seasoning Blend over one side.

I placed the better part of a 1lb bag of baby carrots in a small sauce pan and barely covered with water. Add a little S & P and 1/2 tsp of the PC Italian Seasoning.

Now it's time to bring all that out to the grill.



I grilled the bread on the top rack while cooking the potatoes on the lower rack.

The key is to keep the grill fairly low and move the potatoes around on the grill often. When the potatoes have a nice color, and are fairly tender but not yet cooked all the way thru, remove them to  a covered pan. They will continue to cook and steam until done. If you cook them the entire time over the flame they will become too dry.

Once I removed the potatoes I added the wings to the grill. Then I can sit back and enjoy the bread while I watch over the wings. Of course I had to dip in the pool a few times while grilling. Its incredibly hot and humid here in Ohio today. lol

Here is the completed meal, plated up and ready to enjoy in the dappled shade of  our pergola.

I did end up making a dipping sauce from sour cream and this wonderful sauce I bought on line, but basically any hot sauce would do. If you want to check out some fun sauces, go to Spice Exchange Brand by Figueroa Brothers. They have some really awesome sauces and marinades. What I used tonight was Habanero Traditional Caribbean Style Hot Sauce & Marinade.

While this meal might not have been the lowest in calories, it isn't too bad either.  What this meal lacked on the diet range it made up for in ease. Cooking in the summer for me is all about quick, easy and simple meals so you can enjoy your time in the sun with family and friends.

So check out your fridge and see what you have in there to use in a marinade and go for it. Quick and easy is the key.