Oatmeal Raisin Cookie (healthy version)

Rather than totally skip breakfast on a 
'Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!' kind of morning,
a couple of these just 'might do the trick'-- read
through the recipe and see what you think!

With the hand that isn't holding the cookies, 
grab a glass of cold milk, or ???.

There's something TO these, but they did not turn out to be 'HEAVY'!

By making dough balls ALMOST the size of a golf ball,  I ended up with 17 cookies.

INGREDIENTS:

"Dry"...

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 and 1/2 cups whole (old-fashioned) oats
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 and 1/2 teasoons ground cinnamon

----

"Wet"...

• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup peanut butter (in place of oil or shortening)
• 1 egg PLUS 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup applesauce (Wait with adding this-- wait until after you combine the 'dry' ingredients with the 'wet' as directed below and then judge according to moistness of the dough-- the dough should be 'workable', but still quite  'stiff'.)

----

• 1/2 cup raisins OR dried cranberries OR ???
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 

----

• 1 cup chocolate chips (optional, but I didn't add them)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix together the dry ingredients listed in the first group above.  Set aside.
2. With an electric beater (hand-held, or stand), combine the 'wet' ingredients listed in the second group until smoooooooooth.
3. Add 'dry' ingredient mix to 'wet' ingredients and mix until all is incorporated.  (This is when you decide if you want to add applesauce, and how much of it, for mixability.)
4. Stir in raisins OR cranberries, and walnuts.
5. Add chocolate chips, if desired.
6. Stir until all is incorporated.
7. Shape dough into golf-ball-sized rounds, and place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper,
8. Bake 11-12 minutes at 350-degrees.  (Ovens vary, so check the first batch to see what's right for yours.)

This recipe was 'adapted' from one on the 
Whole Grain Gourmet website.

Broccoli 'STEM' Soup

Broccoli stems and stalks make for good soup!

I don't know if it's because of the 'broccoli water', the stems, or what--  

this soup is SO tasty.  

I could enjoy this three times a day until it's gone!

After using only the broccoli florets for a quiche recipe, I had a lot of stems/stalks left behind.  Since I'd bought the broccoli at 'price per pound', it would be dumb of me to toss the stems.  They were already washed/rinsed-- so, without peeling them, I sliced all into 1/4" thick rounds (yes, even the BIG stalks, the 'tree trunk' of it)--  then, in about 5 cups of water, I steamed all of that until just tender, and ended up with about 4 cups (one quart jar) of 'steamed bits', and about 4 cups 'broccoli water'.  Set aside while preparing the rest of the soup.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups steamed broccoli stems/stalks, cut into about 1/4" slices/pieces.

          --------------------------------------

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup flour
• 4 cups of 'broccoli water' left from steaming the broccoli stems.
• 1 cup cream
• 2 cups milk
• 2 teaspoon chicken soup base
• 1/2 pound cheddar cheese, grated.
• 1/2 pound Velveeta cheese, cut into small chunks.  (I used this only because I 'had it on hand'.  You could just include this much more of the cheddar cheese.)
• Salt (to taste)
• Pepper (to taste)
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (optional, but I skipped it)

DIRECTIONS:

• Steam broccoli stems/stalks until tender, using about 4 cups water.  Drain (save water). Set broccoli and water aside.

• Put butter in heavy stock pot over medium heat and saute onion in butter until transparent. (I use an enameled cast iron dutch oven for this.) 
• Add 1/2 cup flour, stir to blend into smooth paste. 
• Ever so slowly, add the 'broccoli water', stirring/whisking constantly so as to end up with 'no lumps'.
• Add cream, and milk. Blend well with a whisk, but switch to a utensil that can be used to keep the bottom scraped off and stirred well (we don't want any scorching to be happening!).
• Add chicken soup base, stirring to dissolve and to make sure there are no clumps/lumps not blended in.
• Add cheddar cheese and Velveeta cheese, stir until melted in.   
• Add steamed broccoli 'stems/stalks'.  At this point, although I don't think it was necessary, I used my 'stick blender' in the soup and that 'chopped' the broccoli into smaller bits.  
• Season with salt/pepper as desired.
• Add Worcestershire sauce if you wish (I did not, and didn't miss it).
• Personal preference:  In the picture I'm posting, you can see that I used some large-grated Pepper Jack cheese as garnishment; I also stirred some very small gratings of this into the soup (for my own bowl).  
• Serve.

EZ Very Berry Strawberry Pie

THE COLOR IS BRIGHT, 

the flavor is fresh!!

Ingredients:

1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked 1 quart fresh strawberries, divided 1 cup white sugar 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch 3/4 cup water 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:

Bake single pie crust.  Cool crust. Arrange half of strawberries (sliced) in baked pastry shell.  Mash remaining berries and combine with sugar in a medium saucepan. Place saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. In a small container, whisk together cornstarch and water.  Gradually stir cornstarch mixture into boiling strawberry mixture.  Reduce heat and simmer mixture until thickened, about 5(?) minutes, stirring constantly. Pour mixture over sliced, uncooked berries already in pastry shell.  It 'steams' like this as hot meets cold... Chill for several hours before serving.   In a small bowl, whip cream until soft peaks form.   Serve each slice of pie with a dollop of whipped cream.

Ham and Broccoli Breakfast Casserole

Have ham left over from your Easter dinner?   

It can be used like this...

You'll have a ham'y, cheese'y, broccoli'y breakfast casserole like this... 

It does have a 'broccoli' taste-- so, if you like broccoli, you'll probably like this!

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 plain, or whole wheat, English muffins, cut into bite size pieces  (The very first time I made this, I used 5 muffins but that change made for a 'drier' casserole-- even if it was still good, it's my opinion that using 4 muffins is best.)  OR, you could substitute with cubed French bread, or something like cubed Texas Toast with the crusts removed.
• 2 cups broccoli florets (rinsed well).  Use only 1 cup if you prefer less of a broccoli taste!
• 2 cups leftover ham, cubed/diced. (You could substitute ham with 1 pound browned/drained pork sausage.)
• 8 oz. extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, divided (I used Vermont's extra sharp Cabot cheese)
• 12 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 3/4 teaspoon paprika (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
• Salt, as desired
• Ground black pepper, as desired

DIRECTIONS:

• Lightly 'grease' a 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
• In a mixing bowl, toss together the cut English muffin pieces with the broccoli florets, diced ham and about 3/4 cup of the shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese.  Once tossed, pour into the prepared baking dish.

• In the same mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk paprika and crushed red pepper.  Add in a few dashes of salt and pepper as well.  
• Pour the egg mixture over top of the ingredients in the baking dish.  Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
• In the morning, sprinkle the remaining shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese over top of the casserole.  Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes.  Then remove the foil and bake for another 10 to 15 to 20 minutes(?), or until the casserole puffs up and slightly browns on top. 
• Let sit for 10 minutes, then serve while warm.

This recipe was adapted from one at www.onedishdinners.com

Microwave Caramel Corn

Do you like the 'goodie in a box' known as 

 Fiddle Faddle?   This is close!

This recipe makes about 3 quarts.  At first glance, it might look like there are 'too many' steps to making this, but ...it really did not take long!

INGREDIENTS

• 3 quarts popped corn (hulless popcorn also works well)

.............

• 3/4 cup peanuts* (less, or more, as desired).  Some add pecans instead of peanuts.
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

* On the container for the peanuts I used, it reads:  Dry roasted peanuts, lightly salted with 100% sea salt, no MSG.   I've already made this recipe without adding any peanuts and it was liked that way, too.  (This additional note was added on June 25, 2012)

...................

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

DIRECTIONS

• Pop corn.  Place popped corn and peanuts in large brown grocery store type paper bag. Set aside.
• Place brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt in a 3 quart glass bowl.  Microwave at high setting 3 - 4 minutes, stirring after each minute, watching for when mixture comes to a boil. Microwave 2 minutes more while 'boiling'.  Remove from microwave.
• Stir in baking soda.
• Pour syrup mixture evenly over popped popcorn and peanuts in brown bag. Close bag and shake well.
• Fold top over and place brown bag in microwave and microwave at high setting 1 and 1/2 minutes. Shake bag well. Microwave 1 and 1/2 minutes more. Shake bag, open bag and pour caramelized popcorn into large roasting pan or bowl. Toss bag in garbage. Cool and stir to separate kernels.
• Store in airtight containers, or 'zip-like' bags.

Come on, ... dig in!

 Adapted from old Farm Journal recipes (submitted by Lisa Parker).

Easter 'Combo' Rolls (sort of!)

Jen B., I changed the plan, huh.  I intended to trim the outside 'braid-y' dough to look like a grassy basket, and then decorate the 'dough eggs' in the middle.  INTENDED, that is.  

 By using the whole recipe for the Butter Rolls, 

this is a full 14" across.

When this came out of the oven, I thought it smelled 'too good' and it was then that I decided I wanted to use the outside for our rolls/bread tomorrow.  Because of my 'change in thinking', I only put  icing on the 'dough ball eggs' in the center.  Like this,...

Above:  This way, we'll either break or slice from the outside braiding.

For my dough, I used the same recipe I'd already posted in my blog under rolls and it is named Butter Rolls.... scroll down to the recipe posted 'after this one'; I moved the post forward to yesterday.  Here are the basics:



Ingredients:

1. 1 cup milk, scalded
2. 1/2 (1 stick) butter
3. 1/2 cup sugar
4. 2 tablespoons dry yeast
5. 1/4 cup warm water
6. 1 teaspoon sugar
7. 1 teaspoon salt
8. 3 eggs, well beaten
9. 5 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

• Scald milk; add butter and the 1/2 cup sugar and let cool.
• Dissolve yeast in the 1/4 cup 'only warm' water with the teaspoon of sugar
• Beat 3 eggs well.  When milk/butter/sugar mix is cooled to 'warm', add eggs and the 'frothy/rising' yeast.  Mix well.  Add flour gradually and mix well after each addition of flour.  
• Place dough into lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat top.  The dough is still very THIN (I think), and certainly NOT kneadable, but it turns out if left like this.
• Cover with damp towel and let rise in warm place until double in bulk.  Punch down and proceed to make what you wish with it.   Note:  It is 'still' very very sticky stuff, but that makes it easy to add flour to the table top and on rolling pin without making it 'too tough'.  
• This dough may be used for many variations of sweet rolls.

Below:  This sure isn't a 'fancy thing', but I love how this smells.  The smell alone makes me want to break some of it off-- right now!-- but, I'll wait.   Maybe.  No, I really WILL wait.   Maybe!?!  (LOL)

For the frosting, I just mixed some soft butter, sifted powdered sugar, vanilla, milk/water until I had the consistency I wanted and then added some coloring(s).

Butter Rolls (SUPER simple!!)

One no-knead dough, three variations-- or, as many variations as you can think of...

A recipe for rolls that does NOT need kneading (none!).  I DO like to knead dough, but I don't have a problem with NOT doing it, either.  How can this be so simple!?!-- follow just nine steps, let it rise until double and make almost any kind of roll you can think of!  With just this one 'single batch' of dough, I made the following three variations:

Nine dinner rolls  ▲...

  and, ▼

and,... ▼

More pictures are posted below...

Years ago, I found this recipe in an old well-used and tattered book-- one that was stuck in with a box of 'junk' at an estate auction in the late 70's.  While my mother's eyes went towards something else in the box, mine went to this well-used tattered recipe collection.  It is entitled The Racine Journal-Times and Sunday Bulletin and dated November 1957.  It is a collection of "Cook of the Week" recipes and sold for $1.50.  The recipe I'm posting today is on page 24 and is shown to have come from Miss Inga Johnson.  Thank you, Inga!  (I wonder if Inga ever married-- if not, some 'could-have-been hubby' missed out on enjoying this recipe of hers!)

▼

Below:  Check out the PHONE NUMBER that's in this same recipe book-- it sure isn't anything like our 10-digit numbers these days!....

Another bit of 'dated' information in the above ad.  The ad states: "...the Largest and Best Selections of Dress Fabrics in Wisconsin."  I take that to mean 1957 ladies were sewing a lot more than now in 2011.  Whodathunkit!?!?

Getting back to the recipe I'm posting...

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup milk, scalded
2. 1/2 (1 stick) butter
3. 1/2 cup sugar
4. 2 tablespoons dry yeast
5. 1/4 cup warm water
6. 1 teaspoon sugar
7. 1 teaspoon salt
8. 3 eggs, well beaten
9. 5 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

• Scald milk; add butter and the 1/2 cup sugar and let cool.
• Dissolve yeast in the 1/4 cup 'only warm' water with the teaspoon of sugar
• Beat 3 eggs well.  When milk/butter/sugar mix is cooled to 'warm', add eggs and the 'frothy/rising' yeast.  Mix well.  Add flour gradually and mix well after each addition of flour. 
• Place dough into lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat top.  The dough is still very THIN (I think), and certainly NOT kneadable, but it turns out if left like this.
• Cover with damp towel and let rise in warm place until double in bulk.  Punch down and proceed to make what you wish with it.   Note:  It is very sticky stuff, but that makes it easy to add flour to table top and on rolling pin without making it 'too tough'.  
• This dough may be used for many variations of sweet rolls.

To make BOW KNOTS:

• Roll small pieces of dough into a six-inch strip.  Form into a knot (above).  Let rise until about double in size; bake in 350° oven for 15-20 minutes, or until nicely browned.  These little bow knots are quite 'wicked good' as dinner rolls with some butter.  BUT,  IF desired, you can frost with a powdered sugar frosting like this:

To make PECAN ROLLS:

First, prepare the muffin pan* as follows...

Butter muffin pans well, put 1 scant tablespoon light brown sugar and about 3 pecan halves into the bottom of each 'muffin hole'.

Moisten that sugar slightly with about 1 and 1/2 teaspoonfuls mixture of one half brown syrup (like Karo) and one half water (for six of these, I mixed 2 tablespoons syrup with 2 tablespoons water, etc.). 

• Roll dough into a strip about 14-inches long x 6-8 inches wide. 
• Spread with some melted butter and sprinkle with a little mix of brown sugar/cinnamon.  Starting on long side, roll up, jelly roll style, and cut into two-inch pieces.  
• Put the cut side of the dough down onto the sugar mixture in the muffin cup.
• Let rise until about double in size.
• Bake at 350°  for about 20 minutes, or until nicely browned.

*  I used a regular-sized muffin pan for these-- it might work well to use the 'deeper kind' of muffin pan, also-- especially, if you want more of the muffin to 'stay down inside' as it bakes.

When removed from the oven, carefully lift each roll from the muffin pan, turn it upside down and, with a teaspoon,  immediately spoon the melted caramel-type liquid and toasted pecans onto them, like this.

 This recipe is also excellent for butter horns or Parker House rolls-- or, like I wrote earlier, for whatever variation YOU like to make.

EZ Blueberry Pie (with fresh berry taste)

Sometimes, I want to make a 'quick and easy' pie-- using the frozen blueberries I have from picking at a U-Pick blueberry farm near Clintonville. 

Sometimes, with only one crust, too!  This one works for me...

Needed: 4 cups blueberries, total-- 

Two cups, fresh OR still frozen; two cups, cooked in the 'thickener'...

To start with, bake an 'empty' 9-inch pie crust...

to some, this is known as 'blind baking'.

To keep the empty pie crust from 'buckling up' while baking, I poked some holes in it and then I used a Reynold's Oven Bag with coins in it to 'weight it down' for the first 10 minutes of baking at 400-degrees.  After removing the 'coin bag weight', I let it bake for about five minutes more until lightly browned as shown.  Some bakers take a square of aluminum foil, spray the 'underside' of it with non-stick spray, place it on the crust and then weight it down with beans, rice, etc. for the first 10 minutes of baking.   Either way, you can keep these 'weights' handy for next time.   Like I did, you may have to 'explain' WHY you have a bag of coins in your cupboard.  : )    

Let crust cool thoroughly.

After crust is cooled, put 2 cups fresh blueberries (or, 2 cups 'still frozen' blueberries) into the baked crust and set aside while you prepare the cooked blueberries/sauce...

 Above: Because these blueberries are still frozen, 
they are showing some 'frosty' on them as they're warming up.

In a medium saucepan, combine and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil and is thickened.  Boil at least one minute.  Mixture will be thick:

• 1/2 cup sugar  (one recipe called for 3/4 cup sugar, but I say that's too much)
• 3 tablespoons PLUS 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 more cups of fresh OR frozen blueberries

...

Remove hot mixture from heat and stir in 

• 1 tablespoon butter 
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice.  

Let this hot mixture cool for a while, OR pour the hot thickened berry mixture over the blueberries already in the crust right away, like I did.   See the steam... 

I am guessing that pouring the hot mixture over the blueberries in the crust right away worked very well for me because my first layer of 2 cups blueberries were still frozen, or at least still very cold!  The bottom of the crust did NOT get soggy.

Chill

Some 'squirts/drops' of whipped cream on top, or a scoop of ice cream on the side can't hurt!  : )