Pumpkin Cranberry Nut Muffins

This quick bread recipe has a distinct holiday feeling, but I can also envision serving it at a springtime brunch. Days are getting longer and soon we will be eating on patios and porches again. The cranberries in this recipe give the sweet bread a lively tartness that will complement any breakfast entree.

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup white sugar

1 cup of cooked pumpkin

2/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts or whatever you might have on hand

1/2 cup chopped fresh cranberries (You can use the dried version, if it's not the season for fresh.)

2 eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup soft butter

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons vanilla

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 rounded teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

This recipe will make 18 medium sized muffins. Four or five small loaf pans might be an option, too.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes (muffins) or 30 minutes (loaf pans). Test for doneness by pressing on the middle. It should spring back and feel fairly firm.

The more efficient you get, the more you become a limitless reservoir for other people's expectations.

Jim Benson

Nutty Breakfast Bars

These are so quick and easy, that you will want to keep them on hand always. I store mine in the freezer and take one out when I am making coffee in the morning. By the time the coffee is ready, the breakfast bar is ready to eat. If you like to have a "little something" with your first cup of coffee, these are perfect. There is enough substance to keep you going for quite a while, and enough sweetness and flavor to make you glad to get up in the morning.

Hazelnuts or pecans or cashews - 1 heaping cup chopped

Egg whites 4

Oatmeal 2 cups

Melted Butter 1/2 cup

Dates 1 1/2 cups chopped

Ground flax 1 cup

Mix ingredients together and form 2" x 3" bars - about 1/2" thick. 

Bake for 30 minutes at 325° on a baking sheet coated with coconut oil.T

That's it!

Try not to become a person of success, but rather become a person of value. Albert Einstein

Mango Citrus Cake

I'm a big fan of cooking with whatever is around. More particularly, I like to use up whatever Really Needs to be used up Now. One day last week, I found some sliced mango in the refrigerator ( I really thought this would get eaten.) and started on this cake. The result was a fruity, citrus-y cake that resembled a carrot cake or a hummingbird cake. Buttery frosting made it decadently delicious, but it is definitely good enough to be eaten as a coffee cake or a muffin with no frosting at all.

1 cup of sliced mango

Zest of 1 orange

Zest of 2 lemons

Juice of 1 orange

Juice of 2 lemons

1/3 cup brandy

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup soft butter

4 eggs

1 cup coconut flour

2 cups wheat flour - You might need a little more depending on the size of your citrus fruits.

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 sliced bananas for the filling between the layers 

Frosting:

3/4 cup soft butter

3 cups powdered sugar

3 tablespoons buttermilk or heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

A few drops of orange extract

1. Puree your mangoes and mix in all of the other ingredients in order. Stop for a few minutes after you add the coconut flour. Coconut flour takes a few minutes to absorb liquid. 

2. Add the flour, baking powder and soda, and salt and stir until mixed thoroughly.

3. Put into greased muffin tins, two 8 inch cake pans. 

4. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. The middle should be a bit springy before you take it out.

5. Make the frosting while you are cooling the cakes.

6. Frost the top of the bottom layer very lightly; and add banana slices.

7. Add the top layer and frost the top and sides.

8. Invite some friends over!

Everyone is fortunate in one way or another; our task is to identify the ways in which we ourselves are fortunate. Alexander McCall Smith

Crab Stuffed Twice Baked Potatoes

 I was searching my kitchen for something to plump up my twice baked potatoes and struck gold. I opened a can of crab meat, drizzled some fresh lemon juice over it, sprinkled some chili powder on it, and added it to the potato spice mix.  Voila!

1. Slice the leftover baked potatoes in half and scoop out the insides.

2. Set the shells on a baking sheet and put some melted butter into the potatoes - at least a tablespoon per potato.

3. Ad some parsley flakes, bouillon powder, black pepper, ground caraway, and sauted onion and garlic to the potatoes. If you are pressed for time, you could get away with onion and garlic powder.

4. Mix the crab/lemon/chili powder into the potatoes and mix it all together well.

5. Fill each of the potato shells; top with paprika and bake at 350 for about a half hour.

These are so delicious! You might want to try them at a dinner party.


No problem can be solved at the level of consciousness at which it was conceived,
Albert Einstein

Pumpkin Fritters

Pumpkin Fritters 

5 large or six smaller eggs 
2 cups cooked pureed pumpkin 
1/2 cup coconut flour 
1 cup fava, rice or other gluten free flour blend 
2 tablespoons cinnamon 
1/2 teaspoon cloves 
1 teaspoon nutmeg 
1 teaspoon salt 

Your batter should be a bit stiff. Drop into hot coconut oil and flatten a little with the spoon. Fry at medium low and serve with toppings such as butter, fruit, nuts, syrup, powdered sugar, and whipped cream.

Tropical Truffles

Tropical Truffles

1/2 cup macadamia nut butter
Substitute cashew butter if this is too hard to find.
 3/4 cup cocoa powder
 1/2 cup butter
 3/4 cup finely chopped macadamia nuts
 1/3 cup chopped dried pineapple
 1/2 cup chopped dates

Coating
3/4 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup almond meal
1/2 cup finely shredded coconut

1. Let the butter melt in a slow cooker while you chop and assemble all of the other candy ingredients.
2. Stir everything together and drop spoonfuls on waxed paper.
3. When these have cooled, roll them into roundish shapes and roll them in the coating.
4. Refrigerate between sheets of wax paper. Remove them from the refrigerator 10 - 15 minutes before serving.

Days and months are travelers of eternity. So are the years that pass by.  Matsuo Basho

Spicy Party Snack

Roasted Chickpeas or Garbanzo Beans are a great alternative party snack. They are fairly inexpensive to make and quite a bit more nutritious than many snack foods.

Drain the liquid from a can of beans, heat some coconut oil on a baking sheet, and pour the drained beans onto the sheet. Sprinkle with spices, stir just a bit, and bake at 350 for 30 - 40 minutes. Beans should have a crisp coating. If they are not quite crisp, give them a few more minutes. Once they are cooled, you can store them in an airtight container. They are better fresh, though.

They will crisp a little faster if they are not crowded, so it is best to use only one can per one regular size baking sheet. 

Suggested spices:

Salt
Ginger
Turmeric
Cumin
Powdered mustard
Dill weed
Chili powder


Breakthroughs happen when what is suddenly possible meets with what is desperately necessary.
Thomas Friedman

Persimmon Salsa!

Whether you have a persimmon tree or friends with persimmon trees, this is the time of year when they seem to be everywhere. Persimmons recipes are quite commonly breads and pastry items because persimmons have a a sweet jam-like quality. We like salsa at our house and fruit mixes with hot chilies to create a flavor extravaganza. (Mango and pineapple salsas are also on this blog). So the persimmons (I used five) went into the salsa, along with:

Roasted garlic - 3 cloves
Cumin - rounded teaspoon
Salt - rounded teaspoon
Lime juice - one large lime
Crushed tomatoes - 2 1/2 cups
Red pepper flakes - rounded tablespoon
Chili powder - rounded teaspoon
Chipotle chili powder - level teaspoon
Ground coriander - level reaspoon, or cilantro leaves - rounded tablespoon

Persimmons need to be peeled and be sure not to get any seeds into the sauce.
 
Put the tomatoes, persimmon pulp, lime juice and garlic into a blender to make a sauce with an even texture.

Pour the sauce into a glass bowl and add spices to bring it to the level of heat that you like. None of the

The longer the salsa sits, the more heat it will absorb from the chili pepper flakes and powders, so you might want to wait for a while before adding more of those things unless you will not be bothered by a spicy salsa.

 To roast garlic, chop the tops from a few heads, drizzle with olive oil and bake at 325 for about 45 minutes. When the cloves are soft, you can squeeze them out of the skins and put them in a glass jar in the refrigerator to use in salad dressings, hummus, or any sauce you might be making. They will keep for a couple of weeks on the top shelf and add terrific flavor to many dishes.

Edible Bouquet

This isn't cooking in the strictest sense, but you will be welcome at any party with this simple summer recipe.

Put a few colorful items on a wooden skewer and stick them in a pint size canning jar. You can also mix up a vinaigrette for people to drizzle over the skewers when served.

Some items to put on skewers:
Green or black olives
Mozzarella balls
Radish slices
Cherry tomamtoes
Mushrooms
Deli meat - In this picture, chunks of deli turkey were wrapped in lettuce leaves
Bell pepper pieces
Cucumber slices
You could also add fruits such as berries or melon chunks

Vinaigrette:
A couple tablespoons of mustard
A splash of Moscato wine
1/2 cup garlic flavored olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
A rounded teaspoon of dill weed
A pinch of curry powder

Enjoy! The best part of this might be that you won't have to use the oven or the stove.

How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. Annie Dillard

Chocolate Chia Pudding

3/4 cup cocoa powder 

1/2 cup honey or maple syrup or sugar (add more ore less depending on how much sweetness you'd like)

3 cups almond, cashew or coconut milk
I use one can (13.5 oz) of full fat coconut milk and

1 1/4 cups  cashew milk. If you want a dairy dessert, use regular whole milk or a combination of whole milk and cream. 

3/4 cup chia seeds

Mix the cocoa powder, chia seeds and sweetener together.

Heat the milk without bringing it to a boil. You don't have to heat the milk, but a bit of warmth will speed the absorption process. 

Pour the cocoa mixture into the heated milk and stir until all of the ingredients are well mixed.

Let mixture cool slightly. Pour into ramekins and cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. Garnish with fruit, chocolate or whipped cream before serving.

Hearty Fruit and Oat Muffins

This is a tasty muffin with a great texture. I think they bake up better as a mini muffin. One of the best things about them is that they are a good way to use up overripe bananas or other bits of fruit that need to be used right away.

2 1/2 cups oat flakes - either old fashioned or quick

1/2 cup melted butter

3 ripe bananas

1/3 cup Fruit sauce - any kind: fig, berry, apple, apricot

(You could also use 1 banana and 1 cup of fruit sauce or any combination that makes about 1 1/2 cups fruit.)

3/4 cup chopped nuts

3/4 cup chopped, dried cranberries 

1 large or two medium eggs

1 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract

Salt

Spices: 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon each of ginger and nutmeg

2 teaspoons baking powder

Mix all of the ingredients together. Ideally, let the batter sit for an hour or two - especially if you use the old-fashioned oats.

Add the other ingredients, mix, fill mini muffin cups and bake. The recipe will make 24 - 30 mini muffins or 12 regular size muffins

330 degrees for 20 minutes for the mini muffins. The regular size muffins might take 25 minutes.

Love looks you straight in the eye and speaks the truth.  Philip Gulley

Blueberry Custard - Dairy Free version

1 cup fresh blueberries or 1 cup frozen blueberries - thawed and drained
Chopped peaches, strawberries or raspberries are other great options.
2 cups canned, full fat coconut milk (Cashew or other nut milks will work, but coconut has more fat, so it makes a creamier custard.)
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 to 3/4 cup honey - depending on your preference for sweetness

1. Beat eggs.

2. Add milk, vanilla and honey. Add fruit last.

3. Ladle into glass or ceramic custard cups - fill about 3/4 full.

You can use a glass pie plate or baking dish if you don't have custard cups.

4. Place custard cups or glass dish on a cookie sheet filled with water; set oven at 350 degrees.

5. Bake for about 40 minutes or until middle is set - no longer liquid.

6. Chill and serve.

 For the ultra-rich dairy version, click here:
http://foodforthoughtcookbook.blogspot.com/2013/02/blueberry-rum-custard.html

Someone sits in the shade today because someone else planted a tree long ago.
Warren Buffet

Jazzy Stuffed Mushrooms

Holidays are over, but perhaps you have made a resolution to do more entertaining in 2015. Stuffed mushrooms always seem to be popular and these are extra delicious.

20 mushrooms
2 cloves garlic
olive oil for sauteeing
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped, dried fruit
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated cheese

1. Choose large mushrooms and break off the stems. This recipe is for about 20.

2. Chop the stems into small pieces and saute them in olive oil with some minced garlic.

3. Add 1/2cup chopped, dried fruits to the saute mix. Cranberries and pineapple are especially good because of their tanginess, but apricot or golden raisins might work well, too.
5. Put a spoonful of the saute mix in each of the mushrooms and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.

Serve warm. Try not to eat too many and spoil your dinner, but that will be difficult!

Note: You can use gluten free bread crumbs, or you can use almond flour instead of bread crumbs.

The cost of cheap food is way too high.   Unknown

New Year's Treat

For this delicious drink use equal parts:

Coconut milk
Orange juice
Vodka
Sugar or honey*

Put all of the ingredients in a blender at a medium speed for a few seconds. Pour into a glass and garnish with orange or lime rinds. This drink is also delicious over ice.


* You can cut the sweetener in half and it will still be sweet enough for most people.


Too much virtue is just as worrisome as wickedness...
Sue Grafton                                                                       

 

Pumpkin Oat Bread

If you want to make bread, and you know you do, fall is a great time to do it. And this pumpkin oat variety is just as good as it sounds!

1 1/2 tablespoons yeast with 2 tablespoons sugar (any sweetener will work)

Let the yeast mix sit in a warm place and work for about 1/2 hour. When the yeast has grown to at least twice its original size, add the rest of the ingredients.

1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats - grind in

coffee grinder

1/2 cup oats - not ground

1 cup cooked squash or pumplin

1/2 cup flax meal

3 tablespoons molasses

2 eggs (optional)

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 cups water  

3 cups wheat flour

Stir and let sit covered in frig for 12 or more hours.

Knead on a floured pastry cloth, adding enough flour to make the dough smooth; form loaves; let rise until doubled, and then bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Everybody should be free to go slow.      Robert Frost




































 

Zucchini Flatbread

2 cups grated zucchini

2 cups oat flour

1/4 cup plain yogurt (This can be almond or coconut yogurt if you are trying to go dairy free.)

3 or 4 cloves of roasted garlic

1 teaspoon curry powder

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil

1. Sauté zucchini over low heat for 10 or 15 minutes.  Cool, then use a cheese cloth to squeeze out excess water. Use a hand blender to puree the zucchini.

2. Mix all of the ingredients together. The dough should be slightly sticky.

3. Coat 3 baking sheets lightly with olive oil and drop spoonfuls of dough onto them, flattening out the dough with a spatula as you go. Aim for a round disc shape about 1/8 inch thick.

4. Sprinkle the tops with ground sea salt.

5. Bake in a low oven - about 325 - for 15 minutes on each side. You can also cook these on a fry pan on a low heat, but the oven makes the job much easier.

Eat these alone as a snack or use them to dip into soft cheese, guacamole, or baba ganoush. They could also accompany a meal as a bread substitute. 

When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.
Jimi Hendrix

Cheesy Potato Snacks

"Snacks" might be a bit misleading. A couple of these will work for me for lunch or breakfast any day. They are easy to put together, pretty to look at, and most likely a crowd pleaser. They would make a nice hors d'oeurve if it's going to be a while before dinner is served.

Use leftover baked potatoes; cut each one in half and scoop out the middle. (Save this for a breakfast hash.) Leave about 1/4 inch of potato in each skin.

Place the skins on a cookie sheet. Add the following to each potato skin:
1 teaspoon butter
1 chopped fresh basil leaf
2 tablespoons soft herbed cheese or 1 ounce jack cheese

Sprinkle with paprika or turmeric and bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes.

While they are baking, chop some fresh tomato and avocado. Add these as soon as you remove the potatoes from the oven.

There is no such thing as an end unaffected by the means used  to obtain it.
Anne Perry 

Mango Salsa

This one's for Reggie; I hope he likes it.

1 Anaheim or Poblano pepper

3 cloves garlic

3 large tomatoes

2 large or one giant ripe mango

2 red chili peppers

¼ cup pineapple orange guava juice (any fruit juice could be substituted)

Juice of 1 large lime

Few sprigs of fresh cilantro

1. Remove seeds from the Anaheim pepper and dice.  Peel and mince the three cloves of garlic. Put the garlic and green pepper into a frying pan with a small amount of olive oil and sauté until they are both soft. 

2. Cut the tomatoes in half. Remove the seeds; if a few remain, that’s OK.

3. Dice the tomato into small pieces and set aside.

4. Peel and dice the mango and add to the tomato.

5. Chop the cilantro and add to the mango/tomato mixture.

6. Remove the chili/garlic mixture from the heat and let cool for 15 minutes.

7. Add the lime juice, mango/ tomato/cilantro mix and fruit juice to the pepper/garlic mix.

8. Mince the chili peppers as finely as you can and add them to the salsa.

Let the mixture sit a few minutes, or a few hours if you have time, for the chili peppers to be infused into the liquid. Serve as a garnish for fish or rice or use as a dip for tortilla chips.

Do something you love every single day.

Heather McCloskey Beck