Saturday, December 30, 2017

Scandanavian Almond Cake


Scandinavian Almond Cake

Ingredients:



½ cup salted butter, melt and strain through cheese cloth (or coffee filter).  Throw away milk solids and use only clarified part

1-1/4 cups sugar

1 egg

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon almond extract

2/3 cup half-and-half

1-1/4 cups flour

¼ cup sliced almonds (optional)



Directions:



1.      Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2.      Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray and line the long side of the pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.

3.      Mix the sugar with the egg in a bowl.  Beat them together until fluffy.

4.      Add the baking powder and almond extract.  Mix well.

5.      Add the cooled clarified butter to the sugar mix.  Add half of the cream and mix it in.  Add half of the flour and mix it in.  Now add the rest of the cream and mix; then add the rest of the flour and mix thoroughly.

6.      Put the almonds in the bottom of the loaf pan and then pour the batter over it.

7.      Bake the cake for 50-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

8.      Let the loaf pan sit on a wire rack or a cold burner for 15 minutes.  Then loosen the cake from the short sides of the pan with a metal spatula or knife.  Tip the cake out onto a pretty platter, and then remove the parchment paper.

9.      Let cake cool and then dust the top with powdered sugar (optional).


Sunday, October 1, 2017

Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room Blueberry Loaf

I had some blueberries just sitting in my freezer. I had the urge to bake something with them.  I found a recipe for Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room Blueberry Muffins from the Cinnamon & Sugar website. I didn't want to make muffins so I decided to put the whole batter into a 5 x 10 inch loaf pan.  I had to bake it longer, of course, but it was basically perfect.  I also made few changes to the recipe to make it with less gluten and less sugar.  Here is what I came up with.

Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room Blueberry Loaf

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose gluten free flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar (I substituted 1/3 cup plus 1-1/2 tablespoons Truvia)
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
2 cups fresh blueberries (I used frozen)

Topping

1/4 cup sugar (I used sugar in the raw)
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees (I turned oven down to 350 degrees halfway through baking).

2. Generously butter a 5 x 10 inch loaf pan and dust with flour, tapping out excess; set aside. You can also line pan with parchment if you like.

3.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.  Working over the bowl, toss blueberries in a fine sieve with about 1-1/2 teaspoons flour mixture to lightly coat; set aside the flour mixture and the blueberries.

4.  In the bowl of an electric mixer or using a handheld mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

5.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined.

6.  Mix in the vanilla extract.

7.  With the mixer on low speed, add reserved flour mixture, beating until just combined. Add milk, beating until just combined. Do not over mix.

8.  Using a rubber spatula, fold in the blueberries.

9.  Use spatula to put batter evenly into loaf pan. 

10. For topping mix together 1/4 cup sugar and nutmeg.  Sprinkle sugar mixture on top of loaf batter.

11.  Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until loaf is golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 50 minutes.

12.  Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!


Saturday, September 2, 2017

Golden Yellow Beets

This post is my ode to the golden or yellow beet.  I'm not giving you a recipe.  I was scrolling through my Facebook feed a few weeks ago when I saw my cousin had posted a meal she made. I'm not usually one to look at other people's dinners but this one looked interesting.  When I saw her description of it, I knew that I had to taste it for myself.  She described a lemony concoction of chicken, green beans and golden beets.  Well, I had never even heard of golden beets but they sounded like a root vegetable that I needed to try.  I'm so glad that I did.  I even got my 89 year old mother to try them which wasn't easy.  She is very picky.  I made the meal in a very similar way to my cousin's description but instead of chicken thighs, I used chicken breast.  It was fantastic. 

My cousin told me that she didn't have an actual recipe so I basically "winged" it (excuse the pun).  My dish was made in the oven with peeled and sliced golden beets on the bottom of an oiled baking tray, on top of that I put the chicken breast, then I added the green beans.  I had par boiled the beans first.  I poured some olive oil and lemon juice on top.  I also minced up a few garlic cloves and added them to the mix.  I added some spices (just go for the obvious: salt, pepper, Italian basil, oregano, onion, etc.).  I wished that I had added a few onions - white or even Vidalia.  That could have added a little more sweetness to my dinner. 

In any event, my mom and I really loved this meal. We loved it so much that I have been experimenting with Golden Beets and so has she. You have to understand that neither my mom nor I have ever been particularly fond of any type of beet.  In fact, I didn't really know there was any other type of beet than the red, kind of bloody looking beets. That ordinary beet kind of disgusts me. I can't even take the smell of them.  I know, I know, many people love them but I am not one of them.  I have been trying to get away from eating potatoes. As much as I love them, they aren't really as healthy as I would like. I did go low carb for about two years. I wish I had known about yellow beets when I was doing my low carb diet.  In fact, I want to start that again soon. I will be adding yellow or golden beets to my repertoire frequently now that I know and love that ugly root vegetable.  Please try them. You may have to search for them at a grocery store. We had to go to several different stores but if you go to a farmers market or Whole Foods, you shouldn't have any problem finding them. 

Enjoy!


Monday, August 14, 2017

Zucchini Marinara

This is definitely NOT my own personal recipe. It comes from the Proietti's who own a fantastic Italian restaurant in Rochester, NY called Proietti's.  They serve this as an appetizer.  It is fantastic as a side or as an appetizer. Enjoy!

  • Approximately 2 medium zucchini
  • 4 oz. 100% Olive Oil
  • 1 oz. Sweet Basil
  • ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
  • 1 tablespoon Chicken Base
  • 1 tablespoon Sugar
  • 1 28 oz. Can Whole Peeled Tomatoes (drained & smashed)
  • 1 clove Fresh Garlic chopped
Cut ends off zucchini and discard.  Cut zucchini in half lengthwise.  Slice zucchini in pieces approximately 1/4” wide.  In a medium size frying pan, combine all of the ingredients except the tomatoes.  Saute’ on medium high heat until the zucchini starts to soften, approximately 5 to 6 minutes, mixing often.  Add the tomatoes and cook an additional 20 minutes mixing often, being careful not to over cook.  If desired you may skim off any excess oil.  May be eaten hot or warm, as an appetizer, or over your favorite pasta. Serves 4-6

Wednesday, June 14, 2017

Creamy Avocado Lime Salmon


I made this recipe today for my husband and my son.  My son told me this was the best thing I have ever made. My husband was also impressed with this meal. The recipe came to me from a recipe board newsletter. The recipe board is called Delish. I'm telling you that their recipes really are delish!

Creamy Avocado Lime Salmon






·         



Total Time: 0:30

Prep: 0:10

Level: Easy

Serves: 4

Ingredients

For the Salmon

·        4 salmon fillets, skins removed (about 2 lbs. total)
·        2 tbsp. sesame oil
·        1 tbsp. honey
·        2 cloves garlic, minced
·        1/2 tsp. chili powder
·        1/4 tsp. kosher salt
·        1/4 tsp. Freshly ground black pepper
·        1/4 c. sesame seeds

For The Sauce

·        1 avocado, diced
·        Juice of 1 lime
·        2 tbsp. fresh cilantro
·        1 tbsp. Greek yogurt
·        1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
·        kosher salt

Directions

1.     Preheat oven to 375ยบ. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.

2.     Rinse salmon and pat dry, then place on baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine sesame oil, honey, garlic, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Rub salmon with mixture, then spread 1 tablespoon sesame seeds over each fillet.

3.     Bake salmon 15 to 20 minutes, depending on thickness (about 10 minutes per 1" thickness, measured from the thickest part of the fillet). For crispier edges, broil the last 3 minutes.

4.     Meanwhile, make the sauce: Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Taste and add salt as desired.

5.     Remove cooked salmon from oven and serve with avocado sauce.


Sunday, March 19, 2017

Coconut Flour Cake

This is a recipe that I found on the Nourished Kitchen website.  I made a few changes to the recipe to accommodate the tastes of my family and, in some cases, because I did not have a particular ingredient. My changes are in red. The results were excellent. I served this cake to my extended family at a get-together for my son's last day before he returned to college after spring break. It was a resounding success! 

I would suggest reducing the baking time by about 5 minutes because the bottom got a little over-cooked and really stuck to the baking pans. I had to resort to freezing the cakes and, basically, scraping them out of the pans.

Coconut Flour Cake


Prep time:  20 mins
Cook time:  45 mins
Total time:  1 hour 5 mins
Serves: 1 cake, about 8 servings



Dense, moist, and rich with coconut flavor, coconut flour cake is a remarkable treat. While both its texture and flavor is reminiscent of classic yellow cake, it's considerably more nourishing thanks to the nutrient profile of both coconut flour and fresh pastured eggs. We serve coconut flour cake for birthdays and special occasions.

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

  • 12 eggs
  • 2 cups coconut milk
  • up to ¾ cup honey (I used 1/2 cup honey)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract (I used 3 tsp vanilla extract)
  • ½ tsp coconut extract (I did not use this)
  • ½ tsp orange extract (I did not use this)
  • 2 cups coconut flour
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking soda (added by me)
  • 1 Tbsp. Coconut Palm Sugar
  • ¼ tsp unrefined sea salt
  • coconut oil, for greasing the pan

For the Frosting:

  • 2 cups coconut spread (I used 2 cups butter)
  • ½ cup virgin coconut oil
  • up to ⅓ cup honey
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (used 2 tsp vanilla extract)
  • 1 tsp coconut extract (I did not use this)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Beat a dozen eggs, two cups coconut milk and up to three-quarters of a cup of honey together with vanilla, coconut and orange extracts until smooth, creamy and uniform in both color and texture.
  3. Dump two cups coconut flour, a half-teaspoon baking soda and a quarter teaspoon unrefined sea salt into the mixture of eggs, honey and extracts, and continue to beat until a smooth batter forms.
  4. Grease and flour two eight-inch cake tins. (Make sure you grease pans very well.)
  5. Pour, or spoon, the cake batter into the greased and floured tins, shaking them to even out the batter and smoothing it with the back of a spoon or with a rubber spatula.
  6. Bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 35-40 minutes, or until the cake separates from the sides of the tin and a toothpick inserted into the cake's center comes out clean.
  7. Allow the cake to cool completely before removing from the tin and frosting with the coconut frosting below.
  8. Beat all ingredients for the frosting together until thoroughly combined.
  9. Refrigerate the frosting for five to ten minutes so that it stiffens a bit.
  10. Remove from the refrigerator, beat for about one minute.
  11. Frost your cake.

Recipe by Nourished Kitchen at http://nourishedkitchen.com/coconut-flour-cake/

Sunday, January 22, 2017

Spinach Soup

This is a recipe courtesy of Ree Drummond (Pioneer Woman). I found it on the Food Network website. I searched for it because I had made spinach and there was a lot of it left over. I correctly assumed that my guys would eat more Spinach Soup than they would eat of just plain spinach.  This soup is excellent. Try it, you'll like it!

Spinach Soup

2 tbsps. olive oil
10 oz. fresh spinach
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 medium onion, chopped
4 tbsps. (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk
2 tsps. kosher salt, or more to taste
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (original recipe calls for 1/2 tsp. but it was too much for me)
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the spinach and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until the spinach is wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the mixture to a blender or food processor, pour in 1/4 cup hot water and pulse until pureed. Set aside.

In a large soup pot, cook the onions in the butter over medium heat until the onions begin to soften. Sprinkle the flour over the top and stir to combine. Cook for about 2 minutes, then pour in the milk, stirring occasionally. Add the salt, cayenne and some black pepper and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour in the pureed spinach, then cook until thickened, another 3 to 5 minutes.

Check the seasonings, adding more salt, black pepper or cayenne as needed. Serve warm.

Thanks Ree Drummond!


Saturday, January 7, 2017

Slow Cooker Brussels Sprouts

This is a recipe for Brussels sprouts that I made on Christmas Eve. Everyone in the family loved these sprouts except my son. He didn't like the fact that the sprouts were sweet. He really isn't supposed to eat any seeds so I left out the sesame seeds. I will make this recipe when he is not home.

Slow Cooker Brussels Sprouts

2 (12 oz) packages of Brussels sprouts, halved
2 tbsps. honey
2 tbsp. Thai sweet chili sauce
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp. low-sodium teriyaki sauce
1 tbsp. sesame seeds

STEP 1 Set the Brussels sprouts in a large plastic container or resealable bag. Drizzle with honey, close container and shake to coat. Add the Thai sweet chili sauce and shake again. Finally, add apple cider vinegar and teriyaki sauce and shake until Brussels sprouts are completely coated.

STEP 2 Set coated Brussels sprouts in the bowl of a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 3 hours, or until fully cooked. Use a slotted spoon to transfer cooked Brussels sprouts to a mixing bowl, reserving the liquid at the bottom of the slow cooker.

STEP 3 Set reserved cooking liquid in a small sauce pan and reduce over medium high heat, until a thick syrup forms. Stir frequently and take care not to scorch the sauce. When sauce is thickened, drizzle over the cooked Brussels sprouts, toss with sesame seeds, and serve.


Friday, January 6, 2017

Creamy Brussels Sprouts and Cauliflower Soup

This soup is from the December 2016 issue of People Magazine. The recipe was meant to be vegetarian but I used low sodium beef broth because I had it. I also had to add the salt, pepper and other spices because when I used low sodium broth, the soup was very bland. If you use full sodium broth, then leave out the salt. 

Creamy Brussels Sprouts and Cauliflower Soup

1 lb. Brussels sprouts
1 10 oz. bag frozen cauliflower florets
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
½ cup diced white onions
2 cups vegetable/beef/chicken broth
1 cup 2% milk
1-1/2 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
bacon bits to garnish

STEP 1 Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Halve the Brussels sprouts. Arrange sprouts and cauliflower on a large sheet pan and drizzle with the olive oil. Roast for 15 minutes, stirring halfway.

STEP 2 Meanwhile, melt butter in a large sauce pan and sautรฉ diced onion until translucent. Add the broth and spices and then bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.

STEP 3 Transfer one half of the roasted vegetables to the broth and simmer for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Return the remaining vegetables on the baking sheet to the oven to roast for another 5 minutes.

STEP 4 Use an immersion blender to puree the soup. Remove from heat and stir in the milk and remaining roasted vegetables. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Thursday, January 5, 2017

Left Over Ham and Green Bean Soup

We had turkey and ham for Thanksgiving this year and we had some left over. I didn't know what to do with all the green beans that were left over either so I decided to put them all together in a soup and it turned out great!

Left Over Ham & Green Bean Soup


4 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups diced ham
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 carrots, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 bag riced cauliflower
sea salt, to taste
white pepper, to taste

Put everything into slow cooker except cream. Cook for 6-8 hours on low. Add cream just before serving. 

Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Left Over Turkey Soup

I made this soup with the leftover turkey we had after Thanksgiving. I could also be made with chicken but since I had turkey, I used it.  We loved this soup! All ingredients are approximate.

Left Over Turkey Soup

4-5 cups chicken broth (fresh or canned)
3 cups diced turkey or chicken
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
2 carrots, chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
sea salt
white pepper

Place all ingredients into a 6-7 cup slow cooker and cook for 6-8 hours on low.