Alton Brown's Yeast Doughnuts with Glaze

Halloween is so much fun! I think in my mind I have turned it into somewhat of a "Thanksgiving/Feast" holiday, because to me, it is all about the food. :) Our little family has a tradition of homemade chili, doughnuts, and root-beer. This year, I could not find dry-ice anywhere! I went to three different grocery stores hunting for it and no luck. I was pretty bummed, because it is my favorite! But, it did allow me to focus a little more closely on the "homemade doughnuts." I've been looking for a good recipe for a while, and my sister-in-law, Amy from Edible Experiments, just completed a Daring Baker recipe challenge and posted it just in time. I gave this Alton Brown recipe a try and I was delighted with the results. I never would have thought of throwing nutmeg in there! I thought it was a yummy yummy doughnut. It was a tiny bit technical, but worth the TLC!!! Also... I decided I could easily live on the icing/glaze. Whipping Cream and powdered sugar... are you kidding me?! It is so stinking good that I sat there licking my fingers... then licking the bowl... all in front of company. I just couldn't help myself! :)

ALTON BROWN’S YEAST DOUGHNUTS (best doughnuts ever!!!)

These doughnuts are more like the glazed doughnuts you buy at the store. They are so light and fluffy and yummy! They are some of the best doughnuts you will ever eat! Gobble them down fresh! They don’t store very well. If you have to store them, put them in an air tight container. I left mine out on the counter and they got stale really fast. But you can keep the dough in the fridge for up to 4 days before rolling it out and cooking it. This makes 20-25 doughnuts and doughnut holes, depending on size. (I just wanted to say that I made my dough the night before to save time. I wasn't sure what point I was supposed to refrigerate, but I put the unrisen dough in the well-oiled bowl and put plastic wrap over the top and hoped for the best. The next day it had doubled in size perfectly just sitting in the fridge, and it saved me time that day! It worked out really well- I did have to give it a little time to get to room temperature though.)

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 C. milk or buttermilk
• 1/3 C butter
• 4-1/2 tsp. active dry yeast (2 pkgs.)
• 1/3 C. warm water
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1/2 C. white sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. grated/ground nutmeg
• 4-2/3 C. all purpose flour
• Oil for frying

Directions:

1. Place the milk in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat just until warm enough to melt the butter.Or just melt butter in the microwave in a bowl. (Make sure the butter is melted well so that it incorporates well into the batter.) Place the butter in a bowl and pour warmed milk over. Set aside.
2. In another small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and let dissolve for 5 minutes. It should get foamy. After 5 minutes, pour the yeast mixture into the large bowl of a stand mixer and add the milk/butter mixture, first making sure the milk/butter mixture has cooled to lukewarm.
3. Add the eggs, sugar, salt, nutmeg, and half of the flour. Using the paddle attachment of your mixer (if you have one), combine the ingredients on low speed until flour is incorporated and then turn the speed up to medium and beat until well combined.
4. Add the remaining flour, combining on low speed at first, and then increase the speed to medium and beat well.
5. Change to the dough hook attachment of the mixer and beat on medium speed until the dough pulls away from the bowl and becomes smooth, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. If you do not have a dough hook/stand mixer – knead until the dough is smooth and not sticky. (The dough will be very sticky, so resist the urge to add flour. It is supposed to be very sticky!)
6. Transfer to a well-oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size. I found it easiest to pour the dough into the bowl. It is so sticky and difficult to scoop or pick up.
7. On a well-floured surface, roll out dough to 3/8-inch (9 mm)thick. (Make sure the surface really is well-floured otherwise your doughnuts will stick to the counter).
8. Cut out dough using a 2 1/2-inch (65 mm) doughnut cutter or pastry ring or drinking glass and using a 7/8-inch (22 mm) ring for the center whole ( I used the coupler of a decorating tip). Set on floured baking sheet, cover lightly with a tea towel, and let rise for 30 more minutes.
9. Preheat the oil in a deep fryer or Dutch oven to 365 °F/185°C.
10. Gently place the doughnuts into the oil, 3 to 4 at a time. Cook for 1 minute per side or until golden brown (my doughnuts only took about 30 seconds on each side at this temperature). You will know if the oil is too hot if it burns the outside, but leaves the inside doughy. It is too cold if the dough absorbs a lot of oil and comes out extremely greasy.
11. Transfer to a cooling rack placed in baking pan. Allow to cool for 15 to 20 minutes prior to glazing, if desired. Use the same glaze as on the pumpkin doughnut recipe above. They are also tasty dipped in sugar or with any other kinds or frosting and fillings. Get creative!!!

Powdered Sugar Glaze:

• 2 C. powdered sugar
• 4 TBSP whipping cream + more if needed

To make the glaze (can be made up to 3 hours ahead):

1. Whisk powdered sugar and 4 tablespoons whipping cream to blend. Whisk in additional cream, 1 teaspoon at a time, to form medium thick glaze.
2. Add doughnut holes to bowl of spiced sugar and toss to coat.
3. Spread doughnuts on 1 side with powdered sugar glaze.
4. Arrange doughnuts, glazed side up, on racks. Let stand until glaze sets, at least 30 minutes.
5. For a yummy variation, sprinkle some cinnamon and nutmeg into the glaze like I did in this recipe.

Pumpkin Butterscotch Cookies

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!! I had to post something pumpkin-ee for the occasion! (I have so many festive fun ones coming... just a little late. :) If you thought your typical pumpkin cookie was something special, wait til you throw in some butterscotch! When I saw this one, I new I had to give it a try, and these are the kind of cookies you can just mindlessly pop because they are so good, and before you know it, you've wiped out the plate! (Yeeeeesss... I'm speaking from experience.) I found this on Annie's Eats, who got it from Joy the Baker - both stocked with great recipe.

Pumpkin Butterscotch Cookies Printer-Friendly Version
Yield: about 2 dozen cookies
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
½ cup vegetable or canola oil
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat the oven to 325° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. In a small bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; whisk to blend. In a the bowl of an electric mixer combine the eggs and sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until smooth and light in color, about 1 minute. Blend in the oil, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract until well combined. With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Gently fold in the butterscotch chips with a spatula.
Drop mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheets (I used a medium-sized dough scoop), spacing them a few inches apart. Bake, rotating the sheets halfway through baking, until the tops feel set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry, about 14-16 minutes. Allow to cool on the baking sheets 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Caramel Apples with Strudel Topping

I've decided that a caramel apple is probably one of the happiest things on earth... I just want to know who came up with this heavenly combination. They just go together like Adam and Eve!!! (Can you tell I'm thinking apples?) Anyway... we had such a fun Relief Society activity at my church were Sis. Gomez shared her secret recipe and tips with a bunch of other gals. It was so fun to hear it from a pro! I'm am so excited to try this again on my own- candy just requires a lot of time, patience, and love... and sometimes I just don't have all three to give, so I'll have to pick the right day to give this another shot. :) I think they make such cute gifts though- who wouldn't love one wrapped in cellophane? She was saying they have done white chocolate and crushed pepper-mint for Christmas. I thought that was a fun idea. Anyway- just the perfect fall treat while all your apples are just a little cheaper. Mmmmm... you are going to love this! that strudel topping is amazing by the way!

Caramel Apples

• Use fresh, crisp, slightly tart apples (like fugi, honey crisp, or jonagold). I find Granny Smith a little too tart, but whatever your favorite apple is will work fine.
• Wash apples--wipe dry to remove waxy coating (if buying from the store.)
• Insert sticks--can use whatever you have on hand.
• Make your own caramel--it's a lot easier than unwrapping all those little squares!
  

Caramel
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cup dark Karo Syrup (corn syrup)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup butter (use the real thing)
2 cups cream

Put sugar, butter, karo syrup, and 1 cup of the cream into a large heavy pan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir to help dissolve the sugar. Once it starts to boil add the 2nd cup of cream slowly. Stir often. The caramel can be cooked to many different stages. For apples you need to cool to a medium ball stage, otherwise it will just slide off the apple. An approximate time is around 20-30 minutes. I check the caramel with cold water to determine the hardness. Once cooled, turn heat off and add your vanilla. This also makes a delicious caramel dip if cooled top a soft ball stage.

• Fill a small bowl or plate with just a little sugar.
• Now dip those apples into the delicious caramel. (Hold the stick and just roll until covered.)
• Dip the bottom (the non-stick end) in the sugar bowl, just a little and set it on a piece of wax paper so it won't stick.
  
• Decorate with melted chocolate, chopped nuts, mini m&m's or whatever your heart desires. My family love white chocolate with a strudel topping sprinkled on the apples.
  

Strudel Topping
1/3 brown sugar
2 T butter
3 T whole wheat flour (can use white)
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Cut butter into the sugar, flour and cinnamon. Spread on cookie sheet at bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Once cool, crumble into small pieces.

Enchilada Pie

I came across this recipe a while back, and for some reason I just never got around to making it, so I'm really glad I stumbled across it twice because this makes a great healthy meal that feeds a big crew. (Not to mention, it is quite delicious.) I like that is holds so many veggies, but you don't feel like that is all you are eating. This is a great one!

Enchilada Pie (Women's Day Magazine)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped green or red pepper
1 lb lean ground turkey
2 tsp ground cumin
1 can (14-1⁄2 or 15 oz) diced tomatoes with garlic and onion
1⁄2 cup enchilada sauce
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chiles
1 cup frozen corn kernels
3⁄4 cup canned sliced black olives
Four 6- to 8-in. corn or flour tortillas
1 bag (8 oz) shredded light 4-cheese Mexican blend
Toppings: sour cream, and chopped tomato, onion and scallion

1. You’ll need a round 3-qt glass baking dish (casserole).2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add pepper; sauté 3 to 4 minutes. Add turkey; cook, breaking up chunks, 5 minutes or until no longer pink. Stir in cumin, tomatoes, enchilada sauce and chiles.3. Bring to a simmer and cook 10 minutes to develop flavors. Off heat, stir in corn and olives.4. Heat oven to 350°F.5. To assemble: Line bottom of baking dish with 2 tortillas. Top with 1⁄2 the meat mixture, then about 1⁄3 the cheese. Top with a tortilla, the remaining meat filling, 1⁄2 the remaining cheese, then remaining tortilla. Cover with foil.6. Bake 30 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake 10 minutes or until filing bubbles. Cool 5 to 10 min. before cutting in wedges. Serve with toppings.

Spinach-Stuffed Chicken Pockets

Man- I hope I am not too late for your Sunday dinner... if I am, put this one on next weeks menu! My sweet older sis, Jessica just sent me this recipe and picture. It sounds wonderful and I'm definitely going to give it a try! Here is what she had to say about (I have to post it because I think she is so funny and such a good writer:

"As you know, I am a faithful follower of your blog, and I love to get new ideas from you. The other night I made a dinner that was quite delicious. As you may have guessed, this caused quite a stir in my house, being somewhat of a rarity, so I felt inspired to take an actual photograph of my masterpiece. I humbly now submit it to you as a dinner that we all enjoyed immensely, raved over, and will probably never eat again, as I cannot seem to make the same thing twice. Except for spaghetti, which I can never get enough of and always make well, or so my friends tell me." :)

Spinach-Stuffed Chicken Pockets (From Jessica King)
(to give credit where credit is due, this started out as a recipe in Taste of Home's Simple & Delicious August/September 2010 issue, but I changed a few things, as I am wont to do)
2 cups fresh baby spinach
5-10 slices monterey jack cheese (it's what we had on hand--you could probably use mozzarella)
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
4-6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 eggs, beaten
pepper
garlic powder
kosher salt

Cut a pocket in the thickest part of each chicken breast; fill with a few leaves of spinach and a slice or two of cheese; sprinkle with kosher salt. Secure with toothpicks.
Place eggs in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, combine the pepper, garlic powder, and bread crumbs. Dip chicken in egg, then coat with bread crumb mixture.
Coat a large skillet with olive oil cooking spray. Over medium heat, cook chicken in remaining oil for 6-8 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 170 degrees. Discard toothpicks before serving.

Gyoza Japanese Potstickers

I made gyoza a while back with a lot of help from my friend Jill. I thought I would see if it was something I could actually do on my own and I wanted to experiment with a different recipe. I added quite a bit more cabbage and some grated carrot as well. It seemed like a good mix. I like gyoza because you steam them rather then deep fry them. They were quite tasty, but let me tell you... it was a labor of love. These guys take FOREVER to make. I'm am used to throwing a meal together pretty quick, but this was a ton of scooping and sticking together, and simmering, etc. It was a bit tedious, but it was worth it, because Doug came home THRILLED and couldn't stop popping them into his mouth. He thought they were perfect, so I guess all that hard work paid off. :) Sorry Doug, but it is going to be quite a while until I make these little beauties again, but they were delicious while they lasted... which wasn't very long, unfortunately. :)

Gyoza Japanese Potstickers (About.com)

• 1/3 cup chopped cabbage (boiled)
• 2 Tbsp chopped green onion
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tsps soy sauce
  
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 20 gyoza wrappers
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• *For dipping sauce
• soy sauce, rice vinegar, hot pepper oil

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients other than oil in a bowl and mix well by hands. Place a teaspoonful of filling in a gyoza wrapper and put water along the edge of the wrapper by fingers. Make a semicircle, gathering the front side of the wrapper and sealing the top. Heat oil in a frying pan. Put gyoza in the pan and fry on high heat until the bottoms become brown. Turn down the heat to low. Add 1/4 cup water in the pan. Cover the pan and steam the gyoza on low heat until the water is gone. Serve gyoza with dipping sauce on the side. For the dipping sauce, mix a 1:2 ratio of soy sauce to rice vinegar and add some hot pepper oil if you would like.

Festive Halloween Cupcakes

I am certainly no fancy cupcake decorator, but I threw these together for my daughter's birthday party. It always amazes me how just throwing something simple on top can make it seem that much more special. :) Wishing you are happy SPOOKY Halloween! :)

Baked Tilapia

This was a great quick and easy fish recipe that turned out to be pretty tasty. A great weeknight meal! We love to throw in some homemade french fries too, so that we can say with a British accent that we are having "Fish and Chips." :)

Baked Tilapia (Taste of Home)
3/4 cup soft bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
4 tilapia fillets (5 ounces each)

In a shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs, cheese, garlic salt and oregano. Coat fillets in crumb mixture. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
Bake at 425° for 8-12 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Yield: 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 fillet equals 143 calories, 2 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 72 mg cholesterol, 356 mg sodium, 2 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 28 g protein. Diabetic Exchange: 4 very lean meat.

Play Dough Recipe

I know this is random to post on a food blog, but this is my favorite recipe for awesome homemade play-dough that is fairly fool-proof and it's just like the store bought stuff! I love making a big batch- it keeps the kids busy for hours! (As long as I can keep my youngest from eating it. :) He did pretty well, but he definitely made a couple attempts.)

Play Dough Recipe: (From mommyfootprints.com)

1 cup white flour
1/2 cup salt
2 tablespoon cream of tartar (find it in the spice section)
1 tablespoon oil
1 cup water
food coloring

*This recipe says to mix the food coloring after, but I would suggest doing what I did, and I adding it to the water beforehand. It incorporates much better. Mix first 4 ingredients in a pan. Add water and mix well. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 3 – 5 minutes. Dough will become difficult to stir and form a “clump”. Remove from stove and knead for 5 minutes–add food coloring during kneading process. Play dough will keep for a long time stored in a covered plastic container or plastic sandwich bag.

This amount of play dough this recipe produced was perfect. Each of my 4 kids received a huge clump of play dough, so there was lots to share. Also, a great tip with Fall around the corner – add cinnamon to the dry ingredients (as much as you want until you get the right scent). It produces a magical smell that transports you to a world of pumpkin patches, colored leaves, and windy days.

Multigrain Pancakes

Not only are pancakes delicious, but they are cheap! I found this one in the August edition of allyou.com magazine. They throw all kinds of fun stuff into these pancakes- a little labor intensive for me in the mornings. I like really basic pancake recipes, but the taste and the texture made up for it. They were great. I also just went ahead and made it 1 cup of whole wheat flour- why go to the trouble of measuring out that 1/4 cup? We like to top ours with a blended up can of pears. Good pancakes! You will like.

Multigrain Pancakes (myrecipes.com)
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 3 minutes
Yield: About 12 pancakes (serving size: 3 pancakes)
Cost per Serving: $.48

3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
2 tablespoons cornmeal
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 200ºF. In a bowl, whisk together both flours, oats, cornmeal, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, whisk milk, yogurt, butter, egg and vanilla. Stir milk mixture into flour mixture until just combined.
2. Preheat a large skillet or griddle; mist with cooking spray. Pour batter 1/4 cup at a time, spreading gently. Cook until bubbles form on tops of pancakes and bottoms are light golden, about 2 minutes. Flip pancakes and cook until light golden and cooked through, 1 minute longer. Keep pancakes warm on a plate in oven while cooking remaining flapjacks.

Buttermilk Brownies

Do you sometimes wonder if all I do is make brownies? I feel like I have ten different brownie recipes. I was feeling like throwing buttermilk into something, and brownies just seemed like the right thing. This made a really yummy concoction; however, it wasn't the "brownie" texture and taste that I was looking for. It was more like cake. I like a thick, gooey brownie, and I am still kind of looking- even though I've made a million... I'm still open to that perfect recipe. :) I think Jenster's Brownies are still my favorite so far. I did like the flavor of these though- not bad at all. Chocolate is chocolate. :)

Buttermilk Brownies (Cook.com)

1 c. water
1 c. butter
1/2 c. cocoa
2 c. sifted flour
2 c. sugar
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 slightly beaten eggs
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
Frosting

In saucepan, combine butter, cocoa and 1 cup water; bring to boil; stir constantly. Remove from heat.

In large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, soda, and salt; stir in eggs, buttermilk and vanilla. Add cocoa mixture; mix until blended. Pour into greased 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1 inch baking pan. Spread evenly. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

FROSTING FOR BROWNIES:

Mix 1/4 cup butter, 3 tablespoons cocoa and 3 tablespoons buttermilk. Cook and stir until boiling; remove from heat. Beat in 2 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup chopped pecans and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Spread evenly over brownies.

Stuffed Zucchini Boats

I wasn't sure how this one was going to turn out, but I was gratefully happy with the results. I based this recipe off of one I found on cooks.com but I added a few things and it was pretty good.

Stuffed Zucchini Boats
4 zucchini squash (approx. 7 inches long) (I had one huge zucchini, so that is what I used.)
1 lb. ground turkey
1 med. onion, finely chopped
1-2 grated carrots
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. basil
1/4 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup bread crumb
1 cup mozzarella or Monterrey Jack cheese

Cut squash in half lengthwise. With small melon baller, start about 1/2 inch from end and scoop out middle of squash, making sure not to take out too much.
Brown meat, onion carrot, and garlic in Teflon pan until no longer pink. Drain, add basil, oregano and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in bread crumbs. Fill up boats with meat mixture and arrange in glass baking dish. Top with cheese. Tent foil over the top and bake at 325 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes, or until squash is tender.

Harvest Tortellini Soup

This soup is so easy to make and tastes so delicious! I've made a similar soup before, (this is a lot like the Garden Minestrone Soup) but I thought it would be fun to try a few different veggies and throw in some tortellini. This is my favorite soup to make when I have produce in the fridge that needs to be used up- you can throw just about any vegetable in there and it tastes great! It is perfect for this time of year with all the fresh produce from the garden!

Lyd's Tip: Soup is a great meal when you are in a hurry. You can just throw things in a pot and pretty much heat and simmer, so why add time to your schedule cooking meat? Save yourself several minutes or more by just using left-over meat you might have on hand. For example, I had just a little left over from the South Carolina Pork Sliders, and it added a yummy flavor, and all I had to do was throw it in. Maybe a little bit of your Sunday roast left over, or cooked chicken from the night before. You can cook up just a bit of hamburger too, but it's a good way to save time. You can also be brave and go meatless, and it will still be delicious.

Harvest Tortellini Soup (By Lyd)
Meat (Refer to Lyd's Tip above.)
1-2 bell peppers, chopped
3-4 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 cups chopped zucchini
1 cup chopped broccoli or cauliflower
1 (14-15 oz.) can stewed or diced tomatoes
3-4 cups water
3-4 tsp bullion (you could always use beef broth instead)
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp basil (I like to throw in fresh basil if I have it)
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1-2 cups dried tortellini
Parmesan cheese

In about 1 cup of water, add vegetable and let them simmer on medium heat until they get tender, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining ingredients and continue to simmer on medium low and stir until tortellini is soft and flavors are absorbed, adding more water and bullion if needed. Serve warm with grated Parmesan cheese on top.

Microwave Fudge Pudding Cake (Crazy... I know!)

I got this recipe from one of my sister-in-laws cook books. I believe it was a Betty Crocker Dessert cookbook. This is kind of a funky recipe because you microwave it, and it has kind of a different texture, but it is still pretty good. My neighbor gave me some raw chocolate nibs that I ground up and used in this as well. It was kind of fun to try them out, but I think the amount of sugar in this one canceled out any good the "raw chocolate" might be doing. :) Still, fun to try! It is pretty easy because all the magic quite literally happens in one dish- who doesn't like that?

Microwave Fudge Pudding Cake (Better Crocker)
1 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 T baking cocoa
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
2 T oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 3/4 cups boiling water

1. Mix flour, sugar, 2 T cocoa, the baking powder, and salt in 2 quart microwavable casserole dish.
2. Stir in milk, oil, vanilla. Stir in nuts. Spread evenly in casserole. Mix brown sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa; sprinkle over batter. Pour boiling water over batter.
3. Microwave uncovered on medium (50%) 9 minutes; rotate casserole 1/2 turn. Microwave uncovered on high 5 to6 minutes or until top is almost dry. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

Crab Cakes... Wanna Be Crab Cakes

My problems all started with imitation crab meat... and ended with imitation crab meat. I have used it in other things- hey it is cheap and it is still fish, but in this particular dish, it took on a whole rubbery texture and these "cakes" did not hold together like cakes at all. Needless to say, I was a bit disappointed, because I have been wanting to try out crab cakes for some time-- but I guess... no, now I know, that is cannot be a crab cake without the REAL crab. HOWEVER, that being said, the flavor was wonderful, and I could tell this would have been a hit, had I not tried to cut corners. I didn't even make the sauce because I was so sad... so if you've got a hankering for real crab cakes, tell me how it goes. :)

Crab Cakes with Spicy Remoulade (From Cooking Light May 2010)
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 crab cakes and 1 1/2 tablespoons rémoulade)

Crab cakes:
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 tablespoons canola-based mayonnaise (such as Spectrum brand)
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 large egg
1/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 pound lump crabmeat, drained and shell pieces removed
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided

Remoulade:
1/4 cup canola-based mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chopped shallots
1 1/2 tablespoons capers, drained and chopped
2 teaspoons Creole mustard
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1. To prepare crab cakes, combine first 8 ingredients. Add panko and crab, tossing gently to combine. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.
2. Fill a 1/3-cup dry measuring cup with crab mixture. Invert onto work surface; gently pat into a 3/4-inch-thick patty. Repeat procedure with remaining crab mixture, forming 8 cakes.
3. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 crab cakes to pan; cook 4 minutes or until bottoms are golden. Carefully turn cakes; cook 4 minutes or until bottoms are golden and crab cakes are thoroughly heated. Remove cakes from pan; keep warm. Wipe pan dry with paper towels. Heat remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in pan. Repeat procedure with remaining 4 crab cakes.
4. To prepare rémoulade, combine 1/4 cup mayonnaise and remaining ingredients in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Serve with crab cakes.

Garden Tomato Pizza Pie

I was in the middle of making home-made bread and canning tomatoes, when I got the brillant idea to combine the two for our lunch. I had just a little bit of exta dough, and I decided that a hearty whole wheat crust makes a happy match with garden fresh tomatoes! The only thing that would have maybe bumped this up a notch is maybe a bit of bacon. Mmmmm... this is a good one!

Garden Tomato Pizza Pie (By Lyd)
about 1 cup uncooked whole wheat bread dough
1-2 fresh ripe tomatoes, sliced
1/2 cup grated mozzarella or monetary jack cheese
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pizza seasoning
a pinch of basil, oregano, and Italian seasoning (if desired)

Spread the bread dough by hand on a greased pie pan. Bake for about 10 minutes. Pull the dough out and spread with tomatoes. Sprinkle salt, cheese and seasonings over top. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes. Slice, and eat warm!

French Dip Sandwiches

My husband rarely makes food requests, so when he does, I listen. He humbly asked if we might soon have French Dip Sandwiches. I had forgot about those tasty french dips! So I quickly supplied myself with the necessaries, and got to work. I thought Rachel Ray created a nice Au Jus recipe! It was delicious- I even ate the green onions. :) I used whole wheat hoggie buns and the roast beef at the deli was even on sale! This meal was just meant to be, so thanks for the reminder Doug! :)

French Dip Sandwiches (Rachel Ray, Foodnetwork)
2 tablespoons butter
1 shallot, chopped (I used green onions.)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 jigger dry sherry, optional
2 cans beef consomme, found on broth and soups aisle or beef broth
1 1/2 pounds deli sliced roast beef
Grill seasoning blend for steak, such as Montreal Steak Seasoning Blend, or, coarse salt and pepper
4 torpedo sandwich rolls, split (Or whole wheat hoggie buns)

In a large, shallow skillet over moderate heat, melt butter. Add shallots to butter and saute 2 minutes. Add flour to butter and shallot and cook a minute longer. Whisk in sherry and cook liquid out. Whisk in consomme in a slow stream. Bring sauce to a bubble and allow to simmer over low heat until ready to serve sandwiches.
Pile meat loosely across your cutting board or a large work surface. Season meat with grill seasoning or salt and black pepper. Set out 4 ramekins or small soup cups for dipping sauce, 4 dinner plates and 4 split torpedo rolls. To assemble, using a pair of kitchen tongs, dip meat into loose au jus sauce and pile into rolls. Set ramekins or cups with extra dipping sauce along side the sandwiches.

Curried Chicken Salad with Blackberries

Blackberries, I'm not finished with you! I had to throw them in one last thing before they went out of season. Doug LOVED this salad- it has a really strong taste and a lot of different flavors going on. It was not my cup of tea, so to speak. I guess I am a little too traditional sometimes- I have always preferred the "original" flavor... like with chips, or drinks, or what not. It is hard for me to branch out, but maybe it will be easier for you. You might just love this one like Doug. It was really pretty- I went nuts over the beautiful rusty color as you mix the curry and the mango chutney (which I didn't actually have- but now I can't remember what I cleverly substituted, and that might have been the problem. Hmmm.) It was the most beautiful color!

Curried Chicken Salad with Blackberries (Family Circle)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons mango chutney
1 tablespoons lemon juice
1-1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup raisins
1 celery rib, chopped
1 scallion, chopped
1-1/2 cups blackberries
1/2 cup roasted salted cashews

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes per side or until internal temperature registers 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Cool and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. 2. In large bowl, combine remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, mayonnaise, mango chutney, lemon juice, curry powder and ginger. Stir in chicken, raisins, celery and scallion. Gently stir in berries. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Just before serving, sprinkle with cashews.

Easy (or Complicated) Tortellini Toss: You tell me.

A friend gave me a Pampered Chef catalog- I love looking through and wishing and wishing and wishing. They have a lot of awesome stuff for the kitchen... I just can't afford it. And then they'll say, "Oh of course you can, all you have to do is host a party, etc." Now I'm really not complaining (except maybe that I wish I had the funds) and I'm not trying to offend anyone. Let me tell you, I would ten times rather participate in or host a FOOD related party over candles, jewelry, or any other doo-dahs. Anyway, I'm done with my little "shpill" and all I was saying, was that I found this recipe in the catalog. I think they call this recipe "easy" because they use a microwave, but in my humble opinion, I really like the idea and food combination, but I would have left the microwave out of it. I think these instructions are ridiculous- not easy... 4-5 minutes here and whisk every 60 seconds there. And I think doing this in the microwave rather then a stove top complicates something that could have been quite simple. Making a white sauce over the stove is pretty simple. Making a white sauce in the microwave: complicated. Just shooting that out there for what it's worth. I also think the microwave gave this kind of a rubbery texture, but still a good idea- great ingredient combo. Try it out and tell me what you think. Or try it out the RIGHT WAY and tell me what you think. :) And sorry to sound to raunchy today. I really am happy- food does that to me... even when it isn't perfect.

Easy Tortellini Toss (The Pampered Chef)
3 tbsp butter, melted
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 cup 2% milk
2 1/2 oz Parmesan cheese, grated (about 2/3 cup)
1 (8 oz) slice deli ham (1/2 in. thick)
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1 bag (16 oz) frozen cheese-filled tortellini
1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth
6 cups loosely packed fresh baby spinach leaves

1. Combine butter and flour in Classic Batter Bowl; whisk until smooth. Add pressed garlic and milk to butter mixture; whisk well. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 3-4 minutes or until thickened, stirring every 60 seconds. Add cheese; whisk until smooth. Dice ham using Chef's Knife. Add ham and black pepper to batter bowl. Mix well using Small Mix ‘N Scraper®; set aside.
2. Combine tortellini and broth in Deep Covered Baker. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 12-15 minutes or until tortellini are tender, stirring every 4-5 minutes. Add cheese sauce to baker; mix well. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Stir in spinach; cover and let stand 2-3 minutes or until spinach is wilted.

Yield: 6 servings

Nutrients per serving: (about 1 cup): Calories 330, Total Fat 14 g, Saturated Fat 8 g, Cholesterol 55 mg, Carbohydrate 33 g, Protein 21 g, Sodium 1280 mg, Fiber 4 g

Luscious Four-Layer Pumpkin Cake

Yes... is it beautiful. Yes... that is a yummy cream filling. Yes... that is caramel drizzling down the sides and pooling at the bottom. And Yes... it was so incredibly delicious! "Wow- this is Thanksgiving worthy!" were my husbands first words as he bit into this AMAZING cake, and he was absolutely right! Would you believe that I won this beauty at a Ward Dessert Auction! (We bid with points instead of money.) It was the first dessert auctioned and I got a SCREAMIN' DEAL (people are always a little gun-shy at the beginning of auctions) and let me tell you that I was screamin' by the time I cut a slice and took a bite. This cake looks beautiful and it tastes even better! A big winner. If you click on the Kraftfood's link, there is even a video tutorial on how to make it. My friend Jen (who made this beauty) said it is super easy... but then isn't that what every professional says? She did an amazing job and somehow, by eating her cake, I just feel like we are best friends. Anyone who makes cake like this is a very good person in my book. :)

Luscious Four-Layer Pumpkin Cake (Kraftfoods.com)
1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin, divided
1/2 cup Milk
1/3 cup Oil
4 Eggs
1-1/2 tsp. Pumpkin pie spice, divided
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup Powdered sugar
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed
1/4 cup Caramel ice cream topping
1/4 cup chopped PLANTERS Pecans

HEAT oven to 350°F.
BEAT cake mix, 1 cup pumpkin, milk, oil, eggs and 1 tsp. spice in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round pans.
BAKE 28 to 30 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely.
BEAT cream cheese in medium bowl with mixer until creamy. Add sugar, remaining pumpkin and spice; mix well. Gently stir in COOL WHIP. Cut each cake layer horizontally in half with serrated knife; stack on serving plate, spreading cream cheese filling between layers. (Do not frost top layer.) Drizzle with caramel topping just before serving; top with nuts. Refrigerate leftovers.

Kraft Kitchens Tips
Size-Wise
Celebrate and enjoy a serving of this indulgent cake on a special occasion.

How to Slice and Stack Cake Layers
Place 1 of the cooled cake layers on serving plate. Make 2-inch horizontal cut around side of cake, using long serrated knife. Cut all the way through cake layer to make 2 layers. Remove top layer by sliding it onto 9-inch round cardboard circle. Frost cake layer on plate with 1/3 of the COOL WHIP mixture. Slide top half of split cake layer from cardboard circle onto frosted layer on plate. Place the remaining unsplit cake layer on a cutting board. Cut into 2 layers as done for the first layer. Repeat process of transferring cake layers to stacked cake layers on plate using the cardboard circle.

Substitute
Omit caramel sauce. Microwave 10 KRAFT Caramels and 1 Tbsp. milk in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until caramels begin to melt. Stir until caramels are completely melted. Drizzle over cake just before serving; top with nuts.

Healthy Raisin and Nut Truffle Ball

My friend Melissa brought over this healthy snack for me to sample. I just have to tell you that this one is brilliant! It is so easy to prepare and it is totally "craving" satisfying. If you have a food processor, you are so stinkin' lucky! I had to use my blender, and it still worked, but it was a little harder. Melissa also made a raw chocolate and coconut one that was amazing- I need to get the recipe. This one is supper simple though- you've got to try it! It is surprising how yummy it is! My kids really liked them, and they thought it was dessert. :)

Healthy Raisin and Nut Truffle Balls (From Melissa Rauch)
1 cup nuts (walnuts or pecans work best because they are a bit more moist)
1 cup raisins (I used dried cranberries because I didn't have raisins at the time and it was really yummy and worked great. I bet you could really get creative with dried fruit!)
1 tsp vanilla (or less)

That is seriously it! You just put it in a food processor (or blender with a lot of love) until it mixes really well, then you just form little balls with your fist-- very rough little balls if you are like me. Notice Melissa's lovely, perfectly spherical balls at the top. :) Hey- they taste the same either way! :) I froze mine and whenever I need a little snack I pull them out.

Lemony Garlic Chicken Thighs

I was just going to use regular chicken breasts for this, but I was pleasantly surprised surprised how easy it is to pull the skins off chicken thighs. (That phrase probably doesn't belong in the same sentence with chicken skin, but whatever. :) They provide a flavorful meat that is pretty simple to prepare. (Not to mention they are pretty inexpensive- you can usually get them for around a dollar a pound.) I was skeptical about how they would work in a slow-cooker, but again I was "pleasantly surprised" that they held together nicely and this yummy blend of ingredients lent itself to a wonderful flavor and a delicious meal! It still sounds really good, but I didn't do the baby spinach and pasta- I didn't have them on hand and I ended up just doing a nice salad and rice with some of the drippings on top.

Slow Cooker Lemony Garlic Chicken Thighs (Family Circle Aug 2010)
8 Skinless Chicken Thigh
6 cloves Garlic Clove
1/3 cup Lemon Juice
1/3 cup Chicken Broth, Reduced Sodium
1 tbsp Cornstarch
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper, Black
2 1/2 cups Baby Spinach
1/2 of package Smart Taste Thin Spaghetti

place chicken thighs in slow cooker, top with smashed garlic cloves. In a small bowl, stir together 1 tbsp lemon zest,juice,and chicken broth, and pour half of it (about 1/3c) into slow cooker. Cover and cook 3 hours on high or 5 hours on low.Remove chicken thighs to a platter, keep warm, and discard the garlic cloves. Into remaining lemon juice mixture (from earlier) stir in cornstarch, salt and pepper. Whisk this into warm slow cooker with chopped packed (into 1 cup) spinach. Cook another 1/2 hr, meanwhile making pasta as directed. I added all things together back in slow cooker and stirred it all up! Enjoy!!

Homemade Oreo Cookies

So what is better then delicious chocolate cookies? Delicious chocolate cookies with vanilla Cream filling. Mmmmm... dangerously good. No really... like I might have a heart-attack any minute. You should not have more then one... or two in one sitting. They freeze really well. :) And the taste really good... every day.

Lyd's Tip: I used the old zip-lock bag piping technique to get the icing on in a good way. The kids had a lot of fun helping. Have your kids flip the cooled cookies over for you, and give them the job of putting them together. They have fun being involved in the yummy action. :)

I used Debra's Double-Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. I think it is just a little better, but I'll post this other one just in case you are interested.

Homemade Oreo Cookies
(Mommy's Kitchen)

Cookie Recipe
1 package devil's food cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 - cup oil
(or butter flavored shortening) Heat oven to 350 degrees. Add oil and eggs to cake mix and blend together. Roll dough into balls (a little larger than a quarter). Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on sheet (until warm). Remove cookies from sheet and place on cooling rack.To assemble the cookies, in a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch, round tip (you can always use a zip lock bag with a round tip or just use a butter knife)add about a tablespoon of filling into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie similar in size on top of the filling. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream.

Vanilla Cream Filling Recipe:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1/4 - cup vegetable shortening
2 - 3 - cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 - teaspoons vanilla extract

Cream butter and shortening together. Add add vanilla extract and confectioner's sugar slowly until you reach your desired consistency.