Blueberry Streusel Muffins

Batter:

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 egg, beaten

4 tsp baking powder (fresh, not old)

1/2 tsp salt

2 1/3 cup flour

1 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Topping:

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup flour

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup butter, softened

Mix topping and sprinkle over batter in muffin pan.

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a cupcake tin with liners (paper, aluminum or silicone)

Cream butter and sugar in mixer until fluffy.  Add egg, and mix well.  Add baking powder and salt.  Add flour and milk alternately and then vanilla.  Don't over mix.  Add blueberries.

Fill muffin tins 2/3 full so there is room for the topping.

Bake 25-30 minutes.

Allen's Empire Eggs #EmpireEggs

To make empire eggs:

Make Latkes

Make microwave hollondaise sauce

Make poached eggs.

Place poached egg on smoked salmon on latke, and top with hollondaise sauce.  

I like some ground pepper on mine.

Potato Latkes:

Just over 1lb of potatoes-2 large and 1 small or 3 Med-large

1 onion coarsely shredded or finely chopped

2 eggs- lightly beaten

a little flour- 2tsp or so

1/2tsp salt

Preheat oven to 250 with baking tray with wire rack

Shred the potatoes coarsely- long strands are good- directly into cold water with a dash of lemon juice.

Soak for 1-2 minutes then strain- press into strainer to remove liquid.

Add onion.

Place on tea towel and french-roll,then squeeze out as much liquid as you can.

Place back in empty bowl- add salt and eggs and stir with fork.

Heat 1/4cup oil on high heat until hot but not smoking

Reduce to medium-high heat

Place large spoonfuls (2tbsp) of potato mixture into hot oil and press with fork to form 1/4" thick patties

Cook for 3-5 minutes per side until nicely browned

Place on wire rack in oven to keep warm until served.

Hollondaise sauce:

4 egg yolks

1/2c salted butter

1tsp lemon juice

2 pinches of cayenne pepper

Melt butter in microwave

Mix other ingredients, then drizzle butter in

Microwave for 15 seconds, stir, then another 15 seconds.

Poached eggs:

Boil raw egg for exactly 10 seconds.  Once cool enough to crack- put into ramikin. Stir not-quite boiling water to make whirlpool.  Pour egg from ramikin into center of whirlpool from as low as possible, all-at-once

cook for 3 minute then remove with slotted spoon and serve immediately

Pumpkin Pancakes

Pumpkin pancakes are delicious - Mom made them for Bart and me this morning.  We are in Berne for Bart's birthday weekend.  They didn't puff up as much as I would like, so I'm going to increase the baking powder.  We had them with great breakfast sausage on the side, and homemade maple syrup on top.
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
1 Tbls sugar
1 Tbl baking powder
1 1/2 Tbl pumpkin pie spice

Whisk pumpkin and egg until smooth.  Mix dry ingredients, and add to wet ones.  Fry on cast iron skillet or griddle.

The extra pumpkin (if you get it from a can) would make great smoothies.  You could even freeze it in ice cube trays.  Or make pancakes again soon :)

Blueberry Lemon Bread

from Bed & Breakfast Cookbook's Newcastle Inn in Newcastle, ME
6 Tbl butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbl baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 1/2 tbl grated lemon rind
1 tsp lemon juice

Grease and flour a loaf pan.  In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar together.  Add the eggs and mix.  In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Add the milk and sifted ingredients alternately to the creamed mixture.  Stir in the blueberries, lemon rind, and juice.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 50 - 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Makes 1 loaf.

Seneca Griddle Cakes

This recipe is from Applehood and Motherpie, one of my favorite cookbooks.  My notes next to the recipe say: 2/10/94  Bart's first day back to work after Renee's birth and I got breakfast in bed!  "Another Applehood success," said Bart.
9/16/94 - about time we had these again.

1 cup yellow stone ground cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder - make sure it's fresh
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 eggs, separated
2 Tbl melted butter
2 cups buttermlik
 bacon grease

Hint:  Cornmeal requires a longer frying time than wheaten cakes.
1. Sift dry ingredients together.
2. Combine slightly beaten egg yolks, butter, and buttermilk.
3. Beat egg whites until stiff.  Fold egg whites gently into batter so it remains fluffy.
4. Cook pancakes immetiately, in bacon grease on hot griddle, to a rich brown color.
from Pamela W Cheek

Breakfast Casserole

4 cups cubed, day-old bread
2 cups (8 oz) shredded mexican  cheese
10 eggs
4 cups milk
1/2 tsp Adobo
Salt
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 cup diced asparagus
10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup mushroom slices

Butter a 9x13 inch pan.  Arrange the bread cubes in the prepared dish and sprinkle with the cheese.  In a large bowl combine the eggs, milk, dry mustard, salt and Adobo.  Pour the mixture over the cheese and bread.  Sprinkle with asparagus, bacon and mushrooms.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Bake uncovered in a 325 degree oven for 30 minutes.  Remove from the oven, form a tent over the baking dish with foil to prevent burning, and return to the oven for 30 minutes.  Let the casserole cool for 10 minutes before serving.  Cut into squares.  Serves 10.

This would be great to serve at the family reunion in Minnesota.

Chocolate Cinnamon Buns

3/4 cup lukewarm water
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbl yeast

2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups bread flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1/4 cup Canola oil
1 tsp salt
1 egg

1 Tbl butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbl sugar
1/2 cup chopped nuts - pistachios, almonds or pecans

3/4 cup sifted confectioner's sugar
Milk or cream

In a large bowl combine the water and sugar.  Add the yeast.  Let the mixture stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.  Add 1 cup of flour, the cocoa, oil, salt, and egg.  Stir vigorously, about 200 strokes.  Gradually stir in 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups of flour, until a soft dough forms.  Knead the dough in KitchenAide until smooth.  oil and cover.  Let the dough rise in a warm place until very light and almost doubled.
     Grease a 9x13 inch pan.  Punch down the dough and turn out onto a floured surface.  Roll into a 9x12 inch rectangle.  Spread with softened butter.  Sprinkle cinnamon, 1 Tbl of sugar and the nuts over the butter.  Roll the dough jelly-roll fashion, beginning with a long edge.  Pinch the edges together.  Cut into 12 pieces and place the rolls in the greased pan.  Cover and let the rolls rise in a warm dry area until very light and almost doubled.
     Bake the rolls in a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes.  Combine the confectioners'sugar with enough milk or cream to make a spreadable glaze and frost the rolls while still hot.  Makes 12 buns.

Sourdough Buckwheat Pancakes

This is the family recipe from my Grandparents Frances and Hubert Miller.  This was standard fare during the winter months on the farm.  Even when my grandparents retired and went south to Florida for the winter, the sourdough went too, and Bert remembers waking up to the smell of pancakes and cocoa.  Even when they were home for the summer in Berne, different family groups would be invited over for a special pancake breakfast occasionally, and this was a terrific treat.  Grandma always made something pork as well, like sausage, bacon, pork chops or salt pork.  Then she made a pan gravy with milk, and we put that on the pancakes instead of or in addition to syrup.  The most common syrup was made from brown sugar and water - equal parts in a pan, boiled down to about half, or until thick.  There would always be homemade Hershey hot cocoa with marshmallows, grapefruits cut in half and drizzled with syrup, and coffee. Grandma and Grandpa would preheat the plates, which were brown drip stoneware like this:

First Day
1. 1/2 tsp baking soda dissolved in 2 Tbls hot water
2. 1/2 c light buckwheat flour
3. 1 c. buttermilk
4. 1 Tbls yeast

On the first day, with a wooden spoon, mix all the ingredients, including the yeast and let the mixture sit for one hour before refrigerating.
On the second day add the first 3 ingredients, mix with a wooden spoon, and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour..
Do the same on the third day.
On the fourth day add the ingredients and make pancakes.
Save some of the starter every time you make them and keep them going all winter long.

Pancakes

1 egg
1 cup flour
3/4 cup milk
1 Tbl melted butter
1 Tbl vegetable oil
1Tbl sugar
1 Tbl baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Beat egg with hand beater until fluffy; beat in remaining ingredients just until smooth.  For thinner pancakes, stir in additional 1/4 cup milk.  Grease heated griddle if necessary.  To test griddle, sprinkle with a few drops of water.  If bubbles skitter around, heat is just right.
Pour about 3 Tbl batter from tip of large spoon or from pitcher onto hot griddle.  Cook pancakes until puffed and dry around the edges.  Turn and cook other side s until golden brown.  If using self rising flour, omit baking powder and salt.
Applesauce pancakes Decrease milk to 1/2 cup .  Beat in 1/2 cup applesauce and 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon.
Buttermilk pancakes. Substitute buttermilk for the milk.  Decrease baking powder to 1 tsp and and beat in 1/2 tsp baking soda.
Oatmeal pancakes. Substitute 1/2 c oatmeal and 1/2 cup whole wheat flour for the all purpose flour.  Substitute honey for sugar if desired.
Yogurt pancakes. Substitute 1 1/4 c yogurt for milk.  Decrease baking powder to 2 tsp and beat in 1/4 tsp baking soda.

V-8 Juice

http://oldworldgardenfarms.com/2012/08/24/wow-i-could-have-made-my-own-v-8-can-your-own-hot-and-spicy-tomato-juice/ This is where I got this recipe.

Wow – I Could Have Made My Own V-8!” Can Your Own Hot and Spicy Tomato Juice

Aug24by oldworldgarden

An easy way to make some hot and spicy tomato juice to can!

So as the garden season nears the end – are you are left with still more tomatoes and peppers?  Here is a quick and easy recipe to turn those extras into a great tasting hot and spicy tomato juice.
Although regular canned tomato juice is fantastic to use throughout the year – how about turning a few of those canned jars into a hot and spicy tomato juice drink.  Not only is it a great tasting and refreshing drink – but you can use it to liven up homemade chili, make a spicy spaghetti sauce, or use as a great base for a bloody mary.
Here’s How:
( This recipe will make enough to can about 6 quarts of juice )
Start with the following garden fresh ingredients:

Tomato juice is a great way to use up those ripening tomatoes on the vine

40 to 50 medium tomatoes (Use them all up here – Roma, Celebrity, Big Boy and any others you have)
2 onions (sweet yellow or vidalia work best)
2 red peppers
2 green peppers
4 jalapeno peppers
4 cayenne peppers
2 seranno peppers
4 Cajun Belles (optional)
4 cloves of garlic
If you have a food processor – chop up all the above ingredients (seeds and all) into a liquidy pulp and place on low to medium heat and cook down for an hour or so, stirring often to avoid scorching the bottom of the pan. If you don’t have a food processor – no worries – just chop up into small pieces and throw in a large pot and cook down..it may take a little longer – but it works just as well. The important thing is to get the tomato and vegetable mixture soft and cooked down to run it easily through a strainer or food mill.
When the mixture has heated and cooked down – strain it through a food mill into a clean pot to remove all of the skins and seeds.
Now add your spices (add to taste – some like a little more – some a little less)
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 teaspoon of celery salt
1/2 teaspoon of garlic salt
Heat on a low simmering boil for another 30 to 45 minutes.
Simply can up into quart jars, put on your lids and then water bath for 30 minutes. (You can also pressure can it for 12 minutes instead of the water bath)  You are left with some great tasting hot and spicy tomato juice around to enjoy through the winter months!   – Jim and Mary
Shared on Little House In The Suburbs DIY, Funky JunkSaturday Night Special,Homestead Revival Barn Hop and Frugally Sustainable

Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll Dough1 cup warm milk
2 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup butter, melted
4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar
1 package yeast (1/4 ounce) 

Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll Filling
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, softened

Spread for Cinnamon Roll Dough1/4 cup butter, softened

Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll Icing
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt 

Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll Recipe Instructions

Microwave the milk for 45 to 60 seconds. Then, dissolve yeast in warm milk in a large bowl. Add sugar, butter, salt, eggs, and flour. Mix well. Dust your hands lightly with flour and then hand knead the cinnamon roll dough into a large ball.

Put the ball of dough into a bowl that is sprayed with cooking spray.  Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for roughly 1 hour or until dough has doubled in size.  We turned the oven on and then put the cinnamon roll dough on top of the stove.  The heat generated caused the dough to rise.

Once your dough has risen, it’s time to move on to the next step.  In a new, small bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter.  Mix them well.  Spray a flat surface with cooking spray or sprinkled flour.  Roll out your dough ball into a 16″ x 21″ rectangle roughly 1/4 inches thick then spread a 1/4 cup of softened butter on the dough.  Next, sprinkle the rolled, buttered dough evenly with the sugar/cinnamon/butter mixture you prepared in your small bowl.

Roll up the dough starting with the longer side and cut into fourteen (14) cinnamon rolls (or more smaller rolls, if you prefer). Place the cinnamon rolls in a lightly greased 11″ x 15″ glass baking dish. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and let the cinnamon rolls rise until nearly doubled, which should take around 30 minutes.  Note that in our Cinnabon cinnamon roll recipe, we had made two (2) of the fourteen (14) cinnamon rolls consist of the “end” pieces that weren’t as developed or good as the other twelve (12).  

Preheat oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit.  Once your cinnamon rolls have risen, bake them in the preheated oven until golden brown, approximately 18 to 20 minutes (we used a professional General Electric gas-range oven at 20 minutes exactly).  The dough should still be soft, though fully cooked, especially toward the center of the rolls.    

As your cinnamon rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and salt for the Cinnabon cinnamon roll icing.  The icing should be spread on your cinnamon rolls when they are still warm, shortly after being taken out of the oven so that the frosting melts into the cinnamon rolls.  This is reportedly part of the official Cinnabon process according to some of the employees.  

Recipe copied from Joshuakennon.com

Fried potatoes

I make these for breakfast, along with turkey bacon, scrambled eggs and toast or tortillas.
When I make mashed potatoes, I leave tha skin on some, and make enough that I have extras for this. If you want to start from scratch, scrub, quarter, and boil at least 4 thin-skinned potatoes.. Then put them on a ziplock bag in the fridge, where they will be good for 3-4 days.

1/4 onion, chopped into pieces a little smaller than a fingernail.
1 lb or so boiled potatoes, cut into bite- size pieces.  Don't make them too small or they won't stay moist in the middle while crisp on the surface when done.
Olive oil for frying
Adobo seasoning
Black pepper
Parmesan cheese
Fry all together in frying pan over medium high heat until lightly brown and crunchy on the surface.  
These can also be mixed with chopped bacon, green peppers, mushrooms, Colby jack or cheddar cheese, and scrambled eggs for a "Breakfast Dinner."
Serve with fresh fruit or homemade applesauce, and homemade bread toasted or fried, for a great meal.

Banana Muffins With Caramel Frosting

Banana Muffins with Caramel Frosting
I tried this recipe yesterday, when we bought 8 overripe bananas at the store.  I tripled the recipe, but 8 bananas wasn't quite enough, so I used some ripe banana I had stored in the freezer to make up the difference.  Then I froze some of the muffins and 2 mini loaves for later.  I love this recipe, and want to make it again when we have the cider-pressing party in October.  Allen and Anna should be here then, visiting before they go to do charity veterinary work in Delhi, India for 6-12 months.
This recipe is from Taste of Home, 2007 Annual Recipes, and was submitted by Katherine McClelland from Deep Brook, Nova Scotia.  Katherine made them into jumbo muffins, but I don't have a jumbo muffin tin, so I made regular-sized muffins.  Tripling the recipe made 2 dozen muffins and 3 mini-loaves.
1/4 cup shortening (I used butter-flavored Crisco)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 ripe)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt

Caramel Icing:
2 Tbl butter
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tbl milk
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

In electric mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar.  Add egg; beat well.  Add bananas and vanilla; mix well.  Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl, and add to creamed mixture.
Fill paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full.  Bake at 350 degrees for 23 - 28 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
For icing, in a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Stir in brown sugar and milk; bring to a boil.  Cool slightly.  Whisk in confectioners' sugar.  Use small whisk to drizzle over muffins - hold it straight upright, and the caramel will come out in streams.  Recipe calls for putting icing in a ziplock bag, and cutting a small hole in a corner, but I didn't want to wait that long for it to cool.  The small whisk worked very well.  This icing hardened when cool, and would have been harder to drizzle that way.  But it means the icing stayed on top of the muffins, and wasn't too messy later, which I appreciate.  They tasted great without the icing, but with the icing they became good enough to serve to company.  It's a good thing I froze most of them or

Turnovers

These are awesome!  I made them last night for Bart, Irene and Michael.  Michael asked me to make another batch for him to bring home, and for the recipe to share with his mother.  I did, and showed him how I made them, too.

1 pkg refrigerated pie pastry
1 jar preserves - I used blueberry and apricot.  They also suggest peach.  I would love to try rhubarb strawberry preserves in it.
2 Tbl fat free half and half (orig. recipe calls for milk)
original recipe calls for sprinkling cinnamon sugar on cooked turnovers, but I made frosting.
Frosting:
2 cups confectioner's sugar
1/2 tsp lemon flavoring
2-3 Tbl vanilla coffee creamer
Mix sugar and lemon.  Add creamer slowly, until desired consistency is reached.  Keep it thick, but able to drop from a spoon.

Cut each pastry into 4 wedges.  Place preserves in the center of each - orig. recipe calls for 1 Tbl, but Irene prefers more.  Just don't put in so much that it oozes out all over the pan, or it's a pain to clean up, and gives the turnover a little burned flavor.  Moisten edges of pastry with water.  Fold pastry over filling; press edges with fork to seal.
Place turnovers on cookie sheet - orig recipe says "ungreased," but I would suggest aluminum foil over pan, and spray it with butter flavored Pam.  Cut a small slit in the top of each.  Brush with milk (or half and half).  Bake at 425 degrees for 15 - 18 minutes until golden brown.

Frost.  Serve warm.  Yield: 8 servings.
The picture is of turnovers Irene and Lizzie made from homemade pie crust, and they added diced apples and chopped pecans, which were delicious!

Quiche

This can be made with lots of variations.  I made it this morning for Bart and my parents.
6 eggs, well mixed
1 cup milk
1 Tbl Adobo
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 cup grated cheese - swiss or cheddar or gruyere, etc.
5 slices bacon, cooked and diced (about 1/2 cup cooked meat of some kind)
3/4 cup asparagus diced and cooked in microwave with 1/4 cup water for 3 minutes
1/4 cup diced mushrooms, fried in bacon grease for 3 minutes
(or any other 1 cup of cooked vegetables in total)
2 Tbl diced chives
1 pie crust

Put pie crust in pie pan.  Mix eggs, milk, and spices.  Add other ingredients and pour into pie pan.
Cook at 350 degrees about 40 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Rhubarb Chocolate Chip Muffins

2 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
 1/4 tsp salt
 1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk chocolate chips
 3/4 diced fresh or frozen rhubarb

TOPPING
1/2 cup chopped pecans
 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1Tbl cold butter

 In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. in another bowl, whisk the egg, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in chocolate chips and rhubarb. Fill greased muffin tins or paper lined muffin tins two-thirds full. In a small bowl, combine the pecans, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over batter. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for five minutes, before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield 18 muffins.

Huevos Rancheros

I had this for breakfast this morning, and it's yummy.  I have it on a pretty regular basis, I guess, and have served it to company.
eggs
tortillas
salsa
shredded cheese (Mexican is best)
fat free sour cream (optional)

Fry eggs - best not to leave them too runny in this case.
Put eggs on a plate + keep warm (cover)
fry tortillas on one side for just a minute or two, then flip and sprinkle with shredded cheese.  As soon as the cheese melts (you can cover the pan if you want softer tortillas), take off pan and put an egg on top.  Put a spoon of salsa and a spoon of sour cream on top.  A clip of cilantro looks pretty over the sour cream.  But ask if your guest like cilantro, because some people don't.

Breakfast Burritos

Bart and I had these this morning.
4 eggs, whipped well with a fork
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup shredded mexican cheese
(add whatever ingredients you like - this is what I had handy today)

Melt bacon fat (I keep this in the frig all the time) and fry mushrooms about 5 minutes.  Remove mushrooms from pan and pour eggs into pan.  Sprinkle with mushrooms and cheese.  Cover with lid and cook until eggs are done and puff up a bit.  Remove from pan.  Heat tortillas on pan, one at a time. Put cooked egg mixture over middle of burrito and put a little salsa over it (like you would put mustard on a hot dog), and fold both sides of burrito over it.  Enjoy!

Zucchini Bread

Add to sifter:
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
3 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Sift into mixing bowl and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350.
Spray pans with Pam: Muffin, loaf or mini-loaf
In a separate bowl, mix:
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon extract
Optional: 1 cup raisins or craisins, and 1 cup chopped walnuts or sunflower seeds
Beat thoroughly.

Stir egg mixture into flour and combine.
Pour entire mixture into pans
Bake 40 minutes for loaves, or 20 minutes for muffins or 30 minutes for mini-loaves.
They are done if center springs back when they are lightly touched.

In my cookbook I wrote: "brought to playground w/Dana and Alisha 7/25/92."
"6/23/07 w/Fran + Henry, Rachel, Jtte + Ralph - Eli graduated H.S."
"8/1/11 w/Allen, Anna, Saige, Liz, Mollie + Irene"
I make this every summer several times, and sometimes even buy zucchini out of season because the family requests it.