Cinnamon Sugar Muffins

It looks like these little muffins are making their way around the blogosphere.  I saw them on Cooking with LT about a week and a half ago and she got them from Cook with Sara.  They are so cute and I had all the ingredients so I knew I could make them some time between Christmas and New Year's eve and I did.  I only keep skim plus milk on hand and wasn't sure if that would be okay.  After reaching out to my friends on Bakespace and facebook, I was assured that they would be just find....and they were!  Like Laura says, they make more mini muffins/cupcakes than 24 which is what the original poster stated. The more the better, don't you think?  If you're looking for an easy, yummy and cute recipe you should definitely try these.


Cinnamon Sugar Mini Muffins (that taste like cupcakes!)

from Cooking with LT

Ingredients:

Muffins:

3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup milk

Topping:

1 Tbsp. butter, melted (I needed a bit more)
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon


Directions:

1) In a mixing bowl, beat together egg and sugar until fluffy. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg; beat just until combined (the mixture will be crumbly).

2)In a measuring cup, combine milk, oil and vanilla; add to flour mixture and mix well.

3) Pour into muffin cups or mini muffin cups lined with papers or sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

4) Cool for 10 minutes. Combine cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. Melt butter in a second small bowl. When muffins are cool enough to handle, remove from muffin pans and dip muffin tops in melted butter, then in cinnamon sugar mixture.

Cinnamon Sugar Muffins

It looks like these little muffins are making their way around the blogosphere.  I saw them on Cooking with LT about a week and a half ago and she got them from Cook with Sara.  They are so cute and I had all the ingredients so I knew I could make them some time between Christmas and New Year's eve and I did.  I only keep skim plus milk on hand and wasn't sure if that would be okay.  After reaching out to my friends on Bakespace and facebook, I was assured that they would be just find....and they were!  Like Laura says, they make more mini muffins/cupcakes than 24 which is what the original poster stated. The more the better, don't you think?  If you're looking for an easy, yummy and cute recipe you should definitely try these.


Cinnamon Sugar Mini Muffins (that taste like cupcakes!)

from Cooking with LT

Ingredients:

Muffins:

3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup milk

Topping:

1 Tbsp. butter, melted (I needed a bit more)
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon


Directions:

1) In a mixing bowl, beat together egg and sugar until fluffy. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg; beat just until combined (the mixture will be crumbly).

2)In a measuring cup, combine milk, oil and vanilla; add to flour mixture and mix well.

3) Pour into muffin cups or mini muffin cups lined with papers or sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

4) Cool for 10 minutes. Combine cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. Melt butter in a second small bowl. When muffins are cool enough to handle, remove from muffin pans and dip muffin tops in melted butter, then in cinnamon sugar mixture.

Chicken Braciolettini with Mushroom and Wine Sauce

Blogging has become a bit of an addiction for me. I don't mean my own blog (if you notice I've been slacking there a bit) but reading blogs. Currently I have 265 blogs in my google reader. I know, it's insane. What's even more insane is that I comment on a lot of them. Not every time but I have at least commented a few times on every blog I read. I want people to know that what they are doing isn't for nothing and someone is out there is reading....especially since I've learned recently that even though I may get lots of positive feedback there will always be a few people who are unhappy and will let me know. The point I'm trying to get to is that when I read all 265 of those blogs, I come across a lot of cookbook suggestions.I started jotting them down and came up with a nice Christmas wish list. Lucky for me, I got most of them! Tonight I made a recipe from one of those cookbooks, The North End Italian Cookbook by Marguerite DiMino Buonopane. Out of all the cookbooks I received, this one reminds me the most of old school Italian cooking and so of course, it reminds me of my grandmother.  I know she'd like this recipe as long as I left out the butter.  She claimed she was allergic but I'm not so sure that was true.   Nanny was funny like that.                                                                                                                                         The dish was delicious and I only made some minor changes.  I used two cloves of garlic instead of one, I used chicken cutlets instead of breasts, used half the amount of butter, and used a little less Romano cheese than called for.  Since I used cutlets the chicken wasn't as big so I didn't think I needed that much cheese.  Next time I'll use half the amount of wine because it was really strong and I had to dilute it with chicken stock.   That's why it's always very important to taste as you go along and you can't hold a recipe to timing and  amounts.  Using a different size pot or pan could  change the cooking time, using a different brand of stock or wine could change the flavor as well.


Chicken Braciolettini with Mushroom and Wine Sauce
by Marguerite DiMino Buonopane

Serves 6 (If using small chicken cutlets like I did, you'll want to serve two per person)

Ingredients:

6 large boneless chicken breasts
1 large garlic clove
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1/4 pound shredded mozzarella or fontina cheese
1/4 bunch fresh parsley, chopped (reserve 1 tablespoon for garnish)
6 thin slices prosciutto or ham
1 stick (1/2 cup butter)
1/4 cup oil
1 cup Madeira or Marsala wine
1/2 pound whole button mushrooms or thinly sliced large mushrooms

Directions:

1.  Have butcher pound the meat slightly to break the tendons, or use the flat side of a heavy meat cleaver to do so yourself. 

2.  Lay the flat pieces of chicken on a smooth clean surface.  Using a garlic press, squeeze the garlic clove.  With your fingertips, transwer these particles to the cutlet pieces.  Sprinkle black pepper, grated cheese, shredded cheese, and parsley all over the chicken.  Cover each breast with a slice of prosciutto or ham.  Roll each breast jelly-roll style, carefully tucking in all loose ends.  Secure with toothpicks (use the same number for each breast).

3.  Heat the oil and the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the chicken breasts and brown well all over.  With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a baking pan.  Bake for 20 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven or until the chicken is cooked moist-tender.

4.  To make sauce, drain the fat from the skillet and return unwashed pan to stove an medium heat, scraping all browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon.

5.  Raise the heat to high and pour in the wine, stirring well.  Add the mushrooms and cook 1 more minute, shaking skillet.  If the sauce appears to thin, sprkinkle with some flour and cook, stirring well until reaches your desired thickness.  If more sauce is desired, add some chicken broth and more wine.

6.  Remove the chicken from the oven, carefully remove all toothpicks, and transfer to a warm serving platter.  Pour the hot sauce on top.  Sprinkle with the reserved tablespoon of chopped parsley.  To serve cut meat in thick slices and coat with sauce and mushrooms.

Author's Note: If using small pieces of chicken breasts, it will not be necessary to bake the chicken.  Simple cook in skillet as directed, transfer to a warm platter, and prepare sauce.

My Note: If using chicken cutlets, make sauce then add rolls back to sauce, toss to coat.  Put cover on and allow to cook for approx 10 minutes (depending on thickness of chicken) to cook chicken through. 

I didn't slice the chicken since they were small but served two over a bed of risotto topped with the mushroom sauce. 

Chicken Braciolettini with Mushroom and Wine Sauce

Blogging has become a bit of an addiction for me. I don't mean my own blog (if you notice I've been slacking there a bit) but reading blogs. Currently I have 265 blogs in my google reader. I know, it's insane. What's even more insane is that I comment on a lot of them. Not every time but I have at least commented a few times on every blog I read. I want people to know that what they are doing isn't for nothing and someone is out there is reading....especially since I've learned recently that even though I may get lots of positive feedback there will always be a few people who are unhappy and will let me know. The point I'm trying to get to is that when I read all 265 of those blogs, I come across a lot of cookbook suggestions.I started jotting them down and came up with a nice Christmas wish list. Lucky for me, I got most of them! Tonight I made a recipe from one of those cookbooks, The North End Italian Cookbook by Marguerite DiMino Buonopane. Out of all the cookbooks I received, this one reminds me the most of old school Italian cooking and so of course, it reminds me of my grandmother.  I know she'd like this recipe as long as I left out the butter.  She claimed she was allergic but I'm not so sure that was true.   Nanny was funny like that.                                                                                                                                         The dish was delicious and I only made some minor changes.  I used two cloves of garlic instead of one, I used chicken cutlets instead of breasts, used half the amount of butter, and used a little less Romano cheese than called for.  Since I used cutlets the chicken wasn't as big so I didn't think I needed that much cheese.  Next time I'll use half the amount of wine because it was really strong and I had to dilute it with chicken stock.   That's why it's always very important to taste as you go along and you can't hold a recipe to timing and  amounts.  Using a different size pot or pan could  change the cooking time, using a different brand of stock or wine could change the flavor as well.


Chicken Braciolettini with Mushroom and Wine Sauce
by Marguerite DiMino Buonopane

Serves 6 (If using small chicken cutlets like I did, you'll want to serve two per person)

Ingredients:

6 large boneless chicken breasts
1 large garlic clove
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1/4 pound shredded mozzarella or fontina cheese
1/4 bunch fresh parsley, chopped (reserve 1 tablespoon for garnish)
6 thin slices prosciutto or ham
1 stick (1/2 cup butter)
1/4 cup oil
1 cup Madeira or Marsala wine
1/2 pound whole button mushrooms or thinly sliced large mushrooms

Directions:

1.  Have butcher pound the meat slightly to break the tendons, or use the flat side of a heavy meat cleaver to do so yourself. 

2.  Lay the flat pieces of chicken on a smooth clean surface.  Using a garlic press, squeeze the garlic clove.  With your fingertips, transwer these particles to the cutlet pieces.  Sprinkle black pepper, grated cheese, shredded cheese, and parsley all over the chicken.  Cover each breast with a slice of prosciutto or ham.  Roll each breast jelly-roll style, carefully tucking in all loose ends.  Secure with toothpicks (use the same number for each breast).

3.  Heat the oil and the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the chicken breasts and brown well all over.  With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a baking pan.  Bake for 20 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven or until the chicken is cooked moist-tender.

4.  To make sauce, drain the fat from the skillet and return unwashed pan to stove an medium heat, scraping all browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon.

5.  Raise the heat to high and pour in the wine, stirring well.  Add the mushrooms and cook 1 more minute, shaking skillet.  If the sauce appears to thin, sprkinkle with some flour and cook, stirring well until reaches your desired thickness.  If more sauce is desired, add some chicken broth and more wine.

6.  Remove the chicken from the oven, carefully remove all toothpicks, and transfer to a warm serving platter.  Pour the hot sauce on top.  Sprinkle with the reserved tablespoon of chopped parsley.  To serve cut meat in thick slices and coat with sauce and mushrooms.

Author's Note: If using small pieces of chicken breasts, it will not be necessary to bake the chicken.  Simple cook in skillet as directed, transfer to a warm platter, and prepare sauce.

My Note: If using chicken cutlets, make sauce then add rolls back to sauce, toss to coat.  Put cover on and allow to cook for approx 10 minutes (depending on thickness of chicken) to cook chicken through. 

I didn't slice the chicken since they were small but served two over a bed of risotto topped with the mushroom sauce. 

Merry Christmas!

I know this post is a little late. I never scheduled this post and I thought I did. I hope everyone had a great Christmas and enjoyed time spent with family and friends and of course, had lots of good food! I will be back soon with more recipes, some from the five new cookbooks Santa brought me! More about that soon!

Merry Christmas!

I know this post is a little late. I never scheduled this post and I thought I did. I hope everyone had a great Christmas and enjoyed time spent with family and friends and of course, had lots of good food! I will be back soon with more recipes, some from the five new cookbooks Santa brought me! More about that soon!

Sausage, Pepper and Potato Soup (stew or stoup)

I can't help but chuckle at the title because I know that a lot of my readers and blogger friends despise Rachael Ray.  I know she's quirky and annoys people but that doesn't stop me from trying her recipes and it shouldn't stop you either. I like her and more importantly, this dish is delicious!  I added a potato and handful of Trader Joe's frozen sliced peppers (in addition to the cubanelle's), a can of roman beans, some crushed red pepper (since I didn't use spicy sausage) and Italian seasoning.  I loved it!  I can't wait to eat the leftovers for lunch today!



Sausage, Pepper and Potato Soup

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/sausage-peppers-and-onions-stoup-recipe/index.html

Ingredients:


3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 pounds hot or sweet Italian sausage, cut into small pieces or smashed with a masher or spoon
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 to 4 cubanelle peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
2 medium-large onions, thinly sliced
1 large potato, diced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 cups chicken stock
2 (15-ounce) cans or 1 (28-ounce) can crushed or diced fire roasted tomatoes
1 can roman beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley leaves
1/2 cup basil leaves, torn
1 tsp Italian seasoning
crushed red pepper to taste (if you use spicy sausage you don't need this)
1 cup Romano cheese

Directions:

Heat extra-virgin olive oil in deep skillet, add sausage and brown a few minutes then add potato, garlic, peppers, onions and cook until soft, 6 to 7 minutes more.

Deglaze pan with vinegar abd stir in stock, tomatoes, basil, Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer, cook 10 -15 minutes and then add beans and cook for another 5-10 minutes until potatoes are tender.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with grated cheese on top.

Sausage, Pepper and Potato Soup (stew or stoup)

I can't help but chuckle at the title because I know that a lot of my readers and blogger friends despise Rachael Ray.  I know she's quirky and annoys people but that doesn't stop me from trying her recipes and it shouldn't stop you either. I like her and more importantly, this dish is delicious!  I added a potato and handful of Trader Joe's frozen sliced peppers (in addition to the cubanelle's), a can of roman beans, some crushed red pepper (since I didn't use spicy sausage) and Italian seasoning.  I loved it!  I can't wait to eat the leftovers for lunch today!



Sausage, Pepper and Potato Soup

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/sausage-peppers-and-onions-stoup-recipe/index.html

Ingredients:


3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 pounds hot or sweet Italian sausage, cut into small pieces or smashed with a masher or spoon
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 to 4 cubanelle peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
2 medium-large onions, thinly sliced
1 large potato, diced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 cups chicken stock
2 (15-ounce) cans or 1 (28-ounce) can crushed or diced fire roasted tomatoes
1 can roman beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley leaves
1/2 cup basil leaves, torn
1 tsp Italian seasoning
crushed red pepper to taste (if you use spicy sausage you don't need this)
1 cup Romano cheese

Directions:

Heat extra-virgin olive oil in deep skillet, add sausage and brown a few minutes then add potato, garlic, peppers, onions and cook until soft, 6 to 7 minutes more.

Deglaze pan with vinegar abd stir in stock, tomatoes, basil, Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer, cook 10 -15 minutes and then add beans and cook for another 5-10 minutes until potatoes are tender.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with grated cheese on top.

Chicken Salad

I've never made chicken salad before this weekend.  I don't know why, maybe it's because I'm not a big fan of tons of mayonaisse.  I don't mind a little on my sandwich but potato salads that have a ton of it or tuna that is swimming in it, I don't know, it grosses me out.  This definitely has mayo in it but it's cut by sour cream and it's so much better than all mayo.  Trust me.  The chicken is roasted instead of poached and what a difference it makes.  Throw in some extra breasts and save the chicken for other recipes.  I did and it's come in handy already. The recipe is by Ina Garten's and I made a couple of small changes.  I'll post what I did here and you can click on the link for the original recipe.


Chicken Salad

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/chicken-salad-contessa-recipe/index.html

Ingredients:


2 split (1 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on (1 1/2 pounds)
olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup pecan halves (or walnuts)
2 stalks celery, diced
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1/2 cup light sour cream
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup scallions or chives
1 cup green or red grapes, cut in half
Lettuce leaves, for serving

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts, skin side up, on a baking sheet and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside until cool.

When the chicken is cool, remove meat from the bones and discard the skin and bones. Shred the chicken with two fork or with your fingers.
Meanwhile, toast the pecans in a pan and set aside to cool.

For the dressing, mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream and mustard.  Add salt and pepper to taste . Fold in parsley and chives.

Place the shredded chicken in a bowl, add the pecans, walnuts and grapes. Pour the dressing over the chicken and toss well.  Serve on a bed of lettuce leaves.

Chicken Salad

I've never made chicken salad before this weekend.  I don't know why, maybe it's because I'm not a big fan of tons of mayonaisse.  I don't mind a little on my sandwich but potato salads that have a ton of it or tuna that is swimming in it, I don't know, it grosses me out.  This definitely has mayo in it but it's cut by sour cream and it's so much better than all mayo.  Trust me.  The chicken is roasted instead of poached and what a difference it makes.  Throw in some extra breasts and save the chicken for other recipes.  I did and it's come in handy already. The recipe is by Ina Garten's and I made a couple of small changes.  I'll post what I did here and you can click on the link for the original recipe.


Chicken Salad

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/chicken-salad-contessa-recipe/index.html

Ingredients:


2 split (1 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on (1 1/2 pounds)
olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup pecan halves (or walnuts)
2 stalks celery, diced
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1/2 cup light sour cream
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup scallions or chives
1 cup green or red grapes, cut in half
Lettuce leaves, for serving

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts, skin side up, on a baking sheet and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside until cool.

When the chicken is cool, remove meat from the bones and discard the skin and bones. Shred the chicken with two fork or with your fingers.
Meanwhile, toast the pecans in a pan and set aside to cool.

For the dressing, mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream and mustard.  Add salt and pepper to taste . Fold in parsley and chives.

Place the shredded chicken in a bowl, add the pecans, walnuts and grapes. Pour the dressing over the chicken and toss well.  Serve on a bed of lettuce leaves.

Hash Brown Quiche

I don't usually make many Paula Deen recipes but over the weekend I made two.  This quiche made with a hash brown crust was a big hit with my friends.  I'll definitely make it again for breakfast or brunch.  I followed the recipe exactly as written with one exception.  I used one whole bag of refrigerated shredded potatoes (Simply Potatoes) instead of frozen.  This was recommended by some reviewers on the food network website.  I like my potatoes to be a little darker so I put it under the broiler in addition to the recommended cooking time.  It turned out perfectly.

Hash Brown Quiche

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/hash-brown-quiche-recipe/index.html

Ingredients:

3 cups, shredded frozen hash browns, thawed and drained
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted
3 large eggs, beaten
1 cup half-and-half
3/4 cup diced cooked ham
1/2 cup diced green onions
1 cup shredded Cheddar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

2. Gently press the drained hash browns between paper towels to dry them as best as possible. In a 9-inch pie plate, toss the hash browns with the melted butter into the plate. Press them into the bottom and up the sides to form a crust. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and starting to crisp.

3. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. When the hash brown crust is ready pour the egg mixture over it and return to the oven.

4. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for about 30 minutes until the quiche is light golden brown on top.

 

Hash Brown Quiche

I don't usually make many Paula Deen recipes but over the weekend I made two.  This quiche made with a hash brown crust was a big hit with my friends.  I'll definitely make it again for breakfast or brunch.  I followed the recipe exactly as written with one exception.  I used one whole bag of refrigerated shredded potatoes (Simply Potatoes) instead of frozen.  This was recommended by some reviewers on the food network website.  I like my potatoes to be a little darker so I put it under the broiler in addition to the recommended cooking time.  It turned out perfectly.

Hash Brown Quiche

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/hash-brown-quiche-recipe/index.html

Ingredients:

3 cups, shredded frozen hash browns, thawed and drained
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted
3 large eggs, beaten
1 cup half-and-half
3/4 cup diced cooked ham
1/2 cup diced green onions
1 cup shredded Cheddar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

2. Gently press the drained hash browns between paper towels to dry them as best as possible. In a 9-inch pie plate, toss the hash browns with the melted butter into the plate. Press them into the bottom and up the sides to form a crust. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and starting to crisp.

3. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. When the hash brown crust is ready pour the egg mixture over it and return to the oven.

4. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for about 30 minutes until the quiche is light golden brown on top.

 

Anise Cookies

These cookies may look like biscotti but technically they are not.  Biscotti are baked twice, the first time like I did here and the second time after they are sliced.  The result is a crisp cookie that's excellent for dunking.  This version is soft and only baked once.  Anise extract is used to flavor the cookies but if you don't like that liqourice flavor you can use vanilla and/or almond extract instead which I used to do for my sister. 

This recipe was given to me by a coworker years ago when I was a bank teller.  I remember her name was Martha.  My family loved them and  I used to bake theme all the time  I just found the recipe after years of thinking it's been lost! 

Anise Cookies

Ingredients:

¾ cup sugar
¾ cup oil
3 large eggs
2 ½ tsp. anise extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 ¼ tsp. baking powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Blend oil and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Add anise. Combine flour and baking powder. Add to sugar and oil one cup at a time.

Pour batter into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand for 25 minutes in a warm place.

Divide dough in half and pour each half onto the middle of a baking sheet and shape into an oval (You will need two baking sheets.) Dough will be sticky.

Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes, slice.

The dough won't look perfect but it turns out okay once it comes out of the oven.