Applesauce Bread

A moist bread, full of raisins and cinnamon flavor.  Small chunks of apples would also be delicious in the bread.  Comes together in minutes.

APPLESAUCE BREAD
adapted from Plainville Turkey Farms

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 TBSP cinnamon
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups raisins (can substitue chunks of apples for half)
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups applesauce
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• extra cinnamon and sugar for sprinkling (about 2 TBSP sugar-1 tsp cinnamon?)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 2 bread pans or use baking cooking spray.

Mix together all dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, sugar and salt.  Add raisins and stir to separate and coat raisins.  Beat eggs until bubbles form on top.  Add vanilla, oil, applesauce and sour cream.  Whisk until thick and custard like.  Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until dry ingredients disappear.  Pour equal amounts into bread pans.
Sprinkle top with some cinnamon/sugar mixture.  Bake for 45-60. (I took mine out @ 45 minutes and the center of the loaf there was a tiny bit that was not cooked enough even though my toothpick came out clean)  Cut and enjoy.

Broccoli Casserole

This has been a favorite in our family for a long time.  Super easy, super quick and super delicious.  And it takes care of a starch and veggie in one dish!  Enjoy!

BROCCOLI CASSEROLE
from my mom: Ann

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 box stove top stuffing
• 1 lb. Broccoli florets (about 2 bunches)
• 1 can cheddar cheese soup
• milk (fill  1 soup can with milk)
• 8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare stuffing according to directions.  Steam broccoli until just begins to get tender (about 5 minutes).  Preheat oven to 350.   In a 9x13, place stuffing on bottom.  Top with broccoli.  Mix together cheese soup, milk and cheese.  Pour over stuffing.  Bake for 30 minutes covered and 15 minutes uncovered, until bubbly and beginning to brown.

Oven Roasted Potatoes

These potatoes are wonderful.  My son said they taste like a french fry.  I laughed.  Much more complex in flavor than a french fry and a million times better, but whatever gets it down!  The outside has a bit of crunch and the inside is soft like a french fry though!  Love these potatoes!  A wonderful side dish and super easy!
OVEN ROASTED POTATOES

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 lbs. red potatoes, cut bite size
• 2-3 TBSP olive oil
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 tsp herbes de provence
• fresh cracked pepper
• 4-5 sprigs fresh rosemary

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400-425 (can cook at either temperature.  Cut potatoes in bite size pieces.  Place on cookie sheet and drizzle with the olive oil.  Sprinkle all spices, salt and pepper over top and toss with hands to coat potatoes with it all.  Place in oven for about an hour, turning every 15 minutes for even browning.

*can use Italian herbs instead of rosemary and herbes de provence and add a couple handfuls of parmesan cheese halfway through cooking for variation.*

Pumpkin Roll

A wonderful dessert.  I was intimidated to make this.  But it is not really that hard, and very pretty.  My brilliant husband didn't understand how I got the filling in there.  It is so nice to be smarter than him in one area!  ;-)
They say the pumpkin roll gets better as it sits, but I think it was pretty good from the start.  Will definitely be making this again! 

PUMPKIN ROLL
adapted from:
http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2008/11/pumpkin-rolls.html

•  3 eggs
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 2/3 Cup Pumpkin
• 1 tsp Lemon Juice
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 Cup Flour
• 1 tsp. Baking Powder
• ½ tsp. Salt
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. Ginger
• 1 tsp. Nutmeg

Filling:

• 1 8oz Cream Cheese- softened
• 1/4 Cup Butter – soften
• 1 Cup Powder Sugar
• 1/2 tsp. Vanilla

Beat eggs on high for 5 minutes.  While that is mixing measure out dry ingredients, and whisk.   Stream in sugar slowly.  Add pumpkin, lemon juice and vanilla.  Mix.  Turn mixer to low and add dry ingredients slowly.   Mix until incorporated.
Grease and flour cookie sheet – pour batter rectangular shape (don’t fill entire length of the cookie sheet, it makes it easier to get off later) Bake 350 for 15-18 minutes.

Sprinkle 1/4-1/2 C Powder Sugar on terrycloth towel. I would put more just to ensure that your roll doesn't stick to your cloth. Loosen with spatula and flip on to the towel, break off any crusty ends and eat them, and gently roll with towel and let cool in fridge.  (Make sure entire thing is loose or you will have a catastrophe like I did with my first.) After about 30-40 minutes, unroll, put in filling, and roll back up.  Sprinkle powdered sugar on a piece of wax paper and wrap it tightly and twist the ends of the wax paper and refrigerate. It's really hard to not crack the dough when rolling but if it does don't stress. Also, slightly dampening the cloth helps. It'll all go back together when you put it in the fridge. It is way better the next day after it's been completely refrigerated. Cut into 1 inch slices to serve.

Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal with Streusel Topping

 

 This oatmeal is delicious.  The best part is the topping so don't skimp on it!  Not too sweet, full of pumpkin flavor.  It is like oatmeal in a cake form.  I suppose you could pour some milk over it as well.  We did just syrup and we enjoyed it very much! 

BAKED PUMPKIN OATMEAL W/ STREUSEL TOPPING

adapted from http://www.recipegirl.com

 INGREDIENTS:

• 2 3/4 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• packed 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 apple- peeled and cut into small chunks
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsweetened pumpkin puree
• 3 cups milk
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

STREUSEL TOPPING

• 1/3 cup chopped pecans
• 2 TBSP softened butter
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 9x9 baking dish with nonstick spray.
In a medium bowl, combine oats, sugar, raisins, spices, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, milk, eggs and vanilla extract. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients; mix until combined. Pour into prepared dish. Put in oven.  Meanwhile, prepare streusel topping.  

Bake 30 minutes, then sprinkle the streusel on top. Return to oven and bake an additional 20 to 30 minutes, until the oatmeal feels set and firm and streusel is crunchy looking.
Serve warm with plenty of warmed syrup.

Breaded Chicken Stuffed with Mozzarella

 I cannot believe I did not post this recipe sooner.  It is an old stand-by for me.  I just love the combination of flavors and wanna steal the cheese out of every chicken breast in the pan.  Make sure to spoon the wine over the chicken after you put it on your plate.  It makes the dish.
Originally the chicken also had broccoli and pine nuts in the center, which was very elegant, but I just like it this way better and it is easier.  I have also done it with sun-dried tomatoes and provolone which is also delicious!


BREADED CHICKEN STUFFED WITH MOZZARELLA

INGREDIENTS:

•  2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups Italian bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 8 oz mozzerella, sliced
• 3/4 cup white wine (I like Moscato for this dish)
• 4 TBSP butter

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375.  Cut chicken in half lengthwise to make it thinner.  In a large bowl place eggs and whisk.  In a shallow dish place bread crumbs and mix with parmesan cheese.  Dip each piece of chicken in the egg mixture, then into the bread crumb mixture.  Place in baking dish.  Place a few slices of mozzarella cheese in each breast and close chicken around the cheese. 

Secure with toothpicks or bamboo skewers.  Cut butter into pats and place in dish around chicken.  Place in oven, cook for 10-15 minutes and then add wine.  Bake for another 30 minutes or until chicken starts to brown, and cheese is browning and bubbly.

Baked Pumpkin Spice Donuts (Doughnuts) with Cinnamon Vanilla Glaze

So, I bought a donut pan about two months ago and have yet to use it.  My kids love donuts, (what kid doesn't?) and I just have not gotten around to making them.  This was the morning I broke in the pan.
We devoured these as a family. Very sweet and tender.  My husband said they were almost like a mini bundt cake.   The glaze was so good I wanted to like my plate.  How is that for honesty? 


BAKED PUMPKIN DONUTS
yield: about 10
          ADAPTED FROM 
http://culinarycory.com/2008/10/13/baked-pumpkin-donuts/

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 2 eggs
• 2 TBSP. milk
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, nutmeg and cinnamon in a small bowl.  Set aside.  Cream together the brown sugar, canned pumpkin, eggs, milk, butter and vanilla extract until the butter is well incorporated.  With your mixer on medium low speed, or by hand like I did, slowly add the dry sifted ingredients to the wet mixture.  Mix until just barely combined.  Be careful of over mixing.
Spray the donut pan with cooking spray.  Put a few big spoonfuls of batter into a sandwich bag.  Cut about 1/2" off a corner and pipe into each donut mold the pumpkin batter.  Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until the exterior springs back when touched.  Allow to cool for a few minutes then dip into cinnamon glaze.

Cinnamon Vanilla Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1 TBSP. milk
½ tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla
Mix until smooth and creamy.  The glaze should pour easily from a spoon.  You may need to add additional milk or powder sugar to get the right consistency.