Cinnamon Swirl Bread

I am just putting the 1-1/2 lb recipe. If you want the 2lb measurements, just let me know.

3/4 cup Milk

1 Egg

3 tbsp Margarine or butter

3 cups Bread Flour

3 tbsp Granulated sugar

3/4 tsp Salt

1-1/4 tsp Active Dry Yeast of Bread Machine Yeast

1/3 cup Walnuts or Pecans, toasted

1/3 cup Packed Brown Sugar

1-1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1 tbsp Butter or Margarine

Sifted Powdered Sugar

1. Add first 7 ingredients to machine according to manufacturer's directions. Select dough cycle. When cycle is complete, remove dough. Punch down and let rest for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, for filling, in a medium bowl stir together the walnuts or pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

3. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 14" x 9" rectangle. Spread with 1 tbsp margarine or butter and sprinkle with filling. Starting from both short sides, roll up each side into a spiral toward the center. Place, rolled side up, in a greased 9" x 5" x 3" loaf pan. Cover; let rise about 30 minutes or until nearly double.

4. Bake in a 350º oven about 30 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when lightly tapped. If necessary, loosely cover with foil the last 10 minutes to prevent over-browning. Remove from pan; col on wire rack. Before serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens - The Complete Guide to Bread Machine Baking

This one is seriously good!!

French Bread

I use the bread maker to start it but do not cook it in the bread maker. I suppose you can but I never like the flavor of bread maker bread.

Ingredient: 1.5 lb 2 lb

Water 1 cup 1-1/3 cups

Bread Flour 3 cups 4 cups

Salt 3/4 tsp 1 tsp

Active Dry Yeast of Bread Machine Yeast

1 tsp 1-1/2 tsp

Yellow Cornmeal

Slightly Beaten Egg White

Water 1 tbsp 1 tbsp

1. Select loaf size. Add first 4 ingredients to bread machine according to manufacturer's directions. Select dough cycle.

2. When cycle is complete, remove dough. Punch down. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. Divide 1-1/2 lb dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll each half into a 10" x 8" rectangle. (Divide 2 lb dough in half; roll each half into a 15" x 10" rectangle.) Starting from a long side, roll up into a spiral; seal edge. Pinch and pull ends to taper.

3. Place seems down, on a greased baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Combine egg white and 1 tbsp water; brush some over top of loaves. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 35 to 45 minutes or until nearly double. With a very sharp knife, make 3 or 4 diagonal cuts about 1/4" deep across top of each loaf.

4. Bake in a 375^ oven for 20 minutes. Brush with remaining egg white mixture. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes more or until bread sounds hollow when lightly tapped. Remove from baking sheet; cool on wire rack.

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens - The Complete Guide to Bread Machine Baking

Pure and Simple Vanilla ice cream

2/3 c sugar

2 lg eggs

2 tbsp flour

1/4 tsp salt

1-2/3 c milk

1 c heavy cream

2 tsp vanilla extract

In medium mixing bowl, beat sugar into eggs until thickened and pale yellow. Beat in flour and salt, set aside.

Bring milk to a simmer in heavy saucepan. Slowly beat the hot milk into eggs and sugar. Pour entire mixture back into saucepan and place over low heat. Stir constantly until the custard thickens slightly. Be careful not to let it boil! Remove from heat and pour through a strainer into a large clean bowl. Allow custard to cool slightly and stir in cream and vanilla. Allow to cool overnight, or until well chilled.

This is a basic recipe from the Ultimate Ice Cream book. It is lower fat than some I have tried, and equally delicious, if not more so. It has a great texture and flavor. It is also a forgiving recipe. Sometimes I use more milk, or more cream...depends on what I have, and what needs to be finished off. Don't be afraid to make slight adjustments based on what you have on hand! Enjoy!

Seriously Simple Maple Glazed Nuts

Seriously, you can make this fabulous treat in less than 15 minutes using just 3 ingredients!

2 C Nuts (I've use almonds and pecans, I think walnuts would be great too)

1/2 C Maple Syrup

1/4 C Raw Sugar

Toast nuts at 350 degrees 8-10 min, or until fragrant.

While nuts are toasting, combine syrup and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently. Boil mixture for 2 minutes, the add nuts. Stir to coat, and boil additional 30 seconds. Remove from heat, spread evenly over cookie sheet to cool. At this point you can sprinkle with coarse salt if you are a sweet/salty person like me, or just leave plain. Stir around on cookie sheet to separate, cool, and enjoy!

Tangy Summer Veggie Salad

1 Pint Grape or cherry tomatoes cut in half

1 cucumber sliced and cut in half moons

1 red bell pepper cut into bite sized pieces

1 cup parsley sprigs

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

1 clove of garlic, chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Mix it all up in a bowl. Let it sit for a least 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Crunchy Herbed Chicken

4 Slices of toasted bread

1/2 cup flat leaf parsley

2 cloves of garlic

Salt & Pepper

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

Dijon mustard

4 - 6oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Heat oven to 400

In a food processor, pulse the bread, parsley, garlic and salt and pepper until course crumbs form. Add oil and transfer to a dish.

Spread mustard over chicken and dip the pieces in the bread crumb mixture.

Place on a baking sheet and bake until golden and cooked through (18-20 min)

Cheap and Easy Stoup

I got this recipe from my mom, she may have ripped off Rachel Ray, but never-the-less, it's super cheap, incredibly easy and ridiculously delicious! With fall coming right around the corner I already made a big batch and froze it so I can be prepared for cool evenings when I don't feel like cooking.

This stoup would also be good over rice, or topped with cheese, sour cream and a little green onion. However, since Brett and I are counting calories we pass on the extras and enjoy it just the way it is.

Also, the cans in this recipe contain extra unnecessary sodium, so if you are down with dry bean (which I use almost exclusively) then you can adjust the salt to your own taste.

20 oz ground turkey
1 onion- chopped
1 bell pepper- chopped
salt to taste
pepper to taste
cumin to taste
Italian Seasoning to taste

Brown the turkey in a large pot, add onion, bell pepper and seasoning- cook through. You can use a little oil for this process since there isn't much fat in turkey, but I just add a little water to (again) avoid extra calories.

Next add the equivalent of 5 cans of beans. I do: pintos, kidneys and black beans. Through in a can of corn (or fresh/frozen) and let it simmer for 1-2 hours.

So easy and so good!

Prep time- about 10 minutes! Cook time- 1-2 hours.

Tilapia Puttanesca

"Puttanesca" means "whore". Yep, it really does. There are a lot of theories on how "puttanesca" become a sauce. I like the version that says: this sauce can take anything. :-) By anything, I mean, if it is in the fridge and it sounds good, throw it in. I can't give you ingredients, because that will be up to you and what you keep as your staples. Here is how I do it:

1. Saute some onions and garlic in olive oil.
2. Add tomatoes (fresh or canned, diced)
3. Add flavor: roasted red peppers, sweet peppers, capers, olives, pepperoncini peppers, sun dried tomatoes, anchovies (you can saute these in the olive oil, too, if you like), you get the idea. I like to add some of the brine from the different peppers.
4. Add herbs: basil, oregano, thyme; if it sounds good, it goes. You can change the dish a lot by picking and choosing different combos.
5. Add chopped cauliflower (this is the best part... don't skip it; you can add other veggies too, if you want, but DON'T SKIP the cauliflower). Simmer and let the flavors combine (15-20 minutes).
6. Add tilapia (or any type of fish, although I have found the mildness of the tilapia is fantastic because it absorbs so much flavor. *bonus: tilapia is a sustainable fish*) Simmer 5-10 minutes until tilapia is firm.

Serve over pasta or rice or just with bread or salad. I like to top it with feta cheese, but it is also good with parm or just as is. It is delicious.

Pinkberry

Ok. I have never actually had a pinkberry, so I have no idea if this ACTUALLY tastes like it. But, this is tremendously fabulous tart and sweet and fruity frozen yogurt!

1. Take as much greek yogurt as you want. Use 0%.
2. Add a couple tablespoons of your favorite jam. Don't use too much. You want this to be tart.
3. Add 1/3-2/3 cup of fresh chopped fruit (depending on how much yogurt you took).
4. Plop it all in your ice cream maker.

YUM!

I used sour cherry jam and chopped sweet cherries. A small serving is incredibly satisfying AND very healthful!

Home-made natural face care

Who wants to spend $20-30 on facial masks, cleansers, and exfoliators? NOT ME! So, head to your kitchen and whip up some face love!

Blend equal parts yogurt, orange peel and lemon peel; use as a mask to help acne prone skin.

Lightly beat an egg white. Add lemon juice. Use as a mask to tighten pores.

Grind up some blue cornmeal into superfine powder. Add a little to the palm of your hand. Mix with water and use as a scrub or a mask to remove blackheads.

Grind up brown rice into a superfine powder. Add a little to your palm, add water, use as a scrub or a mask to help ease oily skin and detox large pores.

Grind colloidal oatmeal, oat bran, and oat flour (or any mixture of 1 or more of these ingredients) into a powder. Add to your palm, add water, and use as a skin buffing wash or mask.

Grind sea salt and colloidal oatmeal to a fine powder. Add to your palm, add water, and use as a skin detoxifier and hydrating scrub.

Make a tea with chammomile, peppermint, and sage or basil (you can add rose water and honey for hydration) and use as a natural toner.

Got more? Add 'em in the comments section!

Dark and Dense Chocolate Sorbet

Dark and Dense Chocolate Sorbet

2 c WATER

1 c SUGAR

1 c unsweetened COCOA POWDER

Combine water and sugar in a heavy saucepan over med heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. Whisk in cocoa and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 3 minutes stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and pour through a fine strainer into a bowl. Chill in fridge for a couple of hours (if you can wait that long. Stir before poring into ice cream maker. Follow manufacturers directions.

This is a simple treat that yields outstanding results. The sorbet is somehow dense and almost creamy in texture, yet uses no dairy products!

For simple variations add 1/2 c toasted nuts to mixer during last half of batch freezing, add 1 tsp instant espresso along with cocoa powder, or add 1/2 tsp peppermint extract to cooled mixture before freezing.

Farmer's Market Bruschetta

It doesn't get any better or more summery than this. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.

What you need:
A few heirloom tomatoes (choose several different varieties and colors)
A little olive oil
Some fresh garlic, crushed or sliced, depending on your methods (see below)
Some fresh basil, ribboned
A nice loaf of bread (I like ciabatta, but you choose your favorite), sliced

What you need to do:
1. Either steep the garlic in the oil and brush it on the sliced bread, or, if you worry about food poisoning, just brush the oil on the bread, then cut the garlic cloves in half and rub them on the bread. Toast or grill the bread until crunchy.
2. Chop your tomatoes into small chunks. Mix them with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper, and basil to taste.
3. Cram as many tomatoes on each toast as you can and EAT.

Shrimp Kebabs

1 c fresh cilantro
1 c fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 c lemon juice
2 T chopped garlic
2 t paprika
1 t kosher salt
1/4 t cayenne
1/2 c olive oil
2 lbs extra large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Preheat grill or broiler to high

Process cilantro, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, paprika, salt, and cayenne in a blender of food processor. Pulse until chopped, scraping down sides as needed. Drizzle in olive oil while machine is running.

Pour marinade over shrimp; marinate 15 minutes.

Skewer shrimp from the tail-end through to the head end. Grill 2 minutes per side.

The book says to serve with creamed corn but I serve with rice.

This is really good (so much so that we served at our wedding).

From Cuisine at Home (Weeknight Menus).

Sweet potato muffins

Oh the sweet goodness. I made these for my kids (who otherwise refuse to eat sweet potatoes) and they ate 2-3 each! Needless to say, they were a hit. The kids even continued eating them once they knew the "secret ingredient" and then asked me to make another batch!

Ingredients:
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup Agave nectar
1/3 cup canola oil
1 t vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup white flour
1 cup wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
2 t baking powder
1 t cinnamon
1 t freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 t allspice
1/2 t salt
2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1/2-2/3 cup craisens or raisens (I used craisens)
1/3 cup smashed walnuts or pecans

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease muffin tins.
2. Whisk together sugars, oil, vanilla and eggs.
3. Add flours, baking powder, spices and sweet potatoes and blend. Don't over mix. Allow the sweet potatoes to be chunky. Blend in the craisens and nuts.
4. Spoon the batter into tins (it will be kind of thick). Bake for about 20 minutes.
5. Eat. Yum.

*notes: if you don't have or don't like agave nectar, you may use about 1 cup of brown sugar total; honey would also be delicious. You may also omit the wheat germ, but then I would add a bit more flour to compensate. The original recipe that I stole and modified called for 4 cups of shredded sweet potato. I hadn't noticed and I steamed and smashed mine. I think it would be good either way, if you don't feel like going through the trouble of smashing.

Banana Souffle

Banana Souffle

2 ripe bananas

3 T water

1/3 c plus 1 T sugar

1/2 t cornstarch

pinch of cinnamon

4 egg whites

pinch of salt

Butter and sugar 4 4-ounce ramekins. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel the bananas, and puree in a food processor until smooth. In a small saucepan, bring water and the 1/3 cup of sugar to a boil. Simmer 4 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved. Add banana puree, cornstarch, and cinnamon to sugar syrup, and stir until incorporated. Set aside to cool completely. (this is important – if you rush it and the mixture is still hot, it won’t fold into the egg whites correctly.) In a stainless steel bowl, beat egg whites and salt until foamy. Add remaining tablespoon of sugar and beat to soft peaks. Fold cooled banana puree into egg white mixture. Pour into ramekins and place ramekins on a baking sheet.

Place baking sheet in oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 375 degrees. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until puffed up and browned. Don’t open the oven to peek! Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

borrowed from: http://tastyeatsathome.wordpress.com/2009/11/06/banana-souffle-for-holiday-food-fest/