Tuesday, May 20, 2014
WEEKEND BREAKFAST PIZZA
I dont buy refrigerator ("whomp tube") biscuits very often, but I DO buy them for this recipe. My family absolutely loves this quick and easy breakfast. As a matter of fact, the first time I made this, I was told "this is gold!!" Even Picky-picky Hubby gave double thumbs up which is rare!!
This weekend treat can easily be "tweaked" to suit your family. Here are the basic ingredients:
8 ounce Pillsbury refrigerated crescent rolls
1 pound (total) cooked breakfast meat (see note)
1½ cups frozen shredded hash browns (thawed)
1½ cups shredded cheddar
4 eggs (dont be tempted to add more)
¼ cup milk
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
Open the refrigerator rolls and press into an ungreased 12" pizza pan, pinching all of the seams shut. Important: make sure you press some of the dough up onto the sides of the pan to create a "lip". DO NOT PRE-BAKE THE CRUST.
Cook (and completely drain) one pound of your favorite breakfast meat (NOTE: I used equal parts of crisp bacon, breakfast sausage and finely diced ham...but ANY combo will work well. Just make sure the total weight is about a pound).
Sprinkle the cooked breakfast meat, evenly, over the unbaked crescent dough. Next, evenly sprinkle the thawed hash browns and cheddar cheese over the cooked meat.
In small bowl, whisk the 4 eggs, black pepper and milk together. Drizzle evenly over everything. NOTE: Dont be tempted to add more eggs. It is going to SEEM like it isnt enough, but trust me...it is perfect.
Lastly, sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over all. Bake in a 375 pre-heated oven for 30 minutes (my oven took 28 minutes). Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before you cut it.
Sauteed mushrooms, peppers, etc. would be wonderful in this breakfast pizza. Just add them the same time as the thawed hash browns. You might have to add a couple extra minutes to the total baking time if you add a LOT of extra veggies.
NOTE: You can also use one of those small boxes of JIFFY pizza crust mix instead of the crescent roll dough.
NOTE: If you use frozen hash browns, make sure they are thawed before using in this recipe.
Read More..
8 ounce Pillsbury refrigerated crescent rolls
1 pound (total) cooked breakfast meat (see note)
1½ cups frozen shredded hash browns (thawed)
1½ cups shredded cheddar
4 eggs (dont be tempted to add more)
¼ cup milk
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
Open the refrigerator rolls and press into an ungreased 12" pizza pan, pinching all of the seams shut. Important: make sure you press some of the dough up onto the sides of the pan to create a "lip". DO NOT PRE-BAKE THE CRUST.
Cook (and completely drain) one pound of your favorite breakfast meat (NOTE: I used equal parts of crisp bacon, breakfast sausage and finely diced ham...but ANY combo will work well. Just make sure the total weight is about a pound).
Sprinkle the cooked breakfast meat, evenly, over the unbaked crescent dough. Next, evenly sprinkle the thawed hash browns and cheddar cheese over the cooked meat.
In small bowl, whisk the 4 eggs, black pepper and milk together. Drizzle evenly over everything. NOTE: Dont be tempted to add more eggs. It is going to SEEM like it isnt enough, but trust me...it is perfect.
Lastly, sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over all. Bake in a 375 pre-heated oven for 30 minutes (my oven took 28 minutes). Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before you cut it.
NOTE: You can also use one of those small boxes of JIFFY pizza crust mix instead of the crescent roll dough.
NOTE: If you use frozen hash browns, make sure they are thawed before using in this recipe.
Monday, May 19, 2014
SANDRAS STEAMED BROCCOLI with HOMEMADE CHEDDAR CHEESE SAUCE
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| When I created this recipe I was jumping for joy, as its guaranteed to be perfectly cooked and appropriately sauced with just the right amount of cheese sauce every time... |
Prep: 1 Min. |
Steam: 4 Mins.
Posted by Sandra
INGREDIENTS
***Steamed Broccoli
1 bunch of broccoli, cut into florets
pinch of onion powder
pinch of garlic powder
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
***Cheese Sauce
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
METHOD
Place broccoli florets in a heatproof and microwave safe bowl, along with 2 tablespoons of water. Lightly sprinkle with onion powder, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover with two damp paper towels folded in half, and microwave for 3 minutes on high. Give the broccoli florets a toss, and then microwave for 1 more minute on high, or until your desired crisp-tenderness (I prefer mine with a bit of tooth to it ;)...
Meanwhile, place a small saucepan over medium heat and melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and continue cooking and whisking for 1 minute to cook out the flour flavor out (do not let roux brown). Continually whisk in the milk into mixture just until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and using a spoon, stir in the sharp cheddar cheese. Add kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste. At this point, check sauce for your desired consistency, and add more milk to thin, or more cheese to thicken, if needed.
Drain the broccoli of any remaining water, and then drizzle the cheese sauce over the top, and serve your vibrant broccoli topped with cheddar cheese sauce immediately ~ Enjoy!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tip: This recipe is great to use to prepare steamed asparagus and cauliflower as well, and of course topped with the cheddar cheese sauce.
SOYA CUTLETS
SOYA CUTLETS
My husband loves cutlets. I usually prepare them once a week but I was worried about all the carbs from the potatoes. I came upon this healthy version of the cutlets one day and the taste was simply yummy. In fact it tasted better than the regular potato cutlets. I used more carrots and soya granules and just one potato. If needed any other vegetables like cabbage, green beans can also be used. The bread crumbs used here are also whole wheat bread crumbs for health reasons. The measurements used here makes around 12 small cutlets.
INGREDIENTS:
Potato, medium-sized, 1.
Soya nuggets, 1 cu.
Carrots, medium-sized, 2.
Red onion, small, 1.
Chili powder, 1 teaspoon.
Salt as per taste.
Corn flour, 3 tablespoons.
Bread crumbs, 2cups.
PREPARATION:
Boil the potato for 15-20 minutes and mash it well without lumps. Take a cup of soy nuggets and put them in boiling water for 5 minutes until the nuggets are puffed up. Let them sit for 5 minutes, then rinse them well, drain them, and cut into very fine pieces or they can be minced well using a blender. Take care not to make them into a paste, just one or two pulses in the blender will be fine. Chop the onion into small pieces and the grate the carrots and keep aside. Mix the mashed potatoes, chopped onions, grated carrots, chopped soya nuggets, chili powder, salt and mix everything well. Make small patties out them and keep aside. Take the corn flour in a small and some ¼ cup water and make a batter. Take the bread crumbs in a pan. Heat a flat bottomed pan and create a work station arranging the plate with the patties first, the bowl with the corn flour batter next, and the bread crumbs plate next to that. When the pan is hot enough, add a teaspoon of oil and spread that evenly on the pan. Take a patty and immerse it in the corn flour batter. Then put it on the bread crumbs plate and cover the patty with the bread crumbs and put it on the hot pan. Add a teaspoon of oil over the top of the cutlet. Repeat the same with a few more patties until the pan is covered. There should be some space between the cutlets while cooking to move them around. Let then cook for 5-7 minutes until the side facing the pan is golden-brown and crisp. Flip all the patties to the other side and let them cook for another 5 minutes. Repeat the same with the remaining patties and serve the cutlets hot with tomato sauce.
My husband loves cutlets. I usually prepare them once a week but I was worried about all the carbs from the potatoes. I came upon this healthy version of the cutlets one day and the taste was simply yummy. In fact it tasted better than the regular potato cutlets. I used more carrots and soya granules and just one potato. If needed any other vegetables like cabbage, green beans can also be used. The bread crumbs used here are also whole wheat bread crumbs for health reasons. The measurements used here makes around 12 small cutlets.
INGREDIENTS:
Potato, medium-sized, 1.
Soya nuggets, 1 cu.
Carrots, medium-sized, 2.
Red onion, small, 1.
Chili powder, 1 teaspoon.
Salt as per taste.
Corn flour, 3 tablespoons.
Bread crumbs, 2cups.
PREPARATION:
Boil the potato for 15-20 minutes and mash it well without lumps. Take a cup of soy nuggets and put them in boiling water for 5 minutes until the nuggets are puffed up. Let them sit for 5 minutes, then rinse them well, drain them, and cut into very fine pieces or they can be minced well using a blender. Take care not to make them into a paste, just one or two pulses in the blender will be fine. Chop the onion into small pieces and the grate the carrots and keep aside. Mix the mashed potatoes, chopped onions, grated carrots, chopped soya nuggets, chili powder, salt and mix everything well. Make small patties out them and keep aside. Take the corn flour in a small and some ¼ cup water and make a batter. Take the bread crumbs in a pan. Heat a flat bottomed pan and create a work station arranging the plate with the patties first, the bowl with the corn flour batter next, and the bread crumbs plate next to that. When the pan is hot enough, add a teaspoon of oil and spread that evenly on the pan. Take a patty and immerse it in the corn flour batter. Then put it on the bread crumbs plate and cover the patty with the bread crumbs and put it on the hot pan. Add a teaspoon of oil over the top of the cutlet. Repeat the same with a few more patties until the pan is covered. There should be some space between the cutlets while cooking to move them around. Let then cook for 5-7 minutes until the side facing the pan is golden-brown and crisp. Flip all the patties to the other side and let them cook for another 5 minutes. Repeat the same with the remaining patties and serve the cutlets hot with tomato sauce.
Shortbread Cookies with Cloves Ghraiba bil qurunful الغريبة بالقرنفل
Ghraiba are delicious, easy to make and endlessly versatile, a simple recipe that allows for different flavorings.
These Arab shortbread biscuits are both a stand by for unexpected guests and ubiquitous on special occasions like Eid.
This version cuts the melt-in-the-mouth sweetness of Ghraiba with the sharp piquancy of cloves.
This version cuts the melt-in-the-mouth sweetness of Ghraiba with the sharp piquancy of cloves.
Ingredients
200g butter
60g powdered sugar
300 g flour (may vary depending on the type of flour used.)
1 tbs of finally grated cloves
2 teaspoons vanilla powder or 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
Take a bit of dough and roll it into balls. Press it gently between the hollows of your palms to make a slightly convex shape: Press a clove in the centre of each ghraiba. Some people prefer to use slivered almonds even in clove ghraiba, but I think whole cloves are prettier. Being in the oven weakens their taste, and fills the kitchen with the aroma of cloves!
60g powdered sugar
300 g flour (may vary depending on the type of flour used.)
1 tbs of finally grated cloves
2 teaspoons vanilla powder or 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
Decoration
A handful of cloves
Powdered sugar (optional)
A handful of cloves
Powdered sugar (optional)
Mix the sugar, butter and flour into a smooth dough. 300g of flour (about 3 cups) should be enough, but depending on the kind of flour you use you may need more. Add as much flour as you need until the dough is firm enough to shape.
Grind the cloves into a rough powder.
Sprinkle the powder on the dough, add the vanilla and work in.
Divide the dough into small lumps.
Bake in the over at 220°C degrees for about 10 minutes. Take them out of the oven when they are still pale or your buttery soft ghraiba will harden and become indistinguishable form sugar cookies. It is usual to cover Ghraiba in powdered sugar, which is best done when the cookies get cold. They are sweet enough as they are though.
Tangy Fish Curry Chapala Pulusu
Fish/machili curry is my mothers favorite food. This curry can be made with variety of fishes. But this one tastes much better with korameenu-black sole/river sole. I tried this time with salmon and it tasted delicious. You can use tuna/ salmon/ ocean perch. Fish is very good for health, it is considered as a brain food. My mother used to make fish currys in different styles. She even makes curry with dry pickled fish, that is her favorite too.
coming to recipe
Ingredients:
Fish 3large pieces- descaled, cut and washed
Tamarind-1 lemon size-soaked in water
Chopped onions-1/2cup
Green chillies-2
chopped cilantro-2t.s
Cumin seeds-1/2ts
Mustard seeds-1/2ts
Chana dal-1tbsp
Urad dal-1 tbsp
Turmeric-Pinch
Salt to taste
Chili powder-1/2tbsp
Red chili-1
vegetable oil-2ts
Red chili powder-1 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste-1.5tbsp
Coriander seeds dry roasted-1tbsp
Cumin seeds dry roasted-1/2tbsp
Fenu greek/Methi seeds-1/4tbsp dry roasted
Dry coconut powder-3tbsp
Curry leaf-1 spring optional
Garlic cloves-3
Cardamom- 2 cloves
Cinnamon-1 inch stick
Cloves-2
Method:
First prepare curry powder by grinding together coriander/dhania seeds+cumin/jeera
seeds+fenu greek seeds+dry coconut powder+garlic cloves+Cardamom+cinnamon+cloves. Now squeeze out thick tamarind juice (Do not add more water) from tamarind pule that has been soaked.
Heat 2ts of oil in non stick pan and add cumin + mustard + chana + urad dal+ red chili and wait until they splutter. Add onions,green chili, curry leaf, Ginger Garlic paste and saute until they the onions become transparent. Add turmeric and cook for few min and add the grinded powder and tamarind juice and mix well. Cook under medium flame by closing the vessel till oil starts leaving the curry. You can observe oil on top. Add little water if the curry becomes too thick. Now add salt, red chili powder and fish mix gently. Then close the pan and cook for 10 minutes and turn off the stove do not mix frequently because the fish pieces are very delicate and have greater chances of breaking down.
Hope you like my recipe, please feel free to post your comments. They are very valuable for me, you can even subscribe by e-mail to my blog, the recipes will reach your inbox. ThanX for visiting my space. Please bookmark it to visit/ remember again.
coming to recipe
Ingredients:
Fish 3large pieces- descaled, cut and washed
Tamarind-1 lemon size-soaked in water
Chopped onions-1/2cup
Green chillies-2
chopped cilantro-2t.s
Cumin seeds-1/2ts
Mustard seeds-1/2ts
Chana dal-1tbsp
Urad dal-1 tbsp
Turmeric-Pinch
Salt to taste
Chili powder-1/2tbsp
Red chili-1
vegetable oil-2ts
Red chili powder-1 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste-1.5tbsp
Coriander seeds dry roasted-1tbsp
Cumin seeds dry roasted-1/2tbsp
Fenu greek/Methi seeds-1/4tbsp dry roasted
Dry coconut powder-3tbsp
Curry leaf-1 spring optional
Garlic cloves-3
Cardamom- 2 cloves
Cinnamon-1 inch stick
Cloves-2
Method:
First prepare curry powder by grinding together coriander/dhania seeds+cumin/jeera
seeds+fenu greek seeds+dry coconut powder+garlic cloves+Cardamom+cinnamon+cloves. Now squeeze out thick tamarind juice (Do not add more water) from tamarind pule that has been soaked.
Heat 2ts of oil in non stick pan and add cumin + mustard + chana + urad dal+ red chili and wait until they splutter. Add onions,green chili, curry leaf, Ginger Garlic paste and saute until they the onions become transparent. Add turmeric and cook for few min and add the grinded powder and tamarind juice and mix well. Cook under medium flame by closing the vessel till oil starts leaving the curry. You can observe oil on top. Add little water if the curry becomes too thick. Now add salt, red chili powder and fish mix gently. Then close the pan and cook for 10 minutes and turn off the stove do not mix frequently because the fish pieces are very delicate and have greater chances of breaking down.
Garnish with cilantro/coriander and serve. Generally this curry tastes very good after 6-12hrs of cooking, as the fish takes all the delicious flavors in the gravy.
Hope you like my recipe, please feel free to post your comments. They are very valuable for me, you can even subscribe by e-mail to my blog, the recipes will reach your inbox. ThanX for visiting my space. Please bookmark it to visit/ remember again.
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Snowy Lemon Cookies
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| Light and lemony cookies for the holidays. |
It is a vaguely unnerving thing to look back and see the past curving away behind you, blurring into a soft and distant memory. So often we food bloggers write about the future, imagining holidays- like Christmas (and lemon cookies)- perched in a hot, noisy apartment on a bright September afternoon, conjuring the stillness of snow and December candlelight. Such is the blogging life- often a life lived forward, imagining the new.
Today I sit in a Cape Cod winter rental, while morning fog wets the rusty color of the almost bare oaks outside my office window. We are searching for a more permanent home. Widening our scope to include Connecticut. Dreaming of a proper art studio (missing the barn we rented last winter). Ready to put down roots at last.
And wishing I had some of these Snowy Lemon Cookies.
Read more + get the recipe >>
YUMMY BARS
This basic recipe has been around for several decades because it is not only delicious, but it is super quick and easy and very versatile. It is basically a graham cracker bottom with a sweetened condensed milk center laced with coconut, nuts and chocolate chips; easy as one-two-three!!
Prefer dark chocolate? No problem, prefer peanut butter chips, no problem, prefer cinnamon or chocolate graham crackers? No problem. Change this recipe to your hearts desire!!
1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
2 cups favorite flavor chocolate chips
Line a 9" x 13" baking dish with parchment paper, leaving the ends long enough to hold on to when you lift the finished bars out of pan. If you dont have parchment paper, you can spray the pan with vegetable spray but parchment works the best.
Melt the butter and toss with graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Press firmly into prepared baking dish.
Pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the bottom layer.
Sprinkle the coconut on top of the milk layer; next add the nuts if you are going to use them (I dont).
Finally, layer the chocolate chips (or your favorite flavor of chips). Use a fork and really press hard on the layers, mashing them all together.
Bake at 350° (in metal pan) or 325° in glass dish for 25 minutes or until lightly golden around edges.
Read More..
Prefer dark chocolate? No problem, prefer peanut butter chips, no problem, prefer cinnamon or chocolate graham crackers? No problem. Change this recipe to your hearts desire!!
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
2 cups favorite flavor chocolate chips
Line a 9" x 13" baking dish with parchment paper, leaving the ends long enough to hold on to when you lift the finished bars out of pan. If you dont have parchment paper, you can spray the pan with vegetable spray but parchment works the best.
Melt the butter and toss with graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Press firmly into prepared baking dish.
Pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the bottom layer.
Sprinkle the coconut on top of the milk layer; next add the nuts if you are going to use them (I dont).
Finally, layer the chocolate chips (or your favorite flavor of chips). Use a fork and really press hard on the layers, mashing them all together.
Bake at 350° (in metal pan) or 325° in glass dish for 25 minutes or until lightly golden around edges.
Dont cut the bars until the chocolate is cooled AND set. You can speed set the chocolate by putting the baked bars in the fridge for a while, but bring it to room temperature again before cutting them.
Store covered, at room temperature. These are super fast to make and are great for any time you need a quick "take along".
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