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FOOD FUNNY
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Rachel Mittler knows that the only thing better than a true food funny
is a true food funny about a dog. Thanks for this one:
It was chilly one morning last week, so upon returning from my morning
walk with the greyhound, I decided to make oatmeal for breakfast.
After feeding the hound his kibble, I measured out the oats, skim
milk, plenty of raisins, cinnamon, and a dash of cumin. After
cooking, I dished it into two bowls, added a splash of half and half
and brought a bowl upstairs to my husband who had gone to bed the
night before with a bad head cold. Poor guy, still feeling crummy, he
thanked me, took a few bites, and set it aside to get just a few more
minutes of rest while I enjoyed my breakfast and got ready for work.
Shortly thereafter he followed me out to the garage to move his car so
I could leave for work. Upon returning to the house for his own
breakfast, shower, etc. he was surprised not to be met at the door by
a jubilant hound wanting to play, as is their custom. All became
apparent a moment later when he turned the corner to the bedroom and
saw Milton, (who knows better than to jump on furniture other than
"his" futon) lounging full length on the bed, with an empty oatmeal
bowl between his paws.
My husband called me at work, laughing. "Did you know we live with
Goldilocks?" Now I do.
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TODAY'S RECIPES
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Banana Mini Chocolate Chip Mini Kugelhopfs
Recipe By: Patricia Donaldson
This muffin recipe originally came from Penzey's but I've altered it a
little, and added a small surprise that, for some reason, makes them
very much in demand by children and adults. It's easy, and when I
have old bananas I make a batch to have on hand, since they freeze
well. These should be served at room temperature not icy cold.
1/2 Cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 Cup granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
1 Cup bananas, mashed with a fork (2 - 2 1/2
bananas) measure accurately!
1 T. vanilla extract (I like Tahitian)
1 1/2 Cups flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon (Cassia gives a nice homey taste)
1/2 t. nutmeg (freshly grated, if possible)
1/2 t. salt
1/2 Cup mini chocolate chips (semi sweet)
96 normal size Milk Chocolate Chips (4 - 5 T.)
Preheat the oven to 350F. Place a cooling rack on a cookie sheet and
arrange 2 Mini Kugelhopfs pans securely on the rack. This makes for
ease of handling and even baking. Cream together the butter and sugar
until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well
after each addition. Beat in the bananas - banana lumps should be
pressed out. Stir in the vanilla.
In a separate bowl, stir or sift together the flour, baking soda,
salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir into the bowl with the butter/banana
mixture and mix until just blended. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Spoon the batter into the Mini Kugelhopfs, filling 12 of the Mini
Kugelhopfs to barely above the inner line, between 1/4" to 1/3" below
the top. Don't refrigerate the remaining batter, just cover it with
plastic wrap and place in the coolest area of the room. If you
refrigerate you will have to alter the cooking time.
Bake for 14-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the side
center comes out clean. Allow to cool 10 minutes or so, and turn out
of the molds. Drop 4 Milk Chocolate Chips in each hole in the warm
Mini Kugelhopfs. They will soften enough to stir with a toothpick
just enough to make a smooth blob in the bottom of the tube. Turn the
molds inside out, cleanse and repeat the above instructions. Allow
them to cool completely before storing. This recipe makes 18
Gastroflex muffins, but then you don't have a way to add the surprise.
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Blueberry Muffins To Die For
Recipe By: Betty Ross
This recipe came from a high school friend many years ago and I've
adapted it to my family's liking. They enjoy them for breakfast,
dinner or snacks. I've made them for our church potluck dinners and
our shut-in bakery ministry. It never fails I'm asked for the recipe
and I'm honored to share it with everyone.
1/2 cup margarine
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups sugar
8 oz. sour cream
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2-3/4 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
Cream margarine and sugar until fluffy in large mixing bowl, add eggs
and beat until smooth. Mix in sour cream and vanilla. Combine dry
ingredients, stir into cream mixture. Fold in blueberries. Spoon
into muffin tins lined with paper cups or greased and floured tins.
filling about 1/2 full.* Sprinkle a little bit of sugar over top of
muffins. Bake at 400 degrees 25-30 minutes. Makes 2 dozen regular
size muffins. Enjoy.
* I recommend using the Gastroflex muffin molds. The are the best
thing I've seen in a long time and easy cleanup.
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Becky's Breakfast Quiches To Go
Recipe By: Becky
The new silicone muffin cups work great. This is fairly low carb -
hash browns can be adjusted to make it even lower. Works well with
diabetic carb counting diet or low carb diet. I created this recipe
because I leave for work very early. I am diabetic and must have
breakfast. I am not a morning person and am always on the run! I
make these and keep in my freezer. I can warm these quickly and leave
- they are firm enough that eating in the car is not messy. I vary
the vegetables, cheeses or meat and have not tired of them in over a
year. I have discovered warming them at work is dangerous as everyone
wants a taste!
3 cups frozen hash browns (thawed)
1/2 lb browned, drained and crumbled bulk sausage
6 T chopped green pepper
2 T chopped onion
10 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 10-oz pkg chopped spinach
few dashes hot sauce (to taste)
12 t shredded cheese
Preheat oven to 350. Spray 12 muffin cups with cooking spray. If
using silicone muffin pan no need to spray. Thaw spinach in microwave
and squeeze to drain well. Line each muffin cup with about 1/4 c hash
browns. Beat remaining ingredients except for cheese. Divide between
muffin cups. Top with pinch of cheese on each one. Bake at 350 for
30-35 minutes until set in middle. Remove from muffin tin and cool.
Place 2 in sandwich bag and freeze. Remove from bag, warm in
microwave on paper towel 1 - 1 1/2 minutes. Cheese or meat is
optional. Also can use any shredded or chopped vegetables such as
broccoli, zucchini, etc. in place of spinach.
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Orange Cranberry Stuffing & Cranberry Muffins
Recipe By: Sharon Wilson
This recipe combines the best of both worlds: orange cranberry muffins
for breakfast, then the leftovers can be made into a simple and quick
stuffing which can be served with chicken or turkey.
Stuffing:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil,
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
2 ribs celery, with greens, from the heart of the stalk, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
Salt and pepper
2 cranberry orange muffins, recipe follows
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 cup chicken stock
Stuffing: In a medium frying pan over moderate heat add oil and
butter. When butter melts into oil, add celery, onion, bay. Season
with salt and pepper. Split muffins down the center and crumble into
pan to combine with the vegetables. Add thyme and chicken stock.
Cook stuffing 5 minutes, then remove from heat and let stand in warm
pan. To serve, mound cranberry orange stuffing onto each dinner plate
using an ice cream scoop. Rest chicken or turkey slices on top of the
stuffing and cover with gravy. Garnish with chopped parsley.
Muffin recipe:
1 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus more
for preparing the muffin tin
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
2/3 cup granulated sugar, plus up to 1 tablespoon
for topping the muffins, if desired
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup milk
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Put the cranberries and orange
juice in a small saucepan, and bring just to a simmer over medium
heat. Remove berries from the heat, and set aside to cool and plump.
Drain off any excess liquid and set aside. Lightly brush a 12-muffin
tin with butter. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a
medium bowl and set aside. In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle
attachment, or with an electric hand-held mixer in a large bowl, cream
the butter, orange zest, and 2/3 cup sugar until light and fluffy,
about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber
spatula. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each
addition. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Fold the flour in 3 parts
into the butter mixture, alternating with the milk in 2 parts, until
just combined. Fold in the cranberries. Do not over mix. Divide the
batter evenly into the muffin tin and sprinkle the tops with sugar.
Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool muffins in the pan on
a rack. Serve warm.
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Spicy Volcano Cakes
Recipe By: Marlene Steinberg
Butter for greasing Gastroflex Baking Muffin Mold
3 large eggs
1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus more for muffin mold
4 tablespoons apple sauce
1/3 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces melted bittersweet chocolate
1 -- 4 ounce can diced green chiles, drained of any liquid
1/4 cup apple pie filling
Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
Whipped cream (optional)
Preheat oven to 400F. Generously butter the 6 cups of the Gastroflex
Baking Muffin Mold. Sprinkle each of the cups with sugar, shaking out
the excess. Beat the eggs with the sugar and applesauce until well
combined. On low speed, beat in the flour and salt until just
combined, scraping down the sides. Do not over beat. Combine the
melted chocolate with the chilies and apple pie filling. Fold this
into the batter. Divide batter evenly into the prepared Gastroflex
Baking Muffin Mold. Bake until the tops of the cakes are set, 10 to
12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. To
serve, turn out the cakes and place on individual serving plates.
Dust with optional powdered sugar and add an optional dollop of
whipped cream.
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Fruit Muffin Rings with Cranberry Butter
Recipe By: Paula Hamlin
4 cups flour
3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup finely diced walnuts
1 cup canned crushed pineapple (drained slightly)
5 eggs
1 cup oil
1 cup milk
1/2 cup FRESH strawberries, diced
1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
Stir together dry ingredients in a large bowl. Combine all wet
ingredients in another bowl. Add wet to dry and stir only enough to
combine. DO NOT OVER MIX! Fill mini brioche Gastroflex molds 3/4
full. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Unmold and serve warm with a "pencil" of
the following butter inserted in the center.
Cranberry Butter
1 c. fresh or frozen thawed cranberries
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 pound unsalted butter
Mix all together in a food processor until well blended. Chill
slightly, until easy to handle then roll into fat pencils and place on
a waxed paper covered cookie sheet to chill thoroughly. Cut into 2 "
lengths and store in a plastic zip bag for up to a week.
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Banana Bread Muffins
Recipe By: Pam Hopkins
To make great banana bread muffins, the bananas must be very ripe,
almost to the point of being spoiled. The riper the banana, the
better the muffin. My family loves this recipe. I adapted a banana
bread recipe to suit my taste and decided to make muffins instead of
bread because it's easier to share. (I did this while at our favorite
fishing camp in Canada and shared with everyone there). I buy very
ripe bananas and let them ripen for about another week before making
the muffins. The "fresh" bananas don't last long enough around here
to get ripe enough for banana bread muffins. I use the Splenda as my
husband and I cannot tolerate refined sugar.
1 cup Splenda (or sugar)
1/2 cup oil (vegetable or canola)
3 large eggs
4 very ripe bananas, mashed (approx. 2 cups)
1 teaspoon lemon peel (I buy it from the spice
section at the grocery)
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I prefer pecans and
sometimes use walnuts)
1 cup raisins
Heat oven to 350F. Mash the bananas with the lemon peel. In a large
bowl, whisk together the Splenda (sugar), oil and eggs. Stir in the
bananas and lemon peel. Sift together the flour and baking soda; add
to the banana mixture and stir until combined. Fold in nuts and
raisins. Fill the muffin molds with 1/4 to 1/3 cup of batter for each
muffin. Bake for 30 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Remove
from mold and cool on a wire rack. The muffins can be eaten hot,
warm, or at room temperature; and either plain or slathered with
butter. They freeze well and after microwaved for one minute, taste
fresh. Yield: 12 muffins
Note - I did use the Gastroflex Muffin Pans to make my muffins. They
work much better than my other, metal muffin pans.
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Apple Baby Buntings
Recipe By: Joy Ruehl
This recipe is fashioned for the Gastroflex 6 cup muffin pan because
of its unique qualities, allowing less fat needed, and wonderful ease
of cleanup. And I find that I can lift these muffins out of the pan
almost immediately out of the oven with my fingers! This recipe
satisfies those on a low fat/low sugar diet if no added toppings are
consumed by the "dieter." It is important to allow these to
sufficiently brown and dry a bit before removing from the oven - time
enough to get all diners to the table! Recipe may be doubled for more
than 3 persons.
1 medium/small apple (Fuji or Gala)
1 Tbs lemon juice
1/2 tsp cinnamon or 5 spice powder
1 Tbs finely chopped pecans or walnuts
1 Tbs brown sugar
Cut apple in half, and each half in thirds. Core and partially peel
each piece. Coat apple pieces well with lemon juice. Mix remaining
ingredients well and roll apple pieces until well-coated. Set aside.
Batter
2 lg. eggs
1/2 cup milk (1 or 2% OK)
2 Tbs mix of flaked wheat germ and wheat bran
or ground flax seed,
1/2 cup bread flour
1/2 tsp salt (or less)
Whisk above in medium bowl just until blended. Prepare 6 cup
Gastroflex muffin pan with one second butter-flavored spray in bottom
of each section. Place pan on flat baking sheet. Divide batter
evenly among the 6 sections. Drop one coated apple piece into each
section, gently pushing to bottom so batter begins to cover top.
Butter-spray each top one second. Place sheet in center of cold oven.
Set control for 400 degrees F. Do not open oven for minimum of 25 -
30 minutes, or until tops have a 1 very deep brown crust. Turn off
oven and allow to set another 5 minutes. Remove for immediate
serving, with or without butter or/and preserves, or --
Optional Addition
Mix 3 Tbs cream cheese with 3/4 cup powdered sugar and, gradually, 2-3
Tbs milk or cream and 1/2 tsp vanilla until very smooth. Drizzle with
spoon on top of each hot "bunting" on serving plate or serve in small
individual ramekins for "dipping." Serves 2 or 3.
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Rhubarb Muffins
Recipe By: Masina Lane
Below is my submission for the muffin contest. I found this recipe in
a magazine and it sounded so appetizing that I baked the muffins that
same day. My husband and I enjoy them as a dessert with our coffee.
I split the warm muffins and butter them. They could be served for
breakfast as well or if baked in mini pans would be nice brunch fare.
I did not have my Gastroflex baking molds, regular muffin size, when I
last baked them. I have since received my molds and will use them the
next time I prepare the muffins.
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup rhubarb -- diced
1/2 cup pecans or nuts of your choice chopped
Topping
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup pecans or nuts of your choice -- chopped
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon -- ground
Preheat oven to 375F. In a small bowl, mix sugar, egg, vanilla
extract, oil and buttermilk. In a medium-size bowl, mix flour, baking
soda and salt. Stir sugar mixture into flour mixture and blend until
evenly moistened. Stir in rhubarb and nuts. Spoon into well-greased
and floured muffin tins. Stir together topping ingredients and
sprinkle evenly over the top of each muffin. Bake about 20 minutes or
until center springs up when touched. Makes one dozen muffins.
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Crusty Mustard-Dill Meat Loaf
Recipe By: Gail Beatrous
This contest is a fun idea! Here's my entry:
1 cup beef broth
1 cup old-fashioned oats
2 1/2 pounds meat loaf mix (ground beef, veal, & pork)
1 cup minced onion
2 large eggs
6 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
4 tablespoons coarse-grained Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 400F. Mix broth and oats in medium bowl. Let stand 5
minutes. Mix in meat, onion, eggs, dill, mustard, salt and pepper.
Spray muffin pan with non stick spray and press meat into each muffin
form. Bake until browned and cooked through and thermometer inserted
into center registers 160 degrees F, about 25 minutes.
Received on Sat May 15 09:23:16 2004
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