Apple Maple Bacon Scones

 

  

Breakfast is my favorite meal to make or shall I say bake? Two weeks ago my husband and I went to the Beaver County Maple Syrup Festival at Bradys Run Park. This was our second year attending this show. The event has numerous venders for arts and crafts. The show also holds a large pancake breakfast (which get there early because there is always a long line). You can pretty much purschase anything maple flavored down to maple syrup cotton candy! Which by the way I had to purchase for my nephew. 

This year the festival was the first weekend in April. The event is usually the last week in March or first weekend of April. 

The best item to purchase is their local maple syrup and freshly ground whole grains. I love purchasing their cornmeal and buckwheat. There is nothing quite like freshly whole grains & pure maple syrup. 

Ingredients:

3/4 cup Buckwheat 

1 cup diced apples (peeled) (3 extra small)

3/4 cup diced fully cooked bacon

2 1/4 cup AP flour

1 TB baking powder

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp maple extract

3 TB pure maple syrup 

1/2 cup cold butter, diced

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 egg

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper, & set aside. 

2. In a medium glass bowl whisk flours, salt, baking soda, & baking powder.

3. Cut in the cold butter to the dry ingredients. Work the flour and butter with your fingers & hands until the texture is course and resembles wet sand. Set aside.

4. In a small bowl whisk the egg, buttermilk, maple syrup and extract. Add the liquid ingredients into dry and also the apple & bacon. Work the dough with a wooden spoon until all ingredients are moist. Be sure not to over mix. 

5. Place the dough on a heavily floured surface. I like to do this on parchment paper. Form the dough into a 14 inch circle, cut into 8 large scones. 

6. Place each scone on the prelined parchment paper. I was able to line all 8 on one sheet. Bake for 20 minutes at 425 degrees. 

7. Remove the scones from the pan and allow to cool on wire rack. Enjoy!

  

Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese

Mac and Cheese is a favorite in this house. I am always looking for ways to reinvent the wheel with this dish. This recipe was developed by having leftover pulled pork that my husband slow cooked on his smoker. I generally freeze the leftovers in small containers for pulled pork nachos, or enchiladas. And now every once and awhile pulled pork mac and cheese.

I made this dish for lunch last weekend when we were working on the belushi. I know my sister-in-law loves my mac and cheese. I even named the dish after her Julie and Josh’s Favorite Mac and Cheese.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients: 

  • 2 cups of dry. macaroni noodles (dreamfields or smart taste)
  • 2 cups plus 1/4 cup of 2% sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup of shredded pulled pork
  • 1/2 cup egg substitute
  • 1/2  cup Fat Free sour cream
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground mustard
  • 1 cup of skim milk
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs, optional
  • BBQ Sauce, an add on right before serving

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Spray and 8 by 8 glass dish with cooking spray.
  3. Cook macaroni according to the directions on the package.
  4. In the meantime measure out milk, sour cream, and egg substitute. Mix together with fork.
  5. Once cooked and drained place noodles back into the pan.
  6. Add the pulled pork to the pan and stir.
  7. Remove from heat.
  8. Add cheese and stir.
  9. Add liquid ingredient mixture, salt, pepper, and mustard. Fold until incorporated.
  10. Now pour noodles into the glass dish.
  11. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of cheese & bread crumbs for an added flare.
  12. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
  13. Top with BBQ sauce, about 2 TB on each piece of the Mac and Cheese.

Belushi


Today would have been my husband’s grandmother Nanny’s 91st birthday. She was such a wonderful lady. Nanny was always all about her family. Nanny showed her love like most mothers and grandmothers do by cooking and baking from the heart! One of her favorite things to make in the kitchen was Belushi. Her Belushi was always a family favorite. The bread never lasted very long at gatherings. Matter of fact you can never make enough to please everyone. This weekend we made three batches.

Belushi is a Slovakian dish. If you have never had this cheesy potato flatbread, you are truly missing out.  There is nothing quite like it. The flatbread is prepared with flour, yeast, sharp cheddar cheese, colby jack cheese and sprinkled with salt and slathered with butter. Everyone has an opinion as to when it tastes best. Most like it right out of the oven but some prefer it cold out of the refrigerator.

The traditional bread was not made all the time but as special treat. My mother-in-law mentioned to me the bread was baked more during the months of lent since it was rich in protein with the folding of the potato cheese blend. My mother-in-law states Nanny learned how to make this dish from her Grandma Anna Palonder. If you try to look up this recipe online there is nothing to be found. It truly is the Kessman special flatbread. 

Nanny gave me this recipe in 2007 for a wedding shower gift. My husband and I tried to prepare it my ourselves a few years ago and it did not turn out. Luckily this past weekend my husband’s sister came to town and give us the Kessman 411 on the family classic.

  

Servings: 90 servings

Ingredients:

1.5 lb Idaho Potatoes (pealed and quartered)

5.5 oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese (shredded)

5.5 oz Colby Cheese (shredded)

1 box of Hot Roll Mix

1 cup AP flour

1 1/4 cup warm water (like bath water)

1 tsp salt, plus more for dusting

1 egg

1 tsp sugar

2 TB Unsalted Butter, softened, plus more for brushing out of the oven

 

Directions:

1. The night before, boil the potatoes in a large stock pot for 15 minutes. Run the potatoes through a food mill. Place the potatoes in a large bowl. Add the cheese and mix thoroughly with wooden spoon. Cover and let cool in the refrigerator for 1 hour to overnight.

2.Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Take the potato cheese mixture out of the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature.  Also line half sheet pans with parchment paper and set aside.

3. In the meantime work on the dough. Place the additional flour, sugar, & salt in a standing mixer along with the contents of the hot roll mix box. Use the dough hook attachment. Mix with stand mixer on low. Slowly add the warm water, egg, and softened butter. Gradually increase the speed to medium and allow the dough to form a ball (kneading with dough hook for 5 minutes). Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest in warm area for 30 minutes.

4. Once the dough has risen evenly divide into 6 dough balls. On a heavily floured surface, roll out each dough ball into a 5 inch diameter. Place a generous scoop # 8 (4 oz) of the potato cheese mixture into the center of each circle. Wrap the dough around the cheese ball and pinch together the ends and place the sealed side down. Using a rolling pin, take the dough and roll it out on the heavily floured surface and roll the dough into a rectangular shape (large enough to fit a half sheet pan).  The flatbread should be very thin (1/4 of an inch or less, thinner the better!). Prior to placing in the dough in the oven take a fork and make random hole marks onto the dough to prevent the dough from bubbling in the oven.

5. Bake 2 sheets at a time in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 10 minutes and flip the pans top to bottom halfway through and bake another 10 minutes.

6 Immediately remove the belushi to a cutting board and brush with pastry brush melted butter and season lightly with salt. Cut as you wish and enjoy!

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Thin Mint Coffee Creamer

  

Girl Scout season is here! Girl Scouts are everywhere selling cookies for one of their badges and to also allow the troops to complete activities throughout the year. 

Every time I see Girl Scout Cookie stands it is so hard to pass them up. They always talk you into a box or two…Even my husband the last time he went to the grocery store they conned him into a box. 

I was a Girl Scout when I was growing up and I can remember going door to door to sell these fine treats. One year I even found the mystery house one road off from my house. 

This creamer you can make all year round so you can enjoy the flavor anytime you have a craving for a thin mint. 

Ingredients:

2 cups of fat free half and half

1/2 cup of  Crème de menthe syrup

3 TB of penzeys hot cocoa powder

Directions:

Place all the ingredients into a sauce pan. Place pan on medium-high heat. Whisk with wire whisk so all the for ingredients can marry. Allow the creamer to simmer for 5 minutes and remove from heat. Allow the liquid to cool slightly prior to pouring into glass container. I recommend using a funnel for this step. Keep the vessel sealed in refrigerator. Make sure to shake the creamer well prior to each use. 

Vanilla Cake with Pastry Cream Filling & Strawberry Whipped Cream Frosting

My grandfather turned 86 years old this past weekend and I was honored to bake the cake for him. We were able to celebrate with some of our family at his favorite restaurant. We finished off the celebration with this refreshing spring cake.

Strawberries are one of his favorite fruits. My grandpa grows them in the summer and there is nothing, absolutely nothing that compares to his homegrown strawberries.

When my sister and I were kids we would go to his house and pick them fresh out of the garden. Two for me and one for the basket was our motto. We loved spending the summers at our grandparent’s home. Once we were finished we would have angel food cake, vanilla ice cream, & fresh sliced strawberries with some cool whip. Yum! I can taste the dish just thinking about it. This cake takes me back to those wonderful nostalgic memories at Grandma & Gtrandpa Harpers.


This cakes serves 16- 24 servings

Cake Ingredients:

3 cups cake flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup (8 oz) (2 sticks)unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cup  granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 1/4 cups low fat buttermilk
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Pastry Cream Filling:

3-4 Large Strawberries

1/2 cup skim milk 1/4 cup fat free half and half1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped out
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/8 cup cornstarch
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter

 

Strawberry Cream Cheese Whipped Cream Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar, divided
4 oz cream cheese, 1/3 reduced fat, room temperature
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1  lbs strawberries, hulled and sliced into pieces slightly under 1/2-inch
Sliced strawberries for decorating

 

Directions for the Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cooking spray with Bakers Joy (or a flour based spray) 3 9-inch round cake pans then line bottom with a round of parchment, cooking spray with Bakers Joy parchment. Set pans aside.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium mixing bowl, set aside.
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Mix in eggs and egg yolks one a time. Also add vanilla in with the eggs.  Add 1/3 of the flour mixture at a time (to the butter/egg mixture) alternating with 1/2 of the milk and mixing on low speed just until combined after each addition. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl and gently fold batter several times.
Divide batter among prepared baking pans evenly. I like to use my scale for this, even distribution makes for even baking. Bake in preheated oven 20 minutes until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan about 5 minutes, run a plastic knife around edges of cake to ensure they are loosened then invert onto wire racks to cool for 20 minutes. After the time has elapsed prepare them for the freezer. I like to wrap them in plastic wrap and place them back into their baking pans and stack them in a deep freezer before frosting.

Directions for the Custard Filling:

In a small saucepan, heat the milk, heavy cream,  half and half, and vanilla bean to a boil over medium heat. Immediately turn off the heat and set aside to infuse for 10 to 15 minutes. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the cornstarch and whisk vigorously until no lumps remain. Whisk in 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture until incorporated. Whisk in the remaining hot milk mixture, reserving the empty saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and slowly boiling. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Let cool slightly. Cover with plastic wrap, lightly pressing the plastic against the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill at least 2 hours before placing in between the layers of the cake.

Whipped Cream Frosting: 

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip heavy cream until soft peaks form (occasionally scrap down sides and bottom of bowl to ensure even mixing), add 1/4 cup powdered sugar and whip until stiff peaks form (make sure they are stiff or your topping will be runny, it should get to the point where it doesn’t have a wet sheen). Scrape cream out into a separate bowl.
Add cream cheese to bowl of stand mixer, fit with paddle attachment and whip cream cheese until smooth and fluffy, mix in remaining  1/4 cup powdered sugar and vanilla. Add strawberries and mix until uniform in color. Remove bowl from stand mixer, add whipped cream and fold into mixture.

Putting it all together:

Take the side with flat surface (the side that was touching the bottom of the pan) and place it onto cake plate or cardboard cake circle. Place a ring of the whip cream frosting around the border of the cake (I piped this by using a ziplock baggie & cutting a small rectangle at one of the tips of one of the corners) and then pour some of the custard into the center. Spread the custard evenly in the center. The ring of whip cream serves as a border to prevent spillage. Place slices of strawberries around the middle.


Place next cake layer down and repeat the custard layer with boarder of whipped cream. Top with the last cake layer.  Finish frosting by taking the remaining whipped frosting and frost cake. Place the cake in the freezer immediately and remove before serving.  Store leftover cake in an airtight container in refrigerator, well that is if there are any leftovers. We did not have any…

 

Slow Cooked Cannolini Beans

 
I love slow cooked beans! I am obsessed! Veggie Protein Power!  Another bonus, I bought all these ingredients for less than 3 dollars. Not to mention I used our own homegrown spicy garlic to flavor the dish.

Ingredients:

2 lbs dried Cannolini Beans aka white kidney beans (rinsed)

1/4 of a very large onion

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp Rosemary 

1 tsp  Mural of flavor 

6 garlic cloves

1 tsp penzeys vegetable base

10 cups of water plus One more cup at the end

Fresh Pepper to taste

Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Place all the ingredients in a slow cooker. Place crockpot on warm for 16 hours then place on low for 8 hours. You might need to add one additional cup at the end. 

  

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Muffins

IMG_6167

 

 

I have used leftover Idaho Mashed Potatoes in donuts, rolls, pumpernickel bread, pot pies, and other baked goods but I have never used mashed sweet potato as a substitute in recipes before. However what a great idea to add moister & sweeteness to  any baked good. These muffins are so moist.  I cut the fat from the original recipe by replacing half of the oil with using low fat buttermilk and ripe bananas.

This recipe yields 18 muffins

Ingredients:

1 large Banana, mashed

1 large sweet potato, baked, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)

2 egg whites

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup of buttermilk, low fat

1/2 cup canola oil

3 Tsp baking powder

1 tsp kosher salt

1 cup AP Flour

1 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

1 2/3 cup of granulated sugar

1 Tsp ground cinnamon

1 Tsp Pie Spice

 

Glaze Ingredients: Optional

1/2 cup of powdered sugar

2 TB Skim milk plus maybe 1/2 TB

1/2 Tsp vanilla

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
  2. Using a whisk, mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl (flours, baking powder, salt, spices, and sugar. Set aside.
  3. In a separate bowl mix together the mashed banana, mashed sweet potato, egg whites, oil, and buttermilk. Mix together well.
  4. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Be careful to try and not over mix the muffins. A tunneling effect will occur.
  5. Scoop the muffin batter into the prepared muffin tins using a number 16 scoop. It will make your life some much easier and make the muffins the same size for overall perfect appearance.
  6. Bake the muffins at 375 degrees for 20 minutes in the oven or until toothpick comes out clean.
  7. Allow to cool in pan for 2 minutes and remove to allow to cool on wire rack for the remainder of the time.
  8. While the muffins cool, prepare the glaze (optional).
  9. Place all the ingredients for the glaze in a small bowl, whisk thoroughly. Once muffins have cooled slightly drizzle scant amount of glaze onto the muffins.
  10. ENJOY

 

 

 

 

Lemon Ice Box Pie

 


This year I was in charge of the pies and rolls for Easter. My mom hosted Easter dinner and allowed me to help with these few items to help her in the kitchen.  I love baking so I was anxious  to try a few new recipes.  

I love using my grandma’s pie dish so I was pleased to make the pies. It makes me feel like she was with us this year sharing the meal and memories.

Ingredients:

Crust:

16 Lemon Flavored Oreos

3 TB unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

1 (8 ounce) packet of 1/3 reduced fat cream cheese, room temperature

1 can (14 oz) of sweetened skim condensed milk

1/4 cup of egg white substitute

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, plus 3 TB boiled (this will take about 3 lemons)

1 tsp lemon zest

2 tsp gelatin

Directions:

1. Place the Oreos in the food processor and pulse. Slowly add the butter and incorporate.

2. Place the mixture into a standard pie dish and press into dish. Place the dish into the refrigerator and allow to chill for at least 30 minutes.

3. In the meantime prepare the filling. In stand mixer beat with paddle attachment the cream cheese, egg substitute and sweetened condensed milk.

4. Mix 3 TB of the hot lemon juice and dissolve the gelatin in the hot juice. Mix the gelatin until it dissolved. Set aside.

5. Add in the lemon juice and zest to the cream cheese mixture, then fold in the gelatin mixture.

6. Pour the filling into the pie dish, cover with saran wrap and allow to chill in the refrigerator overnight.

Keep chilled prior to serving

 

 

 

Eastermallow Popcorn Treat

 

  
 

This year my husband and I tried to make most of our Easter goodies from scratch for our family’s Easter baskets.  Let’s just say these Easter bunnies have been busy! 

Ingredients:

14 cups of freshly popped popcorn

Salt to taste 

14 oz marshmallows fluff

1 TB unsalted butter

Directions:

1. In a very large microwavable safe bowl place marshmallow fluff and butter. 

2. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir. Microwave for an additional 30 seconds & stir. 

3. Slowly add the popcorn and fold the popcorn into the fluff by using a spatula. Caution; the mixture will be very sticky. A helper in the kitchen is ideal for this process. Spread the popcorn onto parchment paper. 

4. Sprinkle with your choice of sprinkles. We used a whole container of large egg sprinkles. 

5. Allow the sticky popcorn to set for two to three hours. Cover with parchment paper. 

6. Place the popcorn mixture into plastic baggies or glass jars. 

Enjoy!

Reuben Pizza

Reuben Pizza

 

We had some leftover corned beef last week from St. Patrick’s Day and the question was, how could I repurpose it?  I made a super easy corn-beef recipe in my pressure cooker, which I am starting to really like for it’s quick cook times. Now, I still love my crockpot but if you are pinched for time the pressure cooker is the way to go. Since St. Patrick’s day was Thursday this year, the pressure cooker had to be used since I ran to the store after work to purchase the meat and did not have time to let it go low and slow in the crock pot.

My husband loves Rueben’s and Pizza. This is a perfect combo to use the leftovers in a fun way. We generally make a pizza once a week using prepared homemade dough. I usually make 2-4 dough recipes at one time and portion them off and freeze them to last several weeks. It is so inexpensive to make your own dough and it tastes 100% better than the stuff in a can or that’s delivered. You can also buy  fresh dough at most deli’s for 1-2 $ a lb. That is if you don’t want to make the dough yourself. Or you can buy frozen dough as well, which can cost just about the same as the fresh; however, the frozen dough you can generally find a coupon in the weekly paper.

Predirections: Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Ingredients:

1 lb of prepared dough, if using frozen make sure it is thawed, I like to pull my out a day in advance

3-4 T Fat Free Thousand Island Dressing

6-7 slices Swiss Cheese, Sliced Thin

1/2-2/3  Cup Sauerkraut (drained very well)

6-8 1/4′ Slices of Leftover Corned Beef (You can always dice this up int small bits it you prefer)

2 tsp. Caraway Seeds

Directions:

  1. Place the dough in a deep dish stoneware dish, spread the dough to the sides and form edges,
  2. Place on top of the dough the thousand island dressing. Spread the dressing to the sides leaving an 1 inch rim of the dough. Sprinkle with caraway seeds.
  3. Place evenly small amounts of sauerkraut on top of the dressing.
  4. Sporadically place the sliced meat over the sauerkraut and place the dish in the oven. Reduce the temperature to 450 degrees and bake for 20 minutes.
  5. Remove the dish from the oven and layer with cheese and return to oven for 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
  6. Place on cutting board and divide into 6 slices. Enjoy!