The Harper’s Hot Peppers!

Well, finally, it is here….by popular demand…. tried and true the best hot pepper recipe out there! They go perfectly with homemade bread or any type of cracker. They also go very nicely on a white pizza or in a pizza roll. Whatever way you like them ! Watch out because they are addicting. I think my husband and I made 3 to 4 batches this year because we had oodles of hot peppers.

HOT PEPPERS

1/2 Bushel of hot pepper (we like a variety of banana and jalapeño)

4 CUPS Plus of Distilled White Vinegar

48 ounces Plus of Canola Oil (One whole bottle)

16 Whole Garlic Cloves

1 CUP Canning Salt (NON IODIZED)

Fresh Oregano, about 8 sprigs

Caution: Wear gloves!!!!!! Especially if you wear contacts (we learned the hard way….ouch!).

Directions:

1. Cut and core peppers to remove the seeds. You can use handy dandy Chile Twister (pepper seeder) for this which will save you a great deal of time.

You can then place your peppers in a food processor to chop into rings.

Place pepper rings in colander over night sprinkled heavily with canning salt (salt them every time you empty the food processor full of pepper rings into the colander). Let the peppers set in a colander overnight (16 to 24 hours is optimal). The peppers will reduce in size significantly. Not to mention the hot pepper smell will permeate throughout you entire home (you know, clean out your sinuses!).

2. After you have let the peppers set over night rinse with water to remove the salt and let them drain thoroughly.

3. In a quart size jar, place 2 cloves of garlic in the jar along with one sprig of oregano, you can put the whole sprig in, or you can tear the leaves off and put them in the jar. Pack the jars full of peppers from the colander, make sure you pack it tight! Put 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar into the jars and fill to the brim with canola oil. Pour it slow, the jars will be so packed with peppers that it will take a few seconds to make it to the bottom of the jar. Be sure to leave about a 1/2″ gap between the liquid and the top of the jar.

4. Freeze the jars immediately for fresh, crisp pepper rings right out of your freezer. You can also “can” them, however, the texture and quality of the pepper tends to be compromised. Think if it this way, it is like eating fresh versus canned green beans!

Enjoy!!!!

Pumpkin Long Johns with Cream Cheese Frosting

I have the Wilton Long John Pan and have been trying to think of a good recipe to make to use it. I tend to use the doughnut pan more often when baking a breakfast.

Yields 5 to 6 large long johns

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray with canola oil cooking spray your Long John Pan.

Ingredients:
2 Cups of Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
2/3 Cup Sugar
1 tsp pumpkin spice
1/2 tsp good quality Vietnamese cinnamon
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 1/2 tsp of baking soda
1 cup pumpkin puréed
1 tsp if Mexican Vanilla Extract
1/2 Cup low fat buttermilk
4 TB Canola Oil
1/2 cup Egg Substitute or 4 Egg Whites

Cream Cheese Glaze:
3 oz Reduced Fat (neufchatel) softened
2 tsp butter
1/2 teaspoon Mexican vanilla
1/3 cup powdered sugar
2 TB Skim milk

Toppings:
Walnuts toasted 1/3 cup Chopped (optional)

Directions:
Place all dry ingredients in bowl and whisk together.

In a separate bowl place the wet ingredients.

Whisk together until incorporated.

Add dry ingredients into wet and whisk together well until there are no signs of flour visible.

Now place batter scant amount in 2/3 cup and add to the long john cooking sprayed pan.

Bake for 20 to 22 minutes or until tooth picked inserted into center comes out clean.

Place on wire rack to cool in pan for 5 minutes. Invert & remove from pan and allow to cool on wire rack.

Once cooled completely ice with cream cheese frosting.

For an added touch sprinkle with Walnuts.

Hot Pepper and Egg Pizza

Egg Pizza

There was a restaurant my family used to go to back home and they had one of the best pizza’s in Youngstown. We would travel 30 minutes and wait 2-3 hours for a few pies (no joke) out of their brickoven. When we moved pizza was so expensive in the Burgh and mediocre. My husband and I practiced, and practiced making pizza dough and different variations of our hometown favorite pizzas (no offense Pittsburgh your pizza’s does not hold a candle to Northeast Ohio Pies). The first time I saw “egg pizza” on the menu I thought “yuck” but my mom ordered it and needless to say we loved it. Now this is something I make often for dinner or brunch.

Egg Pizza

Ingredients:

Prepared dough (store bought your favorite) This is our favorite: Best Pizza Dough Every time

Gouda Cheese 1 Cup or if you don’t have gouda cheese use mozzarella

Parm Regino cheese 2 tb

3 egg yolks and one egg ( beat w/ a fork)

a splash of fat free half & half (2 tb)

natures seasoning & sandwich sprinkle (or pizza seasoning)

banana hot rings ¼ cup

red hot pepper flakes (optional but recommended)

cornmeal for dusting

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 550 for an hour w/ pizza stone in the oven.

2) Roll pizza dough out onto a lightly floured surface into a circular shape with edges (which is extremely important later on to prevent the egg mixture from spilling out into the oven when baking. Place on a pizza piel that has been sprinkled with a small amount of cornmeal (to prevent the dough from sticking to the piel).

3) Decrease the oven temperature to 425 before placing the pizza in the oven.

4) Sprinkle the seasoning salt or sandwich sprinkle onto the dough evenly. Place the pizza on the pizza stone in the oven for 5 minutes on the stone.

5) Take out of oven, spray with cooking spray. Place the hot pepper rings evenly on the pizza and also the hot pepper flakes if you are interested in adding more heat.

6) Take eggs, and egg yolks along with the half and half and beat with fork to incorporate. One trick my husband and I learned is to place the cheese on get the pizza before placing the pie in the oven without the eggs. The best thing to do with the eggs is place the egg mixture in a pourable container kind of like a measuring vessel with pouring capability.

7) Once the pizza is in the oven pull out the oven rack with oven mitts and pour the liquid egg mixture evenly onto the pizza. This method prevents the eggs from running off the pizza when you are trying to place the pizza in the oven (lesson learned the hard way).

8) Place the pizza back in the oven for 12 minutes.

9) Remove from oven and sprinkle the freshly grated parm cheese.

Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Cinnamon & Sugar Muffins

This recipe is one of my favorite muffin recipes. Cinnamon is one of the main staples spices in my diet. So anytime I can showcase a recipe incorporating cinnamon I do. My husband and I were lucky enough to catch up with one of our good friends yesterday while she was home for the holidays. She was asking me about a healthy item that she could have for Breakfast. I knew just the muffin, one she could make, freeze and take on the go for when she commutes to work on the public transportation in California. These freeze well and are amazing, not to mention are full of fiber to get you going and keep you full in the morning !

Yields: 14 standard muffins (using 2 oz (size 16 scoop) or 28 mini muffins (using number 60 scoop).
Ingredients:
1 cup of whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup of old fashion oats (not instant)
1/2 tsp Vietnamese ground cinnamon
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup fat free or low fat buttermilk
1/8 cup Splenda brown sugar not packed
1 TB ground flaxseed
1/2 cup natural unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup egg substitute or 2 egg whites
1 tsp Mexican vanilla
Cinnamon & sugar to sprinkle

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray with canola oil cooking spray 12 muffin tins. I use silicone tin but paper will work well as also.

1.Soak oats in buttermilk for ten minutes.

2. In the meantime in a separate bowl combine applesauce, egg substitute, vanilla, and Splenda brown sugar.

Then set a side until oats have soaked for 10 minutes .

3. In a separate bowl measure out whole wheat pastry flour, salt, baking soda, flaxseed, baking powder and cinnamon.

4. Add buttermilk mixture to applesauce liquid mixture. Mix well to incorporate.

5. Now fold the dry ingredients into the liquid ingredients.

6. Fold well until incorporated.

7. Scoop out into tins. For standard sized muffins use 2 oz (size 16 scoop) or mini muffins use number 60 scoop.

8. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes for standard size and 8 to 10 for minis.

Apple Butter Sausage Casserole

My husband loves sausage and the combination of apples. We had my parents over for the weekend and I made this in the morning for brunch. It has a nice mix of savory and sweetness that the whole family can enjoy. This recipe was also inspired by my Mom’s love of apples and cheddar cheese combination.

Ingredients:
2 small apples peeled cored and sliced ( I used red delicious that my grandpa gave me from his orchard)
1/2 apple butter
1/2 pound original breakfast sausage ( you can use turkey sausage to cut the fat) cooked drained and blotted with paper towel
3 eggs (or 6 egg whites or 3/4 cup egg substitute to cut extra fat and calories)
3/4 cup skim milk
3/4 cup heart healthy bisquick
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup fat free cheddar or 2% reduced cheddar cheese

Yields 9 servings

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray an 8 by 8 glass dish with canola oil cooking spray.

2. Mix milk, eggs, bisquick, salt and pepper in medium bowl and whisk until incorporated. Set aside.

3. Heat nonstick sauté pan on medium high heat and brown up sausage. Cook until the meat is no longer pink. Drain the meat well and blot with paper towels to remove extra fat and calories. Place the crumbled sausage in the nonstick pan and spread around evenly. Set aside.

4. Take the apple butter and spread it on top the sausage evenly.

5. In the meantime take apple slices and heat them in the same pan used for the sausage prep on medium heat and cook for 2-3 minutes to soften slightly and spread on top the sausage and apple butter in the glass dish.

6. Sprinkle half the cheese evenly on the top. Now pour the milk mixture evenly over top the sausage dish.

7. Back for 30 minutes uncovered and then remove from oven and throw the remainder of the cheese on top and bake for 3 to 5 more minutes until cheese is melted.

8. Remove from the oven and let sit on wire rack for five minutes before slicing into. Enjoy !

Meatball Calzone

My husband just loves a good calzone! We had leftover meatballs the other day and I knew I had an extra dough in the freezer which the combination of the two equals a good calzone. This can be a quick dinner if you thaw out the dough a day ahead of time in the refrigerator. Take the dough out of the refrigerator about an hour before you want to throw it in the oven.

Ingredients:
One wheat dough recipe or 1 lb frozen dough
1/4 cup pizza sauce
4-5 meatballs (quartered) (use turkey meatballs or vegetarian to cut the fat)
1/2 cup part skim shredded mozzarella or fat free
1 slice of provolone (cut into strips)
1-2 tsp Pasta Sprinkle or italian seasoning
Olive Oil (optional 1-2 TB)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

1. Roll out dough to the best of your ability in a rectangular shape on a lightly floured surface.

2. Spread the sauce down the middle of the dough in a straight line

3. Now top with precooked quartered meatballs

Spread the meatballs out evenly.

4. Now top with the shredded cheese.

5. Top with provolone cheese spread out sporadically. “Sprinkle” pasta sprinkle on top of the cheese.

6. Now fold on side of the dough over the meatballs, cheese, and sauce. Repeat with the other side.

7. Pinch the seams together and fold the ends like a present (making sure to seal all the good stuff).

8. Throw cornmeal onto a pizza piel.

9. Invert the dough onto the piel with seam side down. Cut some slits in the top to allow steam to escape.

10. Brush the dough with some olive oil for a nice crust.

11. Bake for 30 minutes.

Enjoy! FYI I thought this would be enough for dinner plus a lunch and my husband liked it so much he ate the entire calzone for supper!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

My nephew stayed the night last night and one of his favorite things to eat is raisins. I wanted to make something he could help assist with in the kitchen and cookies came to mind.

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees and line half sheet pans with parchment paper.

This recipe yields 62 cookies using number 60 scoop!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup of Quick Oats
1 1/2 cup of 100% old fashion oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup AP flour
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pure vanilla
1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature) aka one stick
1/2 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cup raisins
2 large eggs
1 cup brown sugar not packed
3/4 cup granulated sugar

Directions:

Beat butter in stand mixer until fluffy.

Add oil and vanilla along with sugars and mix.

Add one egg at a time.

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Mix after each addition.

Set aside.

In a separate bowl sift together flours, salt, baking powder, and spices.

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Add the flour mixture ingredients into the wet.

Mix until combined.

Fold in oats.

Now fold in raisins.

Scoop out into parchment paper lined cookie sheet and bake for 18 minutes or until lightly browned around edges.

Enjoy!

I know my nephew sure did.

Triple Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies

My husband and I went to a taste of home show in October we were given a few jars of chocolate hazelnut spread and I have been itching to use it ever since! Since we are getting close to Christmas I cannot imagine a better time then now to incorporate the spread into cookies! This recipe was inspired by Jiff’s Jiff’s Double Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a half sheet baking pan with parchment paper (makes for easy clean up)!

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup AP Flour
2/3 cup high quality cocoa powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup skim milk
1/2 kosher salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 & 1/4 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup vegetable shorten
1/2 cup chocolate hazelnut spread
1 tsp Mexican vanilla extract
Sugar to roll cookies into (1/4 cup)

Yields about 36 to 38 cookies using a number 60 scoop.

1. Beat shorten and sugar together until fluffy.

2. Add vanilla and continue to beat.

3. Add hazelnut spread and continue to beat with paddle attachment.

In a separate bowl sift flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder.

Now mix ingredients together with spoon.

Start to add flour and alternate between flour and milk and beat after each addition to incorporate ingredients together.

The dough will appear very soft. Add in chips.

Bake at 325 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

Eggs Benedict Casserole

I got my taste of home magazine a few weeks back and I have been dying to make the Eggs Benedict Casserole recipe on page 55. One of my husband’s favorite breakfasts is Egg’s Benedict. The original recipe made enough for 12 people so I cut it down to 1/3 of the original. Here is the original if you’d like to view it Eggs Benedict Casserole . I also tried to cut down the calories as well by using skim milk, whole wheat bread, & egg substitute.

Ingredients:
4 to 5 slices of toasted or stale wheat bread ( cut into 1″ pieces)
1/2 tsp paprika
3/4 cup egg substitute
3/4 cup skim milk
Pepper to taste
1 cup chopped ham
1/2 tsp onion powder

Hollandaise sauce
3 egg yolks
1 tsp lemon juice
1 TB melted butter
1/8 cup heavy cream
1/8 cup fat free half and half
1 tsp Dijon mustard

Spray an 8 by 8 glass baking dish with Cooking Spray.

Place 1/2 cup of ham on the bottom of the dish. I browned my ham up in the skillet for a few minutes (my ham was frozen). So adding this step helped crisp up the ham.

Now add the toasted/stale bread to the ham.

Pour milk mixture evenly over the bread and let rest for overnight or at least an hour.

Take out of refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before placing in preheated 375 degree oven. Sprinkle with paprika and pepper before placing into oven.

Bake covered for 30 minutes.

Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes. In the meantime start the hollandaise sauce in double boiler.

Add the egg yolks, half and half, cream, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard whisk until incorporated.

Once the mixture starts to thicken add melted butter and continue to whisk.

Once the dish is removed from the oven pour the hollandaise sauce and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Cabbage and Whole Wheat Egg Noodles

Nothing says warm up the soul like a good dish of cabbage and noodles! There was an Orthodox Church near my mother’s place of employment that made homemade halushki a.k.a. cabbage and noodles and pierogies. I can still remember when my mom use to bring them home for us when my sister and I were growing up. This noodle dish is definitely a comfort food for me. Not to mention they pair well with pierogies. The bad news is halushki the church made was saturated in butter and high in calories! The good news, I found a way to enjoy the flavor without all the extra calories of butter. There is one secret ingredient and that is freshly Cracked Pepper!!!

Ingredients:
1 small head of cabbage (Rinsed & chopped)
6 oz of dry whole wheat egg noodles
2 small onions, chopped
Canola oil Spray
4 Large cloves of garlic, diced
Salt to taste
Up to 1 TB freshly ground pepper

Directions:
Heat a large skillet to medium high heat.

Spray heavily with Cooking spray.

Add onions and garlic to heated pan and sauté until the onions are translucent.

Sprinkle onions and garlic with salt and sprinkle with cracked black pepper. Don’t add all the pepper at one time. I like to add a little at a time.

Add the chopped cabbage.

Spray with cooking spray and sprinkle some additional black pepper. Cover and continue to stir every 5 minutes.

After 15 minutes have elapsed turn heat to low.

Add egg noodles to boiling water and cook according to package.

Add drained noodles to cabbage and season with pepper and salt one last time.

Enjoy! Hopefully with some Pierogies !

A Pinch of Luv

from scratch baking and cooking blog

The Harper’s Hot Peppers!

Pumpkin Long Johns with Cream Cheese Frosting

Hot Pepper and Egg Pizza

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Cinnamon & Sugar Muffins

Apple Butter Sausage Casserole

Meatball Calzone

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Triple Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies

Eggs Benedict Casserole

Cabbage and Whole Wheat Egg Noodles