Gina's English Toffee

6 oz. chocolate chips
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. water
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup butter

Melt the butter, sugar and water in a saucepan (must be large enough to hold double the volume of the butter/sugar mixture).  **Use low heat to prevent separation later.
-Stir the mixture constantlywhile heating over medium to medium high heat.  The mixture will bubble and foam as the water boils off (this can take a while).  The volume of the mixture will increase at this point, the mixture will then collapse and thicken and the temperature will start to rise again.  Remove the pan from the heat once it passes 300 degrees F and before it reaches 320 degrees.
-Stir in the vanilla and pour the mixture onto a parchment covered baking sheet (I butter or spray it too).  Spread the mixture out.  While the toffee is still hot, sprinkle with the chocolate chips and let them sit for a few minutes to melt.  Then spread the chocolate smoothly over the toffee and sprinkle with almonds.  Let it cool completely before breaking into pieces.

Peach scones whole wheat

Clean Peach Scones

 

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These tender scones taste like summer! They’ll stay fresh if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Yields: 8 scones

• 1 ½ cups (180g) white whole wheat flour (measured correctly)
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter, very cold and cubed
• ½ cup (120g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• 3 tbsp (45mL) pure maple syrup  (I used honey)
• 2 tbsp + 2 tsp (40mL) nonfat milk, divided
• 1 tsp almond extract  (I used vanilla)
• ½ cup (100g) diced peaches (I used almost 1 cup or one whole peach)
• (I added flax and chia seeds)

Preheat the oven to 425°F, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or the back of a fork until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Make a well in the center. Stir in the Greek yogurt, maple syrup, 2 tablespoons of milk, and almond extract. Fold in the peaches.
2. Shape the dough into a ¾” tall circle on the prepared baking sheet, and brush with the remaining milk. Slice the circle into 8 triangular segments with a sharp knife. Bake at 425°F for 16-19 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
3. Notes: Regular whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, and all-purpose flour may all be substituted.
   
   For a gluten-free version, I recommend the following blend: 1 cup (120g) millet flour, ¼ cup (30g) tapioca flour, ¼ cup (30g) brown rice flour, and 1 teaspoon xanthan gum.
   
   Honey or agave may be substituted in place of the maple syrup. Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk. Vanilla extract may be substituted in place of the almond extract.
   
   Peaches that are fresh, frozen and thawed, or canned in 100% juice and thoroughly drained may all be used.
    Recipe from:  http://amyshealthybaking.com/blog/2015/07/23/clean-peach-scones/

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins whole wheat

Double Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

4.9 from 15 reviews

Author: Cookie and Kate

Prep time:  15 mins

Cook time:  16 mins

Total time:  31 mins

Serves: 12

 

Delightful muffins bursting with lemon flavor and poppy seeds. These healthy muffins are made with whole wheat flour and yogurt. Serve with yogurt for a quick and filling breakfast.

Ingredients

• ½ cup + 1 tablespoon pure cane sugar
• 2 medium lemons, preferably organic (you’ll need the zest of both and the juice of one)
• 1½ cups white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour
• ¼ cup poppy seeds
• 1½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• ¾ cup plain yogurt (plain Greek yogurt works, too)
• 1 large egg (update 3/20/14: use 2 eggs for richer and slightly fluffier, more cupcake-like muffins)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons turbinado sugar for sprinkling on top

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease your muffin pan using butter or non-stick cooking spray. (Pro tip: grease only the bottoms and halfway up the cups so your muffin tops don’t flatten out while baking.)
2. Combine the sugar and lemon zest in a medium mixing bowl. Use your fingers to rub the zest into sugar until the sugar is fragrant and pale yellow throughout. Whisk in the flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In a separate, smaller mixing bowl, whisk together the butter, yogurt, egg, vanilla and the juice of one of your bald lemons.
4. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a large spoon to mix the two together. Stir only until the flour is fully incorporated into the liquid.
5. Divide batter evenly between the 12 muffins cups. The batter will be thick but don’t worry, your muffins will turn out great. The cups should not be more than three-fourths full. Sprinkle the muffins with turbinado sugar and wipe off any sugar that lands between the muffin cups.
6. Bake for 16 to 19 minutes, until tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let the muffins cool for 5 minutes in the muffin pan, then carefully transfer the muffins to a baking rack to cool completely.

Recipe from:

http://cookieandkate.com/2014/double-lemon-poppy-seed-muffins/

Granola Bars

Healthy 5-Ingredient Granola Bars

 

Print Friendly Version

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

Healthy, no bake granola bars with just 5 ingredients and a sweet, crunchy texture. Peanut butter and honey complement each other perfectly in this ideal portable breakfast or snack.

Author: Minimalist Baker

Recipe type: Snack

Serves: 10 bars

Ingredients

• 1 cup packed dates, pitted (deglet nour or medjool)*
• 1/4 cup honey (or sub maple syrup or agave for vegan option)
• 1/4 cup creamy salted natural peanut butter or almond butter
• 1 cup roasted unsalted almonds, loosely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats (gluten free for GF eaters)
• optional additions: chocolate chips, dried fruit, nuts, banana chips, vanilla, etc.
• I also added chia seeds and flax seeds

Instructions

1. Process dates in a food processor until small bits remain (about 1 minute). It should form a "dough" like consistency. (mine rolled into a ball)
2. Optional step: Toast your oats in a 350 degree oven for 15-ish minutes or until slightly golden brown. Otherwise, leave them raw - I just prefer the toasted flavor.
3. Place oats, almonds and dates in a bowl - set aside.
4. Warm honey and peanut butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir and pour over oat mixture and then mix, breaking up the dates to disperse throughout.
5. Once thoroughly mixed, transfer to an 8x8 dish or other small pan lined with plastic wrap or parchment paper so they lift out easily. (A loaf pan might work, but will yield thicker bars.)
6. Press down until uniformly flattened. Cover with parchment or plastic wrap, and let set in fridge or freezer for 15-20 minutes to harden.
7. Remove bars from pan and chop into 10 even bars. Store in an airtight container for up to a few days. I kept mine in the freezer to keep them extra fresh, but it isn't necessary.

Notes

*If your dates don't feel sticky and moist, soak them in water for 10 minutes then drain before processing. This will ultimately help hold the bars together better.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 1 bar Calories: 217 Fat: 8 g Saturated fat: 1 g Carbohydrates: 31 g Sugar: 19 g Fiber: 4 g Protein: 6 g

Recipe from:

http://minimalistbaker.com/healthy-5-ingredient-granola-bars/

Banana Blueberry Muffins

• Prep
  15 m
• Cook
  16 m
• Ready In
  31 m

Recipe By:ELEMMIRE

"These muffins are so easy to make and absolutely delicious!"

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat flour  ( I used white whole wheat) 
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas
• 4 egg whites 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup fresh blueberries

(I added walnuts)            

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 12 cup muffin pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix the whole wheat flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda. In a separate bowl, mix the bananas, egg whites, and vanilla extract.
3. Mix the banana mixture into the flour mixture until smooth. Fold in the blueberries. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan.
4. Bake 16 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Recipe from:  http://allrecipes.com/recipe/72816/banana-blueberry-muffins/print/

 

Manti Chicken Marinade

4 cups sprite or 7 up
2 cups soy sauce
2 cups vegetable oil
1 tbsp. horseradish
1 tbsp. garlic powder

Mix all together with a whisk, add chicken and marinade for 12-24 hours (I've done 6 hrs and it's fine).

Mini Puffed Oven Pancakes

Mini Puffed Oven Pancakes with Berry Sauce
recipe by ourbestbites.com 
Ingredients
 1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1/8 teaspoon salt
2-3 tablespoons butter, melted
powdered sugar
Berry Sauce
6 large frozen or fresh strawberries
3 tablespoons berry jam
optional: sugar if needed, to taste

Instructions
Place mini muffin pan (or cast iron skillet) in oven and heat to 400 degrees.  While oven is heating, place flour, milk, eggs, and salt in a blender and blend until smooth.  Carefully remove the pan from the oven (don’t forget it’s hot!) and quickly spray the wells with non-stick spray, or brush with melted butter.  But we’re going for quick and easy here so I just grab the spray.  (If using cast iron pan, coat entire pan surface with butter).  Fill muffin wells 3/4 full with batter.  Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until puffed and slightly golden on top.  Remove puffs and place on plate or platter.  Drizzle with melted butter and sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Drizzle with berry sauce and top with cool whip or whipped cream, or serve with sauce and/or maple syrup for dipping.
Quick and Easy Berry Sauce
If using frozen berries, place berries and jam in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for  about 1 minute.  Use a fork to stir and mash everything together (cut strawberries if necessary), or place everything in a blender and pulse a few times until desired consistency is reached.  Add sugar to taste for sweetness and a few teaspoons of water or juice only if needed for consistency.
Yields about 24 mini muffin pancake puffs

***I prefer to fill the puffs with cream cheese filling
-Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and either milk or heavy cream until smooth and creamy (I don't measure these ingredients, I just add them to taste)

Hawaiian Fried Breakfast Rice

Recipe by Our Best Bites  (adapted)
Ingredients
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil (I used 2 teaspoons of our chili olive oil and 2 teaspoons of our garlic olive oil)
 1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 small red bell pepper, minced
4 cups leftover white or brown rice
1 cup chopped fresh pineapple (about 1/2 medium pineapple)
1/2 cup sausage
 1 cup chopped ham (about 4 ounces bacon, weighed before cooking)
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Eggs (4-5 if scrambling; 1 egg per person if frying)
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
In a large skillet over medium heat cook sausage then add the olive oil. When hot, add garlic, ham, and bell pepper and sauté until fragrant and the peppers are tender crisp.
While the veggies are cooking, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, and ginger. Set aside.
Add the rice to the pan and stir to combine, cooking until the rice is heated through.  Add the soy sauce mixture and stir to combine. Add the pineapple and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and turn heat to low to keep warm.
In a separate pan, cook eggs as desired (we’ve done scrambled and fried and I think we prefer them scrambled; if you fry the eggs, plan on frying at least 1 egg per person.) If you scramble the eggs, mix them in with the rice before serving. If frying, divide the rice into individual portions before serving, then top with an egg and serve immediately. Makes 4-6 servings.

Easy Eggless Strawberry Ice cream

Ingredients Edit and Save

Original recipe makes 8 servings Change Servings

Makes servings USMetricAdjust Recipe (Help)

• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups mashed fresh strawberries
• 2 drops red food coloring (optional)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the milk, cream, sugar, salt, vanilla, strawberries, and food coloring. Pour the mixture into the freezer bowl of an ice cream maker, and freeze according to manufacturer's directions.

Recipe from http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Easy-Eggless-Strawberry-Ice-Cream/

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

Ingredients Edit and Save

Original recipe makes 5 dozen Change Servings

Makes servings USMetricAdjust Recipe (Help)

• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. Cream together 1 1/2 cups white sugar, butter or margarine, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and eggs. Add sour cream.
2. Mix together 5 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, baking powder and baking soda. Gradually add to the egg-sugar mixture.
3. Cover and chill dough for 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
5. Roll out on lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thick. Cut out cookies. Bake on lightly greased cookie sheet for 10 - 12 minutes.
6. To Make Frosting: In small bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat together the softened cream cheese and evaporated milk until smooth. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/8 teaspoon salt and confectioners' sugar. Beat until well blended. Color as desired and frost cooled cookies.                                                    

 

Recipe from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/sour-cream-sugar-cookies-i/

  

 

Caramel Creme Brulee

1/2 cup sugar, divided
1 tbsp. water
1pint heavy whipping cream
1/2 vanilla bean, split and with seeds scraped and reserved
3 egg yolks

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine the tbsp. water with quarter cup sugar in a medium saucepan over high heat.  Swirl the pan several times while the sugar dissolves and melts.  Tend it carefully as the syrup starts to brown, removing from heat once the melted sugar is evenly golden.

Slowly pour the heavy cream into the melted sugar, stirring gently.  The mixture will bubble and the sugar will harden.  Add the vanilla bean with seeds.  Cook it over medium heat until the sugar dissolves into the cream.  Remove from the heat as soon as the cream comes to a full boil.  Cover and let it cool slightly.

In a four cup glass measuring cup, beat the egg yolks until thick and light yellow.  Gradually add the cream mixture into the yolks, stirring constantly to avoid cooking the eggs. 

Place four ramekins in a glass baking dish and divide the cream and egg yolks between them.  Add enough hot water to the baking dish to come three quarters of the way up the ramekins to create a bain-marie.

Bake the custards 40-45 minutes, or until they are set but still tremble in the middle when gently shaken. Remove from the bain-marie and chill for at least 2 hours or up to three days tightly covered. 

When ready to serve, sprinkle a tbsp. of sugar onto the custard and spread evenly with the back of a spoon.  Using a kitchen torch, carefully melt the sugar on top evenly , browning it lightly.  Swirl the melted sugar slightly to even the surface before returning to the fridge for 5-10 minutes to set.

*I warm the cream before mixing with the sugar.
*I melt the sugar with water until it cracks and pour on top of the custard instead of using a torch.

(from thejbkitchen.com)