Showing posts with label nuts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nuts. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Morning Glory Muffins


With school almost out for the summer and plenty of end of school year testing going on for all three of my children it is more important than ever to me that they leave the house having had a healthy breakfast that will have them all functioning well.

I've had this recipe for Morning Glory Muffins in my to-do list file for quite a while, and thought this was the perfect opportunity to go ahead and make them. They are bursting with good for you ingredients and are a great "on the go" breakfast.

The batter comes together very quickly, no mixer required. All you need is a couple of bowls, a wooden spoon and a whisk. While they are great right out of the oven they actually taste even better after sitting over night at room temperature. These muffins are low in calories (about 200 per muffin), low in fat (about 5 g), have a good amount of fiber (about 2.5 g) and are high in Vitamin A because of the carrots.* They are a wonderful start to the day.

My kids loved these and I felt good, knowing I sent them on their way with such a healthy breakfast in their tummy. Give them a try, they keep for a couple days well covered on the counter, or freeze them and take them out as needed.

*All nutritional information is only approximately.


Morning Glory Muffins
~makes 18 muffins~

Ingredients:
1 large egg
2 egg whites
1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups carrots, shredded or grated
2 medium apples, shredded or grated
1 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
3 tablespoons wheat germ
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil 18 muffin cups, or coat with nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites, apple sauce, oil, and vanilla.

In a large bowl, stir together flours, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in carrots, apples, and raisins. Stir in apple sauce mixture until just moistened. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them about 3/4 full.

In  a small bowl, combine walnuts, wheat germ, and brown sugar; sprinkle over the muffin tops.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and spring back when lightly pressed.

Adapted from: All Recipes

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Monday, March 29, 2010

Gingered Carrot Cookies


For this weeks BWD: Baking with Dorie Challenge, it was Grapefruit's pick and she decided on Gingered Carrot Cookies on Page 162 in Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From my home to yours . 

When Grapefruit emailed me a while back about her pick I have to honestly admit that I wasn't thrilled. Ginger isn't my most favorite spice and after reading through the recipe and finding that it had raisins in it as well,  I decided right there and then I was not going to like this cookie. In fact I told my husband this one was going to be all his to take to work.

I guess I owe Grapefruit and Dorie Greenspan a giant apology. These cookies were anything but ordinary and they are in fact out of this world. My oldest child who hates raisins was scarfing these cookies down without complaint and needless to say my husband didn't get to take any of them to work.

The cookies are almost like a mini carrot cake minus most of the normal carrot cake spices. It only calls for ginger and a little bit of freshly grated nutmeg, but it is packed full of flavor with grated carrots (I shredded them), coconut, toasted pecans and raisins. My husband kept saying it was the most perfect mix of flavors that keeps you wanting more and more.


The cookie dough is pretty simple with butter, sugar, egg, vanilla and a flour mixture, but by adding all these other wonderful ingredients it takes the cookie from ordinary to extraordinary. One thing I was really glad to have with this cookie is my trusty Kitchen Aid stand mixer. Without it I think you either need some serious muscles or hope your motor won't burn out on a little hand mixer as the dough gets really dense towards the end.

Baking time for these cookies was spot on for me and as always, Dorie's instructions are precise and easy to follow. Fresh out of the oven the cookie had a nice crunch with a soft interior probably due to minimal spreading during baking, but even the next day which turned the cookie more "chewy" overall it was still good. This cookie now has a permanent spot in my cookie file and will be made many more times in the future. So thank you Grapefruit for picking this cookie and thank you Dorie for inventing it. This cookie has easily made it into my top 20 all time favorite cookies.

Check out Grapefruit's page for the recipe and Elizabeth's page to see what they thought about this cookie and what new and interesting things they came up with.

For our next BWD in two weeks (the 12th of April) it is Grapefruit's pick yet again with Lots-of-Ways Banana Cake on Page 204 and 205. So if any of this has peeked your interest and you want to join the fun with us next time, just shoot me or Grapefruit an email and we'd be more than happy to have you.

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Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Molten Lava Cakes with Frangelico and Nutella Centers



A mix between a flour-less chocolate cake, a souffle and a pudding, molten lava cakes are the epitome of decadence for me. As an admitted chocoholic it doesn't get much better then this but I figured why not try and take this classic dessert, which appears to have been invented in France, and take it over the top.
What better way to do so, then adding Nutella and one of my favorite liqueurs, Frangelico into the mix.

Essentially all molten lava cakes are composed of 4 main ingredients: chocolate, butter, eggs and sugar. What flavorings or centers one may add is up to each persons creativity and the possibilities are endless. I hope you'll give my version a try and let me know how it turned out.



Molten Lava Cakes with Frangelico and Nutella Centers
~serves 4~

Ingredients:
11 tablespoons unsalted Butter
4 ounces Ghirardelli 60 % Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Bar
2 ounces Ghirardelli Semi-sweet Chocolate Baking Bar
2 tablespoons Frangelico (or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract)
3 whole eggs
3 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
8 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons Nutella
1/4 cup Hazelnuts, chopped
Strawberry Sauce (optional), recipe follows
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and center oven rack. Spray 4 small ramekins with cooking spray to coat evenly. 

Place butter and chocolate into a double boiler and allow to melt completely over the steaming water. Stir frequently. After the chocolate and butter are melted take them off the heat and add the Frangelico (if kids are eating, the liqueur can be replaced with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract), stir to combine.

Place eggs and sugar into the bowl of your mixer. With the whisk attachment, mix on medium-high speed until they become light in color and thick (about 8-9 minutes). After the eggs and sugar are at the right consistency, add the flour and mix together. Pour the chocolate-butter very slowly into the egg mixture, mixing on low until well combined and a sheen develops (about 5-6 minutes).

Place your prepared ramekins onto a cooking sheet. Ladle the chocolate batter halfway up the side of each dish. Spoon 1 tablespoon of Nutella on top of the batter in each bowl. Add the remainder of the batter on top of the Nutella in each ramekin, being careful not to overfill.

Bake ramekins for 12-14 minutes or until the outside is solid and the top appears to be soft and doesn't jiggle anymore.

After the cakes are baked, remove them from the oven,  and carefully place a plate on top of each one and quickly invert it. With a kitchen towel, remove the ramekin; the cake should fall right out.

Garnish the cakes with the chopped hazelnuts and the strawberry sauce (optional).

Serve immediately. 

They also taste great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream.


Strawberry Sauce:

8 ounces (about 12 medium) Strawberries, fresh or frozen
1 - 2 tablespoons sugar

Place strawberries in food processor and pulse until desired consistency is reached. Add as much or little sugar as needed based on sweetness of berries. Stir, and set aside.


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Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Nanaimo Bars


I first read about Nanaimo Bars on a few Food Blogs. Ever since I laid eyes on this amazing looking confection I knew I had to go ahead and make it for my family. The Nanaimo bar is a Canadian dessert. It is a no-bake bar that is named after the West coast city of Nanaimo in British Columbia and since the Winter Olympics have just concluded, I figured what better way then to honor our Canadian neighbors with this recipe.

The Nanaimo Bar consists of 3 distinct layers. A wafer crumb-based layer with graham crackers, almonds and coconut, topped with a layer of vanilla custard flavored butter icing and finally a chocolate layer from melted chocolate. Many varieties are possible by using different types of crumb, flavors of icing (e.g. mint, peanut butter), and types of chocolate. Two popular variations on the traditional Nanaimo bar involve mint flavored icing or mocha flavored icing.
This bar is beyond delicious. It is fairly rich, so small squares are perfect. My family could not get enough of these and I will make this Canadian piece of perfection for years to come!


Nanaimo Bars
Ingredients:
Bottom Layer:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 egg, beaten
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup almonds, finely chopped
1 cup sweetened coconut

Middle Layer:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons vanilla custard powder or vanilla pudding powder
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners sugar

Top Layer:
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
2 tablespoons unsalted butter


Directions:
Line an 8"x8" baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a couple of inches hanging over on each side, set the pan aside.

For the bottom layer combine butter, sugar and cocoa powder in a double boiler and heat until melted. Slowly drizzle the hot mixture into the beaten egg, whisking constantly until thickened and glossy. Stir in the graham cracker crumbs, almonds, and coconut. Press the mixture firmly into your prepared baking pan.

For the middle layer cream together the butter, the heavy cream, custard or vanilla pudding powder, vanilla extract and confectioners sugar until light and fluffy. Spread over bottom layer.

For the top layer melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler over low heat. Take off the heat source and let cool for a bit. Once cool but still liquid, pour over middle layer and chill in refrigerator until set, about an hour.

Lift the bars out using the piece of parchment with the overhanging edges and place on cutting surface. Cut into small squares using a knife dipped into hot water. Store uneaten bars in a cool place or refrigerator.

 

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Sunday, February 21, 2010

Hazelnut Nutella Pound Cake

 

My daughter has been bugging me to come up with a recipe that incorporates Nutella into it. With this in mind I set out to create a cake that incorporated the sweet chocolate flavor but also played on the hazelnuts that are in the Nutella. Another requirement was to find the perfect balance to ensure the cake wasn't overly sweet and most of all that my husband would eat, since he prefers anything without chocolate. The cake turned out great and came together very quickly. The cake is perfect with a cup of coffee for breakfast or even for dessert, especially if you add a scoop of vanilla or coffee ice cream. If you love Nutella as much as we do in our house you'll need to give this pound cake a try. 

Hazelnut Nutella Pound Cake
(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup hazelnuts, finely ground or chopped
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 oz. (about 1 cup) Nutella


Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan and dust with flour, set aside.

In a medium sized bowl combine flour, ground hazelnuts, baking powder and salt.  

Combine the butter, sugar and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and cream with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
With the mixer on low speed add the flour-hazelnut mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, scrapping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Don't over mix.

Spread about 1/3 of the batter into your prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Add 1/2 of the Nutella over the batter and smooth as well. Add another 1/3 of the batter and the rest of the Nutella making sure to smooth each addition. Finish with the remaining batter and smooth the top. Run a knife through the cake to create a marbling effect.

Bake the cake until it is golden brown  and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. 

Let the cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes and then invert it onto a wire rack, making sure to turn it right side up on the rack to cool completely. 
You can store the uneaten cake wrapped well at room temperature for up to 3 days.



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Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Chocolate Chip Cookies 3-Ways


 

Everyone has to have a "go-to" Chocolate Chip cookie recipe. It doesn't matter what age you are, there is nothing better then a tall glass of milk along with a freshly baked cookie. My cookie recipe is a fairly basic one that always delivers the perfect combination of crunch and chew. This time though I decided to "play" around and add my own touches to it. There are 3 cookies : Coconut-Cranberry-Chocolate Chip, Espresso Chocolate Chip and of course the old favorite Chocolate Chip. I had my taste tester Lukas give them all a big thumbs up!


Chocolate Chip Cookies 3-Ways
(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 (11.5 ounce) package Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips
1 cup chopped Walnuts
1 packet Starbucks Via Ready Brew Italian Roast (extra bold)
1/2 cup sweetened Coconut
1/4 cup Craisins Cranberries


Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 F.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in medium bowl and give it a good whisk to get any lumps out.  

Beat butter, white sugar, light brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy and light in color. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 

Gradually beat flour into the butter/sugar/egg mixture.
Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.

Divide dough into thirds.
Add the Starbucks Via to one third.
Add coconut and cranberries to another third.
And the final third of dough will stay as is.

Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons onto a parchment lined cookie sheet .
Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheet for a couple of minutes and then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.




Coconut-Cranberry Chocolate Chip


Espresso Chocolate Chip


Chocolate Chip

Tips for Great Cookies:
  • I always line my cookie sheets with Parchment paper, even if they are non-stick
  • In order to prevent over-salting my cookies I like to use unsalted butter
  • I let all my ingredients  come to room temperature before starting to bake
  • Invest in good quality ingredients. If I spent the time, I want to have the best possible end product.
  • A good chocolate or chocolate chip is a must. The cookies can be made with any kind of chocolate chip but in my opinion with a darker chocolate the cookies don't get over powered with sweetness. There are a lot of brands of chocolate out there. You can go VERY wrong with cheap chocolate. I found that Ghirardelli or even Lindt Chocolate (chopped by hand) provide the best flavor without breaking your pocket book
  • Buy an Ice Cream Scoop, it will produce uniform cookies every time
  • And most of all, have lots of milk on hand. Trust me, you'll need it ;o)
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