Baked Mini Donuts

 I love donuts more then anything that you can consume. I love them I love them I love them. Last year I picked up a Sauveur magazine because of the donuts on the cover. I bought some donut pans and pulled out the article. However I did not use the recipe in the article. I changed the whole thing to get my own light version of the baked donut. I feel like the magic of the doughnut is the fried bread. When I read the recipe I thought that it would be heavy and dry, so I changed the typed and quantities of the flours and butter/ shortening. The recipe came out great. Here is my version of the baked donut.

Ingredients
1/2c sugar
1/2c butter
1/4c Crisco
1c flour
1 1/4c cake flour
1/2tbsp baking powder
1/4tsp salt
1/4tsp nutmeg
dash of cardamom
1 egg
1/2c milk

Sprinkles

Glaze
1 1/2c confectioners' sugar, sifted to remove any lumps
3 to 4tbsp milk or water
2tsp vanilla extract 
For chocolate (add 4tbsp cocoa powder)

Place the sugar in a medium bowl and slowly stir in the milk and vanilla, a little at a time, to make a smooth, pourable glaze.  

Method
Heat oven to 400°. Grease donut tins with butter or baking spray; set aside. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cardamom in a bowl; set aside.

Using a hand mixer, beat  butter and sugar in a bowl until fluffy. Add egg, beating well after addition. Alternate adding dry ingredients and milk  beat until batter is smooth.

Spoon batter into prepared tins; bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into donuts comes out clean, 15–20 minutes.

 











Invert donuts onto a baking sheet with a wire rack; let cool completely.

Dip in glaze and desired sprinkles

Beer Steamed Chicken

I have been Christmas shopping for my man and I keep picking up BBQ stuff, My Daddy LOVES his girl. Hehe I meant grill! I found a fun gadget on zulilly. It was a rack for a beer can for a whole chicken. Wow I thought he would love that. I bought it, and I hid the gift in my big box o gifts.
We were lying in bed and he says "Baby, Lets make a beer chicken for Labor day"...... Hmmmm this is the second gift I have had to pull out because I read his mind on a regular.
We made the chickens without the rack we used 40oz cans and they sit straight up on the grill just fine. They came out so moist and delicious!!

Ingredients 
1 whole chicken 
1 can Beer

Spice Rub
4tbsp garlic salt 
1/4c  brown sugar
2tbsp smoked paprika
1tsp cayenne pepper

Method
Season chicken with Spice Rub, Make sure you rub down chicken under skin too.. I put mine in a zip lock bag over night

Pour out (or drink) half of beer.Insert into cavity of chicken.

 

Prepare grill for high, indirect heat charcoal grill, bank coals on 1 side of grill and put drip pan on empty side;  Add water to pan to a depth of 1/2". Place cavity of chicken, legs pointing down, onto open can so that it supports chicken upright. Place can, with chicken, on grill over indirect heat (and above drip pan).

Grill chicken, covered, until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thigh registers 165°F, 45-60 minutes.  Let chicken rest 10 minutes before carving.

Crispy Onion Rings

I love onion rings. This is a very recent thing. My Man ordered some from IHOP and it turned me forever. I seriously love IHOPS onion rings the best. I have tried many times to make my own using lots of different recipes but I never get them to stay crispy until this last time I tried... OMG I nailed it they were so perfect and delicious!

Ingredients
2 large onions, cut into 1/4-inch rings
Vegetable oil, for frying 
1 1/4c all-purpose flour 
1/4c cornstarch 
2tsp baking powder 
1tsp garlic salt
1 1/3c ice-cold water\

Method
Place onions in a large bowl filled with cold water and soak 10 minutes. Heat 2 inches of oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed pot to 365 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Whisk in ice-cold water and place batter bowl over a bowl of ice. Drain onions and dry thoroughly between layers of  paper towels.
Working one handful at a time, dip onions in batter, allowing excess to drip back into bowl, and gently place in oil.

Fry, turning once, until crisp and golden, 3 minutes.

Transfer to a paper towel-lined tray to drain and sprinkle with garlic salt to taste.

White Chocolate Apricot Cookies

When I was working as a household assistant I got to do a lot of experimentation in the kitchen. My boss would buy fun books to help be more creative with the kids lunches and snacks. She found one Lunch Boxes and Snacks By Annabel Karmel, you can find her book and others like it on my amazon store. I made few things from the book, the kids enjoyed them. One great healthy cookie was this White chocolate apricot cookie. Its soft and chewy just how I like a cookie, and its different. The textures and flavors go together well.

Ingredients
1/2c unsalted butter
1/2c cream cheese
1/2c sugar
1/2c AP flour
1/4c chopped dried apricots
1//4c chopped white chocolate or white chocolate chips

Method
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Line some baking sheets with parchment or other baking paper.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese. Add the sugar and beat until fluffy. Gradually add the flour, then fold in the apricots and chocolate. The dough will be quite soft  and wet.
Drop heaped teaspoons of the mixture onto the baking sheets and bake for about 15 minutes until lightly golden. Allow the cookies to cool and harden for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Scalloped Potatoes Au Gratin

I love making scalloped potatoes for Easter.

OMG I love them soooo much, I love them so much I bought a mandolin to cute thin potatoes.

Ingredients

5 potatoes sliced thin

1/2c sharp shredded cheddar 

1/4c butter 

4tbsp American cheese (velveta)

1/2c milk

Method

Peel and slice potatoes. 

Layer in oven safe dish with cheese, and butter

Pour milk over the dish and bake at 300 covered until potatoes are tender approx 45 min. 

Drain off some of the butter. Let stand for 5-10 min

Enjoy

Mashed Potato Soup

Easter Dinner is so fabulous. Its leftovers are even more amazing. You can take your Ham bone and your mashed potatoes and make a nice warm soup. I love to add a little cheese and sour cream on top, then its like a baked potato soup.

Ingredients
1 Ham Bone or 8 strips of bacon
2 carrots
1/2 onion
2 stalks of celery
1 diced up peeled potato (optional)
4c chicken stock
2c mashed potatoes 
Garlic Salt and Pepper
1/2tsp Thyme
Cream/ Milk (optional)

Method
Saute Carrots onion and Celery and potato with bacon or ham bone. Cook till fragrant. Cook stock in soup pan on stove, add sauteed vegetables, spices and meat. Cook until vegetables are tender. Add in potatoes and cook for about 15 more min. If your soup is too thick add some cream or milk until its at your desired consistency, the soup should be a little thick, it  is potato soup!

Mexi Black bean and Beef Burger

Holy Burger! This was defiantly one of my greatest creations. Cheddar filled burger topped with sauteed peppers, guacamole, queso cheese, and Frito's oh yes please! This is sublime. Must I say more...

Ingredients for meat version 
1 can black beans smashed up
1lb ground beef
1/2tsp cumin
1/4tsp chili powder
1tsp taco seasoning

Vegetarian burger

1c Breadcrumbs

1/4c Grated White Onion

1 Egg

1/4tsp Chili Powder

Salt And Pepper

1/2tsp cumin

1tsp taco seasoning

Sharp Cheddar cheese cubes

Toasted buns

Queso

8oz velveta cheese

1 14oz can rotel tomatoes

2 tbsp Pace Picante

1/4c milk

Melt cheese in saucepan, add milk, tomatoes and pace mix together until fully melted.

Toppings

Frito's

Tomato

Guacamole

Sauteed Peppers and Onions

Lettuce

Method

Smash up can of black beans, mix with ground beef, add in spices. Form Patties, halt the thickness you would normally, add cheese in the center on the top of a patty, place another patty on top of the patty and cheese, press and pinch sides together. Cook patties on grill, or on grill pan until cooked thoroughly.

Butter and toast buns.

Saute red, orange, yellow peppers with onions.

Top with Guacamole

And QUESO