Cinnamon Raisin Bread

I was stumbling online and I discovered a recipe for cinnamon raisin bread that I just had to try.  It not only looked absolutely delicious, but it smelled so amazing, it almost sent me over the edge!  You have to be a little patient, but believe me you won't regret it. Great for a sweet treat with tea before bedtime, or as a great get up and go in the morning. Try toasting it, or making some french toast. Mmmm. This is really a great recipe.


Source: Old Fashioned favorites

1 package active yeast
1/2 cup plus 1 t. sugar, divided
1/4 cup warm water
2 eggs, divided
3-3 1/2 cups flour
1 t salt
2/3 cup warm milk
3 T butter, room temp
1 t vanilla
3/4 cup raisins
2 T cinnamon
1 T butter, melted
1 T water
*I added a little cinnamon into the dough itself too.

1. Proof yeast by sprinkling dry yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar over warm water. Stir until yeast is dissolved. Let stand 5 minutes.
2. Separate one egg. Refrigerate white and set yolk aside.
3. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/4 cup sugar and salt in large bowl.
4.Gradually beat yeast mixture, warm milk, and butter into flour mixture at low speed. Increase to medium and beat 2 minutes.
5. Reduce speed to low and add 1whole egg, yolk and vanilla. Increase speed to medium and beat 2 minutes. (add some cinnamon, if preferred)
6. Stir in raisins and about 1 1/2 cups flour with wooden spoon. Turn out dough and knead about 5 minutes or until dough is smooth. You may need to add more flour here.
7.Shape dough into ball and allow to rise, covered with towel, for 1 1/2 hours. 8.Punch dough down and let rest 10 minutes.
9. Grease bread pan.
10. Combine remaining 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
11. Roll dough into 20x9 rectangle. Brush with 1 T melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mixture.
12. Roll up dough, starting at shorter side. Pinch ends and seam to seal. Place in loaf pan and allow to rise about 2 hours.
13. Brush loaf with egg white mixed with 1 T water and sprinkle with a bit more cinnamon sugar mixture.
14. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

Roasted Red Peppers

I love the sweet taste of the roasted red pepper in a number of dishes.  I mostly enjoy them in homemade spaghetti sauce. I buy a bunch at a time and then I will roast and freeze them flat.  They will last up to 6 months in freezer. You could jar them in garlic and oil as well.

Ingredients:

red peppers
olive oil
salt

Method:

Place peppers on a baking sheet, cover in oil and salt. Heat oven to 400 degrees, and roast for approximately 25 minutes. Turn after every 10 minutes or so. Remove from oven, place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  After 15 minutes, remove plastic wrap, peel and seed the peppers. Store in jars, or in freezer.

Roasted Acorn Squash

This time of year is time for root veggies and squash. I love any squash, they are the ringing in of the season for me. I enjoy these particular beauties with brown sugar and butter and a little rosemary too! Then I sat back and enjoyed them in front of the window, while I watched the rain. Afterwards I roasted the seeds with salt and canola oil, they were the bomb!

Ingredients:
1 acorn squash cut in halves
1tsp canola oil
2TBSP brown sugar
1TBSP softened butter
pinch sea salt
sprig fresh rosemary (chopped)
pinch cinnamon
pinch nutmeg


Method:
Place squash on small parchment lined cookie sheet.  Rub green skin with canola oil. Mix together the rest of ingredients and rub all over the edges and inside of the flesh of the squash. Bake at 375 degrees for about 10-15 minutes or until they are soft when a knife is inserted into the flesh. Let sit for 10 minutes before you indulge.

Blueberry Muffins

These are my quick fix school day breakfast muffins.  They are full of those super-food blueberries, brain food! 1 of these and a couple coffee's and I am out the door and feeling fine.

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup of sugar
zest and juice of 1 lemon or orange (I used orange)
2 eggs
2 tsp. of vanilla extract
1/2 cup of sour cream
2 cups of all purposeFlour
2 tsp. of baking powder
1/2 tsp. of salt
1.5 cups of fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 cup turbinado sugar/sugar crystals

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium mixing bowl, cream butter, oil, lemon zest, and sugar for 3 minutes until light in color and creamy.
2. Add eggs, sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla beating for an additional 2 minutes.
3. Add salt, baking powder, and all-purpose flour gently mixing everything for an additional minute until everything is fully incorporated, approx. 2 minutes. Batter will be nice and thick.
4. Gently fold in blueberries and pour batter into muffin tin lined with paper cups  3/4 full.
5. Top each muffin with a sprinkle of turbinado sugar or sugar crystals.
6. Bake for 30 minutes or until done.

Makes 12 regular sized muffins.

Red Grape, Rosemary and Garlic Foccacia Bread

This is a very interesting recipe I found on line.  I added my own little touch and it is fantastic! Surprising how all the ingredients really come together in this recipe.  It reminds me a bit of one of my favorite restaurants version of roasted garlic buds, brie and raspberry coulis items on their menu.

Ingredients:

1 ball pizza dough
2 large sprigs fresh rosemary (chopped course)
2 large clove garlic (chopped fine)
2 TBSP olive oil
1/4 cup chopped red onion
approximately 12 red grapes ((halved lengthways)
pinch oregano
pinch sea salt

Method:

1. On a large cookie sheet, spread dough out and use fingertips to make dimples all over dough. Let rest covered with damp cloth for 1/2 hour.
2. Brush all over with olive oil and sprinkle evenly with sea salt.
3. Toss on the garlic, evenly, sprinkle with oregano.
3. Add the red onion and rosemary.
4. Lightly press in grapes evenly and bake at 450 degrees for about 9 minutes. Check for hollow sound when tapped on.

Easy Pizza dough

I was in the mood to bake some fresh bread this cold and rainy week-end, and then I thought I would make a yummy red grape rosemary,and garlic foccacia and some scones for my tomato soup. This is traditional pizza dough, so go ahead and make a pizza if you want!


1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/3 cup warm water
2 tablespoons good quality olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
3-4 cups all-purpose flour

1. In a large bowl combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Allow to stand for about 10 minutes, until the yeast is foamy. Then stir in the salt and olive oil.
2. Add in 2 cups of the flour and stir well. Then add the rest of the flour bit by bit, until the dough forms into a semi- sticky ball. You may not use all of the flour.
3. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead until smooth and satiny, about 5 min, place the dough in a lightly oiled  bowl and cover with damp cloth. Let rise in a warm place for approximately 1-2 hours.

Creamy Tomato Soup

Mmmmm Mmmmmm good!  Way better than the other famous tomato soup from a can and easy peasy to make. I made some pizza dough scones to go with it.  They are not traditional scones, but I loooove the texture of these in this soup. I first discovered this similar recipe, this is my version, from Hank's Mother and Sister Carole.  It was Caroles hubby Ron's favorite meal and this is what they made him for his Birthday. When I tried it, I instantly loved it.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 cup onion, diced small
• 1/2 cup carrot, diced small
• 1/2 cup celery, diced small
• 1 tablespoons minced garlic
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes, crushed by hand and juice reserved
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon marjoram
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup sugar

Directions

Set a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and once hot, add the onions, carrots and celery to the pan. Saute the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and the carrots are soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic to the pan and saute about 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste, the tomatoes and their juices to the pan and stir. Continue to cook until the liquid comes to a boil. Add the chicken stock and marjoram to the pan and return to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, season with the salt, pepper, and sugar and cook until the flavors have married, about 30 minutes.
Remove the soup from the heat and, using an immersion blender, or in batches in a blender, puree the soup until smooth. Return the soup to the heat and add the balsamic vinegar and heavy cream to the soup. Cook for 5 minutes, stir the basil, and serve with yummy scones.

***Recipe for pizza dough for scones, on blog. Simply cut with scissors, a small piece of dough, and toss gently in clean vegetable oil and fry till golden brown. Heat oil on med.high. Drain on paper towel.

***These scones are also good sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and dipped in nutella!!!