Different Breakfast Ideas

 

 

Breakfast Bread: Mix 2 lightly beaten eggs, ½ cup chunky peanut butter, ¼ cup honey and 2/3 cup non-fat dry milk powder and add 3 cups of your child’s favorite dry, small, colorful, fruity-type cereal. Spread onto a greased 8-inch pan for 20 minutes at 325 degrees. Cool and cut into bars.

Leeky Chicken Soup

A twist on the traditional, I call this "Grandma's New Age Penicillin."

Fun Factoid:

Hippocrates, the father of medicine, prescribed the leek as a cure for nosebleeds.

 

Serves 6

 

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

 

10 medium leeks, trimmed, sliced, and well-washed (approx. 2 cups)

 

2 large baking potatoes, grated

 

2 medium carrots, grated

 

1 bunch parsley, chopped

 

8 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth (There are some great brands now that are organic and low-sodium.)

 

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

 

Instructions:

1.Heat the oil in a 6-quart pot over medium heat.

2.Add the leeks, potatoes and carrots.

3.Sauté until softened, 5 to 10 minutes. (If you feel that you need more oil, try adding a bit of water instead.)

4.Add the parsley, broth, salt, and pepper.

5.Bring to a boil.

6.Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered for about 40 minutes or until tender.

 Leeks, Walnuts, and Goat Cheese Pasta

As long as we've got leeks on the shopping list, might as well whip up a delightful and different pasta dish!

 

Fun Factoid:

The female dairy goat is a doe; the male, a buck; the young, kids; and a castrated male, a wether.

 

Serves 4

 

Ingredients:

1 lb. penne

 

1 tablespoon butter

 

3 cloves garlic, chopped

 

2 large leeks, chopped

 

White wine, two splashes

 

3 oz. goat cheese

1/3 cup walnuts, shelled chopped into pieces

 

Parsley leaves

 

Instructions:

1.Place penne is large pot of boiling salted water and cook. (I know you know how to make pasta!)

2.In a large saucepan, melt the butter.

3.Add garlic and leeks, sauté for 4 to 5 minutes.

4.Splash in the white wine.

5.Cook until the wine has reduced.

6.Add to cooked, drained pasta.

7.Crumble in goat cheese and the walnuts.

8.Give it a good stir and garnish with parsley (if you like).

 Righteous Ratatouille

A soul-warming, guilt-free, gastronomical gift from on high.

Fun Factoid:

98% of the world's olive oil comes from the Mediterranean region, which has a 6,000-year history of olive tree cultivation.

 

Serves 6

 

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

 

1 medium onion, finely chopped

 

1 red pepper, chopped

 

1 yellow pepper, chopped

 

2 small eggplants, cubed (about 2 cups)

 

1 small zucchini, cubed (about 1 cup)

 

3 cloves garlic, diced

 

1 bay leaf

 

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

 

1 can Italian-style stewed tomatoes

 

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

 

1 lb. whole wheat spiral pasta

 

Instructions:

1.Heat the oil in a 4-quart sauce pot over medium heat.

Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. 2.Add both the red and yellow peppers and sauté for another couple of minutes. Toss in the eggplant cubes and cook a couple more minutes.

 3.Add the zucchini, garlic, bay leaf, and oregano.

Season with salt and pepper and continue to cook for a couple more minutes. 4.Add the tomatoes and simmer for 40 minutes, uncovered.

 5.Boil and drain the whole wheat spiral pasta.

 6.Serve ratatouille over pasta, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

Miraculous Minestrone

One pot, a bunch of vegetables, a few beans, and a bit of pasta makes a tasty, warming feast!

Fun Factoid: The earliest evidence of human beings eating soup was 6000 BC. The main ingredient was hippopotamus.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 medium carrots, chopped

1.5 cups chopped cabbage

1 large Vidalia onion, chopped

3 garlic gloves, minced

3 cups water

1 (15 oz) can Italian stewed tomatoes, undrained

3 cubes vegetable bouillon

1 cup fresh spinach, shredded

1 can cannellini beans, drained

2/3 cup cooked ziti or other small pasta

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Instructions:

1.In a large saucepan, heat olive oil.

2.Toss in carrots, cabbage, and onion and sauté for 5 minutes.

3.Add water, tomatoes, and bouillon.

4.Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

5.Stir in spinach, pasta, cannellini beans, and pepper; heat through.

 Baroness Wine Sauce

The aroma and taste of this wine sauce will send cozy and relaxing vibes through the air, and through your body. Serve this on pretty much anything!

 

Fun Factoid:

Winston Churchill's mother invented the Manhattan cocktail (whiskey and sweet vermouth).

 

Serves 8

 

Ingredients:

2 cups port wine

 

3 cups red wine

 

2 cups beef stock

 

1/4 cup sugar

 

1 bay leaf

 

3 thyme sprigs

 

10 peppercorns

 

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

 

Instructions:

1.Place port, wine, beef stock, sugar, and aromatics in a medium stainless steel saucepan and cook over high heat until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.

2.Serve over lean meats, vegetables, or anything else you can think of! Get creative.

Spicy Beef and Cheese Muffins

Drop biscuit batter in the bottom of buttered muffin tins, top with cooked ground beef tossed with minced pickled jalapenos and finish with a big pinch of shredded pepper jack cheese. Bake in a 350° oven until the dough is done and the cheese melts, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

Apple and Cheddar Meat Pies

Cook ground beef and chopped onion until the onion is softened and the beef is no longer pink. Toss with chopped apples and shredded cheddar cheese. Divide a store-bought frozen pie crust into quarters and roll out to make four rounds. Top each round with the beef mixture, brush the edges with water, then fold over, crimping to enclose. Bake in a 425° oven for about 20 minutes.

On top of the perks of being able to bring these cinnamon rolls to, say, a picnic, without diminishing their taste, they also have fewer calories (442 calories per serving versus Cinnabon's 880 calories) and less fat (a mere six 6 grams of fat versus a whopping 36).

Now do we have your attention?

We thought so.

Give these a shot over the weekend and get ready to enjoy some freshly baked, ooey-gooey goodness on a lazy Sunday morning without the guilt.

The first Cinnabon store opened at Sea Tac Mall in Seattle on Dec. 5, 1985, after three months of concerted effort by a consultant hired by founders Rich and Greg Komen, who set out to make "the world's best cinnamon roll."

OK, this one is admittedly a no-brainer, but when you're making a cinnamon roll, you have to make sure the cinnamon's damn good. Seriously. Cinnabon's founders scoured the islands of Indonesia to find the highest-quality cinnamon. That's no small feat, since according to the CIA Handbook, there are 17,508 of them.

They even bothered to come up with a name for their special cinnamon, Makara® Cinnamon, that's also a registered trademark, as you can see here.

So, when you buy cinnamon at the store, what should you look for? Ideally, look for whole sticks, which will have retained more flavor and aroma than their ground counterparts. Opt for "cassia" cinnamon from Indonesia for the closest flavor to Makara®, since it has a more complex, bittersweet flavor than the other variety, "Ceylon," which comes from Sri Lanka. Then, chop it into pieces and grind it at home using a coffee grinder just before using.

#2: Treat Your Ingredients with Respect

Chances are you're not going to use up all of that expensive cinnamon at once. Store the leftovers away from heat, humidity, and light, which can rob spices of their volatile oils over time, taking their potency with them.

#3: Frost Just Before Serving

While Alexander's rolls do transport well, it's hard to beat having them fresh out of the oven. That's the best time to frost them, so that the frosting melts into the buns.

Alexander advises having a plastic dough scraper or brittle plastic spatula to help get all the dough out of the mixing bowl without missing an ounce. (This will make baking in general easier for you.) To that end, we'd also suggest an electric stand mixer with a dough hook.

When a recipe says something like, "Dust a work surface with flour," how exactly do you do that? While we wouldn't recommend trying this recipe if you're a first-time baker, if you do insist, we would like to offer this one tip.

The writer of this article once had trouble with this very aspect of baking. Then, one day, an instructor at culinary school counseled thus: Take a handful of flour, and pretend you're throwing dice.

Even Steven, every time. A bit messy, but hey, that's baking - you can't be afraid to get your hands dirty.

Before You Start

Know your oven. Every oven is different. Some ovens run hotter than their stated temperatures, while some run cooler. If you haven't tested yours out before, borrow or buy an oven thermometer and see whether yours runs North or South of the dial. And ovens also have hot spots, too, so you may have to rotate baked goods halfway through their cooking time to ensure even cooking.

If you're really new to all of this or still don't feel quite ready, click here to see Foolproof Baking Tips.

Credit: iStockphoto/ThinkstockCinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll Recipe

- Devin Alexander, Fast Food Fix

INGREDIENTS

For the frosting:

•1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

•3 tablespoons reduced-fat Neufchâtel

•3 tablespoons light butter from a stick, softened

•1/2 tablespoon fat-free milk

•1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the buns:

•Butter-flavored cooking spray

•2 tablespoons light butter from a stick

•1 cup fat-free milk

•1/3 cup granulated sugar

•1/4 cup artificially sweetened fat-free vanilla yogurt

•1 egg

•1 egg white

•One 1/4-ounce packet active dry yeast

•4 cups unbleached flour, plus more as needed

•1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

•1/2 teaspoon salt

•3 tablespoons corn syrup

•3 tablespoons packed brown sugar

•1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

For the frosting:

In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar, Neufchâtel, butter, milk, and vanilla extract. Mix on low speed with an electric mixer fitted with beaters or stir with a spoon until combined, about 1 minute. If using a mixer, increase the speed to high.

Beat or stir vigorously until smooth, about 30 seconds. Allow the frosting to set for at least 10 minutes. Place in an airtight plastic container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Just before using, stir well with a spoon.

For the buns:

Lightly mist a large bowl with cooking spray. Set aside 1 tablespoon of the butter to soften.

In a large microwavable measuring cup or a medium-sized microwavable bowl, combine the milk, granulated sugar, and the remaining butter. Microwave on high power until the milk is hot (130 degrees), 2 minutes.

Add the yogurt. Whisk until the sugar dissolves (some small lumps of yogurt may be visible). Add the egg and egg white. Whisk to beat well. Add the yeast. Whisk until dissolved.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the dough hook or in a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups of the flour, 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon, and the salt.

Mix or stir by hand with a wooden spoon to blend. Add the milk mixture. Mix on medium power or stir vigorously to blend. (The mixture will be very sticky.) Add the remaining flour, mixing or stirring until absorbed.

Lightly flour a work surface. Turn the dough onto the work surface. (A plastic dough scraper or brittle plastic spatula is helpful for getting out all of the dough and starting the kneading.)

Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Add scant amounts of flour as needed. (The dough should be soft but not sticky.) Place in the reserved bowl. Lightly mist with cooking spray. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the corn syrup, brown sugar, the remaining cinnamon, and the vanilla extract. Stir to blend well. Set aside.

When the dough has doubled in size, gently punch it down and place it on the lightly floured surface. Knead for about 1 minute. Dust lightly with flour. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

Lightly mist an 11-by-7-inch nonstick baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside. Using your hands or a floured rolling pin, press or roll the dough into an 18-by-12-inch rectangle.

With a butter knife, evenly spread the softened butter over the dough. Drizzle on the filling. With a knife or spatula, spread it evenly to the edges. Starting at one shorter side, roll the dough, jelly-roll fashion, into a tube, ending seam side down. Cut into 8 equal pieces. Place, spiral side up, in the reserved dish.

Cover the dish with a damp kitchen towel and place in a warm spot. Let the rolls rise for another 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Bake until very lightly browned but slightly doughy in the center, 22-28 minutes. With a spatula, transfer 1 roll to a plate. Using a butter knife, spread 1 ½ tablespoons of frosting over the top and ½ tablespoon down the sides. Repeat with the other 7 rolls.

Chicken Wings

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

Peanut oil, for frying

4 lb. chicken wings (about 40), separated into 2 pieces, wing tips removed, rinsed

12 tbsp. margarine

1 cup hot sauce, preferably Frank's Red Hot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce

1 ⅓ cups chunky blue cheese dressing

4 ribs celery, halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 3″ sticks

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oven to 200°. Pour oil to a depth of 2″ in a 6-qt. Dutch oven, and heat over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 350°. Dry wings thoroughly with paper towels, and working in batches, fry wings until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Transfer wings to a wire rack set over a baking sheet, and place in oven to keep warm until all wings are fried.

2. Heat margarine in a 12″ deep-sided skillet over medium heat; stir in hot sauce until smooth. Add wings, and toss until completely coated. Serve wings in a large bowl with dressing and celery on the side.

Halloween Marsh-Monsters

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8 thick pretzel rods 8 large marshmallows Candy corn, miniature candy-coated chocolate baking bits, string licorice, Bugles® corn snacks, gummy peach rings, fruit snacks, candy sprinkles, as desired 1 container (1 lb) vanilla creamy ready-to-spread frosting Assorted food colors

1 Gently push 1 pretzel into 1 flat side of each marshmallow; set aside. Plan and assemble decorations for each marshmallow.

 2 In 1-cup microwavable measuring cup, microwave 1/2 cup frosting uncovered on High 10 to 20 seconds or until smooth and melted when stirred. Add 1 to 2 drops food color as desired--green for witches or Frankenstein, red for devils, yellow for pumpkins or cats.

 3 Dip and decorate 1 marshmallow at a time. Hold pretzel, and dip marshmallow into frosting to coat all sides. Immediately add decorations to create features--candy corn for noses, baking bits for eyes, string licorice for whiskers. To make witch’s hat, push corn snack through center of peach ring. For devil’s or witch’s cape, use fruit snack cut in half crosswise at an angle; attach at base of marshmallow while frosting is soft. Set pretzels in drinking glass to dry before storing. Store in airtight conta

Expert Tips

•

 For best results, work with one color at a time so the frosting does not set. Chocolate frosting may be used for cat snacks.

•

 To secure the marshmallow to the pretzel, cut an X into one end of the marshmallow, and press the pretzel into it.

Halloween Kitty Cake

  

1 (18.25-oz.) pkg. pudding-included chocolate cake mix 1 1/4 cups water 1/3 cup oil 3 eggs 1 (16-oz.) can chocolate frosting 2 green gumdrops 2 small pieces black licorice 2 miniature milk chocolate covered peanut butter cups 1 red or pink gumdrops 1 (4-inch) strip red chewy fruit snack roll by the foot 1 foil-wrapped chocolate coin 2 pieces uncooked spaghetti

1 Prepare and bake cake mix as directed on package in two 9-inch round cake pans using water, oil and eggs. Cool 45 minutes or until completely cooled.

 2 Place cooled cake rounds side by side with sides touching on 18x11-inch serving platter or foil-covered cardboard. From 1 cake round, cut crescent-shaped piece from outer edge for tail; remaining portion of cake round is the head. (See diagram.) Cut 2 small triangles from each end of "tail;" place on top of "head" for ears. Place "tail" to side of "body," trimming to fit as needed.

 3 Spread frosting over cake. (If frosting is difficult to spread, heat frosting for a few seconds in microwave.) Cut green gumdrops and place on "head" for eyes; top with licorice pieces. Place peanut butter cups and red gumdrop on "head" for "nose". Place strip of fruit snack around "neck" for collar; add chocolate coin for tag. Break each piece of spaghetti into 3 equal pieces; insert at an angle next to "nose" for whi

Expert Tips

•

 Regular Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls can be used instead of reduced fat.

•

 Instead of cornmeal, sprinkle 1/3 cup French-fried onions, crushed, over dough after baking 15 minutes. Bake 3 to 5 minutes longer or until golden brown

 

•

 Cocoa is notoriously lumpy. Before adding the dry ingredients to the dough, whisk or sift them together. Shape pretzels with just-mixed, room-temperature dough. Not enough time? The dough may be refrigerated for a later use, but let it warm to room temperature before handling.

•

 Let the chocolate icing set completely before layering the cookies between waxed paper in an airtight container.

 Halloween Pops

Looking for a delicious chocolate dessert this Halloween? Then check out these pops made using Honey Nut Cheerios® milk ’n cereal bars and Cascadian Farm® peanut butter chocolate chip bars.

  

1 box (8.5 oz) Honey Nut Cheerios® milk ’n cereal bars 18 craft sticks (flat wooden sticks with round ends) 1 package (6.24 oz) Cascadian Farm® organic peanut butter chocolate chip bars 1 bag (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups) 2 tablespoons shortening Assorted Halloween candies and sprinkles

1 Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Cut cereal bars in half. Securely insert wooden sticks into ends of cut cereal bars and chocolate chip bars. Place on cookie sheet.

 2 In medium microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and shortening uncovered on High 1 minute, stirring once, until softened and chips can be stirred smooth. Dip top and sides of each pop in melted chocolate. Return to cookie sheet. Immediately decorate with candies and sprinkles. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

Expert Tips

•

 Change the theme of these pops by decorating with other seasonal sprinkles.

Halloween Candy Cookie Pizza

 

  

1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated sugar cookies 1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow creme (1 1/2 cups) 1/4 cup Halloween-colored candy-coated chocolate candies 1/2 cup coarsely broken pretzels 20 bars (fun-size) candy, unwrapped, cut into fourths (about 2 cups) 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted

1 Heat oven to 350°F. Line 12-inch pizza pan with foil; grease foil with shortening. Cut cookie dough into 1/4-inch slices; arrange in pan. With floured fingers, press slices to form crust.

2 Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

3 Use foil to lift crust from pan. Carefully remove foil from crust; place crust on serving platter or tray. In small microwavable bowl, place marshmallow creme. Microwave uncovered on High 15 seconds to soften slightly; stir until smooth. Spread marshmallow creme over crust. Sprinkle candy-coated chocolate candies, pretzels and cut-up candy bars evenly over top.

4 Drizzle melted chocolate over cookie pizza. Cut into wedges or squares.

 

Expert Tips

•

 Any small candies of your choice can be substituted for the candy-coated chocolate candies and candy bars.

•

 The pretzels add a nice salty touch to this sweet cookie pizza.

 

 

Sweet Potato Boats

It’s recipe day — and here is one using the super nutritious sweet potato.

 

Ingredients

 

2 medium/large sweet potatoes

 

1 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil

 

1 bag fresh baby spinach

 

1/4 cup sour cream

 

2 ounces cream cheese

 

1 cup chickpeas (sometimes known as garbanzo beans)

 

1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

 

salt and pepper to taste.

 

Directions

 

Bake the sweet potatoes at 350 for 45-60 minutes, or until fork tender. (Or cook in the microwave if you are in a hurry and don’t worry about the effects of the microwaves on the food. Just don’t microwave in plastic wrap, or you’ll be eating the toxins.) Cut the baked sweet potatoes in half and cool for 5-10 minutes. While they are cooling, saute the fresh spinach in the coconut oil for 2-3 minutes, until the spinach has cooked down. (You can use butter if you prefer, but coconut oil is good for you, so I try to find recipes that include it.) Set aside. Scrape the sweet potato from the peel. Leave a thin layer of flesh on the peel so that can stand up on its own. Mash the sweet potato with the cream cheese and sour cream. Stir in the chickpeas, spinach, salt and pepper. Coat potato skins with a drizzle of oil and bake for about 5 minutes to make them crispier. Fill each skin with the sweet potato mixture and top with shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake again for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the filling is heated through.

 

If you are counting calories, you can cut a few by using low fat sour cream and cream cheese. Remember, though, that fat doesn’t make you fat. Sugar starts the insulin response which puts your body in fat-storage mode. Every ingredient in this recipe has a low number on the glycemic index, and is high in nutrients — so enjoy!