Have some bananas turning brown- make banana muffins.
Ingredients
3 ripe bananas, mashed about a cup
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 cups self-rising flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Place cupcake liners in each cup of a jumbo muffin pan – 6 muffin cups.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, egg, buttermilk, vanilla, brown sugar, and mashed bananas with a large spoon until thoroughly mixed. Add the self-rising flour, baking soda, and nuts. Mix until combined. Divide the mixture equally among the 6 muffin cups. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.
INGREDIENTS
Dry Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1⁄1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Wer Ingredients
1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2)
2 cups buttermilk or 2 cups sour milk
2 tablespoons honey
2 eggs
1⁄4 cup butter, melted plus extra for the griddle
Maple syrup for serving
DIRECTIONS
In one bowl mix together the dry ingredients. In a second bowl mix together the wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix gently. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes.
Heat a large skillet or griddle, and lightly butter the pan.
Pour 1/2 4 cup measures for each pancake onto the hot grill.
Cook the pancakes until tiny bubbles appear on the surface and the bottom is golden brown.
Flip and cook the second side for about 1 minute or until golden.
Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve with Maple syrup.
Italian Sesame Squash Yeast Bread
Dough Ingredients
1 yellow summer squash (8 oz, shredded)
3/4 cup warm water
1 tablespoon instant yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, room temperature
4 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
Topping Ingredients
1 egg whisked with 1 tablespoon of water
Sesame seeds
Directions
Place shredded squash on a kitchen towel and squeeze out any liquid you can. Place in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the remaining dough ingredients.
With the paddle attachment mix the ingredients until they gather around the paddle Switch to the dough hook and knead for 5 minutes.
Place the dough in an oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover the bowl and set aside to rise until doubled about 1 hour.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and divide it into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a 12″ long rope. Braid the three ropes, pinching each end to seal them together, and set the loaf onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap which has been oiled to prevent sticking. Set aside in a warm place for about 1 hour until the dough has almost doubled in volume and springs back slowly when poked.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush the loaf with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake for about 45-50 minutes until golden brown. The interior temp should be about 190°F. Cool on a wire rack.
Banana Squash Quick Bread
2 loaves
Ingredients
2 cups mashed bananas
3 eggs, beaten
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups grated yellow squash
3 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
Directions
Preheat oven to 350*F.
Grease two 8″ x 4″ ” loaf pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper fir to cover the bottom of the baking pans.,
In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla. Blend well. Stir in squash until it is well blended into the egg mixture.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
Slowly add the flour mixture to the liquids until well mixed. Add cinnamon and bananas. Mix until well blended.
When completely mixed, divide into loaf pans,
Bake for 60 minutes or until the toothpick of the fork can be inserted and pulled out clean.
Cool in pan(s) for at least 5 minutes then you may remove.
Miss baking your favorite foods because flour and other pantry items are in short supply due to the virus crisis? Have you thought about baking with alternative flours in place of all-purpose flour, such as whole wheat flour, grain flour, bean flour, nut flour, rice flour or coconut flour to name just a few? Any number of them will work as a thickener for gravy and nut flours make delicious pie crusts. Grain flours such as millet, amaranth, quinoa, and teft are high in nutrition and are excellent in muffin, pancake, crepes, cookies and brownie recipes. Coconut flour is excellent for cakes and quick breads. Coconut flour requires more liquid and eggs in a recipe than you may usually use in your all-purpose flour recipes. In the weeks to come, I will be sharing some of my alternative flour recipes with you.
Lemon Pound Cake
Ingredients
6 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sugar or granular sugar substitute
1 cup coconut flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Lemon syrup, recipe below
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line one 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all the ingredients.
Pour all of the batter into the loaf pan and place it in the oven.
Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the top, is firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf and comes out clean. Place the pan on a wire rack and let the loaf cool completely in the pan.
Once completely cool, about two hours later, place the cake on a plate and poke a few holes in the top with a cake tester or fork.
Drizzle the lemon syrup over the top of the cake.
Store pound cake in a container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Lemon Syrup
1/2 cup granulated sugar or sugar substitute
1/4 cup of water
Zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Bring to a boil the sugar, water, and zest in a small saucepan. Add the fresh lemon juice. Let cool to room temperature and pour over cake
Strawberry Muffins
Ingredients
Cooking spray
4 large eggs at room temperature
1 cup coconut milk, unsweetened
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar or sugar substitute
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup chopped fresh strawberries
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 12 muffin cups with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, beat the eggs using a hand whisk. Whisk in the remaining ingredients one by one., adding the strawberries last.
Using a 4-tablespoon ice cream scoop, transfer the batter to the prepared muffin cups, filling them 3/4 full.
Bake until the muffins are set and a toothpick inserted in their center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
Cool the muffins 5 minutes in the pan on a cooling rack, then transfer the muffins directly to the cooling rack to cool 10 more minutes before serving.
Banana Walnut Pancakes
Ingredients
1 cup store-bought gluten-free pancake mix
Or make your own:
Gluten-Free Pancakes Dry Mix 1 1/2 cups (210 g) basic gluten-free flour 9any kind), (140 grams superfine white rice flour + 45 grams potato starch + 25 grams tapioca starch/flour) 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg
1 cup milk or buttermilk
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
Maple syrup for serving
Directions
In a medium bowl, combine pancake mix sugar, and cinnamon.
Stir in egg, milk, oil, bananas, and walnuts; until well combined (batter will be slightly lumpy).
Heat lightly oiled grill or frying pan over medium heat. Pour batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Cook until pancakes are golden brown on both sides; serve hot with maple syrup.
Some of the first arrivals were Filipino seaman who settled in Louisiana and California, at the beginning of the 18th Century. Migration patterns of Filipinos to the United States have been recognized as occurring in four significant waves. The first was connected to the period when the Philippines were part of New Spain and later the Spanish East Indies and they migrated to North America during this time.
The second wave was during the period when the Philippine Islands were a territory of the United States; as U.S. Nationals, Filipinos were unrestricted from immigrating to the US by the Immigration Act of 1917. This wave of immigration has been referred to as the Manong generation. Filipinos of this wave came for different reasons, but the majority were laborers. This wave of immigration was distinct from other Asian Americans because of the American influences and education in the Philippines; they did not see themselves as aliens when they immigrated to the United States. During the Great Depression, Filipino Americans were also affected, losing jobs, and being the target of race-based violence. This wave of immigration ended due to the Philippine Independence Act in 1934, which restricted immigration to 50 persons a year.
Later, due to agreements with the Philippines, Filipinos were allowed to enlist in the United States Navy; this continued a practice of allowing Filipinos to serve in the navy that began in 1901. Filipinos who immigrated to the United States, due to their military service, were exempt from quota restrictions placed on Filipino immigration at the time. This ended in 1946, following the independence of the Philippines from the United States, but resumed in 1947 due to language inserted into the Military Base Agreement between the United States and the Republic of the Philippines. In 1973, Admiral Zumwalt removed the restrictions on Filipino sailors, allowing them to enter any rate they qualified for; in 1976 there were about 17,000 Filipinos serving in the United States Navy.
The third wave of immigration followed the events of World War II. Filipinos who had served in World War II had been given the option of becoming U.S. Citizens, and many took the opportunity. Filipino War brides were allowed to immigrate to the United States due to the War Brides Act and Fiancée Act, with approximately 16,000 Filipinos entering the United States in the years following World War II.

The mural is titled “Ocean’s Crossing.” and focuses on the experiences of Filipino immigrants as they made their way to America is located in downtown Lompoc, CA. The mural was commissioned by the Lompoc Filipino-American Club (LFAC) as part of its 50th anniversary (2018) celebration and was created by artist Eliseo Art Silva.
The fourth and present wave of immigration began in 1965 with the passing of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 into law. It ended national quotas and provided an unlimited number of visas for family reunification. By the 1970s and 1980s Filipino wives of military service members reached annual rates of five to eight thousand. The Philippines became the largest source of legal immigration to the United States from Asia. Navy based immigration stopped with the expiration of the military bases agreement in 1992, yet it continues in a more limited fashion. Many Filipinos of this new wave of migration have migrated here as professionals, such as qualified nurses. As of 2005, 55% of foreign-trained registered nurses taking the qualifying exam administered by the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) were educated in the Philippines.
Filipino cuisine is composed of the cuisines of more than a hundred distinct groups found throughout the Philippine archipelago. The style of food associated with it have evolved over many centuries from their shared Malaysian and Indonesian cuisine origins to a mixed cuisine of Indian, Chinese, Spanish and American influences.
Dishes range from the very simple, like a meal of fried salted fish and rice, to fish curry, chicken curry, complex paellas and cozidos created for fiestas. Popular dishes include: lechón (whole roasted pig), longganisa (Philippine sausage), tapa (cured beef), torta (omelette), adobo (chicken or pork braised in garlic, vinegar, oil and soy sauce), dinuguan (pork blood stew), kaldereta (meat stewed in tomato sauce), mechado (larded beef in soy and tomato sauce), pochero (beef and bananas in tomato sauce), afritada (chicken or pork and vegetables simmered in tomato sauce), kare-kare (oxtail and vegetables cooked in peanut sauce), pinakbet (kabocha squash, eggplant, beans, okra, and tomato stew flavored with shrimp paste), crispy pata (deep-fried pig’s leg), hamonado (pork sweetened in pineapple sauce), sinigang (meat or seafood in sour broth), pancit (noodles), and lumpia (fresh or fried spring rolls). Various food scholars have noted that Filipino cuisine is multi-faceted and is the most representative in the culinary world for food where the “’East meets West”.
Make some Filipino recipes at home.
Shrimp in Achiote Oil
Achiote oil
1/4 cup peanut or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons achiote (annatto) seeds
Shrimp
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1–2 Thai chiles, with seeds, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 1/4 pounds large shrimp, peeled, deveined
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
2 scallions, thinly sliced
For achiote oil:
Cook oil and achiote seeds in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until the oil turns dark red, about 5 minutes. Strain into a jar and let cool. Cover and chill until needed.
For shrimp:
Heat achiote oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chiles, garlic, lime juice, and soy sauce and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add shrimp, season with salt and pepper, and cook, tossing often, until shrimp are opaque throughout, about 4 minutes. Top with scallions and serve.
Adobo
Substitute for Palm vinegar: 1 part apple cider vinegar, 1 part water with a squeeze or two of lime juice.
Ingredients
2 1⁄2 lb. boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2″ pieces
1/2 cup palm vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, crushed
12 cloves garlic, peeled
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Cooked white rice
Patis (Philippine fish sauce; optional), for serving
Directions
Place the pork, vinegar, soy sauce, peppercorns, garlic, and bay leaf in a large bowl and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Heat pork mixture and 2 cups water in a 6-qt. Dutch oven over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Skim the foam that rises to the surface, and then reduce the heat to medium-low; cover, and cook until tender, about 2 hours.
Pour the pork into a colander set over a bowl; discard bay leaf, and set pork and garlic aside. Return broth to the pot, and cook over medium heat until reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Transfer broth to a bowl and set aside.
Heat the oil in the same pot over medium-high heat. Set the garlic aside, then, working in batches, add the pork, and cook, turning until browned all over, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, and stir into the pork mixture. Stir broth back into the pot, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook to meld flavors, about 5 minutes.
Serve Adobo with rice. Season with fish sauce, if you’d like.
Bok Choy Stir-fry
Ingredients
Half of a head of bok choy cabbage, cut into diagonal pieces
1 small carrot, cut into diagonal pieces
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, quartered and separated into pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Fish sauce or salt and pepper to taste
Directions
In a deep skillet, heat oil and saute garlic and onion.
Add bok choy and carrot and stir cook for a minute then add oyster sauce.
Simmer for 2-3 minutes and season with salt and pepper.
Transfer to a serving plate and serve with fish sauce.
Maruya (Banana Fritters)
Ingredients
1/2 cup flour, plus extra for coating bananas
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup milk
3 ripe saba (banana plantain) or regular bananas, peeled and sliced lengthwise
Vegetable oil
Sugar
Directions
Cut each banana strip into 3-inch lengths. In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add milk and egg, beat until smooth.
Heat oil in a frying pan (or a large saucepan) over medium heat.
In batches, roll banana slices in flour and then dip in batter. Fry in hot oil until golden brown.
Drain on paper towels. Roll in sugar. Place in a serving dish and serve for a snack or dessert.
It may seem like “slim pickens”, when you look at what fruit is available in the winter in your market. With a second look, however, there are plenty of choices and they great choices for cooking or baking. Look for citrus fruit, apples, bananas, pears and dates. These are all good choices for salads, pancakes and muffins or to garnish main dish meats and fish.
Meyer Lemon Bread
1 loaf
Ingredients
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 lightly beaten egg
1 cup milk
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons finely shredded Meyer lemon peel
1 tablespoon Meyer lemon juice
Lemon Glaze
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon lemon zest
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottom and sides of an 8 x 4 x 2-inch loaf pan; set aside.
In a medium bowl stir together flour, 3/4 cup sugar, the baking powder and salt. Make a well in center of the flour mixture; set aside.
In another medium bowl or measuring cup combine the egg, milk, oil, lemon peel and the 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Add egg mixture all at once to the flour mixture.
Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Spoon batter into prepared pan.
Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.
Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove the loaf from the pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.
To make a glaze: Combine the glaze ingredients until smooth and spread over the cooled cake. Let harden before wrapping the ;oaf.
Citrus Salad
Turn this salad into a main course by adding cooked shrimp or chicken. I especially like shrimp in this salad.
Orange Vinaigrette
1/4 cup raspberry vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
2 shallots, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup olive oil
Grated zest of 1 orange,
Salad
1 bulb fennel, halved, cored, and thinly sliced
1⁄2 small red onion, thinly sliced
! grapefruit
1 orange
1 tablespoon olive oil
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Directions
To make the vinaigrette:
Whisk the shallots, raspberry vinegar, honey and salt and pepper together in a mixing bowl. Slowly drizzle in the oil in while whisking. Add the orange zest. Set aside
Peel the fruit and cut into segments.
In a large bowl, cover the fennel and onion with ice water and let stand for 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to paper towels to dry thoroughly.
Transfer the fennel and onion to the bowl with the vinaigrette and toss to combine. Lift the fennel and onion from the dressing and transfer to a serving platter.
Arrange the citrus segments evenly over the fennel and onion. (If adding shrimp, arrange it on top of the salad.) Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over the top, sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Baked Apple Sauce
Applesauce can be flavored with maple syrup or cinnamon. You can also add cranberries to the cooking apples to make a cran-applesauce. It makes wonderful tasting pancakes and muffins and is a great side to roasted pork.
Makes 12 servings.
Ingredients
4 lbs. (about 10 medium) assorted apples, such as Macoun, McIntosh, Golden Delicious, Jonathan, Jonagold and Honey Crisp, peeled, cored, and quartered
1/3 cup fresh apple cider or apple juice
4 lemon slices, cut paper-thin
2 tablespoons honey, optional
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Place apples, cider or juice and lemon slices in a large heavy, ovenproof casserole with a cover and mix well.. If using honey add it in and toss again.
Bake apples, covered, for 60 to 75 minutes, until very soft and moist. Stir to combine. If it is too wet, bake applesauce, uncovered, for 15 minutes longer.
Cool to room temperature before serving; applesauce thickens as it cools. The applesauce keeps, covered in the refrigerator, for up to 5 days or 6 months in the freezer.
Coconut Banana Pudding
Ingredients
1 ripe banana, mashed
1 teaspoon butter
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 dash salt
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Honey Bananas
1 tablespoon butter
1 banana, sliced into ¼ inch slices
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon hot water
Directions
In a large sauce pan, melt the butter and stir in the mashed banana.
In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, mix the sugar and cornstarch together. Add the salt, eggs and coconut milk. Stir well and add to the banana in the saucepan.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly; cook until thickened.
Remove from the heat; add vanilla and mix well. Pour into a storage bowl or 4 individual dessert dishes.
To make the honey bananas:
Melt the butter in a small skillet.
Arrange the banana slices in the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side, until lightly brown.
Whisk together the honey and 1 tablespoon of water.
Remove the skillet from the heat and pour the honey mixture over the bananas. Shake the pan to distribute.
Divide the bananas and syrup over the top of the pudding. Chill for several hours before serving.
Family will be visiting at the end of the month. Grandchildren are off from school and it is the perfect time to come south. Still cool up north, but swimming weather where Grandma & Grandpa live. I like to have nutritious foods available when they visit, so I make a few things ahead of time, especially breakfast items and desserts. These recipes are healthy, easy to make and freeze well. They just need defrosting when company arrives.
Good For You Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup vanilla flavored, reduced fat Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 medium very ripe bananas (or 3 large), mashed
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray a 9 inch loaf pan with cooking spray and lightly flour the bottom of the pan.
Combine the yogurt and brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Stir until completely combined. Whisk in the baking soda, vanilla and mashed bananas. Add the honey and eggs and mix until completely combined. Stir in the flour and nuts.
Pour into the prepared baking pan.
Bake for 1 hour and a cake tester should come out clean when inserted into the center of the bread. Cool ten minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the pan. Invert onto a wire rack and allow to cool before slicing. The cake tastes better if allowed to rest overnight.
Hazelnut Cocoa Thins
24 cookies
Ingredients
- 6 egg whites, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
In an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until light and foamy. Add the cocoa, sugar, flour and vanilla, gradually, as you beat the mixture until stiff peaks form. Fold in the hazelnut flour
Drop by rounded teaspoons of dough onto the baking sheets – 12 to a pan – one inch apart. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until lightly brown around the edges.
Slide the parchment paper off the baking sheet and onto the kitchen counter. Allow the cookies to cool before removing them to a storage container. Sprinkle the cookies with powdered sugar or make a glaze and frost them before serving.
Almond Orange Thins
24 cookies
Ingredients
- 3 egg whites, at room temperature
- 8 oz almond paste
- 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
Directions
Whip the egg whites until foamy and tripled in volume, but not stiff. Set aside.
Cut the almond paste into small cubes and beat in an electric mixer until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and egg whites and mix until smooth. Blend in the almond extract and orange zest.
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Drop by rounded teaspoons of dough onto the baking sheets – 12 to a pan – one inch apart. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until lightly brown around the edges.
Slide the parchment paper off the baking sheet and onto the kitchen counter. Allow the cookies to cool before removing them to a storage container. Sprinkle the cookies with powdered sugar or make a glaze and frost them before serving.
Peanut Butter Brownie Cookies
Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies.
Brownie Ingredients:
- 18 ounce package brownie mix
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons water
Peanut Butter Filling:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
To form the cookies:
In a medium bowl, combine the brownie ingredients. Stir until well blended.
Drop 1 level tablespoon of dough on parchment lined cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. I can get one dozen cookies on each of my baking sheets.
For the peanut butter filling:
Mix the powdered sugar and peanut butter together and roll 1/2 teaspoon of the dough into small balls. Press the peanut butter balls into the surface of the uncooked brownie cookies.
Bake for 12 minutes or until the edges are set. Cookies may appear slightly undercooked, but do not overbake. Cool on cookie sheets for about 3 minutes and transfer to wire rack.
Cinnamon Chip Scones
Makes 16 scones
Ingredients
- 3 cups unbleached All-Purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup pecan meal (pecans ground to a powder)
- 1 cup cinnamon chips
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3/4 cup buttermilk, plus extra for the topping
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- Cinnamon sugar, vanilla sugar or sugar crystals for the topping
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400°F. cover two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, pecan meal, cinnamon and cinnamon chips.
Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, with a few larger chunks of butter still showing.
In a separate bowl, beat together the buttermilk, eggs and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead it gently just until it holds together.
Divide the dough in half. Pat each half into 6 inch circle. With a bench knife, cut the circle into eight triangles.
Brush the tops of the scones lightly with buttermilk and sprinkle with flavored sugar.
Place the scones on the prepared cookie sheets and bake 20 minutes, until they’re golden brown. Rotate the pans on the oven racks after ten minutes.
Remove the pans from the oven and place the scones on a wire rack to cool.
Question of the day: Do we spell these skewers – kabobs or kebabs?
Answer: The USA uses kabob but the rest of the world uses kebab.
However, nothing says summer like grilling delicious kebabs. There’s no mistaking the aroma of fresh ingredients sizzling over a smoky grill. Best of all, whether you choose steak, chicken, pork, lamb or vegetables, kebabs are easy to prepare and cook.
The following tips for using skewers will help you with the kebab-making process.
- Soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes before using them, so they won’t burn during cooking.
- If you prefer metal skewers, which have a long life, use square or twisted types, which will hold the food better than round ones.
- To keep food from slipping off during cooking and turning, use two parallel skewers rather than a single skewer.
- If you’re using a wooden skewer, as you thread the food move the pieces close together, with no space showing. If the skewer is metal, you can leave small spaces between the pieces.
- When using foods with different cooking times (such as shrimp and beef), don’t combine them on the same skewer. Instead, make skewers of just shrimp and just beef, start cooking the beef first and then the shrimp. Combine them on a serving platter.
Skewer recipes are also great for appetizers. You can cook an army’s worth of these space savers at once. Grill skewers over medium-high heat. The following appetizer recipes make four skewers each.
Artichoke + Crusty Bread: Skewer two 15-ounce cans artichoke hearts (drained and dried on paper towels) and 2 1/2 cups torn crusty bread. Generously drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill, turning, until lightly charred, 2 to 3 minutes.
Eggplant + Bell Pepper: Skewer 1 cubed eggplant and 1 cubed bell pepper. Generously drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Grill, turning, until tender and lightly charred, 8 to 9 minutes. Sprinkle with red-chili flakes.
Potato + Celery + Onion: Skewer 8 ounces boiled and halved small potatoes, 2 stalks celery (peeled and cut into chunks) and 1 red onion (cut into wedges). Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Grill, turning, until tender and lightly charred, 7 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle with minced fresh chives.
Tomato + Bocconcini: Skewer 1 1/2 pounds cherry or grape tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Grill, turning, until bursting and charred, 4 to 5 minutes. Add 1 to 2 bocconcini to the skewer ends and grill, 30 seconds more. Sprinkle with fresh oregano.
Scallion + Mushroom: Skewer 5 ounces trimmed mixed mushrooms and 4 scallions (cut into 3-inch pieces). Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill, turning, until tender and lightly charred, 3 to 4 minutes.
Pesto Shrimp Kebabs
4 (serving size: 2 skewers)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons basil pesto
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 32 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 16 (1-inch) squares red bell pepper
- 16 (1-inch) squares yellow bell pepper
- 8 (8-inch) skewers
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- Olive oil cooking spray
Directions
Combine pesto, lemon juice and shrimp; toss. Let stand 5 minutes.
Thread shrimp and red and yellow bell peppers alternately onto skewers. Spray the skewer ingredients with olive oil cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with salt. Place skewers on a grill rack coated with oil.
Grill 7 minutes, turning skewers occasionally for an even char.
Note: If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 20 minutes before grilling.
Grilled Chicken Panzanella Kebabs
Serves 8
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
- 8 oz. boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 24 pearl onions, peeled
- 1 pound small zucchini, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch rounds
- 2 orange or yellow bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1-inch squares
- 24 cherry tomatoes
- 10 ounces unsliced day-old hearty country bread, crusts removed, cut into 1-inch cubes
Directions
In a plastic container with a tight-fitting lid, combine the vinegar, oil, honey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper and chopped herbs. Shake well to combine and set the marinade aside.
Heat a grill or grill pan over medium heat and oil the grates. Skewer the ingredients, pairing the chicken and onion together, the zucchini and pepper together and the tomatoes and bread together. Brush the kebabs with the reserved marinade.
Grill the chicken-and-onion skewers until the chicken is cooked through and onions are tender, turning often, about 10 minutes. Cook zucchini-and-pepper skewers until vegetables are tender, turning often, about 7 minutes. Cook tomato-and-bread skewers until bread is toasted and tomatoes soften, turning often, about 5 minutes.
Serve skewers at room temperature. Season with remaining salt.
Pineapple Pork Kebabs
4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for the grill
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup pineapple juice
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- 1 pork tenderloin (1 pound), cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 medium red bell peppers, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 lime, cut into wedges, for serving
Directions
Heat grill to medium; lightly oil the grates.
In a small bowl, whisk honey, ginger and pineapple juice together; season with salt and pepper.
Alternately thread pork and bell peppers onto skewers; season with salt and pepper.
Grill, brushing occasionally with the honey mixture, until pork is cooked through and the peppers begin to char, 10 to 15 minutes.
Serve the kebabs with the remaining honey mixture and lime wedges.
Marinated Swordfish Kebabs
Serves 4
Ingredients
- One pound 1-inch-thick swordfish steaks, rinsed and patted dry, cut into 24 cubes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- One 8-ounce container plain nonfat Greek yogurt; 4 tablespoons reserved
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 8 metal skewers
- 8 red cherry tomatoes
- 4 yellow cherry tomatoes
- 4 scallions, halved, then sliced
Directions
Season the fish with salt and pepper.
Combine the yogurt and 1 tablespoon parsley in a shallow baking dish and add the fish, turning to coat. Marinate the fish for 15 minutes at room temperature or for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
Meanwhile, combine the reserved yogurt, ¼ teaspoon salt and the remaining parsley in a small bowl and mix well.
Thread the skewers, alternating the fish, tomatoes and scallions.
Prepare a stove-top griddle or outdoor grill and oil the grates. Grill the kebabs 3 to 4 minutes per side or until the fish is cooked. Serve with the yogurt sauce on the side.
Grilled Fruit Kebabs with Chocolate Sauce
Ingredients
Fruit
- Pineapple, cut into large cubes
- Strawberries, hulled
- Bananas, quartered
Sauce
- 3/4 cup/180 mL semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 5-ounce can evaporated milk (2/3 cup/160 mL)
- 2/3 cup/160 mL sugar
- 1/4 cup/60 mL butter
Directions
Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high. Oil the grill grates.
To prepare the sauce: Melt chocolate chips and butter over low heat in a small saucepan. Add in the sugar and slowly whisk in the evaporated milk. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and stir for 8 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Thread pieces of fruit onto skewers. Place on the grill and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking.
To serve: Push contents from skewers onto dessert plates and serve with warm chocolate sauce.
“Quick bread” refers to any bread that uses leaveners, like baking powder or baking soda instead of yeast, and requires no kneading or rising time. Quick breads are always popular; blueberry muffins and zucchini bread in summer, pumpkin muffins in the fall or coffee cakes and banana bread, any time of the year! More versatile than most other baked goods, quick breads give you greater freedom to add ingredients (like nuts and dried fruit) and make healthy substitutions. To lower the fat, for example, you can substitute some of the oil with an equal amount of almost any fruit puree (applesauce, plum, pumpkin, bananas).
If you’re adding dried fruit, try soaking it first. This will moisten the fruit, make it tender and juicy and also preserve the bread’s moisture. To soak dried fruit, place it in a heatproof bowl and pour over just enough boiling water to cover. Let it soak about 15 minutes, then drain and add to the finished batter. For added flavor, soak fruit in hot apple or orange juice–or soak it overnight in rum or brandy. Don’t sprinkle dried fruit on top of quick breads before baking, as it will burn before the loaf is done.
The secret to moist, tender quick bread is in the mixing: use a gentle touch. Combine in a bowl the dry ingredients–flour, leavening, salt, and spices; sift them together or mix them thoroughly with a wire whisk. In another bowl, beat together the fat, sugar and eggs in the order the recipe advises. Stir any other ingredients (fruit puree, flavorings or extracts) into the wet ingredients. Only when each bowl of ingredients is mixed thoroughly should they be combined. When you are ready, pour the dry ingredients into the wet ones and fold them together gently. Do this part by hand rather than with a mixer. Add nuts and fruits; stir just until incorporated. Over-mixing will cause “tunnels”–holes where the air bubbles escaped–and will make the bread tough.
Unless you’re using high-quality non stick metal or silicone baking pans, you should always grease the pans before you pour in the batter. The best thing to use for greasing the pan is shortening, because its melting point is higher than any other kind of fat, which helps maintain a “shield” between the pan and the batter while the bread is baking. A high-quality cooking spray–one that won’t bake on to your pans and discolor them–is also a fast, easy fix. Let the bread cool for at least twenty minutes before inverting the pan and removing the bread.
The crack on top of the bread happens when the loaf “sets” in the heat of the oven before the bread is finished rising. Don’t worry–it’s normal for quick breads. Drizzle the loaf with icing or dust with confectioners’ sugar to cover the crack.
The bread looks done on the outside but it’s still raw in the middle. This is one of the most common quick bread problems and it can be caused by a few different factors:
- The oven temperature could be too high. (Use an oven thermometer to check.)
- Try lowering the oven temperature and/or putting a loose tent of foil over the top of the bread so it won’t burn before the middle has time to catch up.
- Another cause of a “raw center” could be using a different pan size than the recipe calls for. One of the advantages of baking quick breads is that you can use the same batter to make muffins, mini loaves or large loaves. Each size, however, requires different baking times–and some require different baking temperatures. The larger and thicker the loaf, the longer it’s going to take to bake. If you’re using a different size pan than your recipe calls for, adjust the baking time accordingly and check the bread often.
Pear and White Cheddar Bread
Makes 16 servings.
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup flaxseed meal or toasted wheat germ
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups shredded pears
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup refrigerated egg substitute or 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup shredded white cheddar cheese (2 ounces)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of one 9x5x3-inch loaf pan or two 7 x 3 1/2×2-inch loaf pans; set aside.
In a large bowl, stir together all-purpose flour, whole wheat pastry flour, flaxseed meal, baking powder and salt. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine pears, sugar, eggs, oil, buttermilk, honey and vanilla. Add pear mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Fold in cheese. Spoon batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes (45 to 50 minutes for the smaller pans) or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove bread from pan.
Cool completely on wire rack. Wrap and store overnight before slicing.
Variations:
Cinnamon, Chocolate, and Pear Quick Bread:
Prepare as directed, except stir 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon into the flour mixture and substitute 1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate pieces for the cheese.
Fig, Ginger, and Pear Quick Bread:
Prepare as directed, except stir 1-1/2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel and 1 teaspoon ground ginger into the flour mixture and substitute 1/2 cup finely snipped dried figs for the cheese.
Blue Cheese, Pecan, and Pear Quick Bread:
Prepare as directed, except substitute 1/4 cup finely crumbled blue cheese and 1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans for the white cheddar cheese.
Healthy Banana Bread
One 9 x 5-inch loaf (about 15 slices)
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs or 1/2 cup refrigerated egg substitute
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt or buttermilk
- 1 cup mashed bananas (2 very ripe bananas)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the middle.
Spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with pan spray, and line the bottom with parchment. Spray the parchment.
Sift together the flours, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the eggs and sugar until thick; five to eight minutes. Beat in the oil, the yogurt or buttermilk, bananas and vanilla.
At low-speed, beat in the flour in three separate additions. Fold in the nuts.
Pour into the loaf pan and bake 50 to 60 minutes, until the bread is firm and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Let cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
This bread will keep for several days, but put it in the refrigerator after three days and the bread freezes well if wrapped air-tight.
Apricot Bread
Makes 1 loaf
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup dried apricots
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch loaf pan and set aside.
Soak apricots for 20 minutes in hot water to cover. Drain and chop apricots into 1/4-inch pieces. Set aside.
Beat sugar, oil and egg together in a mixing bowl. Stir in water and orange juice. Add the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt, mixing until thoroughly combined. Stir in walnuts and apricots.
Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 55 to 65 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to continue cooling.
Blueberry Oatmeal Bread
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats, plus extra for the top of the bread.
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
Directions
Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease bottom only a 9-inch loaf pan.
In large bowl, mix brown sugar, milk, oil, vanilla and eggs with spoon. Stir in remaining ingredients except blueberries; mix thoroughly. Fold in blueberries. Pour into pan. Sprinkle with additional oats if desired.
Bake 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaf from pan with a thin spatula; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours, before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days or refrigerate up to 10 days.
Whole Wheat Fruit-Nut Bread
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 6 ounce carton plain low-fat yogurt
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1/3 cup dried cherries or cranberries
- 1 tablespoon toasted wheat germ
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease the bottom and 1 inch up the side of a 1-1/2-quart ovenproof casserole; set aside.
In a large bowl, stir together whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and baking soda. Make a well in center of the flour mixture; set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine eggs, applesauce, yogurt, brown sugar and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to the flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy.) Fold in nuts and dried fruit. Spoon batter into the prepared casserole. Sprinkle with wheat germ.
Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cover loosely with foil during the last 15 minutes to prevent overbrowning.
Cool in the casserole dish on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove bread from the casserole. Cool completely on wire rack. If desired, wrap and store overnight before slicing (bread will be slightly moister the second day). Makes 12 servings