Chocolate Chip Apricot Scones
makes 12 scones

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
6 T cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1/2 cup + 2 T cream
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips + 1/2 cup chocolate for drizzle

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Cut in the butter with your fingers and work mixture together until it resembles coarse sand. Add the chopped apricots and chocolate chips.
• Add the cream and mix with your hands until a dough forms. Make an eight inch circle with the dough and slice into 12 small wedges. Place wedges on a lined baking sheet and bake for 16-18 minutes, until golden brown.
• Melt additional half cup of chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring every thirty seconds until melted. Put melted chocolate in a small plastic bag, snip off the tip and drizzle scones with chocolate.

Time:
30 minutes

Whole Grain Strawberry Pop Tart Scones
(new recipe modified on 2/26 after a couple people told me the dough was too wet to handle)
makes 8 scones

Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup all purpose flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
6 T cold butter, sliced into small pieces
1/2 cup cream
1/4 cup milk
1 vanilla bean, scraped (or two teaspoons vanilla extract)
1 cup chopped fresh strawberries
for icing:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp milk

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425.
• Mix together the vanilla bean seeds, strawberries and milk in a small bowl. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in the butter and work mixture together with your fingertips until it reaches the consistency of sand.
• Add the strawberries, milk and cream to the dry ingredients and mix together until a shaggy, wet dough forms.
• Pat dough into a large circle on a lined baking sheet and cut into eight pieces (like cutting a pie). Separate the pieces about an inch apart and bake for 16 minutes or until golden.
• Let scones cool completely while you combine the powdered sugar and milk to make the icing.
• Drizzle icing over scones and serve.

Time:
30 minutes

Late Summer Zucchini Muffins

Makes 16
1.5 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1.5 cups grated zucchini (about two small-medium sized zucc’s)
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract (or, vanilla paste)
1/3 cup canola oil
2 tsp baking powder
Cinnamon and sugar for topping

• Preheat the oven to 375. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugars, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.
• In a medium sized bowl, combine the grated zucchini, eggs, vanilla and oil. Stir well to combine and then gently stir into the flour mixture. Be careful not to overwork this—it will lead to dense muffins!
• Fill lined muffin tins about 3/4th of the way up with the batter and then sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on each. Bake for about 30 minutes or until golden.

Banana Mango Muffins
makes about 16 muffins

Ingredients:
1 large ripe mango, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 cup chopped dried mango
1 ripe banana, mashed
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup unsweetened dried coconut
2 eggs
1/4 cup canola oil
additional sugar for sprinkling

 
Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Put the mango (fresh, not dried) in a blender and process until smooth. Set aside.
• Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, coconut and chopped dried mango in a large bowl.
• In another bowl, combine the mashed banana, mango puree, eggs and canola oil. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until smooth (batter will be thick).
• Scoop batter into greased muffin tins about 3/4th of the way full. Sprinkle additional sugar on top. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.

Time:
40 minutes

Carrot Cake Muffin Bars
makes about 12 squares

3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 stick butter, softened
1 egg
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup old fashioned (or quick) oats
1 cup grated carrot (2 medium carrots or 1 huge carrot)
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts
Preheat the oven to 350.

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and oats. Set aside.
• Cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat again until smooth. With mixer on low, slowly stream in the milk. Add the dry ingredients, grated carrots and walnuts and mix until just combined.
• Scoop batter into a greased nine inch square pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden.
• Let cool completely (about 20 minutes) before cutting into squares.

Cinnamon Toast Muffins
makes nine muffins
1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup sugar
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/3 cup oil
1 egg

For topping:
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

• Stir together the flours, spices, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, oil, egg and sugar. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir only until combined. Scoop into a greased muffin pan and bake at 350 for about twenty five minutes.
• During the last five minutes of baking, melt the butter on the stove and add the sugar and cinnamon. Right when the muffins come out of the oven, pop them out and dunk them in the butter mixture. Let cool and devour.

Double Chocolate Muffins

Makes about three dozen small muffins

10 tbsp unsalted butter
11 tbsp sugar
8 ounces semisweet chocolate
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375.

• Melt together the butter and chocolate over low heat. Once smooth, add the sugar and stir well to combine. Take off heat.
• Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium sized bowl . Set aside.
• Pour the chocolate mixture into the bowl of a Kitchenaid and add the egg while beating on a low speed, using the creaming attachment. Add the buttermilk in a slow stream then add the flour in two installments, beating in between.
• Fold in the chocolate chips and fill greased muffin tins. Bake for about twenty minutes or until the muffins begin to pull away from the sides.

Blackberry Orange Muffins
adapted from Martha Stewart
makes 12 muffins
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp grated orange zest
2 cups fresh blackberries (or berry of your choice..use frozen if you can’t find fresh!)
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
Preheat your oven to 375.

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, orange zest, baking powder, salt and cinnamon together. Gently add the blackberries and stir so that the berries are covered with flour. Set aside.
• Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs, one by one, until thoroughly combined. Add the milk and blend.
• Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and toss gently, being careful not to crush the berries. Scoop batter into 12 greased muffin tins sprinkle vanilla sugar (or regular granulated sugar) over the tops.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes until the tops are golden. Let cool for five minutes in the tins then pop out and cool completely.

Banana Mango Muffins
makes about 16 muffins
Print this recipe!
Ingredients:
1 large ripe mango, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 cup chopped dried mango
1 ripe banana, mashed
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup unsweetened dried coconut
2 eggs
1/4 cup canola oil
additional sugar for sprinkling

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Put the mango (fresh, not dried) in a blender and process until smooth. Set aside.
• Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, coconut and chopped dried mango in a large bowl.
• In another bowl, combine the mashed banana, mango puree, eggs and canola oil. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until smooth (batter will be thick).
• Scoop batter into greased muffin tins about 3/4th of the way full. Sprinkle additional sugar on top. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.

Time:
40 minutes

Coconut Blueberry Muffin Tops
adapted from blackberry orange muffins
makes about 14 muffin tops

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp orange zest
12 oz blueberries
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
2 eggs
for topping—
2/3 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1/4 tsp slivered almonds

Directions:

• Preheat your oven to 375.
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, orange zest, baking powder, coconut and salt together. Gently add the blueberries and stir so that the berries are covered with flour. Set aside.
• Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs, one by one, until thoroughly combined. Add the milk and blend.
• Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and toss gently, being careful not to crush the berries. Scoop 1/4 cup amount of batter onto a lined baking sheet, about 3 inches apart.
• Combine the sweetened flaked coconut and slivered almonds to make the topping. Set aside (do not immediately top muffin tops).
• Bake muffin tops for 10 minutes then carefully sprinkle about a tablespoon or so of topping on each. Bake for another 10-12 minutes until golden.
• Let cool for five minutes on the sheet pan then use a spatula to remove.

Time:
40 minutes

Pecan Pumpkin Raisin Scones
makes about a dozen scones

Ingredients :
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup pastry flour (regular or whole wheat is fine)
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, cold and cut into small pieces
1/2 cup raisins
1/3 cup dry roasted pecans, chopped
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup pumpkin

Direction :

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl,  mix the dry ingredients (flour through baking soda). Using your fingers, cut in the butter…rubbing the mixture together until it resembles cornmeal and there are no big butter clumps left.  Stir in the pecans and raisins.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the pumpkin and buttermilk. Add this to the flour mixture and stir only until combined. Be careful not to overmix!
• Drop ice cream scoop sized balls of dough on a lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until golden brown.

Mediterranean Baked Salmon
serves 2 heartily

Ingredients:
3/4th pound of Wild King salmon
1 tbsp pesto, storebought or homemade
2 tbsp sundried tomatoes
1/4th of a red onion, minced
1/4 cup feta cheese crumbles
about 10 pitted kalamata olives, chopped

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Place the salmon on the parchment paper and rub the top of the fish all over with the pesto. Layer on the feta, red onion, sundried tomatoes and olives.
• Bake fish for 25-30 minutes until fully cooked. Enjoy!

Time:
40 minutes

serves 4 {Adam and I ate the entire thing ourselves!}
from Steamy Kitchen’s Healthy Asian Favorites

Ingredients:
1 lb fresh salmon fillet
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
3 tbsp sake
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp cooking oil

Directions:

• Combine the soy sauce, mirin, honey, and sake in a resealable plastic bag. Add the salmon and mix well to coat. Place in the fridge to let marinate for 1 hour or up to 8 hours.
• After salmon has marinated, remove from fridge and bag, reserving the marinade. Heat the cooking oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add the salmon and sear for about 2 minutes per side. Turn the heat to low and add the remaining marinade. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes, until cooked through.

Time:
active time — 15 minutes
total time — ~3 hours

Seafood Risotto
serves 4

Ingredients:
1 cup arborio rice (risotto rice)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine (like Chardonnay)
4 cups fish or seafood stock
1/2 6.5oz can lump crab meat
1/2 lb bay scallops
1/2 lb peeled and deveined shrimp, tails removed
1 small bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut on a diagonal into 1.5″ pieces
1 lemon
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, minced
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4-1/2 tsp sea salt

 Directions:

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and saute for about three minutes, until soft. Add the rice and toss to coat each kernel with oil.
• Add the white wine to the pot and stir. Cook until all the wine has been absorbed—about three minutes.
• Now, add the stock—a quarter cup at a time—stirring after each addition and not adding any more until the previous addition has been completely absorbed. It will take about 45 minutes to complete this step but don’t skip it! It will ensure you completely creamy, restuarant-style risotto.
• Blanch the asparagus in boiling water for two minutes then drain and run over with cold water. Set aside.
• After all the stock has been absorbed into the risotto, turn off the heat. Heat a teaspoon more oil in a non-stick skillet over medium high heat and add the scallops and shrimp. Quickly cook until the shrimp are pink and curled and the scallops are opaque in the center.
• Add the shrimp, scallops and half a can of lump crab meat to the risotto, along with minced parsley, grated cheese and sliced asaparagus. Season with salt to taste. Serve each bowl of risotto with a big squeeze of lemon over top.

Time:
1.5 hours

Shrimp and Goat Cheese Quesadillas
serves 2


Ingredients:
4 flour tortillas
8 raw shrimp (frozen or fresh, deveined with tails off)
1/2 cup frozen sauteed pepper and onion mix
1/2 cup shredded pepperjack cheese
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
pinch of chili powder
pinch of salt
pinch of cayenne
salsa and avocado slices for serving

Directions:

• Heat up the frozen bell pepper and onion mix in a skillet over high heat for about a minute. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
• In the same skillet, spray with cooking spray and crank up the heat to high. Add the shrimp and cook quickly for about thirty seconds. Add the cayenne pepper, salt and chili powder and toss to coat. Immediately take off heat (shrimp cook fast!).
• Scatter pepperjack cheese and goat cheese on two tortillas and then top each with four cooked shrimp and a little bit of the onion and pepper mix. Lay other tortillas on top and cook each in a greased skillet over medium heat until the cheese has melted and the tortillas are golden brown and crispy.
• Let cool and then cut into four slices with a scissors. Serve with avocado slices and salsa.

Time:
10 minutes

Shrimp Enchiladas Verde
serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1 lb frozen cooked shrimp (cocktail shrimp are great for this!), defrosted
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
28 oz green enchilada sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sour cream (reduced fat is fine)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 4-oz can diced fire roasted green chilies
8 oz shredded “Mexican Blend” cheese (or Monterey Jack)
12-14 corn tortillas
verde salsa for serving
fresh cilantro for serving

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Roughly chop your cooked shrimp and place in a large bowl with 1/4 cup enchilada sauce, cumin, chili powder, salt, cayenne pepper, diced green chilies and sour cream. Mix well until everything is well combined.
• Pour about 2/3 cup enchilada sauce into the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan. Soften your corn tortillas by placing each in a hot skillet for about 10-20 seconds each side. Then, place about 1/4 cup shrimp filling into each hot tortilla along with a sprinkle of cheese. Roll up tortilla and place seam-side down in the pan. Repeat until you have used up all your shrimp filling. (You might have a few extra enchiladas that don’t fit—place them in a small pan).
• Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the pan and sprinkle cheese on top. Cover with tin foil and bake for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.
• Serve with extra salsa, hot sauce and fresh cilantro.

Time:
45 minutes

Summer Gazpacho with Shrimp
serves 4

Ingredients:
1 cucumber, sliced
1/2 small red onion, minced
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cups tomato juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
16 large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

Directions:

• First, make the gazpacho. Combine all ingredients except for shrimp in a high speed blender or food processor. Whirl until just blended. Taste gazpacho and season with extra salt and pepper if needed. Place in the fridge while you prepare the shrimp.
• For the shrimp, heat up two tsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the shrimp and briefly saute until pink and curled. This will take only about 4 minutes since shrimp cook so fast. Sprinkle shrimp with salt and pepper and remove from heat.
• To serve, ladle gazpacho into bowls and top with four sauteed shrimp.

Time:
15 minutes

Shrimp Tacos with Grilled Poblano and Avocado Salsa
serves 2 hungry people
Adapted from Weber’s Art of the Grill Cookbook

Ingredients:
salsa:
1 ear corn, husked
6 scallions, white and light green parts only (about 5 inches)
1 poblano chile
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 large (or 2 small) haas avocado
1 small bunch cilantro, minced
juice of two small limes
1 clove garlic, minced
1./2 salt
1 T olive oil
tacos:
1 lb shrimp
corn or whole wheat tortillas

Directions:

• Heat your grill up to medium high.
• Brush corn, green onions and poblano chile with olive oil and place on grill. You want everything to have a nice char to it—to chile should be black and the corn and onion should be charred. This will take about five minutes, flipping occasionally with tongs.
• When done, remove veggies from grill and let cool on a plate. When cool, peel the now black skin off the pepper, remove the seeds and chop into small dice. Run your knife down the corn to remove the kernels from the cob and place into a bowl with the pepper. Chop onion and place into bowl as well.
• Add chopped avocado, cherry tomatoes and cilantro to the bowl and add lime juice and salt. Season to taste and set aside while you prepare the shrimp.
• Wash and devein if necessary then grill only a few minutes until pink. Be careful because shrimp cook extremely quickly! When done, place into tortillas, top with salsa and eat immediately.

Time:
25 minutes

In a Hurry Shrimp n’ Grits

Ingredients:
1/4 cup dry stoneground grits
1 cup water
pinch of salt and pepper
1/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 tsp butter
1 slice thick cut bacon
5 large raw shrimp, tails off
1/4 cup sliced green onions
2 cloves garlic, minced

Directions:

• Bring the water to a boil on the stove and add the grits, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook until grits are creamy and all water has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. Take off heat, stir in cheese and butter and set aside.
• While the grits are cooking, fry the bacon over low heat in a large cast iron skillet. When bacon is crispy, remove from pan and crumble (don’t pour out grease). Turn up the heat and add the shrimp to the pan, cooking for about 30 seconds until shrimp turn pink and curl up. Remove shrimp to a plate to keep warm and add sliced green onions, garlic and crumbled bacon, cooking for another 30 seconds.
• Pour green onion mixture on top of grits and top with shrimp. Enjoy!

Time:
25 minutes

 

Pumpkin Curry Bisque

serves 2

Ingredients:
1 small sugar pumpkin, cut in half with seeds scooped out
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp curry powder
1 tbsp maple syrup
chopped cilantro for serving
roasted pumpkin seeds for serving

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay pumpkin, cut-side down, on a tin foil lined baking sheet. Place in the oven and roast for about 40-45 minutes until very tender. Remove pumpkin from the oven and let cool slightly.
• When cool enough to handle, scoop the insides of the roast pumpkin into a large blender. Add the coconut milk, salt, curry powder and maple syrup. Puree until smooth.
• Serve with chopped cilantro and roasted {or roasted and candied!} pumpkin seeds on top.

Time:
~ 1 hour

Winter Minestrone
serves 4

loosely adapted from Alice Waters The Art of Simple Food

Ingredients:
1 cup dried cannellini beans
1 yellow onion, small dice
4 carrots, small dice
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
1 small butternut squash, small diced {or any other winter squash}
1 fennel bulb, small dice
2 cups loosely packed spinach leaves, rough chopped
2 bay leaves
3 tbsp olive oil
3 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 tsp salt
pepper
parmesan cheese for serving

Directions:

• The night before, soak the beans in cold water in a large pot. In the morning, drain the beans, add fresh water {about 3″ above beans} and simmer until very tender – about 1 hour. Drain cooked beans and reserve cooking liquid.
• Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and fennel and saute for about 15-20 minutes until veggies are soft and onion has started to turn golden brown. Don’t skimp on this step because it adds so much flavor for the soup later!
• Add the garlic, rosemary, bay leaves and salt and saute for another 3 minutes. Then, add the water and the squash. Bring to a simmer and cook until squash is tender – about 15 minutes.
• When the squash has become tender, add the beans and enough bean cooking liquid until you reach desired thickness. Keep in mind that this soup is supposed to be very thick so don’t add to much liquid here! Less is more. Add the spinach and cook just until the spinach has wilted.
• Adjust seasonings if need be and serve soup topped with a tbsp {or more!} of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Bread is always a good idea as well.

Time:
1 hour

 

Smoky Kale and Bean Soup
serves 4

Ingredients:
1 yellow onion, small diced
2 cups cooked cannellini beans {or your favorite bean}
2 slices bacon
2 cloves garlic, minced OR 1 green garlic bulb, minced
2 carrots, small diced
1 large bunch kale, roughly chopped
5 cups chicken stock
1 poblano pepper
3/4 tsp smoked paprika
1 1/2 tsp salt, divided

Directions:

• Roast the poblano pepper over an open flame on a gas burning stove OR under “broil high” settings in an electric stove. You want the skin to be pretty much totally blackened. This will take anywhere from 10-20 minutes depending on your stove. Once blackened, carefully and quickly transfer into a small plastic ziploc bag. Seal bag and set aside.
• In a heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven, fry the bacon until crisp then remove and set aside to crumble later. Pour off all but 1 tbsp bacon grease and add the chopped onions and carrots. Saute for 10 minutes, until onions start to turn golden around the edges. Add the garlic and continue sauteing for another 2 minutes.
• At this time your pepper should be cool enough to handle. Rub off as much of the blackened skin as you can, remove the seeds and roughly chop remaining pepper. Add this to the onion and carrot mixture.
• Add the chopped kale and toss well to combine. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add salt and smoked paprika. Add beans and crumbled bacon. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes for flavors to combine before serving.

Time:
45 minutes

Did you know if you grate sweet potatoes and the mix them with an egg and some flour you can make pretty darn amazing pancakes?
It’s true.

These sweet potato latkes couldn’t be easier to make. All you need is a box grater (the same thing you use to grate cheese or carrots), a bowl and a frying pan. Serve them with anything from grilled tofu to maple syrup and bacon. Like your favorite shoes, they pretty much go with everything.

Sweet Potato Latkes
makes about 8 pancakes

Ingredients:
2 sweet potatoes
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
oil for frying

Directions:
- Peel and grate potatoes on a box grater like you would carrots if you were making carrot cake. Place grated sweet potato in a large bowl and add beaten eggs, flour, salt and cinnamon. Mix well to combine.
- Heat about a tablespoon of canola oil up in a large skillet set over medium high heat. With wet hands, form pancakes with the potato mixture then flatten and fry in oil for about three minutes per side until golden.
- Serve warm with maple syrup.

Time:
15 minutes

Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread
yields 1 loaf
adapted from Southern Living

Ingredients:
1 tsp dry active yeast
2 tbsp warm water
pinch of sugar
4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/4 cup bread flour
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 egg
for filling ~
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
for frosting ~
powdered sugar
enough milk to make a slightly runny icing

Directions:

• Mix together the yeast, warm water and pinch of sugar in a glass measuring cup. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
• While the yeast is resting, beat together your butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and continue beating until combined. Add the milk then your yeast. Stir well.
• Add the flour, nutmeg and salt to the bowl and mix so that a dough forms. If you’re using a Kitchen Aid mixer and you have a dough attachment handy (the captain hook looking thing), switch to that now. Knead dough for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. You could also easily do this by hand on a lightly floured surface.
• Place a clean dishcloth over your bowl with the dough in it and let rise in a warm place for 2 hours.
• After 2 hours, roll out dough into a large rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Spread remaining 4 tbsp SOFT butter all over. Make sure your butter is very, very soft here! Mix together your cinnamon sugar and sprinkle this very generously over the top. By generous, I mean a really thick layer of cinnamon sugar. Go big or go home.
• Slice rectangle into 5-6 thick strips. Sandwich strips together and then cut this thick layered strip into 4-5 rectangles. Place rectangles cut-side up in a greased loaf pan. Smoosh together really well (it won’t fill up the whole loaf pan) then place your dishcloth back over top and let rise for 1 more hour in a warm spot.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake bread for 30 minutes until golden brown. Let cool before drizzling with icing.

 Time:
~4 hrs

Coffee Pancakes
recipe from Pancakes: 72 Sweet and Savory Recipes for the Perfect Stack
yields about 8 pancakes

Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk, well shaken
1 large egg
2 tbsp instant coffee granules
1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Directions:

• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• In a measuring cup (or small bowl), combine the buttermilk, egg, instant coffee granules and melted butter. Beat until well combined and coffee granules have dissolved.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined (batter will still be slightly lumpy – be sure to not overmix).
• Heat up your skillet and spray with nonstick spray or oil. Using a 1/4th cup measure, scoop the batter onto the hot skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side and flip. Serve warm with butter, maple syrup and more coffee.

Time:
30 minutes

Ingredients:

for pancakes—
3 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
zest of 1 lemon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp cooking oil
butter to grease skillet

for strawberry sauce—

1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries

1 tbsp sugar

seeds from 1 vanilla bean (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)

Directions:

Combine the strawberries, sugar and vanilla in a small saucepot over low heat. Cook the strawberry mixture for about 20 minutes, until it’s juicy and jam-like. At this point, most of the strawberries will have broken down. Remove from heat and set aside while you make the pancakes.

Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the buttermilk and oil and beat until well blended. In another bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cornmeal, lemon zest, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk together well then add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix only until just combined.

Melt butter on a hot skillet then cook pancakes for about 30 seconds each side. Be careful—they brown quickly!

Top pancakes with strawberry sauce and serve.

Time:

45 minutes (includes time to make strawberry sauce)

 

Ingredients

• 1 can (46 ounces) pineapple juice, chilled
• 2-1/4 cups water
• 3/4 cup thawed pink lemonade concentrate
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 quart strawberry ice cream
• 2-1/2 quarts ginger ale, chilled
• 1 Pint Fresh Strawberries

Directions

• In a punch bowl, combine the first four ingredients.
• Add ice cream; stir gently.
• Add ginger ale; stir gently.
• Cut Fresh Strawberries and add to punch.
• Serve immediately. Yield: 6 quarts.

Ingredients :
1/2 cup blueberries
1/3 cup flour (ww pastry, white, spelt, or even Bob’s gluten-free)
2 tbsp rolled oats
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2/3 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tbsp sugar or 1 packet stevia (omit if you don’t want sweet pancakes)
1/3 cup milk of choice

Directions
Unless you like the taste of fat-free pancakes, add 1 tbsp oil and reduce milk by that amount.
Combine dry ingredients in a bowl, then add wet. Mix, but don’t overmix. Cook on an oiled (or sprayed) pan, on low-medium, flipping each pancake once. Top with syrup, powdered sugar, or Cashew Cream.

Or you could even boil some more blueberries (with a bit of sugar, if you wish), and smash them, to make a compote.

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs Picanha Steak (Top Sirloin Cap), cut into 1 inch grilling steaks
• 1 bunch rapini (broccoli raab), washed and stems trimmed
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 12 provolone cheese slices
• 6 papo secos (buns)
• olive oil
• coarse sea salt, seasoning

Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place trimmed rapini into the boiling water and cook for approximately 4-5 minutes.
2. In a pan, heat 3 turns of olive oil on high. Add garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and cook for approximated 2-3 minutes. Do not burn.
3. Drain rapini in a colander and remove excess water. Add drained rapini to the pan with garlic and peppers.
4. Sauté rapini but do not overcook, approximately 3-5 minutes.
5. Preheat grill.
6. Season steaks on both sides with coarse sea salt.
7. Grill steaks for 5-7 minutes on each side; until well done.
8. Assemble sandwich by placing 2 slices of cheese on a bun, followed by the steak and rapini.
9. Serve immediately or wrap, bag and place in a cold cooler for later.