Cinnamon Baked Doughnuts

Cinnamon Baked Doughnuts

Spray doughnut pans (makes 12 doughnuts) with Baking spray with flour, such as Baker's Joy and set aside.  Preheat the oven to 350^F.

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten

1 1/4 cups whole milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Into a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, melted butter, and vanilla. Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined.

Spoon the batter into the baking pans, filling each one a little more than three-quarters full. Bake for 17 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then tap the doughnuts out onto a sheet pan.

For the topping:

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the topping, melt the 8 tablespoons of butter in an 8-inch saute pan. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Dip each doughnut first in the butter and then in the cinnamon sugar, either on one side or both sides.

This is an Ina Garten recipe...and I trust Ina!  These were good and easy and John loved them!  However, I personally think they were way too sweet, so if I ever made them again I would reduce the sugar by at least half.  The recipe also makes more than the 12 doughnuts indicated in the directions.  I filled my doughnut pans and had enough batter left over to make 8 muffins.  I would also decrease the nutmeg (or leave it out entirely) since it seemed to overpower the cinnamon.  

Honeycrisp Apple Sangria

Honeycrisp Apple Sangria

• 3 cinnamon sticks (plus more for garnish)
• 2 honeycrisp apples, chopped
• 1 orange, thinly sliced
• 1 (750 ml) bottle red wine (I suggest a light-bodied Spanish variety)
• 1 and 3/4 cups apple cider*
• 1/2 cup brandy
• 1/4 cup orange juice (or juice from 2 medium oranges)
• juice from 1 lemon
• club soda, to taste

Place the cinnamon sticks, apples, and orange slices in a large pitcher. Add wine, apple cider, brandy, orange juice, and lemon juice. Allow to sit in the refrigerator for 6 - 24 hours. Taste; if you'd like it to be sweeter, add 1-2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, honey, or agave.

If you'd like a cinnamon-sugar rim (highly recommended), simply moisten the rim of your glasses with water, turn the glass upside down and dip it into a mix of cinnamon and sugar. Pour in the sangria with fruit* and add a splash of club soda (this unsweetened fizz is wonderful with the sangria!). Garnish with a cinnamon stick, if desired.

I found this recipe on Pinterest and made it for Thanksgiving Day.  It's really good!!!  I used Fuji Apples and an Italian Red Wine and Calvados instead of plain old brandy and I think I'll be making this Sangria again and again! Oh, and since I definitely have a sweet tooth, I used a splash of Sprite instead of club soda.  Yumm-oh!

Applesauce Cake with Apple Cinnamon Buttercream

I was a little worried that this recipe (found on allrecipes.com) didn't have any eggs, but it turned out fine.  It's moist and spicy and delicious and I love that it's not a full-sized cake!  Only thing I'd change next time is to reduce the amount of salt to 1/2 teaspoon.  The original recipe called for raisins, which I omitted.

CAKE:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cloves

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

Preheat the oven to 350^F.  Grease and flour a 9-inch square pan.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, cloves and salt.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Dissolve baking soda into applesauce and mix into creamed butter.  Add flour mixture.  Mix until smooth.  

Pour into the prepared pan and bake at 350^F for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Cool completely.  Frost, if desired.  This cake would be fine without frosting....maybe a spinkle of powdered sugar.

FROSTING:

1/4 cup butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2-3 Tbsp apple juice or cider

Beat the butter, sugar, cinnamon and enough juice to make a spreadable frosting.  

Chicken Gloria

Chicken Gloria

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/3 cup all purpose flour
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp butter
8-oz container sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup cream sherry
1 Tbsp chicken bouillon granules
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 can water
1/2 can half and half
6 slices Muenster or Swiss cheese
Chopped fresh parsley to garnish

Heat oven to 350^F.

Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.  Spoon flour into a shallow dish and coat both sides of chicken.  Shake off excess.

In a large skillet heat the vegetable oil over medium high heat.  Brown chicken on both sides.  You don't need to cook the chicken completely since it will finish in the oven.  Transfer the chicken to a 9x13" baking dish.

Melt the butter in the skillet.  Add the mushrooms and cook until golden brown.  Stir in the sherry and cook 1-2 minutes.  Add the chicken bouillon granules, mushroom soup, water and half and half; mix well.  Cook until thoroughly heated.

Pour mushroom sauce over chicken; top each chicken piece with a slice of cheese.  Fold the cheese in half if it's too wide for the chicken pieces.  Cover the dish with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes.  Remove pan from oven and turn on the broiler.  Remove foil and place the pan under the broiler for 1-2 minutes to brown the cheese a bit.  Remove from oven and set aside to cool for about 5 minutes.  Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

This is great over rice!  I found the recipe on Pinterest and added a couple things and it is really good!

Quick & Easy Blender Salsa

I found this on Pinterest and it is awesome!  Takes only about 5 minutes to make and tastes way better than anything bought at the supermarket!

Quick & Easy Blender Salsa

• 1- 14 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1- 10 oz can orginal Rotel
• 1/2 small onion, roughly chopped
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1 tsp diced pickled jalapenos
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• small to medium size handful of cilantro, washed
• juice of 1 lime
• 
  
• Put all the ingredients in the base of a food processor or good blender and pulse to combine for 30 seconds or so until all the ingredients are finely chopped and salsa is desired consistency. Taste for seasoning and adjust to taste. Serve with chips or over tacos.

White Chicken Chili

White Chicken Chili

1 lb chicken, cooked and cubed

1 onion, chopped fine

2 Tbsp canola oil

1 clove garlic, minced

2 can(s) great northern beans, rinsed and drained

32-oz carton chicken broth

1 can green chilies, chopped

Salt & Pepper, to taste

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp cumin

1-2 tsp chipotle chile powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 c sour cream

1/2 c whole milk

1. In Dutch Oven, cook onions and garlic in oil until translucent--about 4 minutes.

2. Add cooked chicken, beans, chicken broth, green chilies, salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, chipotle chile powder, and cayenne pepper.

3. Heat on medium low heat for 10 minutes, or until completely heated through.

4. Turn to low and add sour cream and milk. Stir to combine. Do not let boil after cream and milk are added. Serve warm with Tortilla Chips and shredded cheese.

This was pretty good and really quick.

Adapted from a Justapinch.com recipe.

Croatian Sarma Soup

Croatian Sarma Soup

• 1 lb ground beef, browned
• 2 slices bacon, browned and crumbled
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup tomato juice (I used V-8)
• 4 cups beef broth
• 2 teaspoons low-sodium beef bouillon cubes
• 14 ounces reduced-sodium diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• 2 -3 cups cabbage, sliced thin
• 2 cups cooked rice

1. Cook bacon in frying pan until crisped, remove from pan to drain on paper towels. Crumble and set aside.
2. Add ground beef to pan and brown in turkey bacon drippings until almost cooked through.
3. Add diced onion and cook 4-5 minutes until onions are transparent.
4. Add garlic and cook an additional 1-2 minutes.
5. Drain meat mixture.
6. Place all ingredients except rice, including meat mixture and turkey bacon, in a large pot and cook over medium heat until it boils. Turn heat down and cook for at least 15-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is cooked. Add a little water if it gets too thick for your liking. Stir in the hot cooked rice just before serving.  

Adapted from a recipe found at Food.com.  The original stated to cook the soup for 2-3 hours, but since I detest overcooked vegetables I reduced the time to suit my personal preferances.  This was quite good and my husband loved it!  I think it needed a little something extra, so next time I'll throw in some diced bell pepper and see how that works.