This is a fantastic breakfast bread! It's filled with apple-y goodness, which makes my sweetie happy. Everyone always loves it, so it's well worth a little extra trouble to make.
Dough:
3/4 cup warm milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons warm water
3 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3-1/3 cups bread flour
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
Combine all ingredients in bread machine according to manufacturer’s directions. Choose “dough” setting.
Filling:
1 medium tart apple, peeled and chopped
½ cup finely chopped pecans
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
In a small bowl, combine ingredients.
Icing:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
3 - 4-1/2 teaspoons water (or orange juice or apple juice)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
You will also need:
6 tablespoons butter, melted
Divide dough into halves. Cut each half into 16 pieces. Using your fingers, form each piece into a circle. Place 1 teaspoon apple mixture in center of circle; pinch edges together and seal. In a greased 10-inch tube pan, place 16 balls seam side down; pour ½ of butter over, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup apple mixture. Layer with remaining balls; sprinkle evenly with remaining butter and apple mixture. (You can also put the bread in the refrigerator overnight at this point. It will rise very slowly through the night. Just cover the pan with plastic wrap lightly sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Set it out on the counter for 30 - 45 minutes before baking as usual.) Cover and let rise for 30 to 45 minutes. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pan to a serving plate. Combine icing ingredients; drizzle over bread.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Friday, October 8, 2010
Making Every Penny Count -- Analyzing Recipes
Here are a few tips for making the most of your favorite recipes as well as new ones you'd like to try. Note: some of these suggestions definitely mean more work for you. If you're serious about cutting the family grocery budget, though, sacrifices must be made!
1. Does the recipe have elements that can be homemade instead of purchased? Some examples are breads, sauces, and seasoning mixes. If you have a bread machine you can make the bread you need for a small percentage of the cost of bakery breads. Sauces are better tasting and healthier when made from scratch, not to mention cheaper! Seasoning mixes tend to be mostly salt combined with common spices/herbs you already have in your spice cabinet. Try making your own, tailoring it to your family's taste.
2. Can you exchange an expensive ingredient for something cheaper? Can you leave it out altogether? One example is pancetta/proscuitto. Many Italian recipes call for these meats, but bacon/ham are much cheaper. Another alternative is going meat-free on recipes now and then. Meats tend to be expensive, so take a look at the casserole or soup or pasta dish you're making and decide if you can "beef-up" the vegetables and leave out the meat!
3. On the subject of vegetables, be sure to assess your family's favorites to find out if they're cheaper frozen, canned or fresh. In general vegetables are best for you fresh, followed by frozen, then canned. In terms of expense, it's worth it in my opinion to buy fresh even though it may cost more, depending on the vegetable. Frozen veggies are often on sale where I shop. Of course, buy what your family will eat, too! If they love green beans from the can but won't eat them fresh, by all means buy them canned -- in the reduced-sodium variety if you can find it.
I'll have more tips for you another day, but in the meantime I hope these help you to save money when you can!
1. Does the recipe have elements that can be homemade instead of purchased? Some examples are breads, sauces, and seasoning mixes. If you have a bread machine you can make the bread you need for a small percentage of the cost of bakery breads. Sauces are better tasting and healthier when made from scratch, not to mention cheaper! Seasoning mixes tend to be mostly salt combined with common spices/herbs you already have in your spice cabinet. Try making your own, tailoring it to your family's taste.
2. Can you exchange an expensive ingredient for something cheaper? Can you leave it out altogether? One example is pancetta/proscuitto. Many Italian recipes call for these meats, but bacon/ham are much cheaper. Another alternative is going meat-free on recipes now and then. Meats tend to be expensive, so take a look at the casserole or soup or pasta dish you're making and decide if you can "beef-up" the vegetables and leave out the meat!
3. On the subject of vegetables, be sure to assess your family's favorites to find out if they're cheaper frozen, canned or fresh. In general vegetables are best for you fresh, followed by frozen, then canned. In terms of expense, it's worth it in my opinion to buy fresh even though it may cost more, depending on the vegetable. Frozen veggies are often on sale where I shop. Of course, buy what your family will eat, too! If they love green beans from the can but won't eat them fresh, by all means buy them canned -- in the reduced-sodium variety if you can find it.
I'll have more tips for you another day, but in the meantime I hope these help you to save money when you can!
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Chunky Chili
It's official. The thermometer has dipped below 60. I'm ready for summer again! But in the meantime I need some really good soups and stews to help me make it through the winter. Here's my recipe for Chunky Chili.
1-1/2 pounds stew beef
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
1 small onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced (include leaves)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2-3 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 can (14 ounce) beef broth
1 can kidney beans (or black beans or pinto beans – use your favorite!)
In a large saucepan, saute onion, celery, garlic, jalapeno and red pepper flakes in oil over medium heat. After cooking for 3-4 minutes, add stew beef and continue to cook until meat is browned all over. Add in chili powder, salt, cumin, and pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Pour in tomatoes and kidney beans. Add beef broth to reach desired consistency – from ½ cup up to the whole can. Reduce heat to low and simmer for at least an hour, stirring occasionally. The beef will tenderize as the chili cooks slowly.
***
This chili freezes really well.
I’d consider this chili a medium heat, but ...
To reduce the heat in this recipe, substitute chopped green pepper for the jalapeno and/or omit the red pepper flakes. To really get the chili flavor, you have to keep the chili powder to at least 2 teaspoons.
To crank up the heat, add a couple of glugs of Tabasco sauce with the tomatoes, increase the red pepper flakes and chili powder, even add another chopped jalapeno! You can also leave the seeds in the pepper, since that's where the heat is concentrated.
How do you eat YOUR chili? Here are some great toppings:
Sour cream
Saltines
Fritos corn chips
Tortilla chips
Shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
Diced green onions
Chopped cilantro or parsley
1-1/2 pounds stew beef
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
1 small onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced (include leaves)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2-3 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 can (14 ounce) beef broth
1 can kidney beans (or black beans or pinto beans – use your favorite!)
In a large saucepan, saute onion, celery, garlic, jalapeno and red pepper flakes in oil over medium heat. After cooking for 3-4 minutes, add stew beef and continue to cook until meat is browned all over. Add in chili powder, salt, cumin, and pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Pour in tomatoes and kidney beans. Add beef broth to reach desired consistency – from ½ cup up to the whole can. Reduce heat to low and simmer for at least an hour, stirring occasionally. The beef will tenderize as the chili cooks slowly.
***
This chili freezes really well.
I’d consider this chili a medium heat, but ...
To reduce the heat in this recipe, substitute chopped green pepper for the jalapeno and/or omit the red pepper flakes. To really get the chili flavor, you have to keep the chili powder to at least 2 teaspoons.
To crank up the heat, add a couple of glugs of Tabasco sauce with the tomatoes, increase the red pepper flakes and chili powder, even add another chopped jalapeno! You can also leave the seeds in the pepper, since that's where the heat is concentrated.
How do you eat YOUR chili? Here are some great toppings:
Sour cream
Saltines
Fritos corn chips
Tortilla chips
Shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
Diced green onions
Chopped cilantro or parsley
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Perfect Pairs
I love the classic snack of peanut butter and celery. I don't usually do the typical stuffing of peanut butter in the celery boat. I like to cut the celery rib lengthwise into sticks a few inches long, then dip them into crunchy peanut butter. It's a great snack because even though the peanut butter does contain quite a bit of fat, the protein helps make you feel full. And you can always use natural, low-sugar, or low-fat peanut butter. The best part is that celery is a negative calorie food. It doesn't get any better than that!
Happy Snacking!
Happy Snacking!
Monday, October 4, 2010
Cream Cheese Banana Pudding
I cobbled this recipe together after I realized I hadn't bought all the ingredients I needed to make my usual banana pudding. That was one of the best mistakes ever! My sweetie has declared this the best banana pudding he's ever eaten.
8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a large mixing bowl, cream the cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.
1-3.3 oz. box cheesecake instant pudding mix
1-3.3 oz. box banana cream instant pudding mix
3 cups cold low-fat milk
In another large bowl, whisk the pudding mix and milk until smooth and thickened, about 2 minutes. Add the pudding to the cream cheese mixture and blend well. Fold in half of an:
8 oz container of whipped topping, thawed
In a decorative dish (2 quart), place one-third of the pudding mixture. Top with one layer each:
vanilla wafers
sliced ripe banana
Drizzle with:
caramel ice cream topping
Repeat layers, ending with the final third of pudding. Place a ring of vanilla wafers around outside edge of dish, and fill in the middle with the remaining whipped topping.
8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a large mixing bowl, cream the cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.
1-3.3 oz. box cheesecake instant pudding mix
1-3.3 oz. box banana cream instant pudding mix
3 cups cold low-fat milk
In another large bowl, whisk the pudding mix and milk until smooth and thickened, about 2 minutes. Add the pudding to the cream cheese mixture and blend well. Fold in half of an:
8 oz container of whipped topping, thawed
In a decorative dish (2 quart), place one-third of the pudding mixture. Top with one layer each:
vanilla wafers
sliced ripe banana
Drizzle with:
caramel ice cream topping
Repeat layers, ending with the final third of pudding. Place a ring of vanilla wafers around outside edge of dish, and fill in the middle with the remaining whipped topping.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Perfect Bacon
Here's the secret to perfect, neat, easy-to-clean-up-after bacon:
Bake it in the oven.
Yep. That's the secret! The first step is to line a baking sheet (with sides) with aluminum foil.
Next, lay your bacon out side-by-side on the pan. You may not be able to fit all 16 slices on there. I just put the rest in the fridge for another day.
Place the pan in the (cold) oven. Set your temperature to 400. Allow the bacon to bake for about 15 minutes. From this point you'll need to watch it carefully. If you like limp bacon, 15 minutes is probably good. Otherwise, check it every 2 minutes until it reaches the crispy level you like best. Keep in mind that it will crisp up slightly after you take it out of the oven, so I usually err on the limp side to allow for that.
Remove the bacon from the pan to paper towels to drain. Blot off the excess grease with another paper towel. Voila! Perfect bacon.
I know -- that's kind of redundant, isn't it?
Now all you have to do is wait for the grease in the pan to cool, then carefully and loosely fold up the foil and throw the whole mess in the trash. It's a beautiful thing.
Bake it in the oven.
Yep. That's the secret! The first step is to line a baking sheet (with sides) with aluminum foil.
Next, lay your bacon out side-by-side on the pan. You may not be able to fit all 16 slices on there. I just put the rest in the fridge for another day.
Place the pan in the (cold) oven. Set your temperature to 400. Allow the bacon to bake for about 15 minutes. From this point you'll need to watch it carefully. If you like limp bacon, 15 minutes is probably good. Otherwise, check it every 2 minutes until it reaches the crispy level you like best. Keep in mind that it will crisp up slightly after you take it out of the oven, so I usually err on the limp side to allow for that.
Remove the bacon from the pan to paper towels to drain. Blot off the excess grease with another paper towel. Voila! Perfect bacon.
I know -- that's kind of redundant, isn't it?
Now all you have to do is wait for the grease in the pan to cool, then carefully and loosely fold up the foil and throw the whole mess in the trash. It's a beautiful thing.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Sweet Italian Pork Tenderloin
I tend to make my own marinades a lot. The ingredients are always readily available and I can just throw in what I have using flavors I know my family appreciates. As long as you have the basic building blocks of acid, oil and seasonings, you're good to go. And most marinades are interchangeable with nearly any kind of meat you like. The recipe here works best with pork tenderloin in my opinion, but would probably work just as well with steak or chicken if you prefer.
Marinades are perfect for preparing meat ahead of time. When you grocery shop and find that a particular meat is on a sale too good to pass up, go right ahead and get some if you can. When you get home, whip up a marinade -- even something as simple as your favorite salad dressing -- and freeze the meat right in the marinade using a freezer bag . The next time you need a meal with very little prep time, you've got the main dish ready to go. Most meats thaw very quickly in a cool water bath, or at 30% power in the microwave.
1 pork tenderloin
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon crushed rosemary
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
Whisk together all ingredients except tenderloin. Place tenderloin in a shallow baking dish. Top with marinade. Marinate for at least two hours. Bake in a 400-degree oven for 20-25 minutes.
Marinades are perfect for preparing meat ahead of time. When you grocery shop and find that a particular meat is on a sale too good to pass up, go right ahead and get some if you can. When you get home, whip up a marinade -- even something as simple as your favorite salad dressing -- and freeze the meat right in the marinade using a freezer bag . The next time you need a meal with very little prep time, you've got the main dish ready to go. Most meats thaw very quickly in a cool water bath, or at 30% power in the microwave.
1 pork tenderloin
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon crushed rosemary
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
Whisk together all ingredients except tenderloin. Place tenderloin in a shallow baking dish. Top with marinade. Marinate for at least two hours. Bake in a 400-degree oven for 20-25 minutes.
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