Smokehouse Flavored Roasted Nuts

Cookbook Bites: Smokehouse Flavored Roasted Nuts

The other day I was on the elliptical at the gym watching Ina Garten roasting nuts with chipotle and rosemary. She was making roasted nuts for entertaining, but I was already connecting the dots thinking they'd make a good portable snack.

Neighborhood tree beginning to change colors before the leaves fall.

As I reviewed the recipe I found that I didn't know what chipotle was, which it turned out is smoke-dried jalapeño. The recipe also calls for smoked paprika, which is pretty amazing, so I decided to go all in with the smokehouse flavor and added liquid smoke.

The fresh rosemary was the scent I remember from the Herbal Essence shampoo from the 70's. (They said there were 17 herbal essences in the shampoo, and as it turns out, as per Truth in Aging: Did Vintage Shampoos Have the Right Idea?, some other unwanted ingredients like the carcinogen Tetrasodium EDTA. So it seems there's a solid reason as to why it's not on the market anymore. Bummer!)

Mixed nuts, Splenda brown sugar, rosemary

Smokehouse Flavored Roasted Nuts

2 1/2  C mixed nuts
1 C pecans
1/2 C almonds
1/2 C cashews
1/4 C brown sugar (Splenda brown sugar worked fine)
2 T fresh rosemary minced

1 1/2 T fresh squeezed orange juice

1 T vegetable oil
2 T butter
1/8 t liquid smoke

1/4 t chipotle powder

1/4 t smoked paprika
Sprinkle with kosher salt
Pam spray

Spray or oil your baking sheet. Set oven to 350. In a bowl add the nuts, brown sugar and rosemary. Stir to combine. In a separate small bowl add orange juice, oil, melted butter, liquid smoke, chipotle powder, smoked paprika and stir. Pour liquid over the nuts and stir to distribute. Pour the nuts out onto the pan and spread out into a thin layer. Roast the nuts for 20-25 minutes. Stir every 10 minutes. Pull from the oven and sprinkle with salt while warm.

They're very good and are a little understated, but flavorful. A nice change from the over-flavored seasoned nuts at the grocery store.

Recipe Sources/Inspiration:
Jamie Oliver: Festive Honey Roasted Nuts
Ina Garten: Chipotle and Rosemary Roasted Nuts
Sunset November 1997

Griddle Cookies: Chocolate Chip & Walnut Welsh Cakes

Cookbook Bites Chocolate Chip & Walnut Welsh Cakes

We've been remodeling our kitchen this summer and the oven should get here in about a week. (Yay!) It was going to get here earlier this month, but we were told it was on backorder. I've been itching to bake so when researching griddle cookies, Welsh Cakes came up time and time again. A couple of years ago my mom made Welsh Cakes for our family Christmas party. They looked like little silver-dollar-sized pancake-cookies. I was wondering about making these in the electric skillet and maybe if they'd work without the currants, since I usually don't have those on hand.

My Welsh Cakes turned out a little bigger, because I used a biscuit cutter. They seemed more like a little scone and made a perfect tea cake. They're a sweet, soft biscuit. I hope you enjoy making these! The house smells great like I've been baking even though I had to use the electric skillet and not an oven or cast iron skillet. :) Learn more about Welsh Cakes on Wikipedia.

BTW - If you like the Welsh Cakes you might like the Blackberry Cobbler recipe reviewed on Cookbook Bites. The biscuits on the cobbler turned out just right!

Milka milk chocolate bar chopped and stirred into the flour for the Welch Cakes.

The process of making a "well" in the flour and adding the wet ingredients to the Welsh Cake dough.

This is a very soft dough that sticks to the counter, knead in extra flour until it's workable and doesn't stick to your hands.

A Welsh cake in the electric frying pan while cooking.

The finished "cookie" Chocolate Chip & Walnut Welsh Cake. They're the consistency of a flaky baking powder biscuit, but sweet like a cookie or dessert scone.

Griddle Cookies: Chocolate Chip & Walnut Welsh Cakes

Dry Ingredients
1 C Whole Wheat Pastry four
1 C Unbleached flour (+1/2 to 1 C to knead in)
2 T high fiber oat bran cereal
1 T baking powder
1/4 t nutmeg (fresh ground)
1/2 t salt

1/2 C Splenda

1/4 C granulated white sugar

1 C butter (Cut into dry flour)

1 bar chocolate chopped (about 1/2 C)
1/2 C walnuts chopped (optional)

Wet Ingredients

2 eggs
1/2 C milk
1 t vanilla

Combine dry ingredients in mixing bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter. Next create a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the eggs, milk and vanilla and stir to combine, don't over mix. Turn out onto floured counter and add flour until it stops sticking to your hands. The dough should still be fairly soft. Flour countertop then roll dough out to 1/2 inch thickness and cut out cookies with a round cookie or biscuit cutter. Melt small amount of butter in electric skillet and fry the cookie for 5-7 minutes on each side. Keep temps around 275-300 degrees, keeping an eye on them while they're cooking. The should look brown like a biscuit when done and will be flaky on the inside. Remove from pan to cool. The traditional recipes suggest sprinkling with sugar, but these were plenty sweet and I opted to not do that.

This recipe on Cookbook Bites was created by Suzanne Nikolaisen.

Related Research and Recipe Source Ideas:
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1066635/chocchip-welsh-cakes http://www.melskitchencafe.com/welsh-breakfast-cakes/
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/welsh-cookies-recipe.html
http://m.allrecipes.com/recipe/10412/welsh-cookies/?mxt=t06rda
https://www.clabbergirl.com/Recipes/Recipe-Details/rid/48/rpv/2000/baking-powder-biscuits

Thanks for reading!

Suzanne
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Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (low GI)

Tray of Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I recently met with a couple of cracker-jack dietitians and among other things we discussed foods that have a low Glycemic Index. While snacking on edamame was discussed, chocolate chip cookies were not--I've been researching how to make a healthier chocolate chip cookie. From what I can tell, being new to low GI cooking, these chewy, rich oatmeal cookies seem to fit the bill (Splenda vs sugar, butter, whole wheat, oat bran, brown rice, oats, walnuts and even chocolate) and they're pretty filling. I made the first tray with no nuts and my daughter commented that the combo of ingredients still made it seem like the cookie had nuts. Everybody who tried the cookies liked them. 

Note: I've tried some other chocolate chip cookie recipes. If you are looking for a solid mainstream chocolate chip cookie try the Guittard Chocolate Chip Pan cookies these cookies became a family favorite. I also baked Gluten Free Chocolate Chip cookies, but the Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies give the Guittard cookies a run for the money, the same chocolate chips are in both recipes...

Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie

Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (low GI)
1 C butter (browned)
1 C Splenda brown sugar
1/2 C Splenda white sugar (could probably go to 1/4 C)
2 t vanilla
2 eggs
1 C brown rice (cooked)
1/2 t salt (kosher)
1 1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 C High Fiber Oat Bran Hot Cereal (dry)

1 - 1 and 1/2 C toasted oatmeal (I toasted the oatmeal in a dry pan)

2 C whole wheat pastry flour (I used Bob's Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour. Keep an extra 1/4 C flour handy in case the dough is too soft)

1 C walnuts (chopped and optional)

1 pkg Guttiard milk chocolate chips (11 oz)

Here's how to put them together:
Put the brown rice on to cook (if you don't have leftovers, this takes about 45 minutes). Work on browning the butter. When the butter has browned I put it in the fridge until I was ready to make the dough--the butter will probably still be liquid and that worked out okay. Then toast the oats. In one bowl cream the butter, and the Splenda brown sugar, and Splenda white sugar, the vanilla, eggs and salt. Next add the brown rice and stir to combine. In a separate bowl combine the baking soda, baking powder, oat bran, rolled oats and the whole wheat pastry flour. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and stir to combine. Last of all stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Use a cookie dough scoop to scoop out the dough and place on the cookie sheets. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until the edges begin to brown.

Note: 3/24/15 - The brown rice will get crunchier within 24-hours. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to stay in it's cooked state even when the cookies are stored in a plastic bag. This said the cookie stays moist and the rice creates an interesting crunch.

Cookies baking at 350 degrees.

The Great Chocolate Chip Cookie Research Project: Here are a few of the sites I used to research while pulling this recipe together. Thanks to all of these bakers for sharing what they're doing! It really helped me figure out how to combine all of these ingredients! I wasn't sure what the brown rice would do having never baked with it, but Dining with Alice was successfully baking with wild rice. Half Baked Harvest convinced me I could use more vanilla (they use 4 t!), while PJ Hamel and Joy the Baker got serious by browning the butter for their cookies. The great how to on browning butter from Serious Eats was super helpful and  the All Recipes how-to on Perfect Cookies explained why baking powder would make the cookies puffy. I've linked the articles on toasting the oats, browning the butter and low GI and chocolate above.

• Half Baked Harvest: Mom's Simple Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies...
• King Arthur Flour: Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies with Pecans
• Joy the Baker: The Best Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Dining with Alice: Wild Rice Cookies
• All Recipes: Perfect Cookies
• Betty Crocker: Best Whole Wheat Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
• The Healthy Chef: Banana + Oatmeal Cookies

Source for this recipe and mashup of ingredients? Suzanne Nikolaisen

Take care! I hope you enjoy the cookies if you bake them!

Update: 8/19/15 - This has become a favorite cookie at our house! :)

Suzanne
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Nutty Banana-Blueberry Muffins

Cookbook Bites: Nutty Banana-Blueberry Muffin still warm with melting butter.

I signed up for a 5k today. A walk/run in May (Goldilocks) as recommended by my doctor and have been researching recipes that provide more along the lines of the Low Glycemic Index.

My research led me to a popular recipe on AllRecipes: No Sugar Added Blueberry Banana Wheat Muffin, which had lots of good reviews. So I decided to give it a try, taking some of the recommendations from the reviewers and doing my own thing adding walnuts, almonds (and almond extract), chia seeds and some brown sugar Splenda. Full on sugar and syrup seem to make me sick at the moment so I'm trying out some alternatives.

The Nutty Banana-Blueberry Muffins turned out really good. The sweetness is light, but just enough. They're at their best fresh out of the oven, still warm with some butter (shown above). Since there's no salt in the recipe the taste of the butter pops. They've been a great make-ahead breakfast.

Dry ingredients

Nutty Banana-Blueberry Muffin

Nutty Banana-Blueberry Muffins

Wet Ingredients

1 C mashed bananas

1 egg

2/3 C water

1/4 C Splenda Brown Sugar

1/2 C applesauce

1 t vanilla extract

1/2 t almond extract

Dry Ingredients

2 1/4 C whole wheat flour

2 T chia seeds

1 1/2 t baking soda

2 1/2 t baking powder 

1 C walnuts (chopped)

1/4 C sliced almonds

1 1/2 C frozen blueberries

Topping

1 T Brown Sugar Splenda

1/8 C sliced almonds

Mix the wet ingredients, then the dry in separate bowls then stir to combine. Don't over stir, then add in the nuts and blueberries. Spray Pam into the muffin pan and spoon batter out into 12 muffins (silicone muffin pan works well). Mix the topping and sprinkle over the muffins and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. These are for high-altitude. If you are at a lower altitude use less flour. Toothpick test to make sure they're done.

Take care,

Suzanne
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Original/Inspiration Recipe Source: AllRecipes: No Sugar Added Blueberry Banana Wheat Muffins

White Hot Chocolate (To Go)

Cookbook Bites: White Hot Chocolate - Ready to head to work with a sprinkle of fresh ground nutmeg.

Fluffy, coffee-house drinks may be very tempting on cold days in January. They're quick, easy, but also expensive and to be 100% honest, not as good as homemade. You can make white hot chocolate in my opinion that's even better at home. Dare I suggest--it can be a "skinny" version too. Morning's before work can often be rushed, but slowing down to make a white hot chocolate to go is a nice way to start the morning that you can take with you.

Whisk continuously to prevent the milk from burning onto the bottom of the pan.

On a winter morning putting milk to heat on the stove, combining fresh ground nutmeg and cinnamon  with Guittard white chocolate chips is comforting and worth the few minutes it takes. The chocolate melts almost instantly while you whisk the ingredients into a special white hot chocolate. The magic happens when the milk reaches a low boil--all of the ingredients fall into place.

My humble opinion? The chocolate matters. These are Guittard white chocolate chips.

The spices make this milky hot chocolate a touch cozier. They're not overpowering, and you don't really notice them, but I think it would be noticeable if they were missing. That "something" that's needed. You know? I took a travel mug of this white hot chocolate to work with me yesterday and it made my morning a little warmer. Outside it was dumping buckets of winter rain, that later turned to snow.

White Hot Chocolate for Travel Mug
1 or 2% Milk
1/2 C water

Pinch Nutmeg (fresh grated)
Pinch Cinnamon
1/2 t Vanilla

1/8 C White Chocolate chips

3 Splenda packets

Cool Whip Lite (Optional)
Sprinkle of nutmeg (Optional)

Fill travel mug just under 2/3rd's full of milk. Add water to bring liquid to about an inch below the container top then pour into a small pan. Add spices, vanilla, white chocolate chips and Splenda while whisking continuously, bringing to a low boil to combine. Pour white hot chocolate back into the travel mug and top with Cool Whip Lite and a sprinkle of nutmeg.

Recipe inspired but a little different than: How to Make Vanilla Milk and Homemade White Hot Chocolate and reviewing several other white hot chocolate recipes that were similar to these too on Pinterest.

Suzanne
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Peanut Butter & Blueberry Smoothie

Cookbook Bites: Peanut Butter & Blueberry Smoothie in a travel mug ready to go.

Peanut Butter & Blueberry Smoothie

Long ago and across town, there used to be a crêperie that made crepes to order. One option was peanut butter and blueberries. So very good! This morning I put said ingredients (not the crepes) in the blender and created a smoothie--instantly transported by taste back to the trendy little neighborhood crêperie and good memories of visiting the shop with my family.

After I poured a serving of the Peanut Butter & Blueberry smoothie into a travel mug to take to-go, I poured a taste and it was indeed a splendid concoction for a blueberry and peanut butter fan like myself. If you like this combo, I bet you'll like this too. :) 

Then I poured the last bit for my dachshund. He's a huge smoothie fan and this one was no exception. He's now content and taking his first morning nap.

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter & Blueberry Smoothie

1/2 C blueberries (frozen)

1 Chobani blueberry yogurt

1 T Blueberry jam

2 T Peanut butter

1 banana

1 C ice

1/3 C milk

1/2 C water

2 packets of Splenda

Put the ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth, serve immediately. 

Source: Suzanne Nikolaisen

Suzanne
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Pumpkin Muffins (Lowfat)

Autumn leaves, these are so brilliant every year!

I've been looking for lighter recipes for go-to favorites and found one that is a lot lighter than Heirloom Pumpkin Walnut Muffins. This recipe for Pumpkin Muffins calls for no butter, milk or eggs. Since it was Halloween I kicked the recipe up with Guittard Vanilla-Milk chips and walnuts. (The white chocolate chips were awesome with pumpkin in the Buttermilk Pumpkin Pancakes.)

Putting the muffins together.

This recipe works with just the pumpkin, the cake mix and the water.

Cookbook Bites: Pumpkin Muffins (Recipe Review)

Pumpkin Muffins

1 15 oz can of pureed pumpkin
1 Package spice cake mix
2/3-1 C water
1/2 C Vanilla chips (white chocolate chips)*
1 C Walnuts (chopped)*

Combine ingredients and mix well. I think (I was going for the traditional muffin batter consistency and added a little too much water and they came out a touch under done, so you might go for a little thicker batter--that you'll get with the measurement above.) Spray the muffin tin with butter flavored Pam and bake 20-ish minutes or until a toothpick test comes out clean.

*Optional ingredients.

Original Recipe Source: The Better Baker, Lowfat Pumpkin Spice Muffins
http://thebetterbaker.blogspot.com/2010/01/lowfat-pumpkin-spice-muffins-yum.html

Suzanne
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Smoothie: Banana Cupcake

I reached for some yogurt goodness today. Gotta run, but this is perfect for on-the-go. Enjoy!

Smoothie: Banana Cupcake

2 C ice cubes
1 C water
1 & 1/2 banana
1 Yoplait Light: Boston Cream Pie yogurt (2 points)
1 package WW Smoothies mix: Greek Yogurt & Honey (2 points)
1/16th tsp (Tiny, tiny bit, couple of drops) of almond flavoring

Blend ingredients together and serve immediately. (4 WW points, 24 ounces)

Recipe by Suzanne Nikolaisen

Suzanne
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"B" is for Banana Bread (and Bigfoot)

Banana Bread

My daughter's friend stayed over, so I made some banana bread for breakfast. When I went to look for the recipe on Cookbook Bites I realized I hadn't actually posted my favorite recipe to the blog so I grabbed my camera to remedy this. (Recipe below)

Extra Rich Vanilla Extract

While the banana bread was baking, I went to work on the cover art for an ABC book I've been working on with Matt Smith. The book is called "B" is for Bigfoot, an ABC Book of Wonderful Creatures that will be available to preorder in November as an eBook. I've been busting a move getting the art finished and have love, love, loved working on this project! We have an editorial review coming in about a week for final changes.

B is for Bigfoot children's ABC book, early cover sketch

My drawing teacher in college suggested I create something like a children's book... so, I've been working on this since last winter creating letters to go with my favorite legendary monsters as a fun way to introduce the storybook of world myth (so-to-speak) to kids as they're learning their letters. It's fun to watch shows like Finding Bigfoot and Destination Truth---and years ago In Search of with Leonard Nimoy. I'm guessing there are other cryptozoology fans out there because they're still making these shows. ???

B is for Bigfoot ABC book cover drawing ready to finalize in ink and add color.

Update: B is for Bigfoot and ABC Book of Wonderful Creatures is available for $2.99 on Kindle.

Cookbook Bites Recipe Review of Banana Bread

Banana Bread
1 C walnuts (optional, I didn't have any)
1 3/4 C (Plus 1 heaping T, high altitude) all-purpose, unbleached flour
3/4 C sugar
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 t cinnamon
2 eggs
1/2 C butter, melted (Cooled)
3 very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1-1/2 cups)
1 t vanilla

Combine the walnuts, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a separate bowl.  Next melt the butter and cool. In a separate bowl combine the eggs, butter, mashed bananas and vanilla. Add the wet mixture to the dry and combine. Prepare 1 loaf pan. Pour batter into the pan and bake at 350 for 55 minutes (or until a toothpick test comes out clean). Let the loaf of banana bread cool a few minutes then slice to serve.

Recipe Source: Banana Bread Recipe & Video by Stephanie Jaworski, Joy of Baking.com

Suzanne
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Mini-Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies

Cookbook Bites Recipe Review: Mini-Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies

I was looking for a healthier oatmeal cookie recipe and found one on Earth Balance's website. I had to make a few edits--I didn't have gluten free oat flour on hand for example, but I think they turned out to be a good, solid oatmeal cookie--made without butter. They are soft and a little dry, but have the perfect texture to go with a small cup of milk. (I may try adding chopped walnuts next time.) If you make them, please let me know what you think.

Mini-Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies

2/3 C Unbleached Flour (+1-2 T if batter is too moist)
1/3 C Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/2 C Rolled Oats
1/2 C Shredded Coconut
1 T Cornstarch
1/2 t Baking Powder
1/4 t Kosher Salt
1/8 t Cinnamon
1/3 C Sugar
1/4 C Brown Sugar (unpacked)
1 t Vanilla (maybe add another 1/2 t)
1/4 C Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread (softened/melted)
1/4 C applesauce
2 Egg Whites
2 T Mini Chocolate Chips (This is really all you need. The chips divide and conquer and are well-represented in all of the cookies.)

Mix the flour, oats, coconut, cornstarch, baking powder, salt and cinnamon together. In a separate bowl blend together the sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, Earth Balance Buttery Spread, applesauce and egg whites. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Fold in the mini chocolate chips. The batter will be very soft. Use a cookie scoop to portion out the 24 (small) cookies. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Weight Watchers: 2 points a piece for 24 cookies

Recipe Source: Earth Balance: Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

Suzanne
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Oyster Stew

Oyster stew in the fridge.

During the last year or so Campbell's stopped making Oyster soup. My husband wrote to them to find out where it had gone. Yesterday he made oyster stew from scratch using a recipe he found at AllRecipes.com. You can find the original recipe below. We're landlocked so he did it a little differently, using canned oysters. To get the oysters ready he strained them using a fine mesh strainer, saving the juice. He did this to check for any shell remnants to ensure they didn't end up in the soup. He cut the oysters into bite sizes and then added them back to the liquid he had strained off and added them to the soup as directed by the original recipe.

AllRecipes.com: Oyster Stew
Submitted By: Buddy Sizemore
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Ready In: 35 Minutes
Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup minced celery
3 tablespoons minced shallots
1 quart half-and-half cream
2 (12 ounce) containers fresh shucked oysters, undrained
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste

DIRECTIONS:
1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, and cook the celery and shallots until shallots are tender.
2. Pour half-and-half into a large pot over medium-high heat. Mix in the butter, celery, and shallot mixture. Stir continuously. When the mixture is almost boiling, pour the oysters and their liquid into the pot. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Stir continuously until the oysters curl at the ends. When the oysters curl the stew is finished cooking; turn off the heat and serve.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2013 Allrecipes.com
Printed from Allrecipes.com 12/15/2013

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/oyster-stew/

Suzanne
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Almond Granola

Cookbook Bites (adapted recipe) Almond Granola

I know it's been a while since my last post. I've been taking some classes at the local community college, so thanks for bearing with me. I should actually be working on my final for my drawing class, but instead I'm saving the recipe so you and I will both have it going forward! :) So, it's pics from my phone and a quick post!

Are you a granola fan? Check out my chocolate granola recipe too, it's really good!

Almond granola on baking sheet

Almond Granola
4 C old fashioned oats
1 1/3 C sliced almonds
1/2 C (heaping - probably + 3T) sweetened shredded coconut
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t kosher salt
3 T butter
1/4 C vegetable oil
1/4 C honey
1/2 C brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
2 T butter
1/4 t almond flavor

Adjust your rack to be in the middle of your oven. Oven should be preheated to 325 degrees. Butter a jelly roll pan to prepare the pan. In a large bowl add oats, almonds, coconut, cinnamon and salt and stir to combine.

Take a middle size pan and add butter, oil, honey and brown sugar (wait on the vanilla and almond flavor).  Whisk gently to combine and stir regularly as you bring it to a gentle boil. Add in the vanilla bean paste and stir to combine.

Next pour the mixture over the oat/almond/coconut combo and stir/toss to combine. Get everything coated with the sauce.

Melt the 2 T butter and add the almond flavoring to it and drizzle over the oat combo and stir to combine.

Pour and then spread the oatmeal mixture onto the jelly roll pan. Bake 30 minutes. (Stir/turn over mixture at 10 and 20 minutes. This ensures everything toasts and turns golden.) Remove from oven and let it cool. While it's still warm, you might want to ensure it comes off the pan easily with a spatula. Try to leave some in big chunks they will probably break apart in storage.

Source: Adapted from Joy the Baker who got it from Martha Stewart

Suzanne
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Day-Old "Doughnut" Bread Pudding

I recently went back to college part time and my first class was a communications class. The final project was a group project and we chose to focus on doughnuts. My portion of the presentation was researching the history of doughnuts. I had never heard of Olykoeks, the Red Cross' Donut Dollies, or the Salvation Army's Doughnut Lassie's. With today being Memorial Day it seemed like a good time to remember these women and how they helped during World War I, World War II and the Vietnam War.

Salvation Army, Doughnut Lassie with troops.*

Wounded soldier with doughnut girls during World War I.*

"Did You Know? The Army's Sweet Role in Doughnut History?" Salvation Army USA

Read more about Donut Dollies & Doughnut Lassies

• American Red Cross Vietnam Donut Dollies
• Doc’s Donut Dollies Tribute
• A Touch of Home: The Vietnam War’s Red Cross Girls 
• NSAW Fact of the day: The Salvation Army’s Role in Doughnut History

Other Articles About Doughnut History

• Donut Planet, Saveuer
• The Tasty Food of a Colonial Dutch New Year’s Day
• Navajo Fry Bread History – Indian Tacos History
• Holey Grail: Why Do Doughnuts Have Holes
• The History of the Doughnut, Smithsonian
• Doughnuts: A Definitive History
• JFK: ‘I Am a Jelly Donut’ (‘Ich bin ein Berliner’)

(What's up with the Doughnut vs. Donut spelling?)

+  +  +  +  +  +  +  +  +  +  +  +  +

So, why Day-Old "Doughnut" Bread Pudding? My husband has been rebuilding an old Postal Jeep so doughnuts on Saturday morning have become a regular thing around our house since his dad has been coming over and helping. When Sunday or Monday comes around we usually have a couple of stale doughnuts left. When I opened the box of doughnuts to make the Doughnut Bread Pudding recipe this morning I had found I didn't have enough, but I didn't need a big batch so, adapt and adjust, right? Here's my version.

Doughnut bread pudding prepping to bake

Doughnut bread pudding unbaked

Doughnut bread pudding

Day-Old "Doughnut" Bread Pudding (Serves 2)

1/2 Glazed doughnut (large)
1 Jelly doughnut (raspberry)
1 egg
1/2 C milk (plus a splash)
1/2 t vanilla
1/2 t lemon emulsion
1/8 t nutmeg (fresh ground)
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t Turbinado sugar

Pull apart doughnuts into bite size pieces and place into two buttered ramekins distributing doughnut pieces evenly. Place ramekins on a baking sheet. In a small bowl mix together the egg, milk, vanilla, lemon emulsion, nutmeg and cinnamon. Pour the mixture over the doughnut pieces in both ramekins evenly then press the doughnut pieces down with a fork several times to help the doughnut pieces absorb the liquid. Let stand for 10 minutes then sprinkle with Turbinado sugar and bake at 350 for 30 minutes (until knife comes out clean). Serve warm.

*Works Cited - Images:
1. WW-1-Wounded-soldier-and-doughnut-girls.jpg. Saopcom.org. Web. 29 Apr. 2013.
2 . Wounded-soldier-and-doughnut-girls.jpg PatriotFiles.com. Web. 29 Apr. 2013. 

Recipe Source/Inspiration: Doughnut Bread Pudding, All Recipes

Suzanne

Cookbook Bites

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Bonneville Jr. High School Brownies

I think that Jamie Oliver is on to something about our school lunches, but my experience as a kid was that hot lunch at school was usually pretty good, at least in the earlier grades. So when I found a lunch lady's recipe through Pinterest for brownies I wondered if it would be any good. I've found out the hard way that I have to be wary of Pinterest recipes. Everything is not as good as it looks. But the story that these came from a lunch lady added enough "credibility" to give the recipe a try.

They turned out to be really good. They were soft and the frosting was soft too, so best served from the pan they were made in. (I made another good recipe for brownies that are a little more portable for picnics.)

Brownies
1 C butter (softened)
1/2 C Cocoa
2 C flour
2 C sugar
4 eggs
4 t vanilla
1 C chopped nuts (optional)

I mixed them as per the blog instructions, but next time I'll mix the wet ingredients with the wet and then add the dry. (I'm more of a "simplify" kind of person.) Combine the ingredients and prepare a 9 x 13 pan with butter/flour. Bake at 350 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. When they're done, cool to lukewarm and frost.

Frosting
1/4 C butter softened
1/4 C milk
1/4 C cocoa
3 C powdered sugar
Dash of salt

Mix together while the brownies are cooling. Use an electric mixer. When it's blended it's ready to go.

Recipe Source: Saltbox House Cooking Exchange: Lunch Lady Brownies (and the Bonneville Junior High Lunch Lady)

Suzanne
Cookbook Bites
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Snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodles

My husband's work recently went into what they call "crunch mode." He works in the video game industry and crunch mode means long days and some Saturdays+ for everybody. Today I took in some cookies, his favorite: Oatmeal, and the testing manager's favorite: Snickerdoodles. This recipe has been my go-to for a long time and the cookies are really good. They're a soft buttery cookie rolled in cinnamon-sugar, so they're very much in the "comfort-food" category.

Snickerdoodles
1/2 butter
3/4 C sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla
1 1/2 C flour
1/4 t salt
1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t cream of tarter

Update 12/24/14
Extra Ingredients (to roll the cookies in, before baking)
Cinnamon
Sugar

Cream the butter and sugar. Next add the egg and vanilla to the butter mixture. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then stir this into the butter mixture until combined. Roll cookie dough into 1-2 inch balls (or use a smaller cookie scoop) and roll cookies pre-baked in a small bowl of cinnamon sugar. (Note: The cookies are also good when they are no rolled in the cinnamon sugar, that is perfectly tasty, no-fuss option) Set oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Baking Tip (I learned this from my daughter): Take the cookies out after they've baked for 10 minutes. They will be soft and delicious. I used to wait for the edges to turn brown as an indicator that the cookies were done, if you do this they won't end up as soft.) Let them cool when you pull them out of the oven for a couple of minutes since they will be softer.

Happy holidays! I hope you have fun baking these cookies and bringing a little extra happiness to your family and friends whenever you bake them!

Recipe Source: Harmons grocery store, from a printed recipe card.

Suzanne
Cookbook Bites
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