Raspberry Almond Coffee Cake

I wanted something special for breakfast today, and I noticed I had this recipe in my collection. I also wanted to use up the froze raspberries we had in our freezer because I was sure they would taste like the freezer. Yuck.

It comes from an article called 'The Almond Advantage' in a Successful Farming magazine.You can also find it online.


Oven: 350 degrees F.
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon sliced almonds
Powdered sugar (optional)
Step 1: Grease an 8 1/2-inch round baking pan; set aside. In a small bowl, combine berries and brown sugar; set aside.
Step 2: In a large bowl, stir together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, stir together yogurt, melted margarine or butter, egg, and vanilla. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until blended.
Step 3: Spoon about two thirds of the batter (about 1 cup) into prepared pan. Top with the raspberry mixture. Drop remaining batter in small spoonfuls over raspberry mixture. Sprinkle with sliced almonds.
Step 4: Bake in a 350 degrees F. oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cake portion comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack. Before serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired. Makes 8 servings.
Nutrition facts per serving: 165 calories, 4 g fat, 28 mg cholesterol, 155 mg sodium, 28 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 4 g protein.

It was good but nothing too special. I was skeptical that it would turn out okay because it seemed like quite the small amount of batter, but it rose up nicely in the oven and made just the right amount for us (definitely not 8 servings worth).

Tasty Pork Ribs

On occasions when we have something like a small pot roast or meat loaf for a Sunday dinner, it's special. This falls into that category of a special meaty meal. It's from the February/March 2008 Taste of Home.

Tasty Pork Ribs

8 bone-in, country style pork ribs, 8 ounces each

1 cup ketchup

1 cup barbecue sauce

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon molasses

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tablespoons dried minced onion

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

1 teaspoon ground mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Place ribs in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Combine the remaining ingredients; pour over ribs.

Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until meat is tender. Yield: 8 servings.

Easy Peasy. I'm not usually comfortable cooking large hunks of meat, but it's always easy in the slow cooker. Brian really liked this, and I understand why: he's a meat and potatoes lover, and we aren't a big meat and potatoes family. I liked it just fine.

I specifically looked for 8 oz each, bone-in ribs to get for this. Are ribs really half a pound each? I ended up getting a little package of about 5 ribs that weighed 1.8 pounds. When we were eating them, I noticed that my bone-in ribs didn't have any bones. I doubled checked the package. Yep, they were boneless ribs packaged as bone-in. Brian prefers boneless meat, so he was happy.

Carrot-Bran Muffins

I was in the mood for something special for breakfast, so I dug through my recipes and chose this one. What I really wanted was a really good coffee cake, but I felt like I needed something healthier (and faster), so I whipped up these. It's an old recipe written by Mom on an index card and taped onto a sheet of notebook paper.

Carrot-Bran Muffins

1 1/2 c whole bran cereal
1 c buttermilk
1 c flour
1/4 c brown sugar, packed
2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 beaten egg
1 medium carrots, finely shredded (3/4 c)
3 T cooking oil

Combine bran and buttermilk; let stand about 3 minutes. In mixing bowl, stir together dry ingredients. Combine milk-bran, egg, carrot, and oil; add to flour all at once, stirring just til moistened. Fill greased muffin cup 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. 12-14 muffins.

They were very...healthy. There was just a slight hint of sweetness (Read: Add more sugar). They would also probably do well with raisins. I'm trying to increase C's fiber intake, so hopefully these help. Note: They were done in 16 minutes. 25 would have been way too long.

Peeps Sunflower Cake

Here's a Pinterest-worthy Easter recipe. I guess sunflowers are more a late summer thing, but the Peeps are definitely an Easter thing.

Peeps sunflower Cake

Ingredients
1 package yellow cake mix (regular size)
2 cans (16 ounces each) chocolate frosting
19 to 20 yellow chick Peeps candies
1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
Prepare and bake cake mix according to package directions, using two parchment paper-lined and greased 9-in. round baking pans. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely.
If cake layers have rounded tops, trim with a long serrated knife to make level. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake.
For petals, arrange Peeps around edge of cake, curving slightly and being careful not to separate chicks. For sunflower seeds, arrange chocolate chips in center of cake. Yield: 12 servings.

From Taste of Home February/March 2008

We actually haven't eaten it yet, but it's more the decorating idea than the recipe that is being showcased. I imagine it will taste like yellow cake with chocolate frosting, It was kind of hard to make the Peeps into a circle, as evidenced in the picture. I only used 18 Peeps and one can of frosting. I think it's pretty cute.

Mrs. Field's Cookies

A very delicious alternative to regular chocolate chip cookies. This recipe is in the Allred cookbook, but my copy is on a tiny slip of paper in Mom's handwriting and shorthand as I have noted below.

Mrs. Field's Cookies

2 c. butter
2 c. w/sugar
" "    b    "    (2 c. brown sugar)
2 t. vanilla
4 c. flour
5 c. rolled oats, ground blender
1 t. salt
2 t. baking powder
" t.     "     soda    (2 t. baking soda)
2 12 oz. choc     (2 12 oz. bags of choco chips)
8 oz. Hershey bar
3 c. nuts

ungreased      roll balls    6 min  375 degrees


Here is what you do if the above directions don't make any sense.

Cream butter and sugars. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Add chocolate chips, grated Hershey Bar, and nuts. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 375 for 6 minutes.

Yummers! These cookies are delicious, and I knew they would be. They are one of Grandma Allred's recipes. I seem to recall that they are the cookies she had on hand (probably in the freezer) last year when we were there for her surprise 80th birthday party that the Big Chubb fed to Baby Chubbs for breakfast. Grandma couldn't get over the fact that he being fed cookies for breakfast.  As with the baked apple donuts, these are a must make recipe from this blog. Awesome cookies!

I did cook them a little longer that 6 minutes. I think our air bake cookie sheets don't get as hot as a conventional cookie sheet so it took longer. I also ground the nuts because I am not a lover of nuts in my baked goods, but ground they are delicious.

And, they are healthy because they have oatmeal in them! So don't hold back at just one....dozen. The full recipe makes a ton of them for you to enjoy continuously for the next few days.

Traditional Scones

Traditional Scones

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

6 tablespoons cold butter, cubed

1 egg

1/2 cup buttermilk

Jam of your choice, optional

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, whisk egg and buttermilk until blended; add to crumb mixture just until moistened.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; gently knead 10 times. Divide dough in half; pat each portion into a 5-in. circle. Cut each circle into six wedges.

Separate wedges and place 1 in. apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with jam if desired. Yield: 1 dozen.

I forgot how much I like scones. These were light and not overly dry. I made my buttermilk with lemon juice. I know this made them not traditional, but I added some dried blueberries I wanted to use. They were very good. The scones were also rather small, so if you make them, don't be sad when they are little. I ate like five of them, and I might have another now that C is asleep and I can eat in peace.

Tuna Tetrazzini--Favorite!

This was another recipe favorite we had for dinner last night.  I love that it uses tuna, because I like tuna, it's cheap, and it's healthy.

Tuna Tetrazzini

8 ounces spaghetti, broken into 2 inch pieces
1/4 c butter
1/4 c flour
salt
1 t nutmeg
2 c canned chicken broth
1 c light cream
1/4 c Marsala wine (optional) (I just left out)
1/4 c Parmesan cheese, grated
2 cans tuna, drained and flaked
1/4 c green pepper, chopped
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, chopped (I used canned)
1 egg yolk
1/2 c parsley, chopped

Cook spaghetti according to directions, drain and put into buttered bowl.  Meanwhile, melt butter over low heat, blend in flour, salt, nutmeg, and stir constantly until mixture is smooth and bubbling.  Remove from heat, stir in broth and cream, put back on heat, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until thickened.  Stir in wine and cheese.  Add sauce to spaghetti.  Add tuna, pepper, mushrooms, and egg yolk to spaghetti mixture and blend thoroughly.  Pour into buttered baking dish and bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for approximately 30 minutes.  Sprinkle parsley over top before serving.

We really liked this.  The sauce king didn't even want to add anything (ranch, ketchup, etc.) to it.

Creamy Risotto--Favorite!!

Risotto.  I had never had it before (that I can remember), but apparently it's awesome, so we had it.

Creamy Risotto

That looks nasty.  It was St. Patrick's Day, so the chicken was green.  Also, we do eat vegetables, but I ate my broccoli before I realized I needed a picture.  Oh, and that is a small plate, not a normal sized dinner plate.  we aren't gluttons.

1/2 c chopped onions
1/4 c butter, divided
1 c arborio rice
1/3 c dry white wine (or chicken broth)
2 c chicken broth, divided
3 c water
1/4 c grated Parmesan
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 c heavy cream

Cook onion until soft in 2 T butter in large skillet over medium heat.  Add rice and stir 2 to 3 minutes.  Add wine; stir until uncovered, stirring frequently, until broth is absorbed.  Continue stirring and add remaining broth and water 1 cup at a time, allowing each cup to be absorbed before adding another, until rice is tender and mixture has a creamy consistency.  It will take approximately 25 to 30 minutes.  Stir in cheese, salt, pepper, cream and remaining 2 T butter.  Stir until mixture is creamy about 2 minutes.  Serve immediately. 

Recipe favorite!!  We loved it.  It was creamy and cheesy and yum-o.  This recipe is worth every cent of the expensive rice.  All I can say is eat, eat, eat!

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

We started getting lots of late zucchini right around the time I found out I was pregnant. The sight and smell (yes, it smells) of zucchini made me feel sick, so Brian took charge and froze all that zucchini while I hid in my room. We still have lots of it in the freezer. I don't love the texture of frozen zucchini in things like stir fry, but baked goods are the perfect way to try and use it up.

I'm almost certain I've eaten this cake before, made by Mom.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

1/2 c soft margarine
1/2 c cooking oil
1 3/4 c sugar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
2 1/2 c flour
4 T cocoa
1/2 t cloves
1/2 t cinnamon
1 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 c chocolate chips
2 c chopped or grated zucchini

Cream together margarine, oil, sugar. Add eggs, vanille and milk. Add dry ingredients then stir in zucchini. Put in greased 9''x13'' pan and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Bake at 325 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Needs no frosting!

Tip: For large zucchini, remove pulp and seeds, and if skin is not tender, peel.

Yep, it was zucchini cake. I used delicious mondo-sized milk chocolate chips, but it there would probably be better chocolate coverage if I had used small ones. Either way, it was a good basic chocolate zucchini cake.

Campbell's Creamy Chicken & Vegetables FAIL

Gasp! This recipe spotlights Cream of Mushroom Soup!  I'm not in on the anti cream-of-soup kick, so I made this for dinner tonight.  It is from the 1996 McCall's magazine and spotlights the new reduced fat cream of mushroom soup.

Ingredients

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/8 t garlic powder
1 can Campbell's Reduced Fat Cream of Mushroom Soup (I used Fit & Active brand. Gasp again!)
1/2 cup milk
1 T lemon juice
1/4 t dried basil leaves, crushed
1 bag frozen vegetable combination (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots)

Diretions

1. Sprinkle chicken with garlic powder.
2. Spray skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium high heat 1 minute.
3.  Cook chicken 10 minutes or until browned.  Set aside.
4. Add soup, milk, lemon juice, basil, and vegetables.Heat to a boil. Return chicken to pan.
5. Cover and cook over low heat, 10 minutes, or until chicken is done.  serves 4.


The chicken took way longer than 20 minutes to cook, but I probably used bigger pieces than I was supposed to.  We both thought this recipe was incredibly bland and the sauce was way too runny.  We both felt like we were eating plain chicken and vegetables.  Jacob added ketchup (surprise...).

60 Minute Rolls

This is handwritten by some nameless person. 

Ingredients
3 1/2- 4 cups a.p. flour
3 T sugar
1 t salt
2 pkgs yeast
1 cup milk
1/2 cup warm water
1/4 cup butter

1. Mix 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a large bowl.  Combine milk, water, and butter in a saucepan, heat on low heat until warm.  Gradually add to dry ingredients.
2.  Beat 2 minutes at medium speed.  Add 1/2 cup flour, beat 2 minutes on high speed.  Stir in remaining flour 1 cup at a time. 
3.  Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead 5 minutes.  Put in greased bowl and let rise 15 minutes.  Shape into rolls.
4.  Put into greased pans (13x9).  Let rise 15 minutes.  Bake at 425 for 12 minutes.  (Makes 2 dozen)

This was the only decent looking roll.  I let them rise too long the second time and over-baked them.  Maybe this was why they were dry.  Or maybe they weren't very good; it's hard to tell.  But my guess is that they weren't over the top spectacular, so they really aren't worth making.  But go ahead and try if you want.

Lemon Crumb Muffins

This is day one of Brian being out of town. I am already bored, so I cooked up a treat for C and me.

Lemon Crumb Muffins

Ingredients

6 cups all-purpose flour
 4 cups sugar
 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
 3/4 teaspoon salt
 8 eggs
 2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream
 2 cups butter, melted
 3 tablespoons grated lemon peel
 2 tablespoons lemon juice
 TOPPING:
 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
 3/4 cup sugar
 1/4 cup cold butter, cubed
 GLAZE:
 1/2 cup sugar
 1/3 cup lemon juice

Directions
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, combine the eggs, sour cream, butter, lemon peel and juice. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full.
In a small bowl, combine flour and sugar; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over batter.
Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. In a small bowl, whisk glaze ingredients; drizzle over warm muffins. Serve warm. Yield: 40 muffins.

Yum. These were good. I just ate three then regretted it when I saw the nutrition facts. They are quite cake-like. Since I didn't have lemon zest, I used extra juice. The muffins were only mildly lemon-y without the glaze, and using zest would probably fix that. The glaze added in some good extra lemon flavor, but it was very watery, not glaze-y. I made a third of the recipe. I'll definitely make them again, but I'll actually use lemon peel, I'll try and make the glaze thicker by using powdered sugar, and I'll use cupcake liners. They stuck to the pan pretty well.

Tomato Beef Bake

As a preface, since being pregnant I have had low tolerance for foods that have an odor. Especially onions and green peppers. Last summer we got some awesome deals on them so I froze a whole bunch to use throughout the year. Convenient and thrifty, yes. But, our freezers have smelled like green peppers and onions for months and nothing gets rid of the smell. After working at veg prep I also cannot stand the smell of soy sauce, so this recipe had quite low expectations from my end.

Tomato Beef Bake

6 ounces medium sized egg noodles
1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion chunked
2 garlic cloves minced
3 medium tomatoes chunked
1 medium green pepper chunked
1/4 cup Kikkoman soy sauce

Cook noodles in boiling water according to package directions, omitting salt; drain. Brown beef with onion and garlic; cook until onion is translucent. Add remaining 3 ingredients; stir to combine. Bring to boil and cook only until tomatoes are heated through. Stir in noodles; turn into 2-qt baking dish. Bake, uncovered, in preheated 35o F. oven 20 minutes.

Big Chubb and I were surprised because it turned out to be quite palatable. There was not much in the way of sauciness to it, which made it a little strange, but it tasted good. It was also pretty quick and easy to make. We had it with sauted zucchini to remind us that eventually we will have weather above freezing.

We will probably eat this again. It seems that it could be quite versatile and one could use ground turkey and whole wheat noodles to make it healthier.

White Silk Raspberry Tart

This was dessert for the missionaries who didn't show.  Once more, expensive, so it's amazing I even made it.

Ingredients

20 creme filled oreos (2 cups)
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
6 oz. white chocolate baking bars, chopped
2 cups whipping cream
1 t vanilla
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
10 oz. frozen raspberries in syrup, thawed
2 t cornstarch
1 cup fresh raspberries

Directions

• Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, mix crushed cookies and butter. Press in bottom and 1 inch up side of ungreased 9- or 10-inch springform pan. Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until set. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• 2 Meanwhile, in 1-quart heavy saucepan, heat white baking bars and 1/2 cup of the whipping cream over low heat, stirring frequently, until chocolate is melted. Stir in vanilla. Cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
• 3 In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add white chocolate mixture; beat on medium speed until creamy. Set aside.
• 4 In chilled large bowl, beat remaining 1 1/2 cups whipping cream on high speed until stiff peaks form. Using rubber spatula, fold half of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until blended. Fold in remaining whipped cream. Spoon into crust. Refrigerate 3 to 4 hours or until set.
• 5 Place small strainer over 1-quart saucepan. Pour package of raspberries into strainer. With back of spoon, press raspberries through strainer to remove seeds; discard seeds. Stir cornstarch into raspberry puree. Heat to boiling over medium heat. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.
• 6 To serve, spoon fresh raspberries around top edge of tart. Remove side of pan. Cut tart into wedges; place on individual dessert plates. Drizzle raspberry sauce over individual servings. 

I won't bother with the nutrition information, because I'm eating some as I type and don't want to depress myself.

Yum-o.  We love white chocolate here.  But a warning for the faint of heart; this tart is very rich.  If you are looking for a decadent dessert, this would hit the spot!