Donut Muffins

Donut muffins..they taste of cake donuts and muffins combined in one. They are good rolled in a sugar and cinnamon mixture or drizzled with a glaze while still warm..extra special if you do both!

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup butter
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3/4 cup buttermilk

Directions:

1. In a medium size bowl cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy.
2. Add eggs and vanilla and beat till well blended.
3. Mix dry ingredients and add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk and stir until well combined.
4. Spoon batter into a lightly greased muffin tin.
5. Bake at 425º for 16 minutes or until golden in color.
6. Remove from oven, cool for approx 2 or 3 minutes, just until you can handle them.
7. Roll donuts in sugar/cinnamon mixture of 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon. Or dip tops of muffins in melted butter and then into cinnamon/mixture or drizzle with a glaze.
8. Yield: 12 muffins

Shirley's Shrimp Mold

Do you have a tupperware jello mold in your cupboard that you haven't used in sometime?

Pull it out...because this recipe is so different you need to try it and then enjoy the rave reviews that my friend Shirley received when she brought it to a party. Even the shrimp nay sayers who took just a sample came back for a another cracker and Shrimp Mold dip. 

If you don't have a gelatin mold, any bowl will work. ...just give it a spray of cooking spray and it should work just fine.

• 1 can tomato soup
• 1 packet dry gelatin
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablepoons chili sauce
• dash HP sauce
• 1 large minced celrey stalk
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 1 cup mayonaise
• 1 250 gram / 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
• 1 pound small cooked shrimp

1. Beat the cream cheese in a large mixing bowl until smooth and cream. Add the mayo and stir until smooth and set aside.
2. Heat the soup on low and add the gelatine and then all the sauces and continue to heat on low until gelatine dissolves.  Cool slightly.
3. Whisk into the cream cheese mixture and add celery and onion and shrimp.
4. Pour into an mold sprayed with cooking spray and chill overnight or at least for 4 hours.
5. Unmold and set on a serving plate as shown and serve with an assortment of crackers.

Butterscotch Brickle Bars

This is a recipe my mom made for her oldest granddaughter's baby shower back in 1974.

Cookie Layer:
1-1/2 Cups sifted all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 Cup softened butter
3/4 Cup firmly packed light brown sugar

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 13 X 9 inch pan lightly and dust lightly with flour. Sift together flour and salt. Cut in butter with pastry blender. Add sugar and mix well. Press dough evenly into the bottom of prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool slightly.

While cookie layer is baking prepare butterscotch topping:
Butterscotch Topping:
1- 6oz. package of butterscotch chips
1/4 Cup light corn syrup
2 Tablespoons shortening
1 Tablespoon water
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Cups coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans

Combine all ingredients except nuts in a microwaveable bowl and heat at 30 second intervals on full power stirring well after each 30 second heating until smooth. (It took me 3 - 30second intervals) If you prefer you can do this step over a double boiler. Stir in nuts. Spoon mixture evenly over slightly cooled cookie layer. Bake an additional 8 minutes. Remover pan to a wire rack. Cool until slightly warm and then cut into 1-1/2 to 2 inch squares. Cool completely before serving. Makes 24-38 squares.

Lettuce Boats with Balsamic Drizzle

This is more of an idea than a recipe. 

Create an attractive side salad using a romaine leave as a boat to hold the ingredients.

Reducing balsamic vinegar leaves you with a syrupy drizzle. It's tasty and also a healthy alternative to regular salad dressings. There are many good balsamic vinegars to choose from. I like to have a variety of flavoured balsamic vinegars in my pantry...my favourites are fig and pear or blueberry. 

Ingredients - for 4 boats:

• 1 fresh heart of romaine lettuce, this is the inside smaller leaves of the head of romaine
• 1 cup finely chopped lettuce
• 2 cups your choice fresh vegetable, chopped fine (cucumber, celery, radish, carrots, onions, avacado)
• cherry tomatoes
• feta or blue cheese, crumbled
• 3/4 cup good quality balsamic vinegar

Method:

1. Cut core off the end of the heat of romaine separating leaves. Wash, dry and place in a bag in fridge for at least an hour to get cold and crisp.
2. Chop up your choice of salad ingredients and combine with the chopped lettuce.
3. Pour balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan. Over medium, heat until it begins to bubble. Turn to low and allow balsamic vinegar to reduce to about 1/2. As it reduces it will become more of a light syrup.
4. While balsamic is reducing, lay your chilled lettuce leaf boats on serving dish and fill with chopped salad ingredients, and top with tomotos and cheese of your choice.
5. Drizzle warm balsamic reduction over salads and serve immediately.

Raspberry Bavarian

 

Living in the raspberry capital of Canada, it would be a shame not to post something with raspberries at this time. Enjoy a taste of summer!

Ingredients:

Sauce

• 3 cups raspberries (can be frozen)
• 1/3 cup raspberry jam
• 1/3 cup sugar

Mousse

• 1 cup milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/3 cup sugar
• pinch salt
• 1 pouch unflavored gelatin (1 Tbsp) sprinkled over 2 Tbsp water to soften
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 cup whipping cream

Method:

1. Bring berries, jam and sugar to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside about 1/2 cup. Pour the rest through a sieve to remove seeds.
2. In another saucepan, heat milk.
3. Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar and salt until light and fluffy. Starting with a few Tablespoons at a time, slowly whisk hot milk into the egg mixture.
4. Return to saucepan, and over low-med heat, stir until it thickens, removing from heat just before it comes to boil.
5. Stir in vanilla and softened gelatin until it dissolves. Strain custard.
6.  Stir strained raspberry mixture into custard. Cool in fridge,stirring in between until it begins to thicken. About 1 hour.
7. Whip cream until stiff and fold into raspberry mousse. Pour into desired serving dishes and refrigerate several hours, until set. Use 1/2 cup raspberry sauce, previously set aside for topping. Serves 4 - 6

 

Coconut Loaf

This coconut loaf is moist and flavorful. I like it plain but you if you desire you can drizzle a glaze over the loaf while still warm. 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 teaspoons coconut flavoring
• 2 cups flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup coconut flakes

Directions:

1. In a medium size mixing bowl cream butter with sugar.
2. Add eggs and flavorings and mix well.
3. In another bowl mix dry ingredients.
4. Stir dry ingredients into creamed mixture alternately with the sour cream.
5. Fold in coconut.
6. Pour batter into a greased 8 x 4 x 2 inch loaf pan.
7. Bake at 350º for 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
8. Remove from oven, let cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan.