Cheddar-Broccoli Millet Pie

Okay, because I'm candied yam, creamed spinach, biscuited, pied, potatoed, gravied and turkeyed out, I've made the following recipe from this month's Mother Earth Magazine. Ah, whole grains!


Cheddar-Broccoli Millet Pie

2 cups onion, chopped

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 cup millet

3 cups vegetable or chicken stock

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp dried thyme

1 medium carrot, chopped

3 cups broccoli florets, cut into small pieces

6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

2 large eggs

Olive oil for pan
Heat a 2-quart heavy saucepan over medium-high heat for a few seconds, then add the oil. Add the onions and sauté, lowering the heat as they soften. Cook until golden and sweet. Add the millet and stir, cooking until the grains are hot to the touch and fragrant. Add the stock, salt, thyme and carrot, and bring to a boil. Cover tightly and lower heat to the lowest setting. Cook for 30 minutes, then quickly add broccoli to the pan, cover again, and let stand for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff, let cool.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, stir the millet with the cheese and eggs and scrape into greased pie pan. Bake for 45 minutes, until golden on top and firm to the touch. Slice and serve warm. Serves 6.

Soccer Mom Doughnut Twists

These are baked, not deep fried doughnut twists -- baked because deep frying scares me on so many levels and twisted because that's how Almanzo Wilder's mother made them. (We were inspired to make homemade doughnuts after reading "Farmer Boy" you see.)

Oh, and the title comes from the fact that I promised Sean doughnuts if he kept a positive attitude during today's soccer game. That's good parenting, right?

Source: Cooks.com Recipe Search

1 envelope active dry yeast
1/4 c. warm water (105-115 degrees)
2 1/2 to 3 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. plain low fat yogurt
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. butter, softened
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tbsp. butter, melted
Vanilla Glaze or Cinnamon Sugar

*Directions:

Dissolve yeast in water in large bowl; let stand 5 minutes until foamy. Add 1 1/2 cups flour, yogurt, sugar, salt, softened butter, egg, vanilla. Beat on low speed 2 minutes. Mix in 1 cup flour. Knead on floured surface 5 minutes until smooth-elastic, adding flour to prevent sticking. Place in bowl coated with cooking spray; spray top. Cover; let rise until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Punch dough down. Divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll each out on floured surface into 8 inch rope. Fold each in half; pinch ends together. Twist a few times. On baking sheet coated with cooking spray, place 3 inches apart. Brush with butter. Cover; let rise until almost doubled, 45 to 60 minutes.

Bake in preheated 425 degree oven 8 minutes until golden brown. Brush on Vanilla Glaze or finish with Cinnamon Sugar while warm. Cool on rack.

Whisk together 2 tablespoons warm water, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla and 3/4 cup 10X sugar.

Brush doughnuts with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Dip in prepared cinnamon-sugar mixture.


* Note: I didn't follow the above dough directions at all. I just threw all the ingredients into my bread machine and set it to the "Dough" cycle. That takes about 1:45 all told. Next time I think I'm going to use Rapid Rise yeast and then the Dough cycle only takes 45 minutes! Also, I think I'll freeze half the dough to make another time.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake/bread/muffins/whatever

• 3 eggs
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup safflower oil

      2 tbsp. ground flax meal

• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 
  
• Preheat oven to 350*.  
• 
  
• 1. In a large bowl beat the eggs. Beat in the sugar and oil. Add the cocoa, vanilla, zucchini and stir well.
• 
  
• 2. Stir in the flour, flax meal, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom. Mix until just moist.
• 
  
• 3. Pour batter into lightly greased loaf pans, Bundt pan or muffin tins (filling these last 2/3 of the way full.)  Bake at 350* for 20 to 25 minutes. Check doneness by sticking a toothpick in the middle. 
• 
  
• 4. Remove from pan and let cool on a wire rack. Store loosely covered.

I like to drizzle a glaze on the Bundt cake or even spread store-bought icing on the cupcakes.  My kids love this and I figure it's a good way to use up the zucchini bounty of summer!

NOTE: This makes 2 loaves and about 30 cupcakes.  One Bundt cake, of course.  

ANOTHER NOTE:     Sometimes I even make this in my breadmaker and it couldn't be simpler -- just throw all the ingredients in the pan at once.  I think this might be the preferred method because it breaks the grated zucchini up so much that it's not noticeable at all!  Plus, it is super easy.

LAST NOTE, I PROMISE:  This freezes VERY well, no matter which form you choose to bake.  

Scotch-a-Roos

Here's the recipe for the Rice Krispy treat that's made without marshmallows and is frosted with melted chocolate and butterscotch chips.  It is TO DIE FOR and so easy to make.  

SCOTCH-A-ROOS
 Adapted from Rick Fox
 Time: 30 minutes
 
 1 cup Karo syrup
 1 cup sugar
 1 cup peanut butter
 5 1/2 cups Rice Krispies cereal
 12 ounces milk chocolate chips
 6 ounces butterscotch chips.
 
 1. Bring Karo syrup and sugar to a boil over low heat.
 2. Remove from heat and add peanut butter and the Rice Krispies.
 3. Spread evenly into 9-by-12-inch cake pan. Do not press down.
 4. Melt milk chocolate and butterscotch chips together over low heat (or in a double boiler).
 5. Spread melted chips over top and let cool. Cut in squares and serve.
 
 Yield: About 24 servings. (Although, seriously, if you don't cut this into about 40 pieces, you will have to serve insulin alongside each piece.  It is that sweet.)

Vegan Cupcakes

Ripped from a 1/24/2007 NY Times recipe (which in turn was ripped from "Vegan With a Vengeance," by Isa Chandra Moskowitz)

FOR THE CUPCAKES:

Nonstick cooking spray

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder

3 tablespoons black cocoa powder (see note) or more Dutch-process cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup plain soy milk

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

FOR THE FILLING:

1/3 cup nonhydrogenated margarine, such as Earthbalance

1/3 cup nonhydrogenated shortening

21/2 to 3 cups confectioners’ sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the chocolate icing:

1/3 cup plain soy milk

4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup or confectioners’ sugar

For the royal icing:

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 to 2 tablespoons plain soy milk.

1. For the cupcakes: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-muffin pan with paper liners, and spray lightly with nonstick spray. In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a mixer, combine the soy milk, oil, syrup, sugar, vinegar and vanilla. Mix at medium speed for 2 minutes. Add half the dry ingredients and mix to blend. Add remaining dry ingredients and mix for 1 minute.

2. Use a standard ice cream scoop to fill cupcake liners 3/4 full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Turn out onto a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

3. For the filling: In a mixer, beat margarine and shortening until combined. Add 21/2 cups confectioners’ sugar and beat until very fluffy, about 10 minutes. Taste for sweetness and add remaining 1/2 cup sugar if desired. Add vanilla and beat for 1 minute more.

4. For the chocolate icing: In a small skillet, bring soy milk to a simmer. Reduce heat to very low and stir in the chocolate and maple syrup, stirring until just melted. Turn off heat.

5. For the royal icing: Using an electric mixer or by hand, sift sugar into a bowl and add 1 tablespoon soy milk. Mix, adding up to 1 more tablespoon soy milk until consistency is like stiff toothpaste.

6. To assemble: Prepare two pastry bags, one fitted with a large plain tip, and one with a small writing tip. Fill large-tipped bag with filling, and the small-tipped bag with royal icing. (Instead of pastry bags, thick resealable plastic bags may be used. For filling, cut off one corner of bag so the opening measures a scant 1/2 inch across. For icing, opening should be just large enough to pipe a thin line.)

7. Using your pinkie, poke a hole in center of each cupcake top about an inch deep. Push tip of pastry bag with filling into each hole, firmly squeezing in filling and slowly drawing tip up and out. When all cakes have been filled, wipe off any excess that sticks out from holes; tops of cupcakes should be flat.

8. Place cupcakes on a baking sheet or tray that fits in refrigerator. Rewarm pan of chocolate icing over low heat if necessary, stirring constantly. Dip top of each cupcake into icing, swirling to coat completely. When all cupcakes are dipped, refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes to set. When set, use royal icing to make squiggles across center of each cupcake. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve, up to 1 day.

Yield: 12 cupcakes.

Note: Black cocoa, which gives the cake its characteristic dark color and bittersweet flavor, is available from King Arthur Flour, (800) 827-6836,kingarthurflour.com

Really, I should pass these off as Hostess Cupcakes and then no one would look at me funny!

Overnight Coffee Cake

So let's just not talk about the vegetable challenge, okay?

Below is a brilliant recipe and if we hadn't eaten almost the entire thing this morning, I'd include a photo. Maybe next time . . .

Ingredients:
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
2 TBS. ground flax seed meal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 cup buttermilk

Strudel topping:
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 TBS all-purpose flour
3 TBS butter, softened.

Directions:
1. Grease an 8" square baking pan. Cream together butter and sugars. Add egg and blend well. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Stir the flour mixture into butter mixture, then add buttermilk. Spread evenly into pan.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the strudel topping and sprinkle over the batter.
3. Cover pan and refrigerate overnight.
4. the next day, preheat oven to 350* and bake for 40 - 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

This recipe made me figure out how to use my oven timer -- I set the timer to preheat the oven, so I could just put the pan straight into the oven and then go back to sleep for a bit. Now, imagine if they had ovens that kept things cold and THEN heated them up. I wouldn't have had to get out of bed at all!