Bread

I absolutely love homemade bread: the taste, the way it makes the whole house smell wonderful, the whole yummy wonderfulness of the stuff.

With that in mind, here are six yummy bread recipes to help you through the day, including Magic Caterpillar Peanut Butter Bread and Traditional Irish Soda Bread with Caraway. Enjoy!

EGG CINNAMON BREAD



I've been making this for years – actually, for decades – and almost always gotten rave reviews on this recipe. It got to the point that several people have specifically requested this recipe – and, if I'm visiting, it's pretty much expected that I'll bake up a batch. This recipe makes three loaves.





Ingredients:

2 envelopes yeast

1 C warm water

1-2 T honey

1 C milk (Note: 1 cup soy milk can be used in place of the milk)

1/2 C margarine (1 stick)

2 eggs, beaten

6-7 C unbleached white flour

1/4-1/2 C margarine (1 stick)

2-3 C cinnamon sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Stir honey into warm water. Stir in yeast. Set aside.

Heat milk until warm. Pour into large bowl and add 1/2 C margarine, cut into 4 pieces. Stir, allowing margarine to melt. Cool to room temperature. Stir in salt, yeast mixture and eggs. Add flour, 2 cups at a time until stiff. Place dough on floured towel and knead for 4-5 minutes.

Wash and dry bowl. Oil dough, place in bowl, cover with clean towel and place out of draft in a warm place. Allow to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until double.

Melt 1/4-1/2 C margarine. Grease 3 loaf pans. Punch dough down, then divide into three sections. Roll out with rolling pin, then brush with melted margarine. Spread cinnamon sugar over melted margarine, then roll all three sections into loaves. Place in pans, place clean towel over pans, and allow to rise again for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Remove towel, then place loaf pans into preheated 350 degree F oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes.

ALL-PURPOSE BISCUITS

This comes from Sam Sifton, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sam wrote, “Biscuits are what take us into the kitchen today to cook: fat, flaky mounds of quick bread, golden brown, with a significant crumb. Composed of flour, baking powder, fat and a liquid, then baked in a hot oven, they are an excellent sop for sorghum syrup, molasses or honey. They are marvelous layered with country ham or smothered in white sausage gravy, with eggs, with grits. Biscuits are easy to make.” Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Time: 1 hour.

This was featured in “A Quest for New York’s Perfect Biscuit”, and can be viewed online by clicking here.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

2 tablespoons baking powder

1 scant tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, preferably European style

1 cup whole milk

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425. Sift flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl. Transfer to a food processor. Cut butter into pats and add to flour, then pulse 5 or 6 times until the mixture resembles rough crumbs. (Alternatively, cut butter into flour in the mixing bowl using a fork or a pastry cutter.) Return dough to bowl, add milk and stir with a fork until it forms a rough ball.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and pat it down into a rough rectangle, about an inch thick. Fold it over and gently pat it down again. Repeat. Cover the dough loosely with a kitchen towel and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.

Gently pat out the dough some more, so that the rectangle is roughly 10 inches by 6 inches. Cut dough into biscuits using a floured glass or biscuit cutter. Do not twist cutter when cutting; this crimps the edges of the biscuit and impedes its rise.

Place biscuits on a cookie sheet and bake until golden brown, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

MAGIC CATERPILLAR PEANUT BUTTER BREAD

Years ago, I got hooked on Breaking Bread with Father Dominic on (if I remember correctly) the Food Network. Unfortunately, the show has since left the air, at least where I live. However, you might be able to check out a few episodes by Google-ing his name for the latest places that show him, or on YouTube. Check out his website, The Bread Monk, at http://www.breadmonk.com/. This recipe yields 1 loaf.



Ingredients:

1 package Fleischmann's Active Dry Yeast

1/4 cup warm water

1 cup milk

3/4 cup chunky peanut butter

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3 1/4 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

For decoration: tubes of colored frosting, candies, gumdrops, licorice, etc.

Directions:

Sprinkle yeast over warm water in large bowl; stir to dissolve yeast. Let stand about 10 minutes, or until foamy.

Combine milk, peanut butter, sugar and salt in small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth. Let cool to lukewarm, then add to yeast mixture. Stir in flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition until flour is thoroughly incorporated.

Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead 5 minutes, adding small amounts of the remaining flour as needed to keep dough manageable. Rinse and dry bowl, then lightly oil surface of dough and place dough in bowl. Cover with a dry cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place 1 hour.

Punch down dough. Knead briefly to expel large air bubbles. Roll dough into a rope about 24 inches long. Form rope into a large S shape on a lightly greased 18x12-inch baking sheet. Using a butter knife or dough scraper, chop rope into 3-inch sections, but do not separate completely. Cover with a cloth and let rise about 30 minutes. (The caterpillar will magically grow back together during rising and baking.)

About 15 minutes before end of rising time, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake loaf 25 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Let cool on baking sheet 15 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Decorate cooled loaf with frosting and gumdrops or other candy. Poke holes in the sides with a wooden pick and insert sections of licorice for legs.

Note: Decorating gel doesn't work as well as frosting as a glue for the candy decorations, so make sure you pick up the right tube at the store. Any candies will work to make spots for the caterpillar's sections. Thin red licorice makes the perfect legs and antennae, unless you know your youngsters prefer the flavor of black licorice.

TEXAS MOPPIN' ROLLS

Yield: 12 rolls.

I frequently make these (from Breaking Bread with Father Dominic) to go with chili or homemade spaghetti. Definitely yummy!



2 packages Fleischmann's Active Dry Yeast

1 teaspoon honey

2 cups lukewarm water

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper

1/2 cup minced onion

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

6 1/2 to 7 cups all-purpose flour, divided

Directions:

Combine yeast, honey and warm water in large bowl; stir until completely dissolved. Add salt, hot red pepper flakes, onion, Monterey Jack cheese and Cheddar cheese; stir until thoroughly mixed. Add 6 cups of the flour, 2 cups at a time, mixing after each addition until the flour is completely incorporated.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead 6 to 8 minutes, adding enough of remaining flour to form a fairly stiff dough. Rinse and dry the bowl, then oil surface of dough and place dough in bowl. Cover with a clean, dry cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place about 1 hour, or until doubled.

Punch down dough. Knead briefly to expel large air bubbles. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a fat oval. Place rolls in a lightly greased 13x9x2-inch baking pan (three rolls across, four down). Let rise about 20 minutes, or until nearly doubled.

While rolls are rising, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place on middle rack of oven and bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until top crust is browned. Remove rolls from pan and let cool on racks.

Note: "With so many different palates to please, our abbey cooks are usually pretty cautious about spicy seasonings. As a result, sometimes monastery food is a bit bland, so I like to create breads with strong flavors. Every time I serve these rolls, one of the brothers is sure to comment on how he expected "just another roll" and got a mouthful of pepper-and-cheese-bread-with-an-attitude. These rolls are actually pretty mild compared to a lot of Tex-Mex food, so feel free to increase the amount of crushed red pepper.

"I used ordinary dried crushed red pepper (hot red pepper flakes) for this recipe, but if you keep fresh jalapenos or other hot peppers in the fridge, by all means use them. Three 3-inch jalapenos, minced fine, provide moderate heat. You can experiment with other peppers as well." (All notes after the recipes are Father Dominic's notes.)

IRISH SODA BREAD

This wonderful recipe was posted on Facebook, and is from The Irish Post. It starts off, "WITH IRELAND under strict lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic, friends and families everywhere are turning to the time-honoured practice of baking to keep occupied.

"And with some supplies proving harder to come by than others, the need for simple yet delicious recipes has never been stronger.

"Thankfully, the Irish know a thing or two about baking."Bread may come in various shapes and sizes but few types compare to a first-rate bit of Irish soda bread.

"Perfect for a sandwich or as an accompaniment to a good soup or fry, Irish soda bread is so delicious, you might be tempted just to spread a bit of butter on top and enjoy it as one of life's simple pleasures."

The wonderful photo accompanying this also has the statement, "This brilliant four-ingredient Irish soda bread recipe will see you through lockdown."

This can be viewed online at https://www.irishpost.com/news/brilliant-four-ingredient-irish-soda-bread-recipe-will-see-lockdown-182905.

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Directions

Preheat oven to 220°C. (This translates to 428°F.)

In a mixing bowl, add flour, baking soda and salt. Whisk together.

Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour in buttermilk. Mix together (using hands is the best way to do this) until just combined. Do not overwork or knead the dough. Texture should be slightly crumbly but just sticking together.

Form into a ball and place on a cast iron skillet, greased baking sheet or dutch oven. Make an "X" in the dough with a knife, about an inch deep.

Bake for 40 minutes or until outside is browned.

TRADITIONAL IRISH SODA BREAD WITH CARAWAY

This is a traditional bread to make around St. Patrick's Day, but I could eat Irish Soda Bread any time. This is from the March 2005 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Pricking the surface of the unbaked loaf is an old Irish tradition to let the fairies out.” Serves 8.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tbs. caraway seeds

1 Tbs. granulated sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 cups buttermilk or sour milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 425F. Spray round 8-inch cake pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Combine flour, caraway seeds, sugar and salt in mixing bowl. In separate bowl, whisk baking soda into buttermilk. Make a well in center of flour. Pour buttermilk mixture into well, and stir to blend, using large spatula or wooden spoon. Dough should be soft but not sticky; if still sticky, work in 1/4 cup flour at a time until dough holds together.

Scrape dough into cake pan. Lightly flour hands, and pat dough flat. Using sharp knife, cut deep cross on top. Prick each quarter three or four times with fork.

Bake bread 30 minutes, or until golden brown on top and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan, and cool slightly on rack. Serve warm with butter.

nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 200; Protein: 7 g; Total Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 40 g; Sodium: 500 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 5 g

Bread

I absolutely love homemade bread: the taste, the way it makes the whole house smell wonderful, the whole yummy wonderfulness of the stuff.

With that in mind, here are six yummy bread recipes to help you through the day, including Magic Caterpillar Peanut Butter Bread and Traditional Irish Soda Bread with Caraway. Enjoy!

EGG CINNAMON BREAD



I've been making this for years – actually, for decades – and almost always gotten rave reviews on this recipe. It got to the point that several people have specifically requested this recipe – and, if I'm visiting, it's pretty much expected that I'll bake up a batch. This recipe makes three loaves.





Ingredients:

2 envelopes yeast

1 C warm water

1-2 T honey

1 C milk (Note: 1 cup soy milk can be used in place of the milk)

1/2 C margarine (1 stick)

2 eggs, beaten

6-7 C unbleached white flour

1/4-1/2 C margarine (1 stick)

2-3 C cinnamon sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Stir honey into warm water. Stir in yeast. Set aside.

Heat milk until warm. Pour into large bowl and add 1/2 C margarine, cut into 4 pieces. Stir, allowing margarine to melt. Cool to room temperature. Stir in salt, yeast mixture and eggs. Add flour, 2 cups at a time until stiff. Place dough on floured towel and knead for 4-5 minutes.

Wash and dry bowl. Oil dough, place in bowl, cover with clean towel and place out of draft in a warm place. Allow to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until double.

Melt 1/4-1/2 C margarine. Grease 3 loaf pans. Punch dough down, then divide into three sections. Roll out with rolling pin, then brush with melted margarine. Spread cinnamon sugar over melted margarine, then roll all three sections into loaves. Place in pans, place clean towel over pans, and allow to rise again for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Remove towel, then place loaf pans into preheated 350 degree F oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes.

ALL-PURPOSE BISCUITS

This comes from Sam Sifton, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sam wrote, “Biscuits are what take us into the kitchen today to cook: fat, flaky mounds of quick bread, golden brown, with a significant crumb. Composed of flour, baking powder, fat and a liquid, then baked in a hot oven, they are an excellent sop for sorghum syrup, molasses or honey. They are marvelous layered with country ham or smothered in white sausage gravy, with eggs, with grits. Biscuits are easy to make.” Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Time: 1 hour.

This was featured in “A Quest for New York’s Perfect Biscuit”, and can be viewed online by clicking here.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

2 tablespoons baking powder

1 scant tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, preferably European style

1 cup whole milk

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425. Sift flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl. Transfer to a food processor. Cut butter into pats and add to flour, then pulse 5 or 6 times until the mixture resembles rough crumbs. (Alternatively, cut butter into flour in the mixing bowl using a fork or a pastry cutter.) Return dough to bowl, add milk and stir with a fork until it forms a rough ball.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and pat it down into a rough rectangle, about an inch thick. Fold it over and gently pat it down again. Repeat. Cover the dough loosely with a kitchen towel and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.

Gently pat out the dough some more, so that the rectangle is roughly 10 inches by 6 inches. Cut dough into biscuits using a floured glass or biscuit cutter. Do not twist cutter when cutting; this crimps the edges of the biscuit and impedes its rise.

Place biscuits on a cookie sheet and bake until golden brown, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

MAGIC CATERPILLAR PEANUT BUTTER BREAD

Years ago, I got hooked on Breaking Bread with Father Dominic on (if I remember correctly) the Food Network. Unfortunately, the show has since left the air, at least where I live. However, you might be able to check out a few episodes by Google-ing his name for the latest places that show him, or on YouTube. Check out his website, The Bread Monk, at http://www.breadmonk.com/. This recipe yields 1 loaf.



Ingredients:

1 package Fleischmann's Active Dry Yeast

1/4 cup warm water

1 cup milk

3/4 cup chunky peanut butter

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3 1/4 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

For decoration: tubes of colored frosting, candies, gumdrops, licorice, etc.

Directions:

Sprinkle yeast over warm water in large bowl; stir to dissolve yeast. Let stand about 10 minutes, or until foamy.

Combine milk, peanut butter, sugar and salt in small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth. Let cool to lukewarm, then add to yeast mixture. Stir in flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition until flour is thoroughly incorporated.

Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead 5 minutes, adding small amounts of the remaining flour as needed to keep dough manageable. Rinse and dry bowl, then lightly oil surface of dough and place dough in bowl. Cover with a dry cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place 1 hour.

Punch down dough. Knead briefly to expel large air bubbles. Roll dough into a rope about 24 inches long. Form rope into a large S shape on a lightly greased 18x12-inch baking sheet. Using a butter knife or dough scraper, chop rope into 3-inch sections, but do not separate completely. Cover with a cloth and let rise about 30 minutes. (The caterpillar will magically grow back together during rising and baking.)

About 15 minutes before end of rising time, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake loaf 25 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Let cool on baking sheet 15 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Decorate cooled loaf with frosting and gumdrops or other candy. Poke holes in the sides with a wooden pick and insert sections of licorice for legs.

Note: Decorating gel doesn't work as well as frosting as a glue for the candy decorations, so make sure you pick up the right tube at the store. Any candies will work to make spots for the caterpillar's sections. Thin red licorice makes the perfect legs and antennae, unless you know your youngsters prefer the flavor of black licorice.

TEXAS MOPPIN' ROLLS

Yield: 12 rolls.

I frequently make these (from Breaking Bread with Father Dominic) to go with chili or homemade spaghetti. Definitely yummy!



2 packages Fleischmann's Active Dry Yeast

1 teaspoon honey

2 cups lukewarm water

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper

1/2 cup minced onion

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

6 1/2 to 7 cups all-purpose flour, divided

Directions:

Combine yeast, honey and warm water in large bowl; stir until completely dissolved. Add salt, hot red pepper flakes, onion, Monterey Jack cheese and Cheddar cheese; stir until thoroughly mixed. Add 6 cups of the flour, 2 cups at a time, mixing after each addition until the flour is completely incorporated.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead 6 to 8 minutes, adding enough of remaining flour to form a fairly stiff dough. Rinse and dry the bowl, then oil surface of dough and place dough in bowl. Cover with a clean, dry cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place about 1 hour, or until doubled.

Punch down dough. Knead briefly to expel large air bubbles. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a fat oval. Place rolls in a lightly greased 13x9x2-inch baking pan (three rolls across, four down). Let rise about 20 minutes, or until nearly doubled.

While rolls are rising, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place on middle rack of oven and bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until top crust is browned. Remove rolls from pan and let cool on racks.

Note: "With so many different palates to please, our abbey cooks are usually pretty cautious about spicy seasonings. As a result, sometimes monastery food is a bit bland, so I like to create breads with strong flavors. Every time I serve these rolls, one of the brothers is sure to comment on how he expected "just another roll" and got a mouthful of pepper-and-cheese-bread-with-an-attitude. These rolls are actually pretty mild compared to a lot of Tex-Mex food, so feel free to increase the amount of crushed red pepper.

"I used ordinary dried crushed red pepper (hot red pepper flakes) for this recipe, but if you keep fresh jalapenos or other hot peppers in the fridge, by all means use them. Three 3-inch jalapenos, minced fine, provide moderate heat. You can experiment with other peppers as well." (All notes after the recipes are Father Dominic's notes.)

IRISH SODA BREAD

This wonderful recipe was posted on Facebook, and is from The Irish Post. It starts off, "WITH IRELAND under strict lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic, friends and families everywhere are turning to the time-honoured practice of baking to keep occupied.

"And with some supplies proving harder to come by than others, the need for simple yet delicious recipes has never been stronger.

"Thankfully, the Irish know a thing or two about baking."Bread may come in various shapes and sizes but few types compare to a first-rate bit of Irish soda bread.

"Perfect for a sandwich or as an accompaniment to a good soup or fry, Irish soda bread is so delicious, you might be tempted just to spread a bit of butter on top and enjoy it as one of life's simple pleasures."

The wonderful photo accompanying this also has the statement, "This brilliant four-ingredient Irish soda bread recipe will see you through lockdown."

This can be viewed online at https://www.irishpost.com/news/brilliant-four-ingredient-irish-soda-bread-recipe-will-see-lockdown-182905.

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Directions

Preheat oven to 220°C. (This translates to 428°F.)

In a mixing bowl, add flour, baking soda and salt. Whisk together.

Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour in buttermilk. Mix together (using hands is the best way to do this) until just combined. Do not overwork or knead the dough. Texture should be slightly crumbly but just sticking together.

Form into a ball and place on a cast iron skillet, greased baking sheet or dutch oven. Make an "X" in the dough with a knife, about an inch deep.

Bake for 40 minutes or until outside is browned.

TRADITIONAL IRISH SODA BREAD WITH CARAWAY

This is a traditional bread to make around St. Patrick's Day, but I could eat Irish Soda Bread any time. This is from the March 2005 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Pricking the surface of the unbaked loaf is an old Irish tradition to let the fairies out.” Serves 8.

To view this online, click here.

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tbs. caraway seeds

1 Tbs. granulated sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 cups buttermilk or sour milk

Preheat oven to 425F. Spray round 8-inch cake pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Combine flour, caraway seeds, sugar and salt in mixing bowl. In separate bowl, whisk baking soda into buttermilk. Make a well in center of flour. Pour buttermilk mixture into well, and stir to blend, using large spatula or wooden spoon. Dough should be soft but not sticky; if still sticky, work in 1/4 cup flour at a time until dough holds together.

Scrape dough into cake pan. Lightly flour hands, and pat dough flat. Using sharp knife, cut deep cross on top. Prick each quarter three or four times with fork.

Bake bread 30 minutes, or until golden brown on top and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan, and cool slightly on rack. Serve warm with butter.

nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 200; Protein: 7 g; Total Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 40 g; Sodium: 500 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 5 g

Monday Recipes

It's the beginning of another week, a week when some states are opening up a little from the COVID-19 pandemic. Good or not, things are slowly changing...

One thing that doesn't change is the need to eat. To that end, here are six vegetarian recipes to help you through the day, including Stuffed Peppers and Irish Soda Bread. Enjoy!

COWBOY CAVIAR

This yumminess is from Margaux Laskey in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Margaux wrote, "Depending on where you’re from, this simple dip is known as cowboy caviar, Texas caviar or Dixie caviar, and it’s a favorite at tailgates and potlucks all over the South. Its creator, Helen Corbitt, a dietitian from New York, had never heard of black-eyed peas when she moved to Texas in 1931. The exact details are fuzzy, but at some point in her 40 years working in restaurants there, she combined black-eyed peas with a simple vinaigrette, and it was a big hit. The recipe has evolved over the years, and you can find a number of variations online. Some contain corn and black beans (as this one does), and others avocado. Some call for bottled Italian salad dressing, others homemade. No matter how you tweak it, it’s always good with a pile of tortilla chips."

Yield: 8 cups; Time: 15 minutes, plus 2 hours' chilling

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020433-cowboy-caviar.

Ingredients

For the dressing:

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Kosher salt and black pepper

For the salad:

3 plum tomatoes, cored, seeded if desired, and diced

1/2 red onion, finely diced (about 3/4 cup)

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed

1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas, rinsed

1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 2 to 4 cobs) or thawed, drained frozen sweet corn (about 8 ounces)

1 red, green or yellow bell pepper, seeded and finely diced

1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced

1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems, plus more for garnish, if desired

1 scallion, white and green parts, chopped, for garnish (optional)

Tortilla chips, for serving

Preparation

Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to combine.

Add the tomatoes, red onion, black beans, black-eyed peas, corn, bell pepper, jalapeño and cilantro. Toss to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

To serve, toss well and season to taste. Sprinkle with scallions and serve with tortilla chips.

MUSHROOM AND BEAN ENCHILADAS

This came from One Green Planet, and begins, "Lathered in enchilada sauce before being baked in the oven, these enchiladas are filled with beans, sautéed mushrooms, bell peppers, fresh corn and potatoes."

Cooking Time: 90 minutes; Serves: 6-8

To view this online, go to https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/mushroom-and-bean-enchiladas-vegan/.

Ingredients

Preparing Your Mise en Place:

3 1/2 cups mushrooms, sliced

1 large white onion, diced

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, diced or sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, diced or sliced

1 green bell pepper, diced or sliced*

1 jalapeño, seeded and minced*

5 cups of your favorite Enchilada Sauce

1 1/2 cups white beans (or beans of choice)

1 cup fresh corn (or frozen)

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

4 cups cooked potatoes (or cooked brown rice)

For the Filling:

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

sea salt, to taste

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon ground cumin

To Assemble:

6 to 8 large tortilla shells*

Preparation

Preparing Your Mise en Place:

To start your mise en place, first prepare the potatoes or rice, whichever you are using.

For the potatoes, either use leftover steamed potatoes or simply steam some potatoes.

Once done, mash them slightly and then season to taste.

Note: Make sure the potatoes are not overcooked as they will be too mushy in the enchiladas. For more heat/spice, the seeds can be left in the jalapeño.

Cooking the Filling:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

To cook the filling, heat a large fry pan, over medium heat. Once hot, dry-sauté the onions until golden and translucent. Adding stock or water as needed, to prevent the pan and/or food from drying out and/or burning. This should talk about 6 to 8 minutes.

Once the onions are ready, add the garlic and jalapeño and let cook for 30 second or so.

Next, add the peppers and let cook until all of the their moisture has been released. At this point, add the cumin, stir to combine and then transfer the mixture to a bowl.

Now, using the same pan, dry-sauté the mushrooms. Season the mushrooms to taste.

Once all of their moisture has been released, add the pepper and onion mixture back to the pan.

Lastly, fold in the corn, beans, nutritional yeast and fresh cilantro and gently fold everything together.

Taste for seasoning.

Assembling & Baking the Enchilada:

Next, prepare an appropriate-sided casserole dish, by very lightly spraying the bottom of the dish with non-stick spray. Next, pour a few tablespoons of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of the dish.

To assemble the enchiladas, the easiest and cleanest way to assemble them is to first cover a part of the countertop with some plastic wrap. Next, pour about half of the enchilada sauce into a round flat dish (big enough to fit the tortilla shell).

Now, with all of your other mise en place ready, begin to fill the tortillas. To do this, first warm a tortilla in a pan to make it pliable, then place it into the enchilada sauce and then flip it over to coat the other side; it should be soft enough to roll.

At this point, remove the tortilla and place it onto the plastic wrap. Next, place about a few tablespoons of cooked potato onto one half of the tortilla (the side closest to you). Add a few tablespoons of filling and then roll up the tortilla.

If the tortillas are quite long, fold the ends in as you roll up the tortilla (more like a burrito shape). For shorter tortillas, you can simply roll them up, without tucking in the ends.

As you roll up the enchiladas, place them into the prepared casserole dish. Continue with the rest of the tortillas, packing them tightly next to each other as you place them into the casserole dish. Once done, pour about 1/2 to 3/4’s of a cup of sauce over the top of the enchiladas. Save the remaining sauce for serving later.

Bake the enchiladas in uncovered for about 20-30 minutes, until the tortilla edges start to become crisp. Allow enchiladas to cool slightly before serving.

Serve with the remaining sauce, warmed slightly. Sprinkle with nutritional yeast and fresh cilantro, if desired, and enjoy! These enchiladas go well with either this Cashew Sour Cream and/or Lime-Avocado Sauce.

Notes:

Note: Regular flour, corn or gluten-free tortillas can be used for this recipe. The amount of tortillas needed, will depend on the type used and how full you fill the enchiladas.

Chef's Note: Leftover can be frozen, if desired. To reheat, defrost overnight in the refrigerator (or at least for a few hours). To reheat the enchiladas, place them into a casserole dish and cover with aluminium foil. Place them into a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for approximately 30 minutes. Then remove the foil and pour some additional enchilada sauce over top (if you still have some). Place the enchiladas back into the oven and let cook for another 5 to 10 minutes. If you do not have any leftover enchilada sauce you can simply leave it out, or use some salsa.

BAKED BANANA SPLITS

This was in an old Weight Watchers email (we're talking more than 10 years ago). The plan has changed several times since then.

This recipe begins, “Try substituting any flavored extract you like in the sauce for this creative take on banana splits. Almond, maple, rum, orange -- let your imagination run wild. They're perfect for Mother's Day!”

POINTS® Value: 4 (value from when this recipe was emailed); Servings | 4; Preparation Time: 15 min; Cooking Time: 30 min; Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

1 sprays cooking spray

4 large banana(s), ripe, peeled

8 oz canned crushed pineapple in juice, drained

2 Tbsp McNeil Nutritionals SPLENDA No Calorie Sweetener, divided

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup fat-free ricotta cheese

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cups raspberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Place bananas in pan.

Combine pineapple, 1 tablespoon of Splenda and cinnamon in a small bowl; pour over bananas. Cover pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes. (Note: The canned pineapple is already sweet so omit the Splenda if you prefer.)

Meanwhile, combine ricotta, remaining tablespoon of Splenda and vanilla in another small bowl; set aside.

Place one baked banana in each of four individual serving bowls and top each with about 2 tablespoons of pineapple sauce and 1/4 cup of ricotta mixture. Top each with 1/4 cup of raspberries. Serve immediately.

Note: Okay, this is me talking. I personally would refrain from the Splenda, simply because I'm not a big fan of non-sugar (read not-quite-sure-it's-not-synthetic) sweeteners. But that's my preference. I would use sugar or no sweetener at all. It's your call here.

IRISH SODA BREAD

This wonderful recipe was posted on Facebook, and is from The Irish Post. It starts off, "WITH IRELAND under strict lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic, friends and families everywhere are turning to the time-honoured practice of baking to keep occupied.

"And with some supplies proving harder to come by than others, the need for simple yet delicious recipes has never been stronger.

"Thankfully, the Irish know a thing or two about baking."Bread may come in various shapes and sizes but few types compare to a first-rate bit of Irish soda bread.

"Perfect for a sandwich or as an accompaniment to a good soup or fry, Irish soda bread is so delicious, you might be tempted just to spread a bit of butter on top and enjoy it as one of life's simple pleasures."

The wonderful photo accompanying this also has the statement, "This brilliant four-ingredient Irish soda bread recipe will see you through lockdown."

This can be viewed online at https://www.irishpost.com/news/brilliant-four-ingredient-irish-soda-bread-recipe-will-see-lockdown-182905.

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Directions

Preheat oven to 220°C. (This translates to 428°F.)

In a mixing bowl, add flour, baking soda and salt. Whisk together.

Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour in buttermilk. Mix together (using hands is the best way to do this) until just combined. Do not overwork or knead the dough. Texture should be slightly crumbly but just sticking together.

Form into a ball and place on a cast iron skillet, greased baking sheet or dutch oven. Make an "X" in the dough with a knife, about an inch deep.

Bake for 40 minutes or until outside is browned.

CAFE DE OLLA

The recipe for this yummy coffee is from the December 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 47. It starts off, “Literally 'coffee from the pot,' this recipe offers a simple way to make coffee for a crowd, with a spiced twist that no one can resist.” Serves 8 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

4 cinnamon sticks

4 star anise

4 allspice berries

4 whole cloves

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar or 4 oz. piloncillo (Mexican raw sugar cones)

2 cups medium grind, dark roast coffee beans

2 cups low-fat milk

1 cup coffee liqueur, such as Kahlúa, optional

Lightly crush cinnamon sticks, star anise, allspice, and cloves with mortar and pestle. Place in resealable plastic bag, and pound with rolling pin. Transfer to large saucepan, and add sugar and 8 cups water. Bring mixture to a boil, and simmer until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add coffee, and let steep 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, warm milk in small saucepan, and whisk until frothy.

Strain coffee through fine sieve or coffee filter into pitcher. Stir in coffee liqueur (if using). Serve with frothed milk.

nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 80; Protein: 2 g; Total Fat: less than 1 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 17 g; Cholesterol: 3 mg; Sodium: 35 mg; Fiber: 0 g; Sugar: 16 g; Gluten-Free

STUFFED PEPPERS

Recipe Yield: Servings: 8

Source: The New American Heart Association Cookbook

Book Title: The New American Heart Association Cookbook

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/stuffed-peppers.

Ingredients

4 large bell peppers, any color or combination

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 medium tomatoes, chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)

1 medium crookneck squash, diced (about 2 cups)

1 medium zucchini, diced (about 2 cups)

1/2 cup diced onion (1 medium)

2 medium cloves garlic, minced, or 1 tsp bottled minced garlic

2 cups cooked brown rice (1/2 to 2/3 cup uncooked)

1/2 cup grated fat-free or low-fat Cheddar cheese (2 ounces)

1/4 cup sliced water chestnuts (2 ounces)

1 cup no-salt-added tomato juice

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut peppers in half lengthwise, removing stems, ribs, and seeds. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, swirling to coat bottom. Saute tomatoes, crookneck squash, zucchini, onion, and garlic until zucchini is tender-crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Don't overcook.

In a medium bowl, combine rice, cheese, and water chestnuts. Gently stir into skillet. Stuff pepper halves with vegetable mixture. Place in 9-inch round or square casserole dish, then carefully pour tomato juice around peppers. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 119; Fat: 1 g; Sodium: 68 mg; Cholesterol: 1 mg; Protein: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 23 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 Bread/Starch, 1/2 Low-Fat Milk, 2 Vegetable