Category Archives: Quick Breads

About, Breakfast

As You Like it Granola

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I have been making Granola for years. The tried and true recipe I have been using is heavy on the fat and sugar which is probably what makes it taste so darn good! No word of a lie, I could sit down with a Modular Mate Round #2 full of Brown Sugar and eat the entire contents, no worries! I’d pay for it afterwards but man,  it sure tastes good going down! ( I may be drooling on my keyboard as I type this and also thinking of making Caramel Corn…)
We moved off the grid a year ago where I have continued to make my fave granola recipe but yesterday, for some reason, I decided to try something different. Oh, right. We are in the shoulder season out here in the bush, with limited sunshine these days so no rays to power our batts…that’s what prompted me to open an actual cookbook to source a Granola Recipe. When the Batts are running low we conserve energy in every way possible which means no turning on my computer. I usually just open up my old fave Fruit and Nut Granola .
I can cook to my hearts content because that is propane fuelled…well, let’s not go crazy there…still have to have the propane in the 100lb tanks to operate the stove and heat the water.
Yes, I could have looked in my treasure trove of hand written recipes but I have this Skinnytaste Cookbook that I paid good money for so I thought I might as well flip through the pages.
On Page 26 you will find the recipe for her Good For You Granola. I’m calling it As You Like it Granola because you can really make all kinds of substitutions…which I did…and it will still turn out wonderfully!  The thing that drew me to making this recipe is the drastic cut in fat and sugar! I didn’t think it could possibly taste as good as my old recipe but I was wrong. It is AMAZING!
I searched for her recipe online but couldn’t find it so I will write it up here for you but I strongly suggest you head over to SkinnyTaste to check out all of her fantastic recipes!  To be sure, I double the recipe and I am very glad that I did!

As You Like It Granola from Skinnytaste (Good-for-You Granola p. 26)

Because I doubled the recipe and found it to be the perfect amount for the two of us (regular Granola consumers) I am going to list the doubled amounts. And I am going to list my subs…coconut flakes, hemp hearts, pecans and as for the fruit? Your call!

1/2 cup Quinoa
3 cups Old Fashion Rolled Oats
1/2 cup Coconut Flakes
1/2 cup Hemp Hearts
1/2 cup Slivered Almonds
1/2 cup chopped Pecans
1/2 cup dried Blueberries
1/2 cup dried Cherries
1/2 cup dried Peaches, cut/torn into bite sized pieces
1/2 cup dried Strawberries

1/2 cup Honey
2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil, melted
2 teaspoons Vanilla
2 teaspoons Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg

Preheat oven to 325F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper – preferable to silpat because you can chuck it away.
Rinse quinoa thoroughly under cold water in a fine mesh sieve; drain well and pat dry with paper towels.
Spread quinoa, oats, and coconut out on the baking sheet.
Toast in the oven, stirring once, until golden, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile gather together the fruit and nut combo that you prefer, toss together with the cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; set aside.
In another small bowl combine the honey, melted coconut oil, and vanilla; set aside.

Remove quinoa/oat mixture from the oven.
Pour the fruit/nut and spice mixture over top and gently mix in.
Drizzle wet ingredients over all and gently toss with a large metal spatula, spreading the mixture evenly over  the entire baking sheet.
Return to oven and bake until golden brown, about 10 – 12 minutes, stirring once at the halfway mark.
Remove from oven , give it a gentle stir, and cool completely on the baking sheet before transferring to a container with an airtight lid.

Makes about 8 cups of Granola
Store in airtight container for up to a month….if it lasts that long!

About, Muffins and Scones

Hot Chocolate Muffins

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I have decided that it is very dangerous for me to follow Chocolate, Chocolate and More on Facebook for the simple reason that they are forever posting such great recipes! I want to try them all! The problem is, I need to a bigger audience to feed said baked products to! My husband can only eat so much of my baking and I just have a taste and am done with it…otherwise I would be the size of a house!!!

I picked up their recipe for Hot Chocolate Muffins; they have been well received by everyone who has tried them! The only changes I have made are: Add White Chocolate Chips to the Cocoa Batter and add Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips to the White Batter. Go ahead, get in the kitchen and make these delicious muffins!

hot chocolate muffins
Hot Chocolate Muffins

2 cups Flour
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
Pinch of Salt
1/2 cup Sugar

2 large Eggs, at room temperature
1 cup Milk
6 Tablespoons (3oz) melted Butter, cooled
1 teaspoon Vanilla

2 Tablespoons Cocoa
1/2 cup White Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 400F.
Line a Muffin Tin with paper liners.
In  large  mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar; set aside.
In medium size mixing bowl whisk eggs, add milk, butter and vanilla and continue whisking.
Create a well in your dry ingredients and add your liquid ingredients, all at once; gently stir to combine, just until all the dry ingredients have been incorporated.
Divide batter in half. Add cocoa and white chocolate chips  into one half of the batter and gently stir in; do not over mix.
Stir the semi sweet chocolate chips into the white batter; do not over mix.
Place a teaspoon of plain batter into lined muffin tin; spoon a teaspoon of chocolate batter; add another teaspoon of white batter; finish up with a teaspoon of the chocolate batter.
Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove to oven and allow to cool in the tin on a wire cooling rack for 10 minutes.
Turn out and cool completely on wire racks.

Yield: 12 Muffins

About, Quick Breads

Cinnamon Roll Biscuits

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When you are craving Cinnamon Rolls but no time to bloom, ferment and proof the yeast variety, this will hit the spot!

cinnamon roll biscuits
Cinnamon Roll Biscuits

4 cups Flour
1/4 cup Sugar
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
2 Tbsp + 2 tsp Baking Powder
1 1/2 tsp Salt

2/3 cup (150g) Butter, cold, cut into cubes
2 cups Milk
2 tsp Vanilla

Filling
1/4 cup Butter, softened
1/2 Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp Cinnamon

Cream Cheese Frosting
1/4 Cream Cheese, softened
2 Tbsp Butter, softened
2 cups Powdered Sugar
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla
Milk, to right consistency

Preheat oven to 375F (190C)
Lightly grease a 9X13 (33cmx23cmx5cm)

Filling:
In a small bowl combine brown sugar and cinnamon; set aside.
Softened butter in microwave for 10 seconds; set aside.

Dough:
In large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
Using a pastry blender, two knives or rubbing together with hands, cut in cold, cubed butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Using a fork, gently stir in milk and vanilla, to make a soft dough.
Turn out onto floured surface and gently knead 10 – 15 times; let rest for 10 minutes.
On floured surface, gently roll dough out into a 15″x9″ rectangle.
Carefully spread softened butter all over the surface of dough, leaving a 1/4″ border; sprinkle with brown sugar/cinnamon mixture.
Beginning with 15″ side, roll up dough, pinch the long edge to seal.
With a sharp knife cut into 12 equal pieces.
Place rolls into prepared pan and bake in preheated 375F oven for 20 – 25 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking time.
When golden brown, remove from oven and cool, in pan, on wire rack.

Prepare Cream Cheese Frosting
In medium mixing bowl combine softened cream cheese and butter until no lumps remain.
Stir in 1 cup of powdered sugar, vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk; stir until smooth.
Add another cup of powdered sugar and stir – adding a splash or two of milk, to right consistency.
Stir until smooth; spread over slightly cooled Cinnamon Roll Biscuits.

Yield: 12

 

Breakfast

Gingerbread Pancakes

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During the busy work week I try to squeeze in a breakfast that I can eat out of hand so when the weekend rolls around, if I have the energy, I like to make up a stack of pancakes or waffles.  I usually double pancake/waffle recipes so I can stash some in the freezer allowing me to have Toaster Waffles or Pancakes any day of the week!

We are finally getting some Fall-like weather here so I was craving something pumpkin-y but, bah, all my pumpkin is frozen….Gingerbread invokes all those lovely Fall feelings, too! And it makes the house smell absolutely wonderful!

gingerbread pancake
A beautiful Fall Pancake!

3 cups  (750 ml) Flour
2  teaspoons (10 ml)  Baking Powder
1/2teaspoons (2.5 ml)  Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon  (2.5 ml)  Salt
2  Tablespoons (30 ml)  Brown Sugar
2 teaspoon (10 ml)  Ground Cinnamon
1  teaspoon (5 ml)  Ground Ginger

2 large Eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons (10 ml)  Vanilla
1/2 cup (125 ml) Molasses
1/3 cup  (75 ml) Butter, melted, cooled slightly (2.5 oz Butter* )
2 1/2 cups  (725 ml) Milk – I use Almond Milk – ** or to desired consistency

Preheat Griddle to 350F (175C)

In large mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, brown sugar, cinnamon and ginger.
In small mixing bowl combine beaten eggs, vanilla, molasses, melted butter and milk.
Pour liquid ingredients, all an once, into dry ingredients and stir just until all the flour mixture is moistened; a few small lumps are okay.
Lightly spray griddle with vegetable oil.
Drop 6 ladlefuls of batter, evenly spaced, onto griddle.
Cook until bubbles form and the edges are dry.
Flip and continue cooking until golden brown.
Remove cooked pancakes to serving platter.  ( if I am not serving them straight away I place them on a wire rack in a  low oven  175F {80C] until ready to serve. )
Repeat with remaining batter.
Serve with a dollop of Plain Greek Yogurt,  lightly sweetened with a splash of vanilla,  a pinch of cinnamon and a bit of powdered sugar.

Yield: 15 – 18 medium sized Pancakes

* I hate packing butter into measuring spoons or measuring cups; I prefer to weigh it on my kitchen scale!

** Sometimes I add a little more Almond Milk, sometimes a little less; you want a thickish batter…too runny and you will get flat pancakes…too thick and they won’t be cooked through when they are a lovely golden brown.

Coffee Cakes

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

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This is the recipe found on the package of Quaker Old Fashioned Rolled Oats. It is super basic and can easily be adapted to suit your tastes. Add whatever fruit you like, spice it up, or don’t; use milk, water, coconut water, almond milk…choice is yours.

So simple to make.  Get it this stuff going after you put the coffee on, go have a shower or make the bed or whatever while the cereal is cooking, come back to the kitchen and Voila! Breakfast is ready and so is the Coffee!

apple cinnamon oatmeal
Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

3 1/4 cups Water, Milk, or Almond Milk
1/4 teaspoon Salt
2 cups Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
1 Apple, peeled or not, grated or finely diced
-or 1 cup Applesauce
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon

In medium saucepan bring liquid and salt to a boil.
Stir in 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats, apple, and cinnamon.
Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove pan from heat.
If desired, cover anklet stand for 2 minutes before serving. This allows the oats to absorb any remaining liquid.

Serves 4