Cinnamon Baked Doughnuts

Spray doughnut pans (makes 12 doughnuts) with Baking spray with flour, such as Baker's Joy and set aside.  Preheat the oven to 350^F.

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten

1 1/4 cups whole milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Into a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, melted butter, and vanilla. Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined.

Spoon the batter into the baking pans, filling each one a little more than three-quarters full. Bake for 17 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then tap the doughnuts out onto a sheet pan.

For the topping:

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the topping, melt the 8 tablespoons of butter in an 8-inch saute pan. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Dip each doughnut first in the butter and then in the cinnamon sugar, either on one side or both sides.

This is an Ina Garten recipe...and I trust Ina!  These were good and easy and John loved them!  However, I personally think they were way too sweet, so if I ever made them again I would reduce the sugar by at least half.  The recipe also makes more than the 12 doughnuts indicated in the directions.  I filled my doughnut pans and had enough batter left over to make 8 muffins.  I would also decrease the nutmeg (or leave it out entirely) since it seemed to overpower the cinnamon.  

Indian Tacos

Indian Tacos

For the Frybread:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup water
• Additional ¼ cup flour for shaping
• 2 cups oil for frying

For the Indian Tacos:

• 4 cooked frybreads
• Cooked pinto beans  (I just added a can of chili beans to my taco meat)
• Taco meat (I used 1 lb of ground chuck with a packet of Taco Seasoning)
• shredded cheese
• lettuce, tomato, onion
• hot sauce, pickled jalapenos, sour cream

1. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together. Combine milk and water in a separate cup.
2. Add wet ingredients to flour mixture and stir with a fork to mix well. You will have a soft dough.
3. Flour your countertop well with the remaining ¼ cup flour and coat your hands, too.
4. Shape the dough into a cylinder and cut into 4 pieces.
5. Pat each piece out into a circle about ⅓" thick (1 cm) and 6" across.
6. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F and fry breads one at a time, for about 2 minutes on each side.
7. Drain upright.
8. Serve topped with beans, meat, cheese, and vegetables of your choice.

Recipe from http://hilahcooking.com/indian-taco-recipe/

I was a little worried about making the Frybread since I usually don't have much luck with biscuit/pie doughs.  I'm too heavy handed I guess, but this recipe was easy and they turned out great!  I highly recommend Hilah's Video (see page link above)...she made me feel very comfortable with the dough and frying it!  

Bottom Line....these are great and I will be making them again!  

Browned Butter Mashed Potatoes

1/2 cup butter
4 large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
Salt, to taste
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tsp minced fresh parsley

Cook butter in a 2-qt. heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, 6 to 8 minutes or just until butter begins to turn golden brown. Immediately remove pan from heat, and pour butter into a small bowl. (Butter will continue to darken if left in saucepan.) Remove and reserve 1 to 2 Tbsp. browned butter.

Bring potatoes, salt, and enough water to cover the potatoes to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat; boil until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain. Reduce heat to low. Return potatoes to Dutch oven, and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes or until potatoes are dry.

Mash potatoes with a potato masher to desired consistency. Stir in remaining browned butter, buttermilk, pepper, and more salt, if needed, stirring just until blended.

Transfer to a serving dish. Drizzle with reserved 1 to 2 Tbsp. browned butter. Garnish, if desired.

Note: To make ahead, prepare recipe as directed through Step 3. Place in a lightly greased 2 1/2-qt. ovenproof serving dish; cover and chill up to 2 days. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Drizzle with reserved brown butter, and garnish, if desired.

This is a Southern Living recipe and it's very tasty!  The recipe also called for regular milk, but I omitted it, because I like my mashed potatoes thick and kind of lumpy. 

Herb Fried Chicken with Black Pepper Gravy

FOR THE CHICKEN COMBINE:

1 cup all purpose flour

2 tsp minced fresh parsley

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp kosher salt

3/4 cup buttermilk

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cutlets

Canola oil

FOR THE PEPPER GRAVY COOK:

1 tsp minced garlic

2 Tbsp all purpose flour

1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

1 cup milk

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon granules

For the chicken, combine flour, parsley, thyme, pepper, and salt in a shallow dish.  Place buttermilk in a second shallow dish.  Dredge chicken in flour mixture, dip in buttermilk, then dredge again in flour mixture.  Chill coated breasts on a rack placed over a baking sheet at least 5 minutes. 

Heat 1/4 inch oil in a saute pan over medium-high until shimmering.  Fry chicken until golden on one side, about 6 minutes.  Flip chicken and fry until brown and cooked through, 5-6 minutes more.  Transfer chicken to a plate and tent with foil.  

Pour off all but 1 Tbsp. oil.  For the pepper gravy cook garlic in same saute pan over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Whisk in flour, pepper and thyme; slowly whisk in milkand bouillon granules.  Boil gravy, whisking constantly, until thick, 2-3 minutes.  Serve gravy over chicken.

Adapted from a recipe found on Pinterest.  The chicken was delicious!  The gravy needed help so I added the chicken bouillon trying to give it some flavor.  Served with Browned Butter Mashed Potatoes and Corn Niblets.  I'll definitely make the chicken again!  

Orange Pancakes with Sunshine Orange Sauce

2 cups biscuit mix
3 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup sugar, divided
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups orange juice, divided
3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

Combine biscuit mix and 3 Tbsp sugar in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. 

Combine eggs, 3/4 cup orange juice, and milk in a small bowl, stirring well; pour into well of biscuit mix mixture, stirring just until moistened.

Pour 1/4 cup batter for each pancake onto a hot, lightly greased griddle. Cook pancakes until tops are covered with bubbles and edges appear cooked; turn and cook other side.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, mix the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, and remaining 3/4 cup orange juice; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly; boil 1 minute.

Serve pancakes with warm orange sauce.

Seriously, these may be the BEST pancakes I've ever eaten in my life!  I loved them!!  From Mr. Food.

Blueberry Lime Muffins

2 cups Bisquick
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp grated lime peel
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup melted butter
1 egg
1 cup fresh (or frozen) blueberries
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
Additional grated lime peel, if desired

Heat the oven to 400^F.  Place paper baking cups in each of 12 regular sized muffin cups (or spray with Pam).

In a large bowl, stir Bisquick, brown sugar and 1 tsp lime peel.  In small bowl, stir milk, butter and egg with a fork or whisk until well blended.  Make a well in center of dry ingredients and stir in egg mixture just until all ingredients are moistened.  Stir in blueberries.  Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each three-fourths full.

Bake 16-18 minutes or until golden brown and a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack.

Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix powdered sugar and lime juice (plus lime peel if desired) until well blended. Drizzle over muffins.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nice lime flavor!  From bettycrocker.com

Oatmeal Brown Sugar Pancakes

2 cups Bisquick
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 1/4 cups milk
2 eggs
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Combine all ingredients and stir until batter is smooth.  Heat a greased griddle and pour about 1/4 cupful of batter for each pancake onto it.  Cook until the pancakes begin to bubble and the edges start to look dry then flip them and cook until the other side is browned.

Serve hot with butter and syrup.

This made about 15 pancakes and they were very good!    Adapted from recipe found at www.bakingjunkie.com.