Monthly Archives: October 2011

Stellar Brunch Muffins

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These family favorite muffins come in handy anytime we have company for brunch or need a quick something to take to a Breakfast event. My daughter often has a breakfast even with her Mary Kay ladies and these Muffins are a HIT every time. She never brings home left overs!

Pancetta Frittata Muffins

(Makes 12 Muffins)

8 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup cream
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup Romano cheese
6 ounces diced pancetta
5 ounces smoked mozzarella cheese diced
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh, italian, flat-leaf parsley
2 cloves garlic minced
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray a standard sized 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray
Add the eggs, milk, cream, and mascarpone to a blender and blend until well combined. Pour the mixture to a large bowl. Add the Romano, pancetta, smoked mozzarella, grated Parmigiano, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, Stir the ingredients to combine.

Using a small ladle, divide the mixture evenly into each of the 12 muffin cups filling to the top with the liquid. It’s a little messy filling the cups, but don’t worry it’s worth it!

Bake until firm and cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes and remove from tin.

Make ahead tip: To freeze, allow muffins to cool completely on a wire rack then wrap individually in saran and place in a freezer baggie for up to 2 weeks. To serve, place frozen muffins on a cookie sheet and place in 350F oven for 15-20 minutes until heated through.

Serve with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

Grilled Chicken & Veggies

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Occasionally, there’s a meal plan that comes together so well you just can’t resist sharing it… That would be this one – good enough for family, easy enough for almost any day and pretty enough for company. YUM!

Grilled Chicken & Veggies

Slice chicken breasts to 1/2 inch thickness and lay out on large platter.

Sprinkle with a healthy amount of Worcestershire sauce and allow to rest for about ten minutes.

Set grill to medium heat and chop vegetables to fit on skewers.
(We like peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, onion and celery on ours.)

Lightly season all with salt and pepper – lemon pepper is really good here.

Drizzle a bit of lemon juice over veggies and place on upper rack of grill.

Place chicken on lower rack, close grill for 7 minutes.

Flip chicken, close grill for 5 – 7 minutes.

Veggies will be tender crisp and chicken will be done. Serve with steamed rice if desired.

Prepare one skewer of veggies and a slice of chicken for each person, rice per serving needed.

We particularly love the veggies on skewers, because they’re fun to eat that way.

Irish Smashers

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If you’re looking for a show stopper for Sunday noon, or a holiday dinner, I have one right here.

Irish Smashers

1 lb small red potatoes cut in half – put on to boil in just enough water to cover (about 15 minutes).
1 large red onion sliced thin and cut in quarters
6 cups or 1/2 head of cabbage finely sliced and slightly chopped
1/4 cup of butter
Melt butter in cast iron skillet, simmer onion until soft, add cabbage and cover. Continue cooking until cabbage is tender.
Add 1 cup milk, salt and pepper to taste, and continue simmering until cabbage is cooked.

In large bowl combine potatoes and cabbage mixture, mash with potato masher or large fork until desired consistency. May add a bit of fresh ground pepper to top for appearance.

This is a family favorite. We often include Irish Smashers at Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Years dinners, because there’s such a big pot of it. It feeds a crowd!

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Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

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It isn’t fall yet if you haven’t come home to chocolate chip pumpkin bread baking in the oven. In fact, we often make this as a dessert or after dinner treat. It’s also popular with the ladies who come for Friday morning Tea and Books. In fact, there’s a nice batch sitting in the pantry waiting to be mixed up for tomorrow’s event, now that all the autumn decorating is done!

Pumpkin & Chocolate Chip Mini-Loaves for giftsJan’s Spicy Nut Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup oatmeal
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 (15 ounce) can 100% pure pumpkin
1 cup vegetable oil (we prefer olive oil)
2/3 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions -
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spray three 9×5 inch clay loaf pans with cooking spray and set aside.
3. Whisk together first 7 ingredients and set aside.
4. In mixer bowl, cream sugars, pumpkin, oil, water, vanilla and eggs. Blend until smooth, scraping down sides often.
5. Carefully blend in flour mixture.
6. Add in chocolate chips and nuts.
7. Divide batter between three loaf pans.
8. Bake for 60 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.
9. Allow pans to rest on wire rack for 15 minutes.
10. Go around edge of pan with knife and remove loaves from pan.
11. Cool completely before slicing.

This bread is spectacular wrapped and chilled or frozen as gifts for the holidays. You’ll LOVE these loaves! Don’t forget to share!

For gift giving, I like to sprinkle the top of loaves liberally with cinnamon and sugar before baking. I often bake these into 9 small loaf pans instead of three regular size loaf pans for giving away.

If you’re into the trendy – add bacon to everything. This is the perfect recipe to add a cup of fried, broken and drained bacon bits to. Just make sure there’s no oil left on your bacon and add it to the batter before you bake these loaves. There’s an intense flavor change when you add bacon to these substantial loaves.

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