Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf

I made this over the holidays using one of my favorite Christmas loaf pans.

Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf is always a hit.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup flour, sifted

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup good unsalted butter (I use Challenge), softened

3/4 cup sugar

3 large eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Zest of 2 lemons

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

3/4 cup milk

For the glaze:

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

3 teaspoons milk

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray the bottom and sides of a 9 x 5 loaf pan with baking spray.  Set aside.

Sift flour in a medium bowl, add baking powder and salt and mix well.  Set aside.

Cream softened butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.  Slowly add the beaten eggs, one at a time.  Add the lemon juice, zest and poppy seeds.  With mixer running at low speed pour in half the milk and half the flour and beat until combined.

Place the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

When the cake is cooled make the glaze.  Place the powdered sugar in a small bowl, add 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, then the milk adjusting the quantity if needed.  The icing should be thick and you should be able to spoon it over the loaf.

Raisin Bran Muffins

These are just like the old "Six Week Muffins" where a large quantity of dough sat in the refrigerator for 6 weeks in a very large Tupperware container so you could continually make muffins.  This is a one and done recipe and they taste exactly the same.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 cups buttermilk

4 cups Raisin Bran Cereal (I use Kellogg's)

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

Add the Raisin Bran, buttermilk and oil to a bowl and stir.  Let it soak for 20 minutes.

Mix in the rest of the ingredients.

Scoop into a lined muffin tin (I used tulip liners that I purchased on Amazon).

This receipt will make 12 muffins so distribute the batter accordingly.

Bake at 400 degrees for 12-14 minutes depending on size of muffins.  Mine were larger so they took about 18 minutes.  Test with a toothpick to be sure it comes out clean.

 

Baked Chicken Parm Sliders

 

A huge hit with my grandsons!

Ingredients:

1 pkg. (12 count) Hawaiian sweet rolls

3 cups shredded Rotisserie chicken (1 rotisserie chicken)

3/4 cup marinara sauce

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (I use Tillamook brand)

2 tablespoons to 14 cup fresh basil (chopped)

Garlic Butter:

1/2 cup butter, melted

3 garlic cloves, minced; or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried parsley

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9 x 9 or 9 x 13 baking pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.  Do this so that the cheese doesn't stick to the foil.

Using a serrated knife, slice the Hawaiian rolls in half.  Place the bottom half in the prepared baking pan.

Layer the rotisserie chicken over the rolls.  Place the marinara sauce over all of the chicken.  Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and fresh basil.  

Prepare the garlic butter and brush the mixture all over the rolls allowing some of the butter mixture to drip to the base of the rolls.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake covered for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted.  Uncover and bake for 5 more minutes.

Ham and Cheese Sliders*

These were a huge hit when my kids were recently visiting.  Great for snacking too.

*I forgot to take a picture, next time!

2 pkgs. Hawaiian Sweet Dinner Rolls (12 per package)

1 lb. Boar's Head Maple Glazed Honey Ham (sliced thin for sandwiches)

1 lb. Boar's Head Swiss Cheese (sliced thin for sandwiches)

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 Tablespoon poppy seeds

1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon onion powder

Slice top from rolls and place bottoms in baking pan.  I used a large 13 x 9 pan and al 24 rolls fit in the pan.

Layer ham and cheese evenly over rolls and replace tops.

Combine butter, poppy seeds, mustard, Worcestershire and onion powder in a saucepan.   Mix well.  

Drizzle over rolls.  Cover with foil.  

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until cheese melts.  

Uncover and bake for 2 additional minutes.

Beef Tenderloin

This beef tenderloin recipe has NEVER failed if you follow it exactly.  When preparing this every Christmas Eve my grandson preps the beef for me before we roast it.  Be sure to have the tenderloin at room temperature, I leave it out for several hours.  Trust this Ina Garten recipe, it's the best!  8-10 servings, enough for leftovers for my grandson to have steak and eggs for breakfast!  

1 whole filet of beef tenderloin (4-5 pounds - butcher will place strings around it), 

at room temperature. (I buy mine at Whole Foods and it's expensive but worth it).

2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 500, yes 500 degrees!

Place the beef on a baking sheet and pat the outside dry with a paper towel.

Spread the butter on with your hands.

Sprinkle evenly on all sides with salt and pepper.

Roast in the oven for exactly 22 minutes for rare and 25 minutes for medium rare.

(We do 25 minutes and not a second longer).

Remove the beef from the oven, cover it tightly with aluminum foil, and allow it to rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.  

Remove the strings and slice the filet thickly.

*I serve it with blue cheese butter (Grandson's fave) to place on top, recipe to follow.

Individual Chicken Pot Pies

This recipe makes four or five pot pies, I used onion soup bowls which turned out to be perfect when I portioned the sauce into the bowls (12-14 ounce capacity). I placed one in the refrigerator for another meal and the rest in the freezer.  Puff pastry dough is perfect rather than a regular crust.

Ingredients:

1 package frozen puff pastry (Dufour found at Whole Foods or Pepperidge Farm at the local grocery store), thawed

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium onion, diced (I used 1/2 teaspoon onion powder)

3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped (I used 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic)

3 stalks celery, diced

3 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced into 1/8" rounds

1/3 cup flour

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (or, I used 2 teaspoons Herbs de Provence which combines thyme, rosemary, sage, and other spices).

3-4 cups shredded and diced cooked chicken, from 1 rotisserie chicken

1 cup frozen peas (do not defrost)

1 egg

Instructions:

Filling:

In a large saute pan melt the butter.  Add the garlic, celery and carrots.  Saute, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are just cooked, 8 - 10 minutes.  Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes.  Add the broth, salt and pepper.  

Bring to a boil, stirring with a wooden spoon and scraping the bottom and corners of the pan to incorporate the flour.  Simmer until thickened.  Remove from heat and stir in the heavy cream, thyme, chicken, and peas.  Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

Set aside to make puff pastry tops.  

Tops: 

Dust a clean work surface with flour and place the puff pastry over top.  Sprinkle the puff pastry with flour and roll to about 1/8 thickness, smoothing the creases with the rolling pin.  

Using a sharp knife, cut out circles about 2 inches larger than the diameter of your bowls,.  Place the dough rounds on a baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to use.

Assembly:

Ladle the filling into 4 oven-safe soup bowls.  The filling will come up no more than three-quarters of the way to the top of the bowls.  Do not overfill.

Whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon of water.  Brush the outside of each bowl with the egg wash. This is so that the puff pastry sticks to the bowls.  

Place the dough rounds over the bowls, pressing firmly around the edge so that the dough adheres.  Transfer the bowls to a foil-lined baking sheet.  Brush the dough with the egg wash.

Using a sharp knife, make a 1/2 inch slit in the of each pie.

Bake in a 425-degree oven (racks in center position) for 20 - 25 minutes, until pastry is rich golden brown.  

Let cool for about 10 minutes.

Bakery-Style Coffee Cake Muffins

I made these for family and friends in July as we celebrated #64!

They were a big hit!

Ingredients:

Crumb Topping:

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (good quality, I use Saigon Cinnamon) 

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Cinnamon Sugar Swirl:

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 

Muffins:

3 cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup full-fat sour cream

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 - 3 tablespoons buttermilk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

Crumb Topping:

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt.  Stir in the melted butter mixing just until combined.  Set aside while you prepare the rest of the recipe.

Cinnamon Sugar:

In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon.  Set aside.

Muffins:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners (I use tulip liners, pictured).

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.  Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer or hand mixer, combine the butter and both sugars and beat on medium-low speed until light and fluffy about 3 minutes.  

Add in the eggs and yolk, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Slowly beat in the vanilla, buttermilk, and sour cream.

Reduce the mixer to low and gradually add in the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined.  Do not over-mix!

Glaze:

In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, buttermilk, vanilla, and salt until smooth.  Add more powdered sugar to thicken or more buttermilk to thin.

Assembly:

Scoop a large spoonful of batter into each prepared muffin cup (I used a large OXO ice cream scoop) and using a lightly greased spoon, spread the batter into the edges of the cup.  

Evenly divide the cinnamon sugar on top of the batter, aiming to pile it in the center of each cup.  Divide the remaining batter evenly among the muffin cups, again pushing the batter down on the sides to enclose the cinnamon sugar.

Crumble up the reserved topping and evenly distribute it on the top of the 12 muffins, piling it high in the center.  Gently push the streusel into the batter, which will keep the streusel in place while baking.

Bake for 20 - 22 minutes or until the tops are lightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Allow the muffins to cool in the pan on a rack then transfer them to a serving plate or a large container.

Drizzle a little glaze on top of each muffin.

Enjoy with a mimosa and coffee!