Middle Eastern Rice and Lentils

This has happened to me more than once: I make a great vegan meal and decide to take it to a church potluck, you know, with the idea of impressing everyone and glowing in the aftermath of a whole slew of folks turning from their meat-eating-ways.

My Lentil Bolognese (HERE is the recipe) is worthy of a gold star and accolades from all camps, yet it does not translate well to a crock pot full of cooked rigatoni. There is no oil or fat in it, so it really doesn’t stay nice and loose and hearty. At that potluck, my crockpot was filled with a blob of sticky pasta with a strange scattering of lentils. Seriously embarrassing.

For another potluck I made the Forks Over Knives “Smoky Little Devils” (HERE is that recipe) which are tiny red potatoes, filled with a spicy hummus: reminiscent of deviled eggs. That potluck found my offering to be way too heavy on the turmeric (which can be bitter if you’re not used to it).  One friend asked me, “Is that turmeric in there?” ….meaning, “My GOSH, that’s a lot of turmeric!” Alas, my platter of little devils sat basically untouched….except by me. (I do recall everyone else eating buckets full of chickens' legs and I believe there were also pork ribs there too ….. sigh….. a poorly made smoky devil stands no chance against those….)

Last week, I brought a crockpot full of this terrific rice dish, sure that I’d be the talk of the luncheon…..but I was too lazy to leave the house for brown rice and I used white rice instead….. which simply created a weird crockpot full of rice and lentils. Blah.

You will have to trust me when I say that I am a great cook and I can tell a cruddy recipe from a good one. This one’s good…. I just HIGHLY recommend that you use brown rice!

Here’s what you need:

½ onion, chopped

1 T veg oil

1 C uncooked BROWN rice

2 T tomato paste

2 ½ C water

¼ t cinnamon

¼ C dry brown lentils

1 t salt

½ C golden raisins

½ C slivered almonds, toasted

Here’s what you do:

Saute the onion in the oil.  Add the rice and stir a bit in the oil. Mix the tomato paste in the water and smooth it out. Add it to the rice along with the cinnamon and lentils. Bring to boil, lower to simmer, cover and cook about 20 minutes.

Stir in the salt, raisins, and almonds. May add a bit more water if it seems dry. Pour into a greased casserole. The mixture should be a bit watery.  Cover and bake 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Maple Pecan Cinnamon Rolls

Maple Cinnamon Glaze! Come ON!

Well, as promised, I did it. I veganized those glorious Cinnamon Rolls I posted a few weeks ago. Using the same recipe, I swapped out butter, milk and eggs with Earth Balance margarine, coconut milk and Ener-G Egg Replacer and you know what? They were better than the original. Just have to trust me on that one, I guess. I also added chopped pecans to the filling and some maple syrup in the glaze. Glorious! The leftovers re-heated beautifully the next day.

Here’s what you need:

1 ¼ C coconut milk

½ C Earth Balance non-dairy butter

¼ C brown sugar

2 ¼ t yeast

1 C old-fashioned oats

½ C hot water

4 C flour

2  Ener-G Egg replacer “eggs”

1 ½ t salt

1 ½ sticks Earth Balance butter – softened

1 C brown sugar

1 C chopped pecans

2 T cinnamon

1 t salt

4 T Earth Balance butter – softened

2 C powdered sugar

2 T coconut milk

3 T pure maple syrup

¼ t salt

I was very paranoid that my yeast was not
bubbling correctly, but eventually it
worked great!

Here’s what you do:

Heat up 1 ¼ C milk, butter and brown sugar, until it’s all melted. Pour into the bowl of your mixer and wait until the temperature is down to 100-110 degrees. Then add the yeast and let it sit for 5 minutes.

Soak the oats in the hot water. Set aside.

You can see why I was paranoid
about my yeast. Time to go
yeast shopping, I guess.

Add 2 cups of flour and ‘eggs’ to the yeast mixture and mix it slowly, until it’s all incorporated. Then add the remaining flour, oats and salt. Mix for about 7 minutes or until the dough pulls away from the sides of the mixer. (Mine actually took much less time)

Transfer dough to a bowl which has been coated with nonstick spray. Cover and allow to double in bulk – about 2 hours.

To make the filling: mix the 1 ½ sticks ‘butter,’ the brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

This dough was very tender and delicate. I always use a tape measure.

After 2 hours, remove the dough to a floured board and cut it in half. Press out one half into a 16 x 10 inch rectangle. Gently spread ½ of the filling over the dough. Sprinkle ½ C chopped pecans over the filling. Roll up, jellyroll fashion, starting with the short end. Place on a greased baking sheet. Repeat with the other half of the dough. Freeze the two ‘logs’ of dough for about 10 minutes for easier handling. Cut each log into 6 equal pieces…. I used dental floss (NOT the “minty fresh kind”) Feel free to trim away any unsightly and uneven pieces that are sticking out on each end. There’s plenty of goodness to spare.

Place the rolls in a greased 9 x 13 baking dish, cover and allow rolls to rise and rest for about 1 hour.

Bake rolls in a 375 degree oven for about 30-35 minutes. While the rolls are cooling, make the frosting by mixing the ‘butter,’ powdered sugar, maple syrup, milk and salt. Slather the frosting and enjoy!

(printable recipe)

One Year Ago : Cranberry Marmalade Pinwheels (these were really tricky to make, but they tasted great!)

Two Years Ago : Eggplant Rollatini (this may be my favorite recipe on the entire blog. Take a minute to check it out.) 

Cinnamon Rolls: Cuisine at Home Magazine

 I made these months ago and in my pledge to go vegan, must have forgotten about them! Just stumbled upon the photos and instantly remembered how proud I was of these yummy curls of cinnamon love! These are the real-deal, folks. They are on my Thanksgiving weekend menu- veganized!

I usually make these Cinnamon Rolls (click here) , which by comparison seem pretty amateurish. (is that a word? )    (Be sure to scroll down to the bottom of that page to see the hilarious picture.) 

Here’s what you need:

1 ¼ C whole milk

½ C vegetable shortening

¼ C packed brown sugar

1 pkg. active dry yeast (that’s 2 ¼ t)

1 C old-fashioned rolled oats

½ C hot water

4 C flour

2 eggs

1 ½ t salt

1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 C brown sugar

2 T cinnamon

1 t salt

4 T unsalted butter

8 oz. powdered sugar

2 T whole milk

1 ½ t vanilla

¼ t salt

Here’s what you do:

Warm 1 ¼ C milk, shortening and brown sugar until melted. Transfer to bowl of mixer and cool to 100-110 degrees. Whisk in yeast and allow to sit for about 5 minutes.

Soak oats in ½ C hot water until all water is absorbed.

Add eggs and 2 C flour to yeast mixture and mix on low until combined. Switch to the dough hook and add the remaining 2 C of flour, oats and salt. Mix on low till all is incorporated. Turn up to medium speed and mix for about 7 minutes or until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Transfer dough to greased bowl, cover and allow to rise in a warm place until double in size – about 2 hours.

Make filling by combining 1 ½ sticks softened butter, 1 C brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

Coat a 9 x 13 inch pan with butter. Set aside.

Transfer risen dough to a floured surface and gently press to remove any air bubbles. Divide dough into two pieces and roll one piece into a 10 x 16 rectangle.

Spread half the filling over the dough, leaving a ½ inch border. Roll up, starting with short end. 

Repeat with the other piece of dough. Place both logs on a baking sheet and freeze for 10 minutes to firm up a bit.

Slice each log into 6 rolls using dental floss and arrange in the prepared pan, widest side up.  Cover and allow to rise until puffy – about 1 hour.

 Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30-35 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before frosting.

For the frosting: Mix 4 T softened butter, powdered sugar, 2 T milk, vanilla and salt.

(printable recipe)

 One Year Ago: Eggplant Parmesan 

Two Years Ago: Sunshine Chicken 

Oatmeal Bake

Dear Readers, Can you handle two oatmeal recipes in a row? I think so!

OK people. Admit it. We all need to eat healthier. More kale. More nuts and seeds. More whole grains. sigh…… , but it’s not easy with all the sugary, fatty foods surrounding us. That cholesterol number is looming over our heads like a heavy cloud. And don’t forget about the blood pressure number….. sigh…. talk about stress!!!

Well, I’m one of the lucky people who LOVE kale, nuts, seeds and whole grains. Bring on the leafy greens! I think recently I mentioned that I am leaning more and more toward an entirely vegetarian diet and could probably even dip into the vegan world. Now, please don’t cancel your subscription to my blog just because of this news. Eating green stuff doesn’t mean you must wear tie-dye and dread locks. In fact, I’m not even sure what dread locks are or how to spell it….. dread……dred…... don’t ask me! I just know what tastes good and oatmeal is right on the top of my list.

I love old fashioned oatmeal with a big scoop of dark brown sugar and a tablespoon or so of coconut oil for breakfast….. OMG. Add in some fresh fruit and I am a happy girl.

Please try this and let me know what you think. You will be surprised at how delicious and easy it is. It’s kinda like a wholesome, chewy, chocolaty, healthy granola bar on a plate.

This recipe comes from a vegan blog I follow, Vegan Fazool. See the original recipe here.

Here’s what you need:

1 ¾ C old fashioned oatmeal

¼ C white sugar (you can use less here)

¼ C brown sugar

¼ C chopped walnuts

¼ C sliced almonds

¼ dried cranberries or raisins (here in Michigan we are blessed with an abundance of dried cherries, use ‘em if you have ‘em!)

¼ C – ½ C chocolate chips (original recipe calls for vegan chips, but I use regular ones)

1 ¼ t baking powder

½ t salt

½ t cinnamon

3 T ground flaxseed whisked with 4 T water (this is the vegan equivalent of an egg, I believe)

½ C non-dairy milk (We love Silk. You could use almond milk or any of the many varieties of non-dairy milk out there.)

¼ C applesauce (You may use ¼ C oil here, but it’s nice to keep it low-fat. Any combo of oil and applesauce will work, as long as it measures ¼ C)

½ t vanilla

Here’s what you do:

Whisk the flaxseed and water together and let it sit for about 10 minutes.

Combine the dry ingredients…. Oatmeal through cinnamon.

Add the wet ingredients to the flaxseed mixture and mix well.

Add the wet and dry stuff together and mix well. It will be pretty wet, but that’s OK. Pour into a 8x8 baking dish which has been sprayed with Pam. Bake for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees. 

(printable recipe)

Pumpkin Granola: Yes, I still have canned pumpkin!

Homemade granola is ridiculously easy to make at home, just takes the tiniest bit of time and effort. And the bonus? Great taste. It’s better for you too. This one is better for you at least; whole grain oatmeal, flax seed, pumpkin and almonds. Gotta steer clear of those granola recipes laden with oils and sugars.   Just take a second and read the calorie count on store bought granola and I bet I will convince you to try making it at home. This ones earns a 'heart-healthy' tag from me! 

And although it tastes great, you shouldn’t be adding chocolate chips to your so-called ‘healthy’ stuff--although I’ve been known to add a chip or two to my oatmeal. In fact, my next post is going to be a super healthy oatmeal breakfast bake with nuts, dried fruit, flax seed and yes, chocolate chips. Stay tuned.

How to eat granola? Sprinkled on yogurt or over ice cream, in a bowl with milk, or straight (my personal favorite). I actually have a tupperware of this stuff in the closet in my classroom as I write this. I love a good mid-morning snack!  You should see me shovel the stuff down. I do feel a tiny bit guilty as my students open their tiny packets of cookies and pop tarts while I dig in to my homemade goodness, but hey, I share.

This recipe comes from Liv Life. Check out the recipe here.

Here’s what you need: (do NOT let the long list scare you away!)

2 ½ C rolled oats

3 T flaxseed meal (I’m starting to use this stuff all time lately, just sprinkle it on where it seems tasty. I actually add it to smoothies and my morning oatmeal.)

1 handful whole raw almonds

¾ t cinnamon

1/8 t nutmeg

1/8 t ginger

Pinch cloves

Pinch allspice

½ t sea salt (original recipe called for ¼ t salt)

1/3 C brown sugar

¼ C pumpkin puree (regular readers know my fondness for canned pumpkin!)

2-3 T corn oil (original recipe called for grape seed oil, which I don’t have)

2-3 T maple syrup (a secret ingredients to lots of stuff – don’t skimp here)

½ t vanilla

You add these in at the end:

1 handful dried cranberries

2-3 T salted pepitas (pumpkin seeds – so yum!)

Here’s what you do:

Mix the oatmeal, flaxseed, almonds,  cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice and salt in a big bowl. Whisk together the brown sugar, pumpkin, oil, syrup and vanilla. Mix it all together. Pour out onto a baking sheet which has been lined with parchment paper.

Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes.  Stir. Bake 10 more. Stir. Bake 10 more. Stir. Allow to cool. Simple, right? When the granola has cooled down, add the cranberries and pepitas.

Your house will smell great – think Thanksgiving and Christmas and sitting by a roaring fire all rolled into one. 

(printable recipe)

One Year Ago: Lemon Chicken

One Year Ago: Buckwheat Pancakes

One Year Ago: Chocolate Flan

Snickerdoodles : A snack for my students

I made Snickerdoodles today for my 7^th and 8^th graders. They are reading a Jerry Spinelli novel called Loser. It’s the story of a sweet and unique boy named Donald Zinkoff.  Donald is clumsy, he is not great at school or sports, he raises his hand at the wrong time, and he falls down with laughter at his own jokes. Because he is different, he is labeled ‘loser’ by the other kids. Of course by the end of the novel the kids have learned to appreciate Donald for who he is and Donald gains self-confidence. The book is filled with lessons about bullying and the importance of accepting people as they are. Great lessons not only for 7^th and 8^th graders, but for all of us.

The essay question posed to my students is to explain this quote from the book (pg 94). “As with all discoveries, it is the eye and not the object that changes.”  Three well-written paragraphs, typed, one quote from the novel, due tomorrow. J

Another note about Donald Zinkoff – he loves Snickerdoodles.

¼ C sugar

1 T cinnamon

1 ½ C sugar

1 C butter

2 eggs

2 ¾ C all-purpose flour

2 t cream of tartar

1 t baking soda

¼ t salt

Mix ¼ C sugar and cinnamon. Set aside. Cream butter and sugar, add eggs and mix well. Add the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Mix well.

Shape dough into 1 ½ inch balls. Roll in cinnamon sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes or until center is almost set. Remove while warm and cool on rack. 

Sour Cream Coffee Cake – a classic

So I am great at planning wonderful holiday meals. I can think of special dinners in a jiffy.  For example, Christmas dinner at our house was a fantastic homemade Beef Burgundy served over buttered noodles, roasted brussel sprouts, roasted tomatoes (the fancy kind with the vine still attached), green beans and the most decadent Triple Layer Mocha Cake on earth (one of my best recipes).  I set the table, I pull out the crystal and china, I decorate. I am a woman on a mission: the task of feeding hungry people the meal of a lifetime. I am woman – hear me roar! 

It’s the other meals that stump me. Like breakfast. A house full of people – 9 big eaters. What to serve? Why’s it so difficult to come up with a single idea???? Bagels? Cereal? Scrambled eggs? Pop Tarts?? I go completely blank.

First of all, everyone is waking up at different times…. You have the standard ‘early riser’ like me…. Sitting here in front of the computer, drinking my weight in coffee, watching the sun rise and waiting for the folks scattered around in the house to arise.

You have the ‘I’m awake but not coming out of my room yet’ people. What are they doing in there? Reading? Thinking? Waiting for the smell of bacon to entice them out? It’s not going to happen I tell you.

Then you have the classic ‘Sleepy Teenage Boy’…. Heaven only knows when I will see them. Ten o’clock? Eleven? Noon? One? Yes. Yes. Yes. And yes.

Lastly, you have the ‘Good morning Mom! I am having breakfast at ____’s house. See you in a few hours’ person.

So I return to my original question: What to make for breakfast? The answer: Coffee Cakes. Today I offer a simple recipe, but a great one. And one that everyone in the house can enjoy according to their own personal morning schedule. Enjoy!

1/2 C butter, softened

¾ C sugar

1 t vanilla

3 eggs

2 C flour

1 t baking soda

1 t baking powder

1 C sour cream

6 T butter, softened

1 C brown sugar

2 t cinnamon

1 C chopped nuts

Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the vanilla and the eggs – one at a time. Mix the flour, soda and powder together and set aside. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture alternating it with the sour cream. Don’t over mix the batter.

Prepare a 10 inch bundt  pan. Spoon a third of the batter in the pan and spread it out with a knife.

To make the streusel, cream the butter and brown sugar. Add the cinnamon and nuts. Sprinkle this over the batter and then spoon the remaining batter over the streusel. I use a knife to smooth it all together.

Bake for about 50 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Spice Rack Challenge: Cinnamon: Mushroom Moussaka

I may have gone off the proverbial eggplant deep-end with this recipe. If you have been reading this blog for any length of time, you know I love eggplant. I promise I will refrain from using eggplant on the blog for a few months. Just please allow me to tempt you with one last eggplant recipe here… and yes, there’s cinnamon in there – in fact, it is the signature flavor of moussaka…. besides eggplant.

(To check out the other Spice Rack Challenges I have participated in click: mace, basil, coriander,  cardamom, mint, dill, …. To check out the various Spice Rack Challenge Round Ups, click on Mother’s Kitchen here. )

Straight from Moosewood Cookbook (another favorite of mine, along with eggplant) – I present three of the loveliest layers of flavor you will ever eat: Mushroom Moussaka.

1.       Peel and slice 3 medium eggplants about ¼ inch thick. Salt the slices and layer them in a colander. Allow the salt to draw out the bitter juices of the eggplant. (about 20-30 minutes).

2.       While the eggplant and salt are doing their thing, start on the mushroom layer. Saute 2 cups of chopped onions. Add 2 pounds of sliced mushrooms and cook together till nice and golden and soft. Add about 5 cloves of chopped garlic also.

3.       Add a 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes with all the liquid and 6 ounces of tomato paste. Spices include 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon basil and lots of black pepper. Stir and cook. Stir and cook. It will get nice and thick.

4.       Add 1 C fresh parsley, ½ C bread crumbs and ½ C parmesan cheese to the mushrooms. Mix well and set aside. That layer is done!

5.       Rescue the eggplants from their salt bath. Pat them dry with clean towels. Bake them in 375 degrees for about 20-30 minutes till super soft. They can pile on top of each other on the baking sheet. Another layer done!

6.       While the eggplant is baking, work on the Béchamel layer. Melt 3 T butter. Add 4 T flour. Whisk and cook, whisk and cook. Slowly pour in 2 ½ C hot milk (I use skim). Whisk and cook for about 8 minutes. Add 2 T more of flour. Whisk and cook. Add 1 C Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of nutmeg. Whisk and cook. The sauce should be thick and smooth.

7.       Ready for the famous moussaka layers? Oil a huge casserole dish and start the layering: ¾ of the eggplant, then all the mushroom sauce, then the remaining eggplant, then all the béchamel sauce. Sprinkle the top with bread crumbs and a bit more Parmesan. Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 30-40 minutes.

8.       Allow to cool for a while before cutting (unlike me) to get a great layered effect when you serve it.

Some thoughts: I made this on a Tuesday. I get crazy menu ideas sometimes and get in the mood for a ‘big’ meal on a work day. But you know what? Making this for my family is not really all that ‘big’ to me; I love getting creative in the kitchen and I find ‘big’ cooking to be very relaxing. I mean, look what I created!! It’s beautiful – you have to admit that, even if you don’t like eggplant!

This is a huge recipe, so be prepared for leftovers. My hubby thought it was a bit saucy and could have used some rice. I loved it as is and happily ate it that night and for lunch for the next few days!

So what about you and eggplant? Lover or hater?

PS – I was just looking around the internet at other Moosewood Mushroom Moussaka recipes to find a handy link for you and they are super easy to find. Click away. But what I notice is that most of them out there use eggs in the béchamel sauce, which means that those recipes come from an older version of the Moosewook Cookbook. I use and love the revised edition.

Hey- is anyone out there up for a Moosewood Cookbook Challenge in the coming year??? You know, maybe make something from one of the famous Moosewood cookbooks once a month and round them up here? Let me know!  

Cinnamon Apple Bundt Cake

I’ve kinda been in a cooking slump lately… you know, ordering pizza, swinging through Jimmy John’s for sandwiches, picking up pre-made food at the grocery store. We’ve actually been eating out lately, but often that does not satisfy. I usually wish we had saved the money and eaten at home. Even omelets at home taste better than some restaurant food, right?

My favorite stand-by dinner is grilled cheese and tomato soup; however, I do make a killer grilled cheese (brioche bread with real butter and three different types of cheeses) and I do serve homemade tomato soup, so I guess I get a break with that menu.

Last weekend I purchased some apples and somehow, that has inspired me to get back in the kitchen. This cake was easy and I made it much healthier by using less sugar, less oil, and half wheat flour. The butter sauce could not be passed up….. it absolutely made the cake.

Here’s what you need:

For the Cake:

2 heaping cups of peeled apples, thinly sliced

3 T white sugar

2 T cinnamon

½ C vegetable oil

½ C applesauce

1 C white sugar

4 eggs

3 t vanilla

¼ C orange juice

1 ½ C white flour

1 ½ C wheat flour

1 T baking powder

1 t salt

For the Glaze:

¼ C butter

1/3 C orange juice

2/3 C sugar

Here’s what you do:

Toss the apple slices in the cinnamon and sugar. Set aside.

Beat the oil, applesauce, sugar, eggs, vanilla and orange juice until well incorporated. Add the flours, baking powder and salt.

Spoon about 1/3 of the batter in a well-greased bundt pan. Arrange the apple slices over the batter. Spoon the remaining batter over the apples.

Bake at 325 degrees for about 60 minutes. Check it after about 50 minutes.

To make the glaze: melt the butter, orange juice and sugar together and spoon over the cake. I started while the cake was still in the pan. (You can see the holes I poked in the cake with a wooden skewer.) Then I turned the cake out of the pan and continued spooning the glaze. I also used a pastry brush to apply the glaze. Be patient – it all fits in there and you want it, trust me.

(printable recipe)

One Year Ago: Spanikopita (love this recipe! If you have never used phyllo dough, click here!)
                         Maple Mustard Chicken ( a standard in my house after a busy day at work- makes great leftovers for salads and sandwiches)

Rhubarb Oatmeal Crumble

Would you, my dear readers, mind one more blog post or photo of rhubarb? I guess I might be a little single minded about my rhubarb this summer…. taking photos….fretting about the weeds…..searching the internet for new rhubarb recipes…..compulsively using every stalk of the stuff from my garden……

I did find the best, best Big Crumb Rhubarb Coffee Cake. Made it three times…. Just to be sure…. “Kinda fussy recipe, but really good.” (a quote from a friend who made it….)

I did discover something called rhubarb simple syrup which I drank with all my beverages, both soft and hard. “Tim, let’s try it with rum tonight.”

And I found this recipe….. and also made it a number of times….much to the delight of my boys…. “Mom, make that rhubarb thing again.”

Please visit Honestly Good Life to see the original post and my inspiration for this – I only tweaked it a bit by using less sugar. I promise you will enjoy your visit…. Be sure to check out Jessica’s great pictures here and here.

Here’s what you need for the ‘crumble’ layer:

1 C flour

¾ C rolled oats

¾ C brown sugar

½ C melted butter

1 t cinnamon

Here’s what you need for the ‘filling’ layer:

¾ C granulated sugar

2 T cornstarch

1 t vanilla

1 C water

4 C chopped rhubarb

Here’s what you do:

Prepare the crumble layer by mixing the flour, oats, brown sugar, melted butter and cinnamon in a bowl. Press half in a 9 X 9 baking pan. Reserve the remaining half of crumble for the topping.

Prepare the filling layer by bringing all the ingredients to a soft boil: sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, water and rhubarb. Allow to cook and thicken – but not too much – it’s OK that it’s very watery.

Pour rhubarb over crumble layer. Top with remaining crumble mixture.

Bake 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.

(printable recipe)

One Year Ago: Pizza Dough ( I just made this again last week - perfection)
                        Granola - classic and mine is low fat

honey pecan loaf

This honey pecan bread is a brand new recipe. Well, new to me at least. I found it in an old cookbook called “Soupcon [pronounced 'soup's on'] – Seasonal Samplings from the Junior League of Chicago,” copyright 1974. I own a few Junior League cookbooks, and they never let me down. My Easy Cheesy Chicken Casserole comes from a Detroit Junior League Cookbook, and that casserole never lets me down either!   I would imagine that if a person is going to submit a recipe to be published in a substantial cookbook, chances are it will be pretty good. I’ll be making more things from “Soupcon.”

This was really, really good toasted and slathered with orange marmalade. We’ve been munching on it all week. It would be perfect served with a salad or soup luncheon. Very unusual.

Here’s what you need:

¾ C milk (I always use skim)

¼ C orange juice

1 t grated orange zest

1 C honey

¼ C sugar ( I think this could be eliminated….)

¼ C butter

2 eggs

2 ¼ C flour

1 t baking soda

½ slat

½ cinnamon

¼ t nutmeg

1/8 t cloves

1 C chopped pecans

¼ C brown sugar

½ t cinnamon

¼ chopped pecans

Here’s what you do:

Combine milk, orange juice, zest, honey, sugar and butter in a sauce pan. Heat and stir until all melted together. Cool. 

Stir honey mixture into eggs a tiny bit at a time so the eggs don’t ‘scramble.’ Mix very well after each addition.

Add dry ingredients to honey mixture: flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Mix well. 

Stir in 1 C of pecans.

Pour batter into a greased loaf pan.

For the topping: Mix the remaining nuts with the brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the top of the bread.

Bake for 50 – 60 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Cool bread in pan for about 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.  Mine was just the tiniest bit over baked…. bummer….. so watch yours closely.

(printable recipe)

What are some of your favorite quick breads to make? Ever get tired of always making banana bread?