Oatmeal-Cinnamon Muffins

adapted from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/oatmeal-cinnamon-muffins/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=oatmeal%20muffin&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page Ingredients 1 cup old-fashioned oats 1 cup buttermilk 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1/2 cup applesauce 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/3 cup packed brown sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon baking soda sugar Directions In a large bowl, combine oats and buttermilk; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in eggs and applesauce. Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and baking soda; stir into oatmeal mixture just until moistened. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Sprinkle sugar on top. Bake at 400 degrees F for 18-20 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool in pan 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

Almost-Famous Soft Pretzels

from: food network

Ingredients
For the Pretzels:
1 cup milk
1 package active dry yeast
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
1 teaspoon fine salt
1/3 cup baking soda
2 tablespoons coarse salt

Directions
Make the pretzels: Warm the milk in a saucepan until it's about 110 degrees; pour into a medium bowl and sprinkle in the yeast. Let the yeast soften, about 2 minutes; stir in the brown sugar and 1 cup flour with a wooden spoon. Dice 2 tablespoons butter and soften; stir into the mix. Add the remaining 1 1/4 cups flour and the fine salt to make a sticky dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding more flour if needed, until smooth but still slightly tacky, about 5 minutes. Shape into a ball, place in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and grease a large baking sheet. Punch the dough to deflate it, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface. (If the dough seems tight, cover and let rest until it relaxes.) Divide the dough into 6 pieces. Roll and stretch each piece with the palms of your hands into a 30-inch rope, holding the ends and slapping the middle of the rope on the counter as you stretch. Form each rope into a pretzel shape.

Dissolve the baking soda in 3 cups warm water in a shallow baking dish. Gently dip each pretzel in the soda solution, then arrange on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with the coarse salt. Bake until golden, 10 to 12 minutes.

Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato and Lentil Soup

adapted from:foodnetwork

Total Time:
8 hr 25 min
Prep 25 min
Cook 8 hr 0 min
Yield:
4 servings

Ingredients
2 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
3 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 leeks, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (white and light green parts only)
1-1/4 cup dried yellow or red lentils
1 4-inch piece ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 teaspoon curry powder
Kosher salt
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Juice of 1/2 lemon, plus lemon wedges for serving (optional)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Directions
Combine the sweet potato, carrots, celery, leeks, lentils, ginger, 3/4 teaspoon curry powder and 1 teaspoon salt in a 4-to-6-quart slow cooker. Add broth and water and stir, then cover and cook on low, undisturbed, 8 hours.

Stir the soup vigorously with a whisk to make a rough puree. Thin with hot water, if desired.

Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon curry powder and cook until the curry powder is slightly toasted, about 1 minute. Stir the curry mixture into the soup and add the lemon juice, cilantro, and salt to taste. Serve with lemon wedges

Chicken Fajitas

Total Time:
1 hr 10 min
Prep 45 min
Cook 25 min
Yield:
4 to 8 servings

Ingredients
2 skinless chicken breast fillets, preferably organic
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, or regular oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt or 1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon garlic flavored oil, plus 2 teaspoons (or olive oil and garlic powder)
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons peanut oil or regular olive oil
2 onions, peeled, halved and cut into thin half-moons
8 soft flour tortillas
1 red bell pepper, cored and seeded, cut into strips
1 orange bell pepper, cored and seeded, cut into strips
1 yellow bell pepper, cored and seeded, cut into strips
Optional accompaniments:
1 cup grated Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup sour cream or creme fraiche
1 (7-ounce) can corn niblets, drained (or 2/3 cup drained canned corn)
1 large avocado (or 2 small), finely diced and dressed with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 2 teaspoons lime juice
1/4 to 1/2 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Hot chili sauce, to serve, optional
Directions
Over a shallow bowl, cut the chicken with a pair of scissors into thin, lengthways, 1/4 to 1/2-inch strips. Halve the long strips across to give 2 shorter strips (to echo the size of the bell pepper strips). Don't get too hung up on precision, though; you're just trying to cut the chicken into uniform shapes.

Add the oregano, cumin, salt, sugar, 1 tablespoon garlic flavored oil, and the lime juice to the chicken. Stir to combine and let marinate while you get on with the onions and bell peppers. Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F if you wish to warm your tortillas.

Warm the peanut or olive oil in a large frying pan or wok and fry the onion slices over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

Spread the tortillas out on a cookie sheet and put it in the oven to warm.

Add the bell pepper strips to the pan with the onion and cook for 10 minutes. When both the onions and peppers are tender, remove them to a bowl.

Warm the remaining 2 teaspoons garlic flavored oil in the pan over medium heat and add the chicken with its marinade. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Check that the chicken is piping hot and cooked through, then add the onions and bell peppers. Stir together, then transfer them to a serving dish.

Take the warmed tortillas out of the oven and put them on the table alongside the chicken mixture and all the other accoutrements. Wrap what you fancy in the tortillas and eat straightaway.

Make Ahead Note:

The onion and bell peppers can be cut 1 day in advance. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. The chicken can be cut 1 day in advance and tossed with the oregano, cumin and garlic flavored oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Add the lime juice and salt just before cooking.

Breakfast Cookies

from:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/breakfast-cookies-recipe/index.html


Ingredients
3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup applesauce or  (1 small jar) strained carrot baby food
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup bran cereal flakes
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup walnut pieces, lightly toasted in a dry skillet for 2 minutes, until fragrant and chopped

*instead of raisins and walnuts I use chocolate chips

Directions

Place rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk together flours, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Combine butter, oil and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on high speed, scraping down sides if necessary, until sugars have dissolved and mixture is light in color, about 1 minute. Add egg, carrot puree and vanilla and beat an additional 30 seconds. Add flour mixture and beat an additional 30 seconds. Add oats, flakes, raisins and walnuts and mix over low speed just until incorporated. Dough will be slightly sticky and less cohesive than traditional cookie dough. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Using between 3 to 4 tablespoons of batter, form a ball and place on cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining batter, leaving about 3 inches between cookies. Wet hands and use palm of hand to flatten cookies until about 1/4-inch thick. Bake for 12 minutes, until cookies are fragrant but still soft. Let cookies cool slightly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Stromboli (big sandwich)

Ingredients:
french bread dough
thin lunch meat
cheese (provolone and mozzarella are good)
garlic salt
oregano

Directions:
Roll the dough on a cookie sheet. Down the center of rectangle layer meat and cheese. Sprinkle garlic salt and oregano over cheese. Fold sides of bread over meat and cheese, overlap at the center. Seal with water, do the same for the ends. Bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool before cutting.

Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread

from food.com

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar, divided
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 eggs
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Glaze

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 1/2-2 teaspoons milk

Directions

1. Combine 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon; set aside.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and remaining sugar.
3. Combine buttermilk, egg and oil in separate bowl; stir into dry ingredients just until combined.
4. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan. Pour half of the batter into pan; sprinkle with half of the cinnamon sugar mixture.
5. Carefully spread with remaining batter and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar; swirl knife through batter.
6. Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the ceter comes out clean.
7. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.
8. Combine glaze ingredients and drizzle over bread.