Amish Oatmeal Muffins

I'm going back to posting some Mennonite / Amish recipes.
This is a breakfast muffin eaten warm with home made butter.
We buy Amish butter at a bulk food store in Kansas.
We also make our own butter.

1 C quick oatmeal
1 C buttermilk
1/2 C brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 C vegetable oil
1 C flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

In a medium bowl, soak the oatmeal in buttermilk for 30 minutes.
Add egg and beat well.
Add sugar and mix.
Add oil.
Add flour sifted with baking powder, salt and baking soda.
mix the batter well.

Fill 12 greased cups of a muffin tin 2/3 full. ( spray them with a cooking spray, or butter them)
Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

I've had this recipe since 1974, it's a classic version of the Upside Down Cake.

3 tsp baking powder
1/3 C shortening
2/3 C sugar
2 eggs, separated
1/2 tsp vanilla
2/3 C water
1 1/2 C flour
1/3 tsp salt
4 TBS butter
1 C brown sugar
Pineapple Rings
Maraschino Cherries, for garnish

1 - 9" Cake Pan
Preheat the Oven to 375 degrees

Cream shortening, blend in sugar, beaten eggs and vanilla, in a stand mixer

Sift flour, baking powder and salt, in a small bowl. Add this alternately with water to the first mixture.
Mix well

Stiffly beat the egg whites and fold into the mixture.

Melt the butter in the Cake Pan, in the oven.
Remove and spread the brown sugar in the pan.

Place Pineapple Rings on top of the Brown Sugar.
Pour in the Batter.

Bake for 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
Cool completely in the pan.
Turn upside down onto a serving platter.
Garnish each ring with a cherry.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Dutch Babies with Ham, Dutch Babies in a Muffin Tin and Plain Dutch Babies in a Cast Iron Skillet

I received a recipe from my nephew for Miniature Dutch Babies made in a Muffin Tin.
The name was different and I did some research and found that it's a very common recipe. I'm not sure it's possible to locate the original creator of the recipe.
Before I post the recipe for the Muffin Tin Dutch Babies, I wanted to share a recipe that I've had in my collection of my Best of the Best recipes for Dutch Babies with Ham from 1979.
As a vegetarian, I now embrace the Miniature ones that are baked in a Muffin Tin and topped with any flavor of Jam, or simply serve the large ones with fruit or custard, or..... your favorite filling. I think that scrambled eggs and crumbled sausage would be good too.

Dutch Babies with Ham: (I recently discovered that Tofurky makes a Vegetarian Version of Ham)

Here's what you'll need:

Preheat the Oven to 450 degrees.

4 - 8" Pie Tins or Foil Cake Pans (Serves 4)


1 C Heavy Cream
1/2 tsp Salt
Confectioner's Sugar for Dusting
1 C Cooked Diced Ham (Vegetarian Option is available)
Buttered Apples
8 tsp Flour
8 Eggs
Butter and Flour
Lemon Wedges

In a bowl, combine:
Heavy Cream
Flour
Salt
Mix well
With a fork, blend in the eggs until all ingredients are well blended
(Based on the recipe following, you could mix the Cream, Flour, Salt and Eggs in a Blender).


Butter and Flour the 4 Pie Tins

Arrange 1/4 C Ham in the bottom of each Pan
Divide the Batter evenly among the Pans

Bake in a 450 degree pre heated oven for 15 - 20 minutes

Serve one to each person with Buttered Apples, Powdered Sugar and a Lemon Wedge

Apples:
4 Large Apples, peeled, cored and sliced thin
Melt 4 TBS of Butter, add Apples and cook until tender.
Sprinkle with 1/4 C Sugar mixed with 1 tsp Cinnamon.


 Dutch Babies in a Muffin Tin:

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

A Blender
1 - 12 C Muffin Tin sprayed with a Vegetable Cooking Spray or brushed generously with Melted Butter.

1 C Milk
6 Eggs
1 C Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Vanilla
1/4 C Butter, melted

Blend the first Five Ingredients together in a Blender.
Slowly drizzle in the Butter, continuing to blend until very smooth.

Fill the Cups slightly less than Half Full.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until the tops are Golden Brown.
A Crater will naturally form in the center.

To serve, fill the center with your favorite Jam and dust with Powdered Sugar or as above, fill the center with some diced Ham and Buttered Apples.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!


Plain Dutch Babies with Lemon and Confectioner's Sugar in a Cast Iron Skillet

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
1 - 10" Cast Iron Skillet preheated in the oven.
You'll need additional Melted Butter,  Confectioner's Sugar and the Juice of 1 Lemon for Garnish.

In a Blender:
3 Eggs, room temperature
2/3 C Whole Milk, room temperature
1/2 C Flour
1/4 tsp Vanilla
1/4 tsp Salt
Blend until very smooth. Scrape sides as needed.
Pour into the preheated skillet.
Bake for 20 - 25 minutes.
Remove from the oven to a rack.

Brush well with additional melted Butter.
Drizzle with Melted Butter.
Dust heavily with Confectioner's Sugar.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Lime Cottage Cheese Salad

This is a vintage recipe, a family recipe and a Mennonite/Amish recipe.
My mother made this when I was a child...... and continued to make it as my sister and I grew older.
I remember it during the holidays, any holiday.... Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter. It's definitely a Mennonite Funeral recipe too!

1 (3oz.) package of lime jello
1 C boiling water
2 C miniature marshmallows
pinch of salt
1 (9oz.) can of crushed pineapple
2 C cottage cheese
1 C whipping cream, whopped
1/2 C chopped pecans

The directions aren't clear as to what to make it in. I remember my mother making it in a bundt pan , some type of mold or a clear glass bowl... you pick!

Dissolve jello in boiling water
Add marshmallows, let them melt
Stir in salt and pineapple
Chill until slightly thickened
Fold in cottage cheese , whipped cream and nuts.
Pour it into your favorite bowl or bundt pan
Chill in the refrigerator until set.

Enjoy! Peace in the Kitchen!

Summer Berry Muffins from the Dallas Morning News Taste Section

This week I chose the muffin recipe in the Dallas Morning News. I'm actually a few days late posting this one. I hope to have another recipe on Wednesday.
My wife made these muffins today and we delivered some to two different families.

Summer Berry Muffins

2 1/2 C flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 C + 6 tsp sugar, divided
1 C whole milk
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 C butter, melted
2 tsp vanilla
1 C fresh strawberries, quartered
1 C fresh blueberries
1 C fresh blackberries

preheat oven to 400 degrees

In a medium bowl:
flour
baking powder
salt
1/2 C sugar

In another bowl:
milk
eggs
butter
vanilla

Gently stir wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until mixed.
Fold berries into batter

Spoon batter into 24 paper lined cups in muffin tins.
Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of remaining sugar over the top of each muffin.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown.
Muffins will not test done with a toothpick because of the fresh berries.
Allow them to cool 5 minutes before removing from the muffin tins.
Remove paper lined muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Pumpkin Mousse Napoleons / additional mousse recipes for a variation.

Pumpkin Mousse Napoleons:

This is an original creation. It can be adapted to any flavor of mousse.
It's an impressive looking dessert, yet, quite simple.

I traditionally serve the Pumpkin Napoleons at Thanksgiving. If another flavored is used, they can be served at various other occasions during the year.

I added additional recipes for my other favorite flavors. Chocolate would also be great and dust the tops with a good Dutch Cocoa.

I previously posted my favorite Pastry Cream that would be incredible as a Napoleon, I'll add it to the end of this page. It's my favorite, simple and Best of the Best recipe for an easy pastry cream.

Serve alone or layered between baked wontons:
12 wonton wrappers ( this would be for 6 servings, adapt the number for your needs)
2 TBS granulated sugar
powdered sugar
vegetable spray

Arrange wontons on a Silpat lined baking sheet
Spray them lightly with vegetable cooking spray
Sprinkle the tops with granulated sugar

Bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes
Remove and cool completely on a wire rack.

Create Napoleons with 2 wontons layered with mousse in between them.
Top with a dusting of powdered sugar.




Pumpkin Mousse:

1 can pumpkin
3 C heavy cream
3/4 C sugar
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 TBS vanilla
Gingersnaps for garnish when served alone.

Combine, in a medium saucepan on medium heat:
pumpkin
1 C cream
sugar
spice
Simmer for 5 minutes
Cool completely

Whip remaining cream and vanilla
Fold into the pumpkin mixture

Pour into serving dishes and top with crumbled ginger snaps or create Napoleons.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen.


Here's my Amaretto Mousse that can be adapted to the Napoleon too.

1/3 C Amaretto
2 TBS Sugar
1 TBS Lemon Juice
1 C Heavy Cream
Amaretti Cookies

Whip all of the ingredients except the cookie, in a Kitchenaid Mixer with the whisk attachment.
Whip until thickened, soft and billowy.
Crumble 2 Cookies into each of 4 Martini Glasses, add Mousse and top with additional Crumbled Cookies.


My original recipe for cranberry mousse can be used to make Napoleons for Christmas.

Best of the Best!

Cranberry Mousse:

1C cranberry juice

1- 3 oz. package of raspberry jello

1- can (16oz.) jellied cranberry sauce

1C heavy cream, whipped ( 2C of Cool Whip will also work)

In a saucepan:

heat juice to boiling

stir in jello until dissolved

add cranberry sauce and cook until dissolved.

Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until thickened.

Whip the cream and fold into the jello mixture.

Transfer to a clear serving bowl to serve.


Pastry Cream:

This is truly one of my Best of the Best Recipes.
This is the only Pastry Cream I ever use.
Here are a few of the ways that I use it:

Cream Puffs
Frost the center of a layered cake
Strawberry Shortcake
Strawberries and Pastry Cream
A filling for Aebleskivers
Trifle
Napoleons
It's simple and decadent

Equal parts of Vanilla Ice Cream, softened, and Heavy Cream
I usually start out with a pint of each (2 cups)
Whip the Ice Cream and the Heavy Cream together in a Stand Mixer with a whisk attachment
Add 1 TBS of Vanilla and 1TBS of Almond Extract
Add 1 1/2 boxes of French Vanilla Pudding and continue to mix well

Refrigerate well

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Princess Diana's Wedding Cake

Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese,softened
1/4 C vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
3 C confectioner's sugar

In a large bowl:
Mix oil and vanilla into cream cheese with a hand mixer
Add sugar and continue to mix well, cover and set aside.


1 1/4 C vegetable oil
3 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 C flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 can (8oz.) crushed pineapple with juice
1 1/2 C chopped banana
1 C chopped apple
3/4 C coconut
3/4 C chopped walnuts

Prepare a 9"X 13" pan with my pan release recipe

Mix, in a large bowl:
oil
eggs
sugar
vanilla

Sift dry ingredients together in a separate bowl
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients
Fold in remaining ingredients
Mix well

Bake at 350 degrees for 48 minutes

Cool completely before icing the cake

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!