Smoked Gouda Cheese and Sun Dried Tomato Muffins

I love these muffins. That's all!
Or maybe I should add that I love Smoked Gouda Cheese in Savory recipes.

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
1 - Muffin Pan, either sprayed with a non stick vegetable spray or lined with paper liners and sprayed.
I have a cast iron muffin pan.

This recipe make 10 muffins.

2 C Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 TBS Dry Mustard
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
1 C Whole Milk
2 Eggs, beaten
4 TBS Butter, melted
3 TBS Minced Sun Dried Tomatoes in Oil, drained.
1/4 C Chopped Chives
1 C Shredded Smoked Gouda Cheese

In a large mixing bowl:
Flour
Baking Powder
Mustard
Salt
Pepper
Whisk well.

In a large Mixing bowl:
Milk
Eggs
Butter
Tomatoes
Chives
Whisk well.
Add this slowly to the dry ingredients.
Stir just until combined.

Gently fold in the Cheese by hand.
The texture of the batter should be lumpy.
Spoon into the pan.

Bake 25 minutes.
A toothpick in the center should come out clean.

Transfer the pan to a rack to cool for 10 minutes
Remove the muffins to the rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Christmas Ginger Scones

This is not an intimidating recipe. I used to think that making Scones was like trying to make French Macarons. I certainly learned that making Macarons can be accomplished, however they are still difficult. However, if you want to make homemade, tasty Scones, these are easy.

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
A Sheet Pan lines ti Parchment Paper.

2 C Flour
3 TBS Brown Sugar
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Ground Ginger
1/2 tsp Ground Cloves
1/2 tsp Allspice
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
4 TBS Cold Butter, cubed
1/3 C Molasses
1 Egg Yolk, beaten
1/4 C Heavy Cream
Granulated Sugar and Nutmeg for dusting.

In a large mixing bowl:
Flour
Brown Sugar
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Salt
Ginger
Cloves
Allspice
Cinnamon
Whisk well.
Cut in Butter with a Pastry Knife until it forms coarse crumbles.
Make a well in the center and set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl:
Molasses
Egg Yolk
Heavy Cream
Whisk well.
Add this to the well of the dried ingredients.
Stir with a blending fork just until combined. Don't over work the dough.
Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead about 10 - 12 turns, until it's smooth.
Pat the dough, by hand, into an 8" Circle and cut into 8 wedges.
Sprinkle each Scone with a dusting of Sugar and Nutmeg.
Bake for 12 - 15 minutes.
Remove the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes.
Transfer the Scones to the rack and cool completely.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Holiday Orange Spiced Coffee

If you're a coffee lover, you might look forward to all of the holiday coffee flavors that come out once a year........ Gingerbread, Pumpkin, Peppermint Mocha and Egg Nog.

Here's a different twist to a tasty holiday coffee created by Kraft Foods. This recipe is made in a Drip Coffee Maker.

I have recipes for other flavored coffees, on the blog.

Holiday Orange Spiced Flavored Coffee:

1/3 C of your favorite Coffee Grounds. (we like French Roast)

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1/8 tsp Ground Cloves

1/4 C of a good English Orange Marmalade

3 C Water

This is prepared the same as if preparing a pot of coffee in you Drip Coffee Maker:

In the filter basket:

Coffee Grounds

Cinnamon

Cloves

You don't have to mix it.

Add the Orange Marmalade to the empty Coffee Pot.

Fill the reservoir with the Water and brew as usual.

Stir to mix well when it's done brewing.

Serve hot with cream
It definitely needs cream to mellow out the spices.

Enjoy!

Peace in the Kitchen!

Tex - Mex Onion Casserole

I have so many recipes with Onions. I have an entire recipe book about Onions.
This casserole has a kick of heat to it. That's how we like it in Texas.

Tex - Mex Onion Casserole

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
A 1 1/2 - 2 quart casserole dish (I make mine in a 2 quart Terra Cotta Bram)

Tex - Mex Onion Casserole.

6 TBS Butter, divided
3 Large Vidalia / Sweet Onions, roughly chopped
2 C shredded Pepper Jack Cheese or Hatch Jack Cheese
1 C Italian Herb Bread Crumbs
2 Large Eggs
3/4 C Heavy Cream
1 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 - 4oz. can of Diced Green Chiles, slightly drained.


In a skillet on medium heat:
Melt 4 TBS of the Butter
Add Onions and sauté until tender.

In the Casserole Dish, layer in the following order:
1/2 of the Onions
1 C of the Cheese
1/2 of the Bread Crumbs
Remaining Onions
Remaining Cheese

In a mixing bowl:
Eggs
Cream
Salt
Black Pepper
Cayenne Pepper
Green Chiles
Whisk well
Pour into the casserole.

In a small skillet:
Melt the remaining 2 TBS of Butter.
Add remaining Bread Crumbs and sauté until golden brown.
Sprinkle evenly over the casserole.
Bake for 25 - 30 minutes.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Fleur de Sel Caramels | Gimme Some Oven

I have a friend that wanted to make homemade Caramels. I understand they're not easy to do.
I found this recipe and it looks amazing.
If anyone has made them successfully, please comment and give me some tips.



Fleur de Sel Caramels | Gimme Some Oven

Hot Dogs with Cheddar Cheese and Sautéed Apples from Food and Wine

I'm vegetarian and I love Veggie Dogs. I like different combinations of condiments and accompaniments with Hot Dogs. I like idea of a Pretzel Bun with my Hot Dog.
This recipe that, I adapted from Food and Wine, is very appealing to me.

1. 2 TBS Butter
2. 3 large Granny Smith Apples—peeled, halved, cored and cut into scant 1/2" wedges
3. 3 TBS  Brown Sugar.
4. A pinch of Cinnamon
5. 6 Hot Dogs ( I use a Veggie Hot Dog)
6. 6 long Pretzel Rolls 
7. Thinly sliced Sharp Cheddar Cheese
8. Preheat the oven to 450°. 
9. In a large skillet:
10. Melt Butter. 
11. Add the Apples and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until barely softened and just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
12.  Add the Brown Sugar and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the Apples are tender and lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes longer. 
13. Stir in the Cinnamon and keep warm.
14. Heat a grill pan. Grill the Hot Dogs over high heat until lightly charred all over, about 5 minutes. 
15. On a baking sheet, place the Hot Dogs in the Rolls and top with the Cheddar Cheese. Bake for about 3 minutes, just until the cheese is melted.
16.  Top with the Apples and serve at once.

Enjoy! Peace in the Kitchen!

Crockpot Chocolate Nut Clusters

I created this recipe after doing research on many different variations of Holiday Crockpot Nut Clusters.
I wanted a version without Peanuts. I decided to make mine with Cashews, Almonds, Pecans and Hazelnuts.

2 C Whole Salted Cashews
2 C Whole Roasted Almonds
2 C Pecan Halves
2 C Whole Roasted Hazelnuts
1 - 12oz. bag of Hershey's SemiSweet Chocolate Chips
1 - 12 oz. bag of Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Chips
2 - 10 oz. bags of Reese's Peanut Butter Chips
2 - 1 lb. packages of Log House or Plymouth Pantry White Almond Bark
1 TBS Crisco
1 tsp Vanilla

Layer in a large crockpot in the following order:
Cashews
Almonds
Pecans
Hazelnuts
Semisweet Chocolate Chips
Dark Chocolate Chips
Peanut Butter Chips
White Almond Bark
Crisco
Do not stir.

Cover and heat on Low for 2 hours.
Add Vanilla and Stir to mix well.
Cover again and heat for 30 minutes.

Pour onto Waxed Paper to cool completely.
Break into clusters to serve.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!