Archives for category: Grain products

Red Raspberry Cream Cheese Muffins

21 September, 2011 //

After a motivated red raspberry search among the out-of-season bushes at Highland Orchards, we ended up with a solid 5 cups to
work with – totally worth the effort. Forgoing a Raspberry Vinegar or Raspberry Chipotle Barbeque Sauce recipe because of limited time, bake-mode it was and my sister Michelle had the perfect recipe: Red Raspberry Cream Cheese Muffins.

This recipe dates quite a ways back to our high schools years when Michelle was the executive chef between the two of us and I not even the sous. After years of wanting to resurrect these muffins following a successful first run, here opportunity was knocking.

If you are familiar with my culinary tendencies than you know that I love nutritious ingredient substations. Cooking Light churns these types of recipes out like it’s there job…because it is…and this one is a winner; not because it swaps “healthy” for “not” ingredients 1:1, but because it adds a better-for-you option while reducing the more offensive. Low-fat cream cheese instead of all butter. Egg whites instead of full eggs. Low-fat buttermilk instead of whole. These are just a few great examples that can generically be applied to many recipes – sweet and savory.

The muffin consistency falls perfectly in between what you may think a classic muffin (a bit dense) and a nice cake (on the lighter side). The batter itself was an absolute delight to make – one of the most beautiful I’ve worked with. Folding the bright red berries into the silky, creamy mixture produced an appearance that reminded me of a creamsicle. The resulting flavor is smooth with a nice hint of vanilla and flavor pockets of tart fruit.

While I have not yet tested the success of this recipe with frozen red raspberries, I venture to guest that it would work well. Otherwise, with a summer past, keep this one in your back pocket to promptly whip out come the first sign of warm-again days.

Red Raspberry Cream Cheese Muffins
Recipe from Cooking Light

Ingredients
2/3 cup (5 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk*
2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine cream cheese and butter in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at high speed until well blended. Add sugar; beat until fluffy. Add vanilla, egg whites, and egg; beat well.
3. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and buttermilk to cream cheese mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Gently fold in raspberries and walnuts.
4. Place 24 foil cup liners in muffin cups. Spoon batter evenly into liners. Bake at 350° 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pans; cool on a wire rack.

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*Buttermilk Substitute

If you do not have buttermilk in your fridge, fear not. You can easily and quickly make a buttermilk substitute on your own using whatever regular milk is available. Buttermilk is more acidic than milk which gives it the slightly sour flavor and curdled appearance. By adding an acidic agent to milk – in form of vinegar or lemon juice – the reactions produce the acidity and texture needed within recipes that call for buttermilk.

1 cup buttermilk = 1 cup milk + 1 Tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice (combine and let stand for 10 minutes before using in recipe)

Tags Muffins, Raspberries, Red Raspberry Cream Cheese Muffins

Categories Breakfast, Grain products, Sweets

Tri-Color Tortellini Salad

21 April, 2011 //

Enjoying Tri-color Tortellini Salad dates all the way back to my youth. At the time, I didn’t particularly care for the onion…or the bell pepper…or the black olive, really. It was simply the ring-shaped, cheese-filled pasta marinated in Italian dressing spices that my fork would dig around for, then mouth devour. Nowadays what I most appreciate is the colorful splendor that those onion, bell pepper and black olive bring to the dish. And, the tortellini? Well, it still finds its way onto my fork in combination with the other crisp vegetable flavors.

This recipe falls dangerously close, or well within, a recipe box that semi-homemade guru Sandra Lee may have. It takes a few “store-bought ingredients,” combined with “fresh foods” to create a guaranteed crowd-pleasing dish. The tri-color aspect of the salad refers to the bell peppers, but may also be attained with use of multi-colored tortellini. My preference is to stick with standard white pasta. It provides a blank palate on which the other colors may build. If tortellini is not readily available or preferred, any pasta works – rotini or farfalle would be particularly fun.

Consider the salad an easy make-ahead recipe for a picnics or a casual dining menu. I’ve also found it to be a terrific go-to side dish to inexpensively feed a large crowd. After a few simple steps to prep, ingredients are tossed together to sit overnight in the refrigerator. Leftovers keep well for days, too. Note that the recipe can still be made day of, but the longer it is left to marinate in the Italian dressing, the more flavorful the dish will become.

*Special thanks to my dear friend Cady, photographer and designer of Dapper Ink, for taking and sharing these photos!

Tri-Color Tortellini Salad

Ingredients
1 package frozen or fresh cheese tortellini
3 bell peppers, chopped (Chose your favorites and a variety of color!)
1 small red onion, chopped
1 can pitted black olives, whole or sliced
1 small bottle of Italian dressing (about 8 oz)

Preparation
1. Cook tortellini according to package instructions. Drain. *Hint: Adding 1-2 T of olive oil to the boiling water will help prevent them from sticking
2. In a large bowl combine cooked tortellini with vegetables. Add the Italian salad dressing and stir well until ingredients are evenly coated. Refrigerate overnight or until chilled through. *Salad may be served warm, but flavors are enhanced with time.

Tags Pasta Salad, Tortellini Pasta Salad, Tri-Color Tortellini Salad

Categories Grain products, Lunch, Vegetables

Dried Fruit and Nut Granola Bars

17 March, 2011 //

Make these Dried Fruit and Nut Granola Bars – they are delicious! And, if you are familiar with the house-made granola bars at Whole Foods Market, you will appreciate knowing that these are comparable in both flavor and texture. As a huge WF granola bar fan, I couldn’t have been more pleased with the results of my first homemade batch. A nutty, whole grain taste leads to a punch of tart sweetness and just the right consistency that falls between chewy and crunchy. Just after cooling the bars, I immediate nibbled on a corner, then tried sprinkled on top of Greek vanilla yogurt, then tried with milk poured over top. Verdict says: you simply cannot go wrong any way.

I never cease to be amazed at the ease of most recipes, and these granola bars were no exception. The quality and flavor of homemade bars alone justifies taking a break from store-bought multi-bar boxes. And, like most foods, homemaking is the way to go to ensure the ingredients and amounts thereof are exactly what you want. Because they are packed with nutritious, slow releasing energy foods, granola bars are perfect as a grab-and-go breakfast, midday snack or anytime treat. I have found them to be a particular saving grace during long road trips, day-long travel or treks through the wilderness; they are easy to store and stay true to form.

Granola essentially starts with oats, mixed together with other dry ingredients (any variation of nuts, seeds, etc) then combined with wet ingredients that make for a binding agent (here, it is mostly honey with a bit of brown sugar, butter and vanilla extract). The earthy colors – reminiscent of an autumn landscape – are actually quite pretty when formed in the pan. After a quick bake in the oven to harden then cooled, these bad boys last for up to a week in an airtight container. To extend the life, wrap individual bars in plastic wrap then place inside airtight container; it will keep air out and freshness sealed within.

As an all-occasion hunger buster, I’m curious to know: when and how do you most often eat granola

Homemade Granola Bars
Adapted from Alton Brown’s Recipe at FoodNetwork.com
Yield: 16, 2-inch squares

Ingredients
2 c old-fashioned oats
1/2 c raw sunflower seeds
1 c raw almonds, chopped
1/2 c flax seeds
1/2 c honey
1/4 c light brown sugar
1 T unsalted butter, plus extra to coat pan
2 t vanilla extract
1/2 t salt
2 c dried fruit, any combination (I used cranberries and raisins)

Preparation
1. Butter a 9 by 9-inch glass baking dish and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spread the oats, sunflower seeds, almonds, and flax seeds onto a half-sheet pan. Place in the oven and toast for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. In the meantime, combine the honey, brown sugar, butter, extract and salt in a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook until the brown sugar has completely dissolved.
4. Once the oat mixture is done, remove it from the oven and reduce the heat to 300 degrees F. Immediately add the oat mixture to the liquid mixture, add the dried fruit, and stir to combine.
5. Turn mixture out into the prepared baking dish and press down, evenly distributing the mixture in the dish and place in the oven to bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container for up to a week.