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Sunday, July 31, 2011

Sunshine Muffins

These orange muffins start with a whole fresh orange, peel and all.
They are quickly made in a food processor.
If you don't have a food processor you can puree
the orange and juice in a blender.
Cut the orange into 8 pieces and drop in the bowl
with 1/2 C orange juice.
Puree about 1 minute.
Add egg and melted butter. Blend until smooth.
Add the dry ingredients;
 flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda.
Pulse a few times just until blended.
Pour into sprayed muffin tin.
Bake for 15-20 minutes at 400. 
Let sit for 5 minutes before removing.
Enjoy warm. 
 Butter and raspberry jam would be good too.
Or let the muffins cool and glaze.
You can freeze leftovers.


Sunshine Muffins
1 orange
1/2 C orange juice
1 egg
1 stick butter or margarine, melted
1-3/4 C flour
1 C sugar
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda

Cut the orange into 8 pieces and 
drop into a food processor.
Add orange juice and puree. 
Add the melted butter and egg.
Blend until smooth.
Add the dry ingredients and pulse 2-3 
times just until blended.
 Scoop into sprayed muffin tins.
Bake for 15-20 minutes at 400.
Let sit for 5 minutes before removing.
optional glaze
1 C powdered sugar
1-2 T orange juice
combine and spread about one tablespoon 
onto the top of each cooled muffin.

Enjoy!


Monday, July 25, 2011

Cranberry Glazed Chicken

Dinner couldn't be any easier than
cranberry glazed chicken. 
Serve with white or wild rice and a green vegetable.
Saute the chopped onion in a little oil. 
Add the cranberry sauce, ketchup, mustard,
 and brown sugar. Heat, stirring until well combined
 and the cranberry sauce melts.
I always use the larger 14-oz can of whole berry sauce
and store the rest in a glass jar in the refrigerator. 
Use 3-4 boneless breasts, cut into serving size
 pieces if very large. 
Put into a sprayed shallow casserole.
 Salt and pepper the chicken and pour the sauce over.
Bake at 350 uncovered for 35-45 minutes until glazed.
You can also use cut-up chicken pieces. 
Bake those a little longer, 45-50 minutes.

Cranberry Glazed Chicken
3-4 boneless chicken breasts or
1 whole chicken cut-up
1 T oil
1/4 C diced onion
8 oz can whole berry cranberry sauce
1/4 C brown sugar
1/2 C ketchup
1 T dijon mustard
In a small saucepan saute the onion in oil until tender. 
 Add the cranberry sauce, ketchup, mustard, and
 brown sugar.  Stir over low heat until 
the cranberry sauce is melted and well combined. 
Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
 Place in a sprayed shallow casserole.
 Pour the sauce over the chicken. 
Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes until glazed.
Serve over wild or white rice and add a fresh
green vegetable.
Enjoy!


Saturday, July 23, 2011

Chicago Style Hot Dogs~Franks For The Memories!

This is the dog of choice for anyone who has
ever lived in Chicago. Chicago dogs are classic and
 a big favorite of sports fans and everyone 
from "hardhats" to "power suits".
 Every neighborhood sells them.
 Everybody eats them!
An all beef frank piled with toppings.
Here are the must-have ingredients 
that you'll need to build one.
Poppy seed buns are a must
I couldn't find them in my area so I cheated
 and buttered the buns and sprinkled on poppy seeds.
Cut up and ready to go:
 chopped onions, dill spears, tomato wedges,
 sport peppers  if you can find them.
(I used jalapeno, you can also use
 poblano or pepperoncini)
 Simmer the dogs for five minutes.
I steamed the poppy seed buns
 on a dampened paper towel 
in the microwave for 20 seconds.
Looks great, but something is missing!
The chopped onions....don't leave anything out!
It's the perfect combo of flavors in your mouth.
The toppings must be layered in this order; 
mustard, relish, chopped onion, tomato wedges, 
dill pickle spear, sport peppers.
 It wouldn't be a Chicago dog without 
a  good sprinkle of celery salt, another must.
Don't even think about adding ketchup!
 Now, take a bite!
Sweet Home Chicago!


Enjoy!
Today is National Hot Dog Day
Celebrate!
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Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Better Than Bran Muffins~Bran Muffins

I got this recipe from a friend when I told her that I wasn't that fond of bran muffins.
She said that these were better than (regular) bran muffins~~hence the name!
 Cream the butter and brown sugar.
Beat in the egg.
 Beat in the sour cream.
 Add 1 C tightly packed raisin bran cereal.
 Stir in and let rest for 5 minutes.
 Stir in the flour, salt and soda.
 Just until combined.
Spoon into greased 12 cup muffin tin.
Bake for 15-20  minutes at 400 until golden.
I always like to have homemade muffins in the freezer.
 I put them on a tray in the freezer for about 20 minutes to harden. 
Then I can just pop them into a freeze bag. 
Enjoy!

Better Than Raisin Bran Muffins
~Raisin Bran Muffins~
1/2 C butter or margarine (one stick)
1 C brown sugar
1 egg
1 C sour cream
1 C packed Raisin Bran cereal
1 C flour
1 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
Cream the butter and brown sugar with a hand mixer
Mix in the egg then sour cream.
Mix in the cereal and let sit for 5 minutes to absorb.
 Stir in the flour, soda and salt. Let sit 3-4 minutes.
Spoon into greased 12 C muffin tin.
Bake at 400 for about 15-20 minutes until golden.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

The Reuben Sandwich with Homemade 1000 Island Dressing

Another one of our top ten favorite sandwiches 
is the Grilled Reuben.
 I never buy bottled 1000 Island dressing because 
it's so easy to mix up a batch at home 
with ingredients I already have in the house.
 I dont even measure anymore.
 Just dump in a jar and stir it until
  it looks like 1000 Island dressing.
I don't use it on salads. I like it on sandwiches. 
It's great for a chicken or turkey sandwich. 
It's also good on a BLT, another favorite sandwich.
~~~~~~~~
To Make A Reuben 
you'll need: rye bread, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut,
 pastrami or corned beef, butter or margarine and
1000 Island dressing
~~~~~~~~  
 Butter one side of the rye bread slices and 
put them buttered sides together while you
assemble the sandwiches.
 Spread the other side with dressing and
 pile on the corned beef or pastrami
 Top with sauerkraut. Squeeze out any extra juice.
Lay on Swiss cheese slices.
Add more dressing if desired.
 Put it on your preheated grill, or fry pan.
 Top with the remaining buttered rye bread slices,
butter side up.
 Close the grill and grill for about 5 minutes.
If using a fry pan you'll need to flip the sandwich. 
Remove from the pan when the sandwich is
 grilled to a golden brown perfection and
 the cheese is melted.
Enjoy!

1000 Island Dressing
1 C mayonnaise
1/4 C sweet relish
1/4 C ketchup
1/4 t salt & 1/4 t pepper
1/2 t tarragon
1 t Worcestershire sauce
dash Tabasco (optional)
Combine all ingredients in a jar.
Store in the refrigerator to use as
sandwich spread.



click HERE for Herb Mayonnaise.
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