Cinnamon Bun & Apple Upside Down Bread Pudding

 

If you do not have an oven-proof skillet for this recipe, I used a 10" cast iron skillet, then you can saute the apples and dump them into a 10" round cake pan.

Ingredients

2 cans cinnamon buns
2 C apples, cored, peeled & chopped
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 c butter
3/4 c packed brown sugar
4 eggs
1/2 c heavy cream
1 T pure vanilla extract
1/2 c raisins (optional)
3 T pure maple syrup & more for serving
French Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 375*.   In a 10" oven-proof skillet, melt butter and brown sugar; add cinnamon and apples (and raisins, if using); saute over medium heat, stirring occasionally until apples are soft, approximately 10 minutes.

Cut cinnamon rolls into quarters.  Place them over the apple mixture.

In a medium bowl, add eggs, heavy cream and vanilla.  Whisk until well blended.  Pour over apples & cinnamon buns.

Bake for 25 - 35 minutes, or until bubbly, and cinnamon bun pieces are baked through.  Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn upside down onto a plate while holding the place over the pan.  Drizzle with maple syrup.  Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired.  Drizzle with more maple syrup.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin & Apple Butter Spice Cake

Ingredients

2/3 C vegetable oil
1/3 C unsalted butter, room temperature
1-1/2 C brown sugar, packed
1/2 C granulated sugar
4 large eggs
3-1/2 C all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 C 100% pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
1/2 C apple butter
1/2 C raisins
1/2 C chopped pecans (I used candied pecans from a pkg.)

Preheat oven to 350*.  Grease bundt pan with vegetable shortening or PAM for baking. Set aside.
Cream butter and sugars with paddle attachment of electric mixer.  Add oil and eggs, and mix until incorporated. In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.  Turn mixer to low and slowly incorporate dry ingredients Add pumpkin and apple butter and mix slightly, but not completely.  Add raisins and pecans and incorporate by hand.  Do not over mix or cake texture will be denser.  Add batter to prepared bundt pan and smooth the top with a spatula.  Bake 50 - 60 minutes or until tester near center of cake comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes in pan, then remove and cool the rest of the way on a wire rack.  Dust with powdered sugar or prepare Brown Butter Maple (recipe below) glaze and pour over cake.  Serve cooled cake as it or try it with whipped cream cheese and/or apple butter.

Brown Butter & Maple Glaze

1 stick of salted butter
1to 1-1/2 C confectioners' sugar (start with 1 C and add an additional 1/2 C if needed)
2 T milk
1-2 T pure maple syrup

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.  Keep heating until butter begins to turn brown and smells nutty.  This takes 4-5 minutes.  Watch closely as once it starts to turn brown it goes very quickly!  Remove from heat and add confectioners' sugar, milk and syrup.  Stir until smooth.  If glaze is too thick to pour, add more milk a teaspoon at a time, until it reaches the proper consistency. Pour over cake.

Enjoy!

Prosciutto & Green Pea Risotto

Ingredients

1 C white or brown rice

1/4 C butter

1 C chopped green onion

1/2 C sliced prosciutto, julienned

1/2 C dry white wine

2 C chicken broth

1/2 C heavy cream

1/2 grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp white pepper

1 C frozen peas, thawed

2 T fresh basil leaves, chiffonade

Add rice, butter, onions, prosciutto, wine and broth to the inner pot of a rice cooker or a large saucepan.  Stir.  Cover and cook until rice cooker switches to Warm or if using a saucepan, until the rice is cooked according to your pkg. instructions (varies depending on whether you are using white or brown rice.  Brown rice takes longer.)  Add cream, cheese, white pepper and peas. Stir gently and serve topped with fresh basil.

Blueberry Oat Bread

Ingredients

½ cup brown sugar

2 eggs

½ cup sour cream

¾ cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup vegetable oil

2½ cups all purpose flour

1 cup old fashioned oats

¼ teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

zest of 1 lemon

1 cup walnuts or pecans (optional)

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease 9x5 loaf pan.

In a large mixing bowl gently combine brown sugar, milk oil, sour cream, vanilla, and eggs.

Add remaining dry ingredients except nuts and blueberries and slowly mix together.

Dust blueberries lightly with flour to prevent from sinking when baking. Gently fold in blueberries and walnuts. Pour batter evenly into loaf pan. Top with additional oats if desired.

Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until an inserted test toothpick comes out clean.

Cool in pan for 10 minutes.

Gently remove from pan and let cool on a rack for 2 hours.

Sprinkle top with confectioner's sugar if desired.

Keep covered. Bread will be fresh for approximately 4 days.

Recipe adapted from PenneyLane

Cilantro-Chutney Chicken

Ingredients

2 T extra virgin olive oil
2 onions, cut in 1-1/2 inch pieces
2-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-1/2" pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 T minced, peeled, fresh ginger
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno, sliced, plus more for serving
4 C packed cilantro leaves and stems
1/2 C roasted peanuts
2 tsp. packed brown sugar
1 T fresh lime juice
Steamed rice and sour cream or yogurt, for serving

Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add oil and onions; cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a 5-6 quart slow cooker. Season chicken with salt and pepper; stir into slow cooker with ginger, garlic, and jalapeno. Cover and cook on high 2 hours.

In a food processor, pulse cilantro, peanuts, brown sugar and lime juice until finely chopped; add to slow cooker. Cover and cook 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve over rice, top with sour cream or yogurt.  Add peanuts, cilantro leaves & lime wedges, if desired.

Baked Peaches 'n Cream Oatmeal

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups milk

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups quick oats

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 1/2 cups fresh peaches, chopped (You could also use frozen or drained canned peaches. Fresh gives the best results)

Cream

Whisk together milk, vanilla, and eggs until well combined.

Add quick oats, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt; mix well.

Stir in butter and peaches.

Pour into a buttered 8x8-inch baking dish; set at least 3 hours or overnight in refrigerator.

Place cold dish in cold oven; set oven to 350 degrees and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until oatmeal is puffed and golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Serve in individual bowls. Pour cream over top!

Note: My oven takes a good 20 minutes to preheat, so I found that the oatmeal was not done in the middle after the allotted time.  After an additional 10 minutes it was perfect.  Before turning off your oven, the center of the oatmeal should be firm, but spring back when pressed.  If it feels too loose, bake for additional 5-minute intervals.