TOFFEE WALNUT CINNAMON PULLS

I hadn’t made this recipe in a LOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNG time. I made it during the winter storm a few days ago because it has a lot less sugar and I was hoping to get a few bites myself.

TOFFEE WALNUT CINNAMON PULLS
DOUGH
2 1/2 – 3 cups KING ARTHUR all purpose flour
1 package Fleischman’s Active Dry Yeast
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup fine sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 LARGE egg

  • In the bowl of your mixer combine 1 1/4 cups of the flour and package of yeast.
  • In a small saucepan combine the milk, sugar, butter and salt heating just until warm (120-130°) and butter almost melts.
  • Add milk mixture to flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated.
  • Add egg beating on low 1 minute, scraping bowl continuously. Beat on high 3 minutes.
  • Add as much of the remaining flour as possible.
  • Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface, kneading until you have a soft, smooth, elastic dough, 3-5 minutes.
  • Shape dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl, turning dough to coat in grease. Cover and place in a warm place to rise to double in size, about 90 minutes.

 

  • Punch dough down and turn out onto lightly greased surface.
  • Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
  • Grease a baking sheet. Set aside.

FILLING
1/4 cup fine sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cups chopped walnuts, ground fine**
1/3 cup Heath bar toffee bits
2 teaspoons QUALITY RED APE cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Caramel ice cream topping – warmed (Optional)

  • Combine sugars, walnuts, cinnamon and toffee bits.

**NOTE: I measure straight from the bag and then use my mini food processor to grind the nuts slightly. This gives a better coverage on the dough.

ASSEMBLY
2 tablespoons butter, melted

  • Roll dough into a 20 inch x10 inch rectangle.
  • Brush with melted butter.
  • Evenly sprinkle nut mixture over butter, leaving about 1 inch unfilled along a long edge.
  • Roll up from the long filled edge, sealing seam by pinching dough together.
  • Place seam side down and cut into 8 equal portions.

 

  • Cut each piece (once from each side) at the 1/3 third mark, BUT DO NIT CUT ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
  • Place each roll on prepared baking sheet 3 inches apart. As you arrange each piece gently pull each end to fan the roll slightly.
  • Cover and place in warm place to rise again for 45 minutes.

 

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden.
  • Drizzle with caramel ice cream topping.

My version of P. F. Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps

With this horrible recuperation and limited food, eating out is a real pain in the butt.  BUT, I’m in love! In love with restaurants that have great appetizer menus.  LOL  😀 I ordered the Chicken Lettuce Wraps at P.F. Chang’s the other day from their appetizer menu and got 4 meals out of it!  But, what I fell in love with was the actual flavor.  The added bonus was the small chop on all the ingredients making it easy for me eat AND it heats up in the microwave for subsequent meals tasting the same as it did served fresh! So, of course I had to duplicate the recipe for home use and believe I have come REALLY close.

P.F. CHANG’S CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAPS
3 tablespoons avocado oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup water chestnut, diced small
2⁄3 cup mushroom, diced small
1 small shallot, diced
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 leaves butter lettuce
1/2-1 cup crispy rice noodles
freshly ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste

  • Bring oil to high heat in a wok or large frying pan.
  • Saute chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes per side or done.
  • Remove chicken from the pan and cool.
  • Add shallots and green onions to pan sautéing until soft.
  • Add water chestnuts, garlic, mushrooms and ginger, sautéing a few minutes more.
  • Add stir fry sauce and stir until well blended.
  • When chicken is cool, shred it as small as the mushrooms and water chestnuts pieces are.
  • Add chicken into mixture, toss to blend and coat well.

STIR FRY SAUCE
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1⁄2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

  • Whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar in a small bowl.

SPECIAL SAUCE
1⁄4 cup sugar
1⁄2 cup water
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1⁄4 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons water
1 -2 teaspoon Siracha

  • Whisk together the sugar and water in a small bowl until completely dissolved.
  • Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, lemon juice, sesame oil, hoisin sauce and desired amount of Siracha whisking until well blended.

ASSEMBLY

  • Serve each helping in a lettuce leaf.
  • Top with a handful of crispy rice noodles.
  • Pour Special sauce over the wraps.

PINEAPPLE PEANUT BUTTER RIBS

Hubby is loving the new style of cooking. I’m trying to make recipes that leave plenty of easy to eat for lunch items also. These slow cooker recipes are perfect for while I’m “LEARNING” to eat again. These allow me to cook a few times a week with plenty of C.O.R.N. (Clean Out Refrigerator Night) in between.

PINEAPPLE PEANUT BUTTER RIBS
3 1/2 pounds baby back ribs, cut in half
11.5 ounce frozen juice concentrate (orange pineapple) thawed
6 ounces pineapple juice
1/2 cup Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup fresh minced cilantro
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

  • Whisk together the juice concentrate, liquid aminos, peanut butter, cilantro, ginger, garlic and sugar. Reserve 3/4 cup for dipping sauce later.
  • Place ribs in a large ziplock bag or marinated.
  • Pour marinade over top and turn ribs to coat, cover and seal.
  • Marinade for 8 hours or overnight, turning ribs periodically.
  • Remove ribs from marinade.
  • Stand ribs around the slow cooker if deep enough. If not, loosely layer ribs in the slow cooker.
  • Cover and cook on HIGH 1 hour.
  • Reduce heat to LOW and cook 5 more hours.
  • Heat reserved sauce and served with ribs for dipping.

NOTE: Standing the ribs will bring them into contact with the best heat source for crispy brown edges like they had been smoked for hours.

Linking up to FULL Plate Thursday.

PAN SEARED SEA BASS with LEMON GARLIC BUTTER SAUCE

PAN SEARED SEA BASS with LEMON GARLIC BUTTER SAUCE
2-6 ounce sea bass fillets
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 + 1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
Juice of 1 LARGE lemon
1 lemon, sliced
Fresh ground sea salt and pepper, to taste

  • Over a medium high heat heat 1 tablespoon butter in large skillet.
  • Coat each fillet with avocado oil and generously season with the fresh ground salt and pepper.
  • When sizzling, add each fillet to hot oil and cook for 5 minutes before flipping and cooking on the other side for 4 more minutes.

 

  • While fillets are cooking melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a small sauce pan.
  • Add garlic, sautéing about 2 minutes.
  • Whisk in lemon juice.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Add lemon slices, cooking until slightly thick.

 

  • Plate fillets and top with sauce.
  • Serve immediately.

BEET PICKLED DEVILED EGGS

A few years ago I saw an article on Chinese Tea eggs. They were so beautiful and intrigued me enough that I wanted to make some. Well I never quite got around to it, but then hubby asked for some deviled eggs and my brain went into overdrive. I decided to create the same affect with pickled beets.


PICKLED DEVILED EGGS
1 dozen eggs, hard boiled
1 jar pickled beets
1/8 + cup mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
Sweet Hungarian paprika

  • Boil eggs as normal. Rinse under cool water.
  • Drain beets, retaining juice.
  • Gently crack eggs all over.
  • In a medium skillet heat water and beet juice together.
  • Add eggs and simmer 20 minutes, gently rolling eggs periodically.
  • Remove from heat.
  • Remove eggs from pan and drain on paper towels.
  • Remove shells.
  • Slice open eggs and scoop out yolks.
  • Mash yolks with salt and pepper.
  • Add mayonnaise, vinegar and horseradish and blend well.
  • Fill eggs.
  • Sprinkle with paprika and serve.

I save the pickled beets to use with 1000 Island dressing on my Crab salad.

MOZZARELLA CHEESE STICKS

MOZZARELLA STICKS
12 egg roll wrappers
12 string cheese
avocado or cocnut oil
Marinara sauce

  • Start in the corner of the egg roll wrapper and roll cheese half way.
  • Fold in at the corners
  • Brush remaining open edges with water and continue rolling until well sealed.
  • Heat 1/2 inch of oil to 375˚.
  • Fry sticks a few at a time until golden brown all the way around.
  • Drain on paper towels.
  • Serve with marinara.

Submitted to FULL PLATE THURSDAY @Miz Helen’s Country Cottage.

CRAB PUFFS

PUFFS recipe from Martha at Seaside Simplicity

1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
  • Heat oven to 425°.
  • In a medium saucepan heat water and butter until boiling.
  • Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup and level off.
  • Stir in flour and salt.
  • Cook over medium heat until mixture leaves sides of pan in a smooth compact ball, about 2 minutes, stirring vigorously.
  • Remove from heat.
  • Add eggs one at the time, beating vigorously until smooth and glossy. Do not under-beat! Drop by teaspoons full onto parchment paper lined cookie sheets.
  • Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.
  • Once puffs are cooled completely split and stuff with crab salad when ready to serve.
This recipe makes about 20 puffs.
CRAB SALAD
8 ounces Louis Kemp Crab, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1/3 cup minced red onion
salt and pepper
mayo (about 1/4 cup)
  • Mix crab, celery, onion, salt and pepper together until well blended using enough mayonnaise for desired consistency.
  • Place a large scoop of crab salad in each puff.

Submitted to FULL PLATE THURSDAY @Miz Helen’s Country Cottage.

TEX MEX BLT’S minus the lettuce

These little delights are perfect finger foods for ANY football party or get together with lots of people. They have just enough kick to spark everyone’s appetite for more.  The shells get crispy and the cheesy filling gets gooey and they are soooooo easy to assemble while looking like you spent hours in the kitchen.

You can also vary the flavors for some extra alternative flavor.  Use your imagination and make up your own combinations.

TEX MEX BLT’s minus the Lettuce 
3-4 packages phyllo pastry cups – thawed
1 pound bacon, cooked well and crumbled into very small pieces (very fine ground beef/shredded beef)
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese  (today I used a Jack and Skellig Sweet Cheddar combo)
1/2 cup medium Cheddar cheese
1 cup mayonnaise (not Low-fat)
1 can Rotel original, drained REALLY well (when I use shredded beef I trade this for a 4 ounce can of diced jalapenos that I chop very fine)

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Blend the mayonnaise and cheeses together.
  • Fold in the tomatoes and bacon.
  • Scoop evenly into the cups (this will fill about 36).
  • Place on baking sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes or until starting to brown and get bubbly.

NOTE:  These shells are pretty small so cut any larger chunks of tomato into smaller pieces to make them easier to fill. I did a couple second run through in my mini food processor.

TERIYAKI SEX on a STICK

SEX ON A STICK
1/2 cup Teriyaki marinade (see below)
fresh pineapple cut into chunks
1 pound Chicken tenders or chicken chunks
1 pound large shrimp, tails cut off
1 pound bacon, cut into halves

  • Soak skewers in water for 1 hour prior to assembly.
  • Stack a piece of pineapple with a piece of shrimp and wrap with a piece of bacon.
  • Thread onto skewer to secure.
  • Repeat until all pieces are assembled. (I alternate chicken and shrimp for even skewers)
  • Brush with marinade,
  • Bake 10-12 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and brush with marinade again.
  • Bake for an additional 7-8 minutes or until bacon is sizzling.
 Can be grilled, but watch for bacon to burn.

TERIYAKI MARINADE
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup white wine
1 tablespoon sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon freshly minced ginger
2 green onions, minced
1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
pinch sea salt
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons avocado oil
2 tablespoons sesame oil
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar

  •  Whisk together all ingredients until well blended and sugar is completely dissolved.

COWGIRL KISSES with RASPBERRY CHIPOTLE SAUCE

COWGIRL KISSES
8 ounces cream cheese
2 tablespoons Foothill Salad Seasoning
1 slice bacon per pepper
Jalapeno Peppers
Raspberry Chipotle Sauce (see below)

  • Mix cream cheese and Foothill Salad Seasoning until well blended.
  • Clean and remove seeds from peppers.
  • Fill peppers.
  • Wrap each pepper with a slice of bacon.
  • Bake or grill over low heat until bacon is crisp.
  • Serve with raspberry chipotle sauce.

RASPBERRY CHIPOTLE SAUCE
1 cup Raspberry Jam
2 tablespoons diced chipotle peppers
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons apple cider or rice wine vinegar

  • Whisk all ingredients until well blended.
  • Chill until ready to serve.
  • Warm before serving.

HIP HIP HOORAY FOR BANANA JAM an oldie, but goodie from 2014 and a 2 for 1 with BANANAS FOSTER BUTTER

I’m still working on blog compilation and I ran across this recipe and can’t wait to make some later this week.  I can actually eat this YAY!
I LOVE!!!!! trying new recipes, but more importantly I LOVE!!!!! trying a new recipe that blows my socks off! My friend Sandra over at Diary of a Stay at Home mom featured a Banana Jam the other day.  I know, sounds weird right?  WRONG!!!! It’s the most fantastic, addictive recipe I’ve tried in a long time and even better it’s SOOOOOOOO simple.

BANANA JAM
4 cups mashed bananas
4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon pure Madagascar vanilla extract
Juice of 1 large lemon

  • Combine ingredients together and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until your boil.
  • Turn down heat and simmer until nice and thick, stirring frequently.
  • Pour into sterilized jars and water bath for 10 minutes.
  • Once open, refrigerate.

I’ve already added pineapple for a varied flavor and caramel for an ice cream topping.  Next is turning it into a Banana Cream Pie.

And OMG you have to try it on sourdough toast with JIF peanut butter.

Then a few weeks later  I was searching through my box of tricks, er recipes for tailgating recipes I wanted to try and found a recipe for BANANA FOSTERS BUTTER. It just screamed out for me to try it. It was fantastic too and great on Peanut Butter Toast.

BANANA FOSTERS BUTTER
8 ripe, firm large bananas
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons light rum
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • Mash bananas until smooth. Transfer bananas to a pot.
  • Stir in sugars, lemon juice, rum, cinnamon and nutmeg.
  • Bring to a slow boil.
  • Reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently.
  • Ladle into hot sterilized jars leaving a 1/4 inch headspace.
  • Wipe jars clean, add lids and rings.
  • Process filled jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
  • Cool on wire racks.

Submitted to FULL PLATE THURSDAY @Miz Helen’s Country Cottage.

CARAMEL GLAZED APPLES

I’ve been making these for years, but they never grow old and are a GREAT fruity pick me up in this cold weather.
4 large Granny Smith apples (I used Honey Crisp, but they’re only available for such a short window of time)
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons Kahlua’
4 tablespoons golden raisins

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Peel and core apples.
  • Slice each apple horizontally into 5 or 6 slices.
  • Place apples in a 9×9 baking dish.
  • Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of raisins into each apple.
  • Melt butter and whisk in the Kahlua’.
  • Drizzle over the apples.
  • Bake uncovered 45-60 minutes until fork tender.
  • Baste every 15 minutes.

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup heavy cream
pinch of salt

  • In a heavy saucepan whisk together the water, sugar, corn syrup and a pinch of salt.
  • Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar is completely dissolved.
  • Boil without stirring until mixture turns golden.
  • Remove from heat.
  • Slowly stir in the cream.
  • Let cool.
  • To serve, plate apples in their stack, pour caramel sauce down the center of each apple and top with a scoop of french vanilla ice cream.