Baked Doughnuts

A few months ago, I spied a recipe I knew I had to try.  It's a recipe for baked doughnuts.  I have not had doughnuts in ... gosh, like a decade.  I miss the cinnamon and sugar doughnuts the most, so that's what we decided to make, although you can also make a glaze and top them with cute sprinkles.



The recipe was truly easy to make, and we made ours up the night before so we could enjoy them in the morning.  They were even good the next day, warmed up just a bit.  



Baked Doughnuts - From Proceed with Caution

1 1/3 C warm milk (~100 degrees F)
2 1/4 tsp. yeast
2 T butter, softened
2/3 C sugar
2 eggs
5 C flour*
pinch of nutmeg
1 tsp. sea salt (ground finely)

1 T cinnamon
1/2 C sugar
Melted butter (or spray butter)

*You can use half wheat and half white flour.

Mix together 1/3 C warm milk and the yeast.



Stir the butter and sugar into the remaining 1 C warm milk, and then add it to the milk/yeast mixture.



Add in the eggs and whisk lightly to combine.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, nutmeg and salt.



Then, mix the wet and dry ingredients together until just moistened.



If you have a mixer with a dough hook, mix knead the dough using your mixer for a few minutes, at medium speed. If you do not have a dough hook on your mixer, then knead your dough by hand on a lightly floured surface.

We found the dough really easy to work with and fun to knead!







By the time you're done kneading the dough should no longer be sticky. Shape into a ball and place in a greased bowl.



Cover, and let rise at room temperature for an hour until doubled.

Then, punch down the dough and roll it out to 1/2 inch thickness on a lightly floured surface.

Be creative if you don't have a doughnut cutter. We used two glasses to make our dough into doughnuts...



Cut the large 3-4 inch circles first



And, then cut the middle "doughnut holes".

Place the doughnuts and doughnut holes on 2 lightly greased cookie sheets.





Cover, and refrigerate overnight. Or, cover and let rise for 40 minutes and then follow the baking directions.

In the morning, remove the doughnuts from the fridge and allow them to rise/rest at room temperature for 1 hour.

Then, preheat the oven to 375.

Bake the doughnuts until the bottoms are just lightly golden, about 8 minutes. DO NOT OVER BAKE.



While they are baking, prepare the cinnamon and sugar mixture on a plate.



Melt butter (or use spray butter) in preparation for the dunking :)

When doughnuts are done, carefully pick them up and coat them with butter (careful, the doughnuts will be quite hot to the touch). Then coat them in cinnamon and sugar.



Serve warm.



Yum-o.



Makes about 2 dozen doughnuts plus 2 dozen doughnut holes.



*We coated about 1 1/2 dozen doughnuts with cinnamon and sugar, and then froze the remaining doughnuts to be cinnamon/sugared later. This way we can have a special treat again.



These were even delicious the second day, when warmed in the microwave for a few seconds.



A light, airy doughnut at your service :)

This post is linked to:

• Grocery Cart Challenge's Recipe Swap
• Foodie Friday
• Tasty Tuesday
• URS: Baked Goods

Mint Chocolate Cookie Crunch

I think I've mentioned it before, but I get my love of baking from my mom. Each Christmas season, we'd spend hours in the kitchen baking unheard of amounts of Christmas goodies, singing Christmas songs. Memories like these are ones I cherish.

One of these such Christmas goodies we make is my mom's famous Mint Chocolate Cookie Crunch. She really is famous for them -- they were published in a Cookie Cookbook from Country Woman!!

What's wonderful about these... they are no-bake and can easily be made with little hands as helpers in the kitchen. I know I've posted this recipe before, but it's such a reminder of this time of year that I want to share it all with you again.

Mint Chocolate Cookie Crunch - Mom
{Print Recipe}

1 bag mint chocolate chips (or, Andes Mint Chips)
2 1/2 bags (or 5.5 C) dark chocolate chips (we LOVE Hershey's Special Dark!!)
1 pkg. Oreo cookies
4 C Rice Krispies

First, melt the chocolate chips (and mint chips) until just melted.

Then, finely crumble the Oreo cookies. We use a blender/food processor to do this, and purposefully leave a few larger random pieces.

Combine the Oreo, Rice Krispies and melted chocolates in a large bowl.

Stir until well coated.

Using a spoon or an ice cream scooper, create cookies on top of waxed or parchment paper.

Then, lick the bowl :)

Allow cookies to harden up on the counter for a few hours before eating. This recipe makes 124 cookies! They are great to give as gifts, if you're willing to share :)

You can also easily cut the recipe in half. Use 1/2 a bag of Andes mints, 1 (12oz) bag of chocolate chips, 2 C Rice Krispies and a half a package of Oreos.

This recipe is posted to:

• The Grocery Cart Challenge, Recipe Swap
• Foodie Friday
• Friday Feasts
• 2nd Annual Bloggy Progressive Dinner: Desserts
• Chocolate Friday
• Homemade Holiday Recipe Swap
• Tuesdays at the Table
• Stop Short Christmas Cookie Exchange
  
• 8 Weeks of Christmas Goodies

Light Hawaiian Banana Bread

My mom has written on this recipe that she first made it in 1996 and that my sister likes it :-) Back then, that meant the recipe was a keeper (my sister was a little picky bird eater when she was young).

I happen to agree that this recipe is very tasty. Light, moist and yummy. Enjoy!

Light Hawaiian Banana Bread - Mom

3/4 C sugar
1 T butter
1/3 C applesauce
3 mashed bananas (about 1 C)
1 egg + 1 egg white
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 C white whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda

Cream together sugar, butter, and applesauce. Then, blend in the bananas, eggs and vanilla.

Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda. Fold into the banana bread mixture until just combined.

Then, pour into a grease 9x5 loaf pan (or two smaller ones).

Sprinkle the top with coarse sugar, if desired.

Bake at 350 for 55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.

Allow to cool for ~5 minutes in the bread pan, and then remove to cool on a wire wrack.

I don't know about you, but I love a crunchy top on my bread... to preserve this wonderful feature, my sister told me to simply wrap the bottom of your loaf in tinfoil, partially up to the top, but leave the top exposed to the air to maintain the crunch :) That's my kitchen tip for today!

This post is also linked to:
Foodie Friday
Ingredient Spotlight

Red Pepper Quiche

A few weeks ago, Lara posted this delicious looking quiche made by her sister.. and I've been drooling over it ever since. it's been on our menu numerous times since she posted it, but only now nearly 2 months later, did I get around to making it. And, I have to ask myself.... why did you wait so long?!



Thanks, Lara, for inspiring me to make a yummy brunch!

Red Pepper Quiche - Inspired by Lara @ Recipe Shoebox

1 package crescent rolls*
1/2 tsp. basil
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
1/4 lb. breakfast sausage, sliced
2 T minced onion
1/2 C sour cream
2 eggs
1 C extra sharp cheddar cheese

Spread the crescent rolls into a 9-inch pie plate and press in to cover the bottom and sides. Sprinkle with basil.



Preheat your oven to 350.

Meanwhile, saute the breakfast sausages until browned. Then, slice into small segments. Using the same pan, saute the red peppers until crisp-tender.



Then, add in the sausage and minced onion.



In a small bowl, mix together the eggs, sour cream and pepper.



Add in 1/4 C cheese.



Place the pepper/sausage mix into the pie plate.



Pour the egg mixture over the top.



Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese.



Bake at 350 for ~40 minutes, until the center is set and the cheese is lightly browned.



Serve warm.



*If you want a FABULOUS crust recipe, use Lara's. I just had a tube of dough we needed to use up.

This post is linked to:

• Tasty Tuesday
• Grocery Cart Challenge
• Foodie Friday
  

Roasted Veggie Parmesan

Looking for a quick meal that tastes "exquisite" to quote Frog Prince? This is your dish, my friend.

Yummy roasted veggies served with whole wheat pasta, turkey sausage and a creamy garlic Parmesan sauce.

mmmm.  This is a dish you can serve to company :)  Or, you can make it for yourselves because it's really too good to share.

Roasted Veggie Alfredo - SnoWhite

1/2 lb. asparagus, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
1 large red bell pepper, diced
1 large yellow bell pepper, diced
8 oz. mushrooms, quartered
4-5 large garlic cloves (leave whole)
1 medium red onion, sliced into quarters*
Optional: other veggies... think zucchini, broccoli, even carrots!
1 T (or less) olive oil
~6.5 oz dried pasta, we used half a box of whole wheat penne
1/2 lb. Italian turkey sausage (we used breakfast sausage)
1 C whipping cream
1/4 - 1/2 C Parmesan cheese, shredded
salt and pepper to taste

*We used about 2 T minced onion

Preheat oven to 450.  

Dice up and prepare all the veggies. 

Then, place all the veggies except asparagus (and zucchini, if you use it) in a 9x13 glass baking dish. 

Drizzle olive oil and salt and pepper over the veggies and place them in the oven to roast for about 15 minutes. Include the whole garlic cloves too!

Then, add the asparagus and continue roasting for an additional 10 minutes, or until veggies are done to your likeness.

Meanwhile, boil pasta according to package directions, and drain when pasta is done.

Then, brown your sausage in a skillet, and place on a paper towel to drain excess grease.

While sausage is browning, combine cream (and if you used minced onions, add them here) and salt and pepper and stir until mixture warms.  Add in the now-roasted garlic from your roasted veggie tray, minced.

Then, add in the Parmesan cheese and stir until mixture thickens a bit. Make sure to stir constantly.

Combine pasta, veggies and sausage in a large bowl and toss well.

Then, pour the creamy Parmesan sauce over the top of the veggies.

Stir to coat.

Serves 4-6.

And, in the words of my hubby... even these leftovers are delicious.

This post is linked to:
Friday Food
Foodie Friday
Grocery Cart Challenge's Recipe Swap
2nd Bloggy Progressive Dinner: Main Dish
Ingredient Spotlight: Garlic