Morning Glory Muffin With Fruit

Evidently the Morning Glory Muffin recipe has been around for a while, but is new to me this fall. I saw this recipe recently from my saved October 2018 Victoria magazine.

Ina Garten has a similar Morning Glory Muffin recipe which she made famous at Barefoot Contessa. There are a few different ingredients such as using all-purpose flour instead of whole wheat flour and adding sweetened shredded coconut. Garten’s recipe was inspired by the muffins made at the Morning Glory Cafe on Nantucket. You can also find this recipe in her cookbook, Cook Like A Pro.

Regardless of which recipe you use, this comforting muffin is full of goodies with grated carrots, Granny Smith apples, crushed pineapple, raisins, pecans, and more. One could describe the Morning Glory Muffin as similar to eating a piece of carrot cake without the icing.

Morning Glory Muffins

Lovingly Adapted from Victoria 2018 Magazine

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups grated carrots

1 cup cored and grated Granny Smith apple

1 (8-ounce) crushed pineapple, drained

2/3 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup raisins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 9 jumbo muffin cups with paper or foil liners. Recipe Note: I used the standard muffin tin with tulip papers, which made approximately 16 muffins total. Amazon has a nice assortment of tulip liners for baking.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a medium bowl, stir together carrot, apple, pineapple, oil, and eggs. Add to the flour mixture, stirring until combined. Stir in pecans and raisins. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Recipe Note: I baked muffins for about 20 minutes because they were standard muffin size and not jumbo muffins. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan, and let cool slightly on wire racks. Remove paper or foil liners for serving if desired. Recipe Note: I like the tulip liners, so kept mine on. Enjoy!

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend….Bonnie

Zesty Pumpkin Soup Using Libby’s Pure Pumpkin

Last year I helped put on a fall potpourri workshop for one of my garden clubs. Besides the workshop, my dear friend and I also created a lunch for everyone to enjoy afterwards and called it “Pumpkin Potpourri Picnic.” The menu was pumpkin-themed from the appetizer to dessert, and needless to say, it was a big hit!

Featured on our menu was Zesty Pumpkin Soup, originally a recipe from Libby’s Pure Pumpkin can many, many years ago. This subtle pumpkin soup is so tasty with the right mix of flavors, and ease in making. I love this recipe because it lets the wonderful flavor of the pumpkin shine through.

Two “must use” secret ingredients in this recipe, are the Libby’s Pure Pumpkin and Spice Islands Curry, both found on amazon and at most grocery stores.

Last fall I shared with you another recipe from this menu, Pumpkin Maple Cornbread, which is a perfect complement for this delicious soup. Enjoy!

Zesty Pumpkin Soup

Lovingly Adapted From Libby’s Pure Pumpkin Can

Ingredients:

¼ cup butter

1 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 tsp. curry powder (Spice Islands Curry—the best)

½ tsp. salt

1/8 to ¼ tsp. ground coriander

1/8 tsp crushed red pepper

3 cups chicken broth

1-3/4 cup (16oz) Libby’s Pure Pumpkin

½ cup half and half cream

Sour Cream & Chives (optional)

 Directions:

In large saucepan, melt butter, sauté onion and garlic until soft. Add curry powder, salt, coriander, and red pepper. Cook 1 minute. Add broth. Boil gently uncovered 15-20 minutes.

Stir in pumpkin and half and half. Cook 5 minutes. Pour into blender and blend until creamy.

Serve warm. Garnish with dollop of sour cream and snipped chives.

 Related Past Post:

Pumpkin Maple Cornbread

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie

Adapted from Simple Pasta by Odette Williams

Chopped Salad Pasta is a wonderful recipe that is so versatile. It is virtually an antipasto pasta salad with complementary flavors of salami, chickpeas, fontina cheese, pepperoncini with a nice foundational vinaigrette dressing. I first saw this recipe in the Wall Street Journal, which was lovingly adapted from Simple Pasta by Odette Williams. The beauty of this recipe is you can easily substitute various ingredients to suit your taste and what might be in your pantry. For instance, you can swap out salami for tuna packed in oil, or add marinated quartered artichokes instead of pepperoncini, or substitute toasted pine nuts for the fontina cheese. Make it your salad for your taste!

Chopped Salad Pasta

Makes 4 servings

30 minutes Time

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons finely diced red onion

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 10 ounces dried ditalini or other small pasta, like macaroni or small conchiglie

• A splash of extra-virgin olive oil, plus ½ cup

• Two (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• 4 ounces salami, cut into matchsticks

• ⅔ cup coarsely chopped pepperoncini

• 6 ounces fontina, cut into ¼-inch cubes

• 2 cups coarsely chopped radicchio or arugula

• ½ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

• 1 tablespoon honey

• 1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard

• 8 sprigs thyme, stemmed

• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine onions, vinegar and lemon juice, and let marinate while you cook pasta.

2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain pasta in a colander, place in a large bowl and add a splash of olive oil to stop it from sticking together.

3. Add chickpeas, salami, pepperoncini, fontina, radicchio and parsley to pasta, and toss to combine.

4. Whisk ½ cup olive oil, honey, mustard, thyme and salt into onion-vinegar mixture and season with pepper. Pour over pasta and toss to combine.

5. Serve pasta on a platter and season with some cranks of pepper.

Recipe Note: This recipe states it makes 4 servings, but I found it made more. I think it helps to chill the recipe ahead a few hours to let all of the beautiful flavors meld, and then bring it up to room temperature before serving.

Related Past Posts:

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad
Perfect Holiday Salad

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie

Harvested Cherry Tomatoes In Ironstone Bowl

Garden Tomatoes in a Baguette Basket

Garden Tomatoes in a Pedestal Fruit Bowl

Grow Lots of Tomato Varieties

Tomatoes in August are a real treat. Chances are you began your tomato plants from seed back in February, you planted tomato seedlings months ago, you had tomato volunteer plants appear in the spring, or you made a special trip to the farmers market to buy from your favorite tomato farmer recently. In other words, tomatoes can be an investment of time, but are the culinary gems of the summer potager. Earthy and ethereal, they shout and taste of Mother Earth perfection.

Tomatoes come in all different colors and shapes these days. The bold red tomatoes are show stoppers. When they are in season, one should display thine divine tomatoes.

Tomatoes displayed in vintage pieces, baskets, fruit bowls, etc. make beautiful table settings and summer color display in the kitchen. It is hard to improve on Mother Nature, and a great example of seasonal living. What a great way to showcase your tomatoes before you eat, cook, or preserve them.

A few things to remember when bringing your tomatoes into the kitchen.

Tomatoes should be washed before eating but not immediately after harvesting. Wipe off any dirt or dust, but when you are ready to eat your tomatoes clean and wash them well.

Tomatoes are best stored at room temperature, and not in your refrigerator. Sometimes tomatoes stored in the refrigerator develop a mealy texture and lose their flavor. An exception to refrigerate your tomato is if the skin is broken—cooling it will slow the potential for it to start molding.

Slightly unripe tomatoes will ripen further if placed near a sunny window, stem-side down. This will stop moisture escaping from your tomatoes.

Invest in a tomato knife. It will make your life easier, and a joy to further work with your tomatoes.

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A few things tomatoes can teach you about seasonal living, and loving that red color in August.

Wear a bright red lipstick and smile with your summer tan.

Kick up your heels in red sandals or flats paired with white pants or capris.

Bring out your summer tablecloths and napkins with a touch of red.

Brighten your summer dishes with red tomatoes, fresh, sauteed, roasted or grilled. Roasting tomatoes at 400 F. degrees for 30 minutes creates a wonderful caramelization flavor.

Tomatoes like companions. Grow lots of basil for all of your tomato dishes.

Simplicity. Perhaps the best way to eat a sun-ripened tomato fresh from your garden is with a generous sprinkling of your favorite finishing salt to unlock the flavor.

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie

Golden Macaroons Dipped in Chocolate Setting

This is another great recipe I have gotten from my Mom. She saw it originally in the April 2001, Better Homes and Gardens magazine. It is not a French Macaron recipe. It is a Golden Macaroon recipe with an option to dip in semisweet chocolate after baking. Not quite a cookie, and not quite a candy, it is a delight for coconut lovers!

The secret to this recipe is using two kinds of coconut — a regular flaked, sweetened coconut and an unsweetened, finely shredded coconut, held together with a touch of honey that creates a golden color when baked. This recipe yields 3 to 4 dozen macaroon, depending on your drop batter size.

Golden Macaroons

Lovingly Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

Prep/Chill: 35 minutes Bake: 17 minutes

Ingredients:

2-1/2 cups flaked sweetened coconut (about 7 ounces)

2 cups unsweetened finely shredded coconut

1 cup sugar

3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 egg whites

1 Tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1) In a large bowl combine flaked and shredded coconut until evenly mixed. Flaked coconut should be broken into separate flakes and with very small clumps present.

2) In a medium mixing bowl combine sugar, flour, and salt. Add the egg whites, honey, and vanilla. Whisk rapidly until smooth. Pour sugar and egg white mixture over coconut mixture. Stir first with a wooden spoon, then use your hands and continue to blend until evenly mixed. Cover with plastic wrap; chill for 30 minutes.

3) Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a large cookie sheet with baking parchment paper. Drop rounded tablespoons of macaroon batter onto the cookie sheet about 2” apart. (I actually use a small ice cream scoop for consistency.) You will probably need a second baking sheet, or fill your original a second time after baking your first macaroons.

4) Gently pinch mounds of macaroon together before baking. Bake for 17 to 19 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven. Let cool on a cooling rack.

5) If you are interested in using dipping chocolate for your macaroons: 1) in a small saucepan, heat 3/4 cup heavy cream to near boiling; remove from heat. Add 6 ounces of your favorite chopped semisweet chocolate (do not use chocolate chips). Let stand for 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Cool completely, or to your desired consistency for dipping. Dip one side of your cooled macaroon into your chocolate mixture, and return it back to the parchment paper to further cool and set. Enjoy!

Chocolate Dipped Macaroons Ready to Serve

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie

You Are In For A Treat When You Make This Banana Bread

A few years ago during the onset of covid, when all of us were in dire need of comfort food, this Cinnamon Crunch Banana Bread recipe by Bakesale Betty Bakery in Oakland, California was featured in The New York Times by Julia Moskin.

I am sure all of you already have a favorite “go to” banana bread recipe, but this one is worth baking and sharing with others. It always guarantees compliments, and is instrumental in locals forming a line outside Bakesale Betty’s before they open.

A simple recipe to whip up easily and quickly for family and friends, the secret to this recipe is using honey in the batter, and a yummy hard-to-resist cinnamon-sugar topping. This recipe requires no mixer, and can be made in about one and half hours plus cooling.

Although I haven’t tried it yet, I think this recipe would work well made into standard size muffins. Use a standard muffin tin pan. Line with muffin papers. Fill with batter each muffin indentation half way. Sprinkle the topping over each muffin batter. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 30-35 minutes (start checking your muffins at 20 minutes) until a toothpick comes out clean in center of the muffin. Enjoy!

Cinnamon Crunch Banana Bread

Lovingly Adapted from Julia Moskin, The New York Times

Ingredients for Batter:

Unsalted butter, for greasing

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1/4 cup honey

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 to 3 medium bananas)

1/4 cup warm water

Ingredients for Topping:

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving enough paper hanging over the sides to lift the cake out after baking. This is important because it will prevent the topping from breaking when removing the bread from the pan.

Prepare the batter: In a medium bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, using a large whisk, beat together the oil, eggs, and honey until smooth. Stir in bananas and warm water. Add the dry ingredients to the egg-oil mixture, and stir to blend. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Make the topping: In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon, using your fingers to break up any lumps. Sprinkle evenly over batter.

Bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour, checking after 50 minutes. If topping shows signs of burning, reduce heat to 325 degrees F.

Remove to a rack and let cool in pan for 30 minutes. Use the edges of the paper to lift the cake up and out. Place on a rack (leave the parchment paper on) and let cool before slicing and serving.

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie

Mom’s Lasagne Ready for the Oven

This is my Mom’s delicious Lasagne recipe that she has been making for our family since the 1960’s. Actually, it originally came from an authentic New York Italian restaurant who shared it with her, so you know it has to be great! I have often made this recipe for holidays, birthdays, or a special dinner party. You can make it ahead for convenience, and even freeze it for a later time.

With Mom’s Lasagne, my menu suggestion is to serve a tossed vinaigrette green salad, warm garlic bread, and a simple dessert like lemon walnut biscotti accompanied by scoops of limoncello gelato. Simple, but satisfying, this creates a nice menu for any special occasion.

In honor of Mother’s Day, I am sharing my Mom’s Lasagne recipe with all of you! I bet she will be very surprised! Enjoy!

Mom’s Lasagne

Makes 8-10 Servings

This recipe is made up of several different layers. Make your meatballs. Make your sauce. Shred your cheese. Once your prep work, and layers are made, assembling your lasagne goes quickly.

Partial Ingredients:

1 pound Ricotta cheese

1 pound Mozzarella cheese

4 ounces Parmesan cheese

1 pound Lasagne (pre-cooked) curly edge noodles

1 pound Italian Pork sausage

Make the Meatballs:

Take one 1 pound ground beef and mix with Italian bread crumbs. Shape into small 3/4” balls. Brown in a skillet. When cooked, set aside, until ready to add to the sauce.

Make the Sauce:

Remove skin from italian pork sausage, brown in skillet. until cooked. Add 1 clove garlic cut fine, a little chopped parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon sweet basil. Add 1 large can tomato paste, along with 1 large can tomatoes (run through a sieve). Simmer sauce for 15 minutes. Add cooked meatballs to the sauce.

Make Layers:

In a 9” x 13” baking pan make layers of sauce, lasagne noodles, ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan. Repeat your layers. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 40 minutes our until bubbly and cheese is melted and slightly browned on top. Let cool a few minutes out of the oven. Cut into squares for serving. If you froze your pre-made Lasagne, bring to room temperature before baking.

I heard from many of you who made the recent Pasta with Sausage, Lemon and Peas recipe. Thank you for your comments and raves!

Wishing all Mom’s a very Happy Mother’s Day!

May you be surrounded by your loved ones and a day of joy and blessings…Bonnie

Perfect Spring Pasta

I made recently one of my favorite recipes, Pasta with Sausage, Lemon, and Peas. What prompted me to dig up this almost forgotten recipe was I had all the ingredients at my fingertips—a new tub of crème fraîche, links of hot Italian chicken sausage, whole grain Dijon mustard, and frozen peas in the freezer. I thought what a great spring pasta recipe, especially if you are growing peas and fresh basil in the garden, and have ripe lemons from your trees.

Such a nice spring flavor pasta recipe, using asparagus comes to mind too. You could easily substitute fat fresh asparagus for peas too, blanching diagonally cut asparagus pieces for two minutes in pasta boiling water, straining them in a large scoop, and plunging pieces in an ice water bath to drain, cool, and pat dry. Ready to add to the recipe.

The recipe calls for half-fat or reduced crème fraîche, which I have never seen in the United States but is probably readily available in the UK. I use regular crème fraîche, and consider it a real treat. Adding the crème fraîche to the warm cooked pasta creates a light almost “alfredo-like” sauce, perfect for blending with all of the other ingredients, and without the heaviness and cheese.

This recipe is from BBC Good Food Magazine, Christmas 2001. BBC Good Food is the UK’s number one monthly food magazine that is packed with brand new recipes for everyday meals. I can’t remember how I came upon the magazine recipe, but I know I was taking a wine course at Mira Costa College in the evening, and quickly jotted this recipe down in class on notebook paper. Maybe I borrowed the magazine from a fellow classmate. I sure am glad I did, because I really like the simple combination of flavors that make this recipe a great one, and have enjoyed it over the years.

The recipe calls for 200 ml of crème fraîche which is about 3/4 of a cup minus 2 tablespoons. It serves four people and takes about 25 minutes to make. Vegetarians can use sliced mushrooms instead of sausages.

Pasta with Sausage, Lemon, and Peas

Makes Four Servings

BBC Good Food Magazine, Christmas 2001

Ingredients:

10 oz. dried pasta, such as penne

3/4 pound of quality pork sausage, or sausage of your choice

1 tablespoon olive oil

8 ounces frozen peas, or fresh peas, or blanched asparagus pieces

Pinch of chili flakes

Grated zest of one lemon

1 tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard

200 ml. tub half-fat crème fraîche

Handful of fresh basil leaves torn

Directions:

1) Cook the pasta, throw in a teaspoon of salt. Three minutes before the pasta is ready, add in the frozen peas and cook with pasta.

2) Meanwhile, fry the sausages. Split open sausages into bite size pieces to cook. Heat oil in frying pan, and stir fry the sausages for 3-4 minutes or until cooked through.

3) Add the seasonings. Add the chili flakes and lemon zest to the sausages and cook 1 minute. Stir in the mustard and crème fraîche and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Drain the pasta and peas, and stir into the sausage meat mixture. Season well with salt and pepper, stir in the fresh basil leaves and serve. Enjoy!

Jotting Down the Initial Recipe

Please share if you have a favorite spring recipe you enjoy making over the years.

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend….Bonnie