Sausage Apples

Here's a variation on the Baked Sausage Stuffed Apples I made last fall. You can find that recipe at the end of this post.

4 pork and beef breakfast sausages
1/2 small onion, minced
3 large baking apples
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/4 tsp sage
salt and pepper to taste

Remove the sausage casings and break the meat up in a skillet.

Cut the tops off the apples and scoop out the middles using a small ice cream scoop or melon baller. Discard the core and chop up the apple. Add it to the meat along with the minced onion.

Add the seasonings and cook just until the meat is no longer pink. Stuff the hollowed out apples, place the tops back on and bake at 350 F for 30 minutes.

I served them over cheddar mashed potatoes, drizzled with the pan juices from the apples.

You might also like:

Baked Sausage Stuffed Apples
http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.ca/2015/10/baked-sausage-stuffed-apples.html

Spiced Oatmeal Everything Cookies

A little bit of everything goes a long way.
Great as a breakfast cookie, seriously.  They've got fruit, nuts and oatmeal.  And coffee!

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
3 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup instant coffee granules

Cream the butter and sugars together, then add eggs and vanilla.

Mix the flour, salt, baking soda and powder, cinnamon and allspice together and incorporate into the butter mixture. Add the rolled oats, cranberries, walnuts and coffee. Take heaping tablespoonfuls and roll into balls. Place on lined cookie sheet and press the middle down gently.

Bake at 350 F for 10 - 12 minutes

One Hour French Bread

What do you mean, you do not have time to make bread? You can make this one while getting other stuff ready for dinner.

1 tbsp honey
1  1/2 tsp salt
1  1/2 cup warm tap water
1 tbsp yeast
4 - 4  1/2 cups flour

Put the honey and salt in the bottom of a very large bowl. Add warm water and sprinkle the yeast on top and leave it for 20 minutes.

Go back to what you were making for supper.

After 20 minutes add the flour to the yeast mixture and knead a few minutes. Don't freak out, it's easy! Once the dough is nice and elasticy cover with a tea towel and walk away for 20 minutes.

Supper must be almost ready by now.

Peek under the tea towel, the dough has risen eh?

So transfer dough to a baking sheet that has been sprinkled with cornmeal, snip it with scissors a few times.

Put a pan of water on the bottom rack, the bread on the middle rack and bake in a 400 F oven for 20 - 25 minutes.

Now you have time to sit down and have a glass of wine.

Fresh hot bread in just ONE hour!
You're welcome : )

Banana Walnut Bread with Ricotta

This is one moist banana bread

1/4 cup melted butter
3 ripe bananas
1 egg
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup ricotta
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1  1/2 tsps baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
A pinch or 2 of nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped walnuts


Mash the bananas and add the melted butter and egg. 
Next add the sugar, ricotta and vanilla. 

In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Combine these dry ingredients with the banana mixture and fold in the walnuts.

Pour (or dollop) into a parchment lined 9 X 5" loaf pan.

Place on bottom rack in a 350 F oven for 65-75 minutes. 
A cake tester should come out clean.

Cool 20 minutes before removing from pan, then cool completely on rack before slicing.

Honey Cornbread

I felt like having cornbread with my chili, but hubby was like "I don't like cornbread...I don't like the texture of it." Well, I didn't have any fine cornmeal so I just whirled my gritty cornmeal in the food processor a bit.

1/2 cup fine cornmeal
1  1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 tbsps melted margarine or butter
2 tbsps liquid honey
2 eggs
1  1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup kernel corn
1/2 tsp chili flakes
Sprinkle paprika

Mix cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together. 
Add the oil, marg, honey, eggs and milk. Then stir in the corn and chili flakes.

Pour into 8 mini loaf pans that have been prepared with cooking spray. Give them each a little sprinkle of paprika.

Bake at 350 F for 25-30 minutes

"Hey, these are good!" he said.

Why does he always sound surprised?

Good Old Fashioned Meatloaf

Who doesn't like meatloaf?

2  1/2 lbs lean ground beef
1/2 cup cooked rice
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped radishes
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 tsps salt
1 tbsps worcestershire sauce
1 tsp sage
zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup oats
8 crushed cheesy Ritz crackers

Glaze:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce

Mix all the loaf ingredients together and press into a long parchment lined loaf pan. This one is double the size of the standard 9 X 5" pan. (Or use 2 regular ones) 

Mix the glaze ingredients together and spoon over the top.

Bake at 350 F for 1 - 1  1/4 hours, then let sit 10-15 minutes before slicing.

And there's enough leftover to freeze for another meal!

Homemade Meat Marinara Sauce

Nothing like a good plate of pasta. 
I really think I was Italian in a previous life!

1/4 cup olive oil
2 small onions, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb ground trio (beef,pork,veal)
2 stalks celery, diced
1 whole carrot
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 cup water
2 - 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes
2 - 3 oz tomato paste

1/4 cup red wine (optional)

Heat large skillet, add olive oil, onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat until onion is transluscent. Add the meat. I like the trio but you could use beef or any combination of the three. Brown and break apart the meat cooking until no pink is visible.

Add the celery and carrot. The whole carrot reduces the acidity of the tomatoes.

Now to the tomatoes. I usually would add 2 cans of crushed tomatoes or canned diced tomatoes. But I saw these San Marzano type tomatoes packed in purée. Nice!

I mashed the whole tomatoes with a potato masher and added them to the pot along with the tomato paste, salt, pepper, basil, oregano and water.

Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer uncovered 1-2 hours or until carrot is soft. Add the red wine if using.

Enjoy it over your favourite pasta!