Cheese, Olive and Buttermilk Herb Bread

This recipe find came about when I was explaining to Amy how I had all this buttermilk that I needed to use and didn't know what to do with it. She promptly sent me this recipe. Right away I knew Isaac would like it. Cheese and bread... two of his favorite things. But, I must say, I think I liked it even more than he did! It is delicious. I just made a few alterations in the recipe. I left out the olives and doubled the sundries tomatoes.  Also, this is a British recipe, so I had no idea what "spring onions" were and bought a real onion at the store instead, only to discover afterward that "spring onions" are just green onions. I used chives instead of those and it worked out fine.

The best thing about this bread recipe is it doesn't require yeast. I hate cooking with yeast. It intimidates/frustrates me. So, please try this bread. It is very easy to make, and incredibly delicious!

Cheese, Olive and Buttermilk Herb Bread

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
60g freshly grated parmesan
60g grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup green olives, sliced
8 pieces sundried tomatoes, sliced thinly
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup mixture of spring onion and Italian parsley
2 tsp thyme leaves or 1 tsp dried thyme
2 eggs
2 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/4 cup buttermilk (or use 1 1/4 cup less 1 Tbsp fresh milk + 1 Tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice. Set aside for 10 minutes before using)
Egg wash (optional) made from 1 egg yolk beaten with 2 tsp water
Extra thyme springs and sea salt, for topping

Method:

1) Preheat oven to 180C or 350F. Generously butter a large loaf tin (23 x 13 x 6cm) and either line it with butter parchment paper or dust with flour. Set tin aside.

2) Sift flour, baking powder, soda, salt, pepper and mustard powder into a large bowl. Whisk with a whisk to incorporate the dry ingredients. Add both cheeses, olives, sundried tomatoes, spring onion, parsley and thyme and stir them thoroughly together.

3) In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, then whisk in the oil and buttermilk until they are well combined.

4) Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir together to form a thick, sticky batter. Scrape the batter into the prepared tin and spread it out evenly.

5) Brush the top of the batter with the egg wash and then srpinkly some thyme leaves and sea salt onto the loaf.

6) Bake for 40 - 45 minutes or until a fine skewer inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean. If the top starts to burn, place a piece of foil to cover the top of the loaf and continue baking. Leave in tin for 5 minutes before turning ot onto a wire rack.

7) This loaf is best served on the same day. Wrap left overs tighly and store in fridge. Gently reheat in oven if serving left overs.

Lemon Poppy Seed Zucchini Bread

½ Cup Butter, softened (room temperature)

1 1/3 Cups Sugar

3 Large Eggs

1 ½ Cups All-Purpose Flour

½ teaspoon Salt

1/8 teaspoon Baking Soda

½ Cup Sour Cream

1 Cup Shredded Zucchini

1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest

2 teaspoon Poppy Seeds

  

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Beat butter at medium speed until creamy.  Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.

In another bowl, stir together flour, salt and baking soda.  Add to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture.  Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition.  Stir in zucchini, lemon zest and poppy seeds.  Spoon batter into 3 greased and floured 5” x 3” loaf pans (about 1 1/3 cups batter per pan).

Bake at 325 degrees for 40 – 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool pans on wire rack for 10 minutes.  Remove from pans to wire racks and cool completely.

San Francisco Style Bread

My sister-in-law, Sue, called me on Saturday and said, that we needed to try this recipe for San Francisco style bread which has only four ingredients. She stated that the crust has just the right texture. 

This is one recipe that you'll need to plan ahead to make if you want to have it with your meal because it takes 8 - 18 hours for the bread to raise.   

So, here's what I did, right before I went to bed (and I'm not telling how late it was but before midnight),  I mixed-up the batter and left it on my counter to raise.  I woke-up around 6:30 a.m., turned the oven on and placed my little roaster pan in the over to heat up. 

While the oven heated up, I put the dough onto a pile of flour and kneaded it a little.  Once the oven was hot, I took the roaster pan out and placed a pre-cut piece of parchment paper on the bottom of the roaster. Then I carefully lifted the dough and placed it into the hot pan.  I put the lid onto the pan and placed the roaster back into the over. Thirty minutes later, I removed the lid and let the bread bake for an additional 15 minutes.  My oven cooks a little hot so I think about 12 minutes would have been perfect.  

By the time I left for work this morning, my house smelled wonderful and look how this bread turned out!  I broke off a few of the crusty top pieces and nibbled on it hot and oh my goodness, it was so so good.  Do you think my husband will notice that a few of it's pieces are missing?

So excited to have with with our dinner tonight.  I'm wondering if I used buttermilk, would the bread have a sour flavor?  I'm going to try that next.  I'll keep you posted on the results.

Update: I substituted buttermilk for 1 1/4 cups of the water.  I dissolved the yeast in 1/4 cup of water and the bread was even closer to the SF flavor.

Simply Delicious Dumplings

I had turkey left over from a holiday meal so the other day I made turkey and dumplings.   My older sister use to make chicken and dumplings when my parents would go out of town and last week I was thinking that I've never made a dumpling. 

This recipe is so easy and they taste delicious. Try them, you'll like them!

This recipe would also be good with a thicker beef stew.

1 c. flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 T. butter

1/2 c. milk

Stir together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.  Cut the butter into the dry ingredients until crumbly.  Stir in the milk until the flour is absorbed.  Drop by spoonfuls into the hot stew.  Cover and simmer for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.  Serve hot.

Super Moist, Healthy Cornbread

3/4 c. butter
4 eggs
1 cup corn meal
1 can cream corn
1 c. grated cheddar cheese
1 c. sugar
1 c. whole wheat flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp baking soda

In separate bowls:

• Combine all the wet ingredients. 
• Combine all the dry ingredients. 
• Combine wet with dry ingredients stiring only until mixed with a fork.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes in a greased 9 x 13 pan.

*Super moist cornbread...it's amazing & my new favorite corn bread recipe.  Too bad Mike doesn't like corn bread.

Awesome Cinnamon Rolls

I saw these on a blog I frequent and figured it was time to pull out the bread machine I've had sitting under my cupboard for a year. I don't know if any of you have a bread machine, but these were the best and easiest cinnamon rolls I have ever made (probably because a machine made the dough for me, which I often fail at). I think I'll be making these a lot in the future to give away to visiting teachers, etc.

 

Dough:

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm milk
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 egg, lightly beaten plus 2 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
4 cups flour (Add a bit more if dough seems too wet after first few minutes of kneading in the bread machine.)
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons bread machine yeast
Filling (I doubled this since we like our filling, oh yes we do!):
2 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup brown sugar mixed with 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Icing:
1 teaspoon milk
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
4 tablespoons (or less) butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla

Put the dough ingredients in the bread machine in the order listed and run on the dough cycle. After the dough cycle is finished, roll the dough into a large rectangle and spread it with 2 Tablespoons melted butter and 2/3 cup brown sugar mixed with 1 Tablespoon cinnamon.
Roll up and cut into 10-15 rolls and place in two greased round cake pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes or until browned. Spread the icing on as soon as they come out of the oven.

You can also cover the unbaked rolls with plastic wrap, stick them in the refrigerator overnight, and then bake in the morning.

Secret Code Buns

At Amy's request, here is the Boxcar Children's Secret Code Buns recipe. I'll spare you all having to translate the "secret code." :)

Tools needed: measuring cups, measuring spoons, plastic wrap, knife, 9x13 cake pan, large plastic bag and cookie sheet.

Ingredients

1 T flour
2 loaves frozen sweet roll dough (or make it easy on yourself and just buy the rolls)
1/2 cup raisins

"Secret Ingredients"

1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional
2 t cinnamon
2 T sugar

Thaw roll dough. Sprinkle flour on the counter and put the dough and raisins on top of it. Work as many raisins and you can into the dough (I don't remember doing this part). Work the dough with your hands for 2-3 minutes.

Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest during the next step--about 20 minutes. The dough will rise.

Use the "secret" ingredients to prepare the baking pan. Melt margarine in the cake pan over low heat. Remove from heat. Add brown sugar and stir until well mixed. Sprinkle chopped nuts over the mixture. Set the pan aside until needed.

Remove plastic wrap and cut the dough into 30 small balls (unless they're already in balls).
Put cinnamon and sugar into the large plastic bag. Shake the balls (3 at a time) in the bag and put them into the prepared pan.

Let the buns rise in a warm place until doubled in size. About one hour.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake the buns for 15 minutes.

Now this is IMPORTANT, use oven mitts to remove the pan from the oven. Let the buns cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

Also IMPORTANT, ask an adult to do this step. Place a cookie sheet over the buns. Using oven mitts, carefully flip the pan so that the cake pan is upside down and the buns are on the cookie sheet covered with the topping. Serve the buns warm.

Pineapple Coconut Crumb Muffins

Crumb Topping

1/3 c. flour
1/3 c. coconut (chopped if desired)
3 T. sugar
3 t/ chipped macadamia nuts
3 T. butter, softened

Mix together cutting the butter into the other ingredients with a knife.  Set aside.

Muffin Batter

1 1/3 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. coconut, slightly chopped
2 large eggs, whipped
1/2 c. oil
3 T. pineapple juice (reserve from drained pineapple)
3/4 c. drained crushed pineapple

Preheat oven to 375 degrees...Makes 12 regular muffins.
Stir together the dry ingredients and mix together the wet ingredients.  Stir the wet and dry ingredients together until just mixed.  Fill cups 2/3 full.  Crumble topping over batter.  Slightly press the topping into the batter.  Bake for 20-22 minutes or until wooden pick inserted into center of the muffin comes out clean. Let cool in tin for about 5 minutes.  Remove to wire rack or eat them while they are warm. 

These taste a lot like the Hawaiian Coffee Cake but with a little twist.  Dad even liked them!

Grandma Cox’s Potato Yeast Rolls

Into 1/3 cup of warm water, add 2 packages of yeast.  Stir until dissolved.  Add into the warm yeast water 3/4 cup of sugar. 

(This is a great way to test your yeast and make sure it’s working…the sugar will make the yeast foam).

Boil 1 medium potato which has been peeled and diced in 1 1/2 c. of boiling water (until the pieces are really soft). 

Do not drain off any water which has not boiled out of the potatoes!

Add 2 cups of milk and 1/2 c. shortening. 

Beat until really smooth (I use an electric beater).

Add 2 tsp. salt and yeast mixture.

Stir in 8 3/4 - 9 cups of flour.  When the mixture is too thick & you can’t stir any longer, start kneading the flour into the dough.  Do not add too much flour, the mixture will feel a little sticky.  (I like whole wheat flour but Mike does not).

Spray bowl with Pam for baking and cover the dough with a clean tea towel.  Let the dough rise in a warm spot.  About 1-2 hours.

Roll the dough out until it’s around 1/2” thick.  Cut out your rolls using a round cookie cutter.  Dip one side in melted butter and fold over.  Place onto a cookie sheet.  Cover your rolls with a tea towel and let rise again until double in size.  Depending on how warm the room is…the rolls will rise in about an hour.

Bake rolls at 400˚ for about 8-10 minutes.  Serve warm…YUMMY!

Chocolate Almond Zucchini Bread

Andrea use to make this recipe, she thought it was great with chocolate chips added....I liked it without the extra chocolate.

3 eggs, beaten
1 c. sugar
1 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. almond extract
2 c. grated zucchini
2 c. flour
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate squares
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 c. slivered or sliced almonds

Add sugars and oil to the eggs. Melt chocolate; cool slightly.  Add zucchini & almond extract; add chocolate.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix dry ingredients together and stir into wet ingredients. Fold in almonds (if desired)  Bake in 2 loaf pans that have been spayed with pam and dusted with flour. Bake for 50-60 minutes. Cool in pans for at least 15 minutes, remove from the pan and cool on rack.

Orange-Butter Coconut Rolls

Tonight we are having a recipe exchange for enrichment...I wanted to take a recipe that was a little different and yummy but one I could make the night before...so last night I made these:  Mike had a morning doctor appointment and got a warm treat for breakfast . . . they are pretty looking, fun with the coconut and the glaze makes them super moist.  By the time I got home for work, this is all that was left...sorry the photo isn't the best!

Orange Butter Coconut Bread                   by Joy Candrian

2 pkg. yeast dissolved in ¼ c. warm water, add ¼ c. sugar and let the yeast foam for 2-3 minutes.

2 whipped eggs                                ½ c. sour cream

½ c. butter                                          1 tsp. salt

2 ¾ - 3 ¼ c. flour                                1 c. coconut

Grate one orange into zest

Stir into foamy yeast water: eggs, sour cream, butter & salt. Stir in 2 ¾ c. flour. Knead in enough flour so that the dough is soft.  Place the dough in a greased bowl and let rise for about an hour or until doubled. Punch down. Divide dough into 2 balls. Roll each half into a 12” circle.  Blush dough with about 1 T. butter. Sprinkle with sugar, ¾ c. coconut, and orange zest.  Cut each circle into 12 wedges.  Roll up wedges, starting at wide end. Arrange rolls, pinwheel fashion into 2 greased 9-10” round pans. Cover and let rise until double.  Bake in 350˚ for about 22 minutes. Top with glaze.  Sprinkle remaining coconut onto the top.

Glaze: In a sauce pan combine ¼ c. sugar, ¼ c. orange juice & 2 ½ T. butter.  Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves.  Boil for 3 minutes.  Stir in ¼ c. sour cream.  Pour over the warm rolls. 

Bloomin' Onion Bread

Mmmm. This bread was tasty! I served it last night with dinner and everyone loved it. I didn't have poppyseeds (I'm not really sure what that would add to it), but I don't think it needed them. I will definitely be making this again.



1 unsliced loaf (round is preferable) sourdough bread.
1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, thinly sliced
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup finely diced green onion, with tops
2-3 tsp poppy seeds

Directions:
Cut the bread lengthwise and widthwise - without cutting through the bottom crust. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Insert cheese between cuts. Combine butter, onion, and poppy seeds. Drizzle over bread. Wrap in foil; place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Unwrap. Bake 10 more minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Best Dinner Rolls EVER!!!

Yes, yet another recipe from The Pioneer Woman . . . I made these rolls for lunch to go along with some soup I made last night (not worth posting about) and we all loooooved them! I must have tried a dozen different bread/roll recipes since we moved here and all of them were just okay, but this one is a WINNER. I will probably make these over and over again. They were easy to make, had the perfect texture (slightly hard on the outsight and soft and chewy on the inside), and the flavor was perfect. I used salted butter when greasing the cupcake pans and I think that might have helped make the flavor so awesome. She claims no kneading is required, but at the end when you're adding one more cup of flour it kind of helps to knead it to get it to all mix together (or you could just use a Kitchen Aid to make it easy on yourself). I halved the recipe and it made about 18 rolls. For step by step picture instructions, go here: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/11/pw_dinner_rolls_-_no_kneading_required/

Ingredients
4 cups Milk
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Vegetable Oil
9 cups Flour
2 packages (4 1/2 Tsp.) Active Dry Yeast
1 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
1 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda
2 Tablespoons Salt

Preparation Instructions
Pour 4 cups of milk into a stock pot or Dutch oven. Add one cup of sugar and 1 cup of vegetable oil. Stir to combine. Now, turn the burner on medium to medium-low and “scald” the mixture/lukewarm (between 90 and 110 degrees).

Before the mixture boils, turn off the heat. NOW. Very important stuff here: walk away. Walk away and allow this mixture to cool to warm/lukewarm. The mixture will need to be warm enough to be a hospitable environment for the yeast, but not so hot that it kills the yeast and makes it inactive. I don’t usually use a thermometer, but if you’d like to, a good temperature is between 90 and 110 degrees. I usually feel the side of the pan with the palm of my hand. If it’s hot at all, I wait another 20 minutes or so. The pan should feel comfortably warm.

When the mixture is the right temperature add in 4 cups of flour and 2 packages of (4-1/2 teaspoons) of active dry yeast. After the yeast and flour are nicely incorporated, add another 4 cups of flour. Stir together and allow to sit, covered with a tea towel or lid, for an hour. After about an hour it should have almost doubled in size. If it hasn’t changed much, put it in a warm (but turned off ) oven for 45 minutes or so. When it had risen sufficiently add 1 more cup of flour, 1 heaping teaspoon of baking powder, 1 scant teaspoon of baking soda and about 2 tablespoons of salt. Stir (or knead just a bit) until combined.

Butter 1 or 2 muffin pans. Form the rolls by pinching off a walnut sized piece of dough and rolling it into a little ball. Repeat and tuck three balls of dough into each buttered muffin cup. Continue until pan is full. Cover and allow to rise for about 1 to 2 hours.

Bake in a 400-degree oven until golden brown, about 14-15 minutes for a fast cooking oven or 17-20 for a slow cooking oven.

Pumpkin Bread

I've tried a lot of pumpkin bread recipes over the years and this one ranks up there as one of the best. It was easy, moist, and flavorful. The girl on the blog I got it from said it was an old family recipe--and you usually can't go wrong with those. A lot of the pumpkin breads I've tried have been too sweet and too cake like and this one was a little less so. The recipe says it makes one loaf, but I made two small loaves (for visiting teaching) and about a dozen or so muffins (I adjusted the cooking time to about 20 minutes for the muffins and 30 for the mini loaves).

Pumpkin Bread

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 can (8oz) pumpkin

1 3/4 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/3 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat together sugar and vegetable oil. Add eggs and pumpkin. Combine the remaining dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Add to pumpkin mixture, alternating with water (starting and ending with the dry ingredients). Pour into a well greased loaf pan. Bake for approximately one hour, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Cake Cornbread

Mike doesn't like cornbread but I do and I know Rob does. This is an easy, super moist recipe. It's yummy for a side dish and good for breakfast too.

Cake Cornbread

1 (18.25-ounce) package yellow cake mix
1/3 cup

vegetable oil, if called for in mix
3 large eggs, if called for in mix
1 (15-ounce) package cornbread mix

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking pan; set aside.
2. Prepare yellow cake mix according to the package directions. This may require the oil and eggs.
3. In a separate bowl, prepare cornbread mix according to the package directions. Blend the two batters and pour into baking pan.
4. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cut into squares to serve.

Makes 12 servings.

For all you PUMPKIN lovers out there (two recipes)

Since it seems all of us (minus Brian) are craving pumpkin these days, here are a couple more recipes to satisfy your craving! I haven't made the pumpkin ravioli yet (I'll save that for a night Brian is at the hospital) but it looked so good I had to share it anyway! If anyone else tries it first, let us know! By the way, both of these recipes are from Cooking Light magazine, just in case anyone is trying to be healthy.

Also, as a follow-up to my butternut squash orzotto recipe, it was divine! I actually made it as a risotto instead of using orzo and I absolutely loved it! Lorena, not to knock the asparagus risotto, but I loved this one even more, so I think you and Rob would also like it a lot.

Pumpkin Streusel Buns

Andrea and I made these this weekend and they were delicious! I used cream cheese frosting instead of the suggested glaze, but I wish I would have just used the glaze because the cream cheese frosting made them almost too sweet!

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1 bun)
Ingredients

Buns:
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/4 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 cup Pumpkin Puree (canned pumpkin)
1/2 cup 1% low-fat milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Cooking spray
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces



Glaze:
3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 tablespoon hot water
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract



To prepare the buns, dissolve yeast in warm water in a large bowl; let stand for 5 minutes. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Add 2 cups flour, pumpkin, and next 5 ingredients (pumpkin through nutmeg); beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes); add enough of the remaining 3/4 cup flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky).


Place the dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, for 45 minutes or until doubled in size. (Press two fingers into the dough. If an indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.)


Combine 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Punch dough down; cover and let rest for 5 minutes. Roll the dough into a 12 x 10-inch rectangle on a floured surface. Sprinkle with brown sugar mixture. Roll up the rectangle tightly, starting with a long edge, pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets; pinch seam and ends to seal. Cut roll into 12 (1-inch) slices. Place slices in a 9-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise 25 minutes or until doubled in size.


Preheat oven to 375°.


Bake the rolls at 375° for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 15 minutes in pan on a wire rack.


To prepare the glaze, combine the powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon water, and vanilla extract in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Drizzle glaze over buns. Serve warm.

Pumpkin Ravioli

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh sage
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
30 round wonton wrappers
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Cooking spray
1 cup fat-free milk
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
3 tablespoons chopped hazelnuts, toasted (optional)

Preparation
Spoon pumpkin onto several layers of heavy-duty paper towels, and spread to 1/2-inch thickness. Cover with additional paper towels; let stand 5 minutes. Scrape into a medium bowl using a rubber spatula. Stir in breadcrumbs, Parmesan, salt, minced sage, pepper, and nutmeg.
Working with 1 wonton wrapper at a time (cover remaining wrappers with a damp towel to keep from drying), spoon 2 teaspoons pumpkin mixture into the center of wrapper. Brush edges of wrapper with water and fold in half, pressing edges firmly with fingers to form a half-moon. Place on a large baking sheet sprinkled with cornstarch. Repeat procedure with remaining wonton wrappers and pumpkin mixture.

Fill a large Dutch oven with water; bring to a simmer. Add half of ravioli to pan (cover remaining ravioli with a damp towel to keep from drying). Cook 4 minutes or until done (do not boil), stirring gently. Remove ravioli with a slotted spoon; lightly coat with cooking spray, and keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining ravioli. (*You can assemble the ravioli a day ahead, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. The ravioli will float when they are perfectly cooked.)

Combine milk and flour in a saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil; cook for 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add butter, stirring until butter melts. Gently stir in Gorgonzola.

Place 5 ravioli in each of 6 shallow bowls, and drizzle each serving with 3 tablespoons Gorgonzola mixture. Sprinkle each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons hazelnuts. Serve immediately.

Spinach Twist

I think this looks heavenly. And maybe it really doesn't. Maybe it just looks like a big blog of dough with spinach spewing out of it. But I think it looks delicious.

Compliments of Sister's Cafe


Spinach Twist (this link has a more detailed and even step by step photo, yum)
submitted by Erin ~ sisterscafe.blogspot.com
printable recipe

8 Rhodes Texas rolls, thawed and risen (or 12 regular dinner rolls)
1 8-oz pkg cream cheese
3 c chopped fresh spinach
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp rosemary
1 egg
1/4 c parmesan cheese
2 c chopped ham
1 c sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 c chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 egg, beaten
parmesan cheese, if desired

Press rolls together and roll out to a 10x13 inch rectangle. Mix cream cheese, spinach, basil, rosemary, egg, parmesan cheese and ham in bowl. Spread mixture over dough. Saute mushrooms, onion, garlic, butter, salt and pepper. Spread over cream cheese mixture. Starting with the longest side, roll dough up tightly and place seam side down. Tuck ends under. With a long, serrated knife, cut roll lengthwise in half. Carefully, roll each half so the cut side is facing out. Twist halves together 3 times and then pinch ends together and tuck under. This will form a long twist. Place on baking sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Brush with egg and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Cover with sprayed plastic wrap and let rise until double. Remove wrap and bake at 350 degrees 45 minutes. Do not underbake. Cove with foil the last 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before slicing.