Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

Original recipe from A Kitchen Addiction. 

Ingredients, Muffins:

• 1/2 c butter, melted 
• 3 c flour
• 1 c sugar
• 2 T poppy seeds
• 1 t baking powder
• 1/2 t soda
• 1/2 t salt
• 1 1/2 c yogurt
• zest of 3 lemons or 1/2 t lemon oil
• 2 eggs

Ingredients, Syrup

• 1/4 c lemon juice
• 1/4 c powder sugar
• coarse sugar for sprinkling, opt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375. In a medium glass bowl or quart jar, melt butter and set aside to cool.
2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, soda, and salt.
3. To the melted butter, add yogurt lemon zest or oil, and eggs. 
4. Gently fold wet ingredients into dry, mixing until just incorporated.
5. Bake. Ready when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• muffin tin: 15-20 min
• mini muffin tin: 10-12 min
• silicone muffin cups: 25-30 min
• loaf pan 40-60 min
• mini loaf pan: 20-25 min
6. While baking, make syrup by heating lemon juice and sugar until well combined. 
7. Remove from pan or muffin cups and place on a cooling rack inside a cookie sheet (to catch extra drips). Brush with lemon syrup, then sprinkle with optional coarse sugar.
8. Let cool before serving. 

Sourdough Crackers

Original recipe from King Arthur Baking.

Ingredients

• 1 c starter
• 1 c wheat flour
• ½ t salt
• 4 T (¼ c) olive oil

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients together, kneading by hand to complete the process. If crumbly, add another teaspoon of oil. If wet, add more flour, to make a non-sticky cohesive dough.
2. Divide dough in half and press into two rectangles the size of a mini bread pan. Set on a plate and cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 1-5 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 350.
4. Remove from fridge, place one rectangle onto a piece of parchment paper. Holding the paper in place, roll the dough into a large square. Optional: spray with oil and sprinkle with extra salt. Place parchment paper onto a cookie sheet. Repeat with second dough rectangle. Using a pizza cutter, divide into cracker-sized squares.
5. Bake 20-25 minutes, trading places halfway through if cookie sheets are on different racks.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp or Pie

Pictured: strawberry rhubarb pie

Original recipe from Plated Cravings. 

Strawberry Rhubarb Ingredients:

• 1/4 c cornstarch
• 1/2 c sugar
• 6 c sliced fresh rhubarb, strawberries, or mix (if frozen, measure out 9 c, then thaw)
• 1 T lemon juice, vanilla, or a mix
• 1 recipe crisp topping (below), or 1 recipe pie crust

Crisp Topping Ingredients:

• 1 c oats
• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1/2 c soft butter
• 1/3 c flour
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1/4 t salt 

Pie Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 425. Roll out pie dough on a floured surface using a floured rolling pin (here's my favorite).
2. Place in pie pan, trimming sides 1" from pan edge, then fold edge in and press decoratively. Trimming can be baked into cinnamon toast scraps.
3. Bake 15 min, reduce heat to 350 and bake 35-45 min more. Let rest 10 minutes before serving with ice cream.

Crisp Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x9 baking dish.
2. In a large bowl,a dd rhubarb, strawberries, and lemon and/or vanilla. Sprinkle corn starch & sugar over all. Toss to coat, and transfer to baking dish.
3. In a medium bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, butter, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Scatter small pieces of topping over the fruit.
4. Bake 45-60 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving with ice cream.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Original recipe from our favorite bread recipe.

Ingredients:

• 3 T sugar
• 2 T yeast
• 3 c very warm water (think cozy bath temp)
• 4 T oil (I use olive oil)
• 5 c white whole wheat, milled (about 6-8 cup wheat flour)
• 1 T salt 
• 4 T melted butter or other oil
• 2/3 c sugar
• 2 T cinnamon
• raisins, optional
• chopped walnuts/pecans, optional

Directions:

1. Stir together yeast, water, and sugar; let it bubble.  Stir in oil and 3 cup flour, let sit 15 minutes.  Mix in salt and remaining flour, kneading when dough gets thick until just slightly sticky, like a sticky note. Cover and let sit in a warm place 1 hour (for more tips on the bread-making portion, look here).
2. Grease two loaf pans. Sprinkle counter with a few tablespoons of white flour (I prefer white flour for the finished crust, but wheat would work). Knead dough and punch out all air bubbles. Cut into 2 pieces. Knead, working each piece into a long, thin rectangle, equal to the long side of the bread pan and twice as long (about 8x16 inches). 
3. Grease or spray two bread pans. Spread oil or butter over top, 2 T per loaf. In a small bowl, mix cinnamon and sugar, then divide equally across dough. Sprinkle with optional nuts and raisins. Roll, tucking ends under, and place into pan.
4. Let rise 20 minutes (using timer), then preheat the oven to 350 (loaves should be risen to about the top of pans). Once oven is preheated, loaves should be risen past the pan tops. 
5. Bake 40-45 minutes, or till a thermometer inserted in center reads 195*. For best results, let cool before slicing. 

Tikka Masala

Original recipe from All Recipes.

Ingredients:

• 1 T olive oil
• 2 peppers, diced
• 1 onion, diced 
• 3 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 t fresh ginger (or 1/2 t ground)
• 1 (14 oz) can tomatoes
• 3 T dry kasoori methi (fenugreek) leaves
• 1-2 T tandoori curry paste (more for heat)
• 1 t salt
• 1/4 t cardamom
• 1/2 t pepper
• 1 c red lentils
• 1 c broth
• 3 c cooked chicken (2 cans) or 2 cans garbanzo beans?
• 1 lb broccoli, chopped & steamed
• 1 c half and half or milk (or coconut milk?)

Directions:

1. In a medium pan over medium heat, warm oil. Add onion and peppers and saute. Add garlic and ginger and saute one minute more. 
2. In a blender pitcher: pour tomatoes, sauted veg, and spices. Blend until smooth. 
3. Return to pan. Add lentils and water, bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and simmer 30-40 minutes, until water is absorbed. 
4. Add chicken, broccoli, and cream/milk over medium and heat through.
5. Serve with naan bread, quinoa, or rice.

Naan Bread

Original recipe from Budget Bytes.

Yield: 16 pieces

Ingredients:

• 1 T sugar
• 1 1/2 T yeast
• 1 1/2 c warm water
• 1/2 c olive oil
• 1 t salt
• 4-5 c flour (at least 1 c white flour)
• butter & garlic salt for frying

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, sprinkle sugar and yeast. Slowly pour warm water over all (try to wet every grain).
2. Let yeast bubble 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, if needed, mill the wheat into flour (I use the WonderMill on its finest setting). 
3. Pour oil into water mixture. Add 2 cups flour and whisk to combine. Let sit for 15 minutes (I use my timer so I don't forget it).
4. Add salt and more flour one cup at a time, mixing to combine each addition. Add and mix or knead flour until dough pulls together but still feels slightly sticky, like a sticky note. Knead dough 5-10 minutes. 
5. Place into large bowl and cover. Let rise 40-50 minutes (using timer again), or until double. 
6. Sprinkle counter with a few tablespoons of flour. Knead dough and punch out all air bubbles. Cut into halves 8 times (16 pieces) and work each piece until the dough will stretch over itself without ripping. Fold dough under itself and shape into a ball. 
7. Heat cast iron skillet to medium high. Roll each piece to 1/4 inch thick. Drop 1/2 t butter on pan and sprinkle with garlic salt for each naan. Fry each side 1 minute. 
8. Serve hot with tikka masala, coconut lentil curry, or shish kabobs; or cold with hummus.

Snickerdoodles

Origional recipe from Two Peas and their Pod.

Yield: about 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients, dough:

• 1 c butter, creamed
• 1 1/2 c sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 t vanilla
• 1/4 t salt
• 1 t soda
• 2 t cream of tartar
• 3 c flour

Ingredients, topping:

• 3 T sugar
• 3 T cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. In a large bowl or kitchenaid, beat butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and cream together until smooth.
3. Add dry ingredients until just combined (dough will be crumbly). Roll into balls, about 2 T per cookie.
4. In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Roll each dough ball into the mixture and place 12 to a cookie sheet.
5. Bake 10 minutes. Let cookies cool on sheet 2-5 minutes before transfering to wire rack to cool.

Stuffing Chicken

 Original recipe from family.

Ingredients:

• 2 lb chicken pieces
• 2 c gravy
• 1 c sour cream
• 2 recipe stuffing, or one box

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Rinse chicken pieces and place in a 9x13 pan. Mix gravy with sour cream and pour over chicken pieces. Cover tightly with foil and bake 40-60 minutes, until chicken is cooked thorugh.
2. Make stuffing according to directions. Remove chicken from oven and set oven to broil. Remove foil and top chicken mixture with stuffing. Broil 3-5 minutes, until crispy on top. Serve with favorite veggies.