Monday, January 31, 2011

Old Fashioned Orange Bread Recipe

Tasty sweet bread is always very welcome at any tea table. Often the soda breads involve creaming of the butter and sugar. Without the help of an electric stand mixer, such as one of the KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Stand Mixers, it is hard work. With a mixer though it is easy and anyone can accomplish it.

To give you an idea, here is a recipe for a good old fashioned orange bread.

Old Fashioned Orange Bread Recipe

Ingredients:
  • 2 cups of flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon bicarb
  • 2 eggs, well beaten
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • The grated rind of one orange
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
Method:
  1. Prepare a brad pan
  2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees of Fahrenheit
  3. Sift the dry ingredients together three times
  4. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy
  5. Slowly add the rest of the ingredients while beating well in between, alternate the eggs, flour mixture and the orange juice
  6. Lastly stir in the orange rind
  7. Pour the dough into the well greased and lined bread tin
  8. Bake the bread for one hour
  9. Let the bread cool down and ice with orange icing and sift with cocoanut.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Puffed Pumpkin Rolls

Pumpkin is not only for Halloween and Thanksgiving; a tasty pumpkin roll will be welcome any time of the year. Making these with and electric stand mixture, such as one of the KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Stand Mixers, will make this recipe very easy to do.

What You Need:
  • 2 TBSP solid shortening
  • 1 1/4 C sugar
  • 2 lg. eggs, beaten
  • 1 C pumpkin puree
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 3 C all purpose flour
  • 3 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1 C milk
How to Make It:
  1. Place the shortening and sugar into a large mixing bowl.
  2. Cream the two together with an electric stan mixer, such as one of the KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Stand Mixers, on medium speed until smooth.
  3. Add the eggs and mix until they are just incorporated into the batter.
  4. Place the pumpkin puree and vanilla into the mixture and continue mixing until well combined.
  5. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
  6. Sprinkle in the cinnamon and nutmeg and toss to combine.
  7. Alternating back and forth between the flour mixture and the milk add each a little at a time being sure to mix slightly after each addition.
  8. Place the dough, covered, in the refrigerator for 1 hour to chill.
  9. Once chilled, roll the dough on a flat, lightly floured surface to 1/4in. Thickness.
  10. Use a cookie cutter, dusted with flour, to cut out the puffs.
  11. Bring the oil in a deep fryer to 365 degrees.
  12. Drop the puffs a couple at a time into the hot oil and fry until a light golden brown.
  13. Place on paper to drain.
12 Servings

Replace the pumpkin puree with squash puree for something a little different. Puffs can also be glazed by using a little confectioners’ sugar dissolved in milk and spread over the puffs while still slightly warm.

It is even possible to replace the pumpkin puree with apple sauce for something completely different. So, experiment with this recipe and come up with your own combinations.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Veggie Crudités Dip

Veggie Crudités Dip

A dip for your veggies does not have to be unhealthy and over processed with all kinds of preservatives. Try this recipe and make your own healthy and tasty dip that will delight family and friends.
 
Ingredients:
  • 2/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 2/3 cup sour cream
  • 1 TBSP dried parsley flakes
  • 1 TBSP dried green onion flakes (or regular onion flakes)
  • 1 tsp garlic salt
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1 tsp hot sauce
Method:
  1. In a large bowl, blend together all the ingredients with a hand blender, such as a KitchenAid KHB300 Hand Blender, until smooth and creamy.
  2. Put in jar with good lid and refrigerate until needed, up to 3 or 4 weeks.
As you can see this is really a quick and easy recipe. It is tasty and can be whipped up in no time. Try this the next time when you want to serve cool veggies and dip on a hot summer's day.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Cycle Training Indoors When It Is Cold Out

If you are a cycling enthusiast I'm sure you find it hard to keep in shape during the long, cold winter. When it is very cold and there is a lot of snow it may be impossible to go outside and then you need and alternative indoors.

For cyclists this is actually very easy. The best idea is to get a indoor trainer such as the Bell Motivator Mag Indoor Bicycle Trainer or the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine Indoor Trainer. With there trainers you fit your bicycle on it and you have converted your bike to an indoor bike.

The indoor trainers that you choose will depend on your needs. What is it that you really expect from your trainer? Here it is perhaps a good idea to look at a comparison between the Bell Motivator Mag Indoor Bicycle Trainer and the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine Indoor Trainer.

When comparing the benefits and features of each trainer you get an idea of what is available out there and what would be the best for your needs. Of course, the price will differ and that would be one of the considerations to take into account.

Go to my other blogger article and have a look at Comparing The Bell Motivator Mag Indoor Bicycle Trainer To The Kurt Kinetic Road Machine Indoor Trainer and decide for yourself.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Easy Fast Breakfast Smoothies

Making smoothies and serving them for breakfast is not only a fun treat your kids will love, but they will also give you the needed nutrition to start your day. Next time you don’t have time to cook breakfast, think smoothie. With a hand blender, such as the KitchenAid KHB300 Hand Blender, you will whip them up in no time.

No Monkey Business Here Smoothie

Kids will enjoy this one, as well as adults.
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup vanilla ice cream
  • 2 tbsp. peanut butter
  • 1 banana, frozen
Break banana into chunks, then combine with other ingredients and blend until smooth. This smoothie is thick enough to eat with a spoon. To thin it out some, add more milk until you get the desired consistency.

Berry Fruity Smoothie

This recipe calls for frozen fruit and you can use whatever combination of fruit you like or have on hand.
  • 1 cup frozen fruit
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/4 cup sugar
Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Easy-schmeezy and ready in just a couple of minutes.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Easy Homemade Hummus Recipe

Making this homemade hummus recipe is very easy if you have a food processor, such as one of the KitchenAid 700-Watt 12-Cup Food Processors. Make sure you take a little time with the oil and get the consistence just right for your taste.

Homemade Hummus Recipe

Ingredients:
  • 1 can (16 oz) garbanzo beans (chick peas), drained
  • 1/2 cup sesame seeds
  • 3 TBSP lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 TBSP fresh parsley
  • 1/2 cup vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup olive oil (more or less until consistency is right)
  • cayenne pepper to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • salt to taste
Method:

  1. In food processor, blend together garbanzo beans, sesame seeds, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, and vegetable broth, until smooth.
  2. With processor on, start to drizzle in olive oil.
  3. Watch closely and add more if consistency is too thick.
  4. Stop and taste, then add seasonings, mix, stop, taste, add more... and continue until the hummus is seasoned the way you like it.
There you have it, fast and easy and very tasty. I like the idea that you are in control of the taste when you make this Homemade Hummus Recipe.

Friday, January 7, 2011

Easy Breakfast Mixed Vegetable Frittata Recipe

If you are like me, you are always on the lookout for tasty and easy breakfast recipes. The one I have for you today involves some chopping and slicing, but with a food processor, such as one of the KitchenAid 700-Watt 12-Cup Food Processors, that should not present a problem.

So, try this tasty frittata recipe when you want to serve something special for breakfast.

Breakfast Mixed Vegetable Frittata Recipe

What You Need:
  • 1 yellow squash, sliced thin
  • 1 zucchini, sliced thin
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 C of low fat mozzarella cheese
  • 1 tomato, sliced
  • 1/4 C feta cheese, crumbled
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 C of skim milk
  • 1/4 tsp basil
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 C Parmesan cheese, grated
How to Make It:
  1. Set the oven temperature to 375 and preheat.
  2. Spray a 9 inch pie plate well with a nonstick cooking spray.
  3. Place the squash, zucchini and onion into a microwave safe bowl.
  4. Cover and microwave on high for 7 minutes or until tender.
  5. Drain well and place in the prepared pie plate.
  6. Top the vegetables with the mozzarella cheese and then the tomatoes.
  7. Spread the feta cheese over the tomatoes.
  8. Whisk the eggs, milk, basil, garlic, salt and pepper together well.
  9. Pour the mixture over the top.
  10. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.
  11. Bake for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
  12. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.
Makes 8 servings

This is a great way to use up all those extra garden vegetables. Use whatever mix of vegetables you have on hand.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Healthy, Sweet Crunchy Oatmeal Granola Recipe

When you do not have the time to cook a healthy breakfast these oatmeal granola bars can come in very handy. If you have a toaster oven, such at the Cuisinart TOB 195 Exact Heat Toaster Oven Broiler Stainless, you can make these very cheaply. The Cuisinart TOB 195 Exact Heat Toaster Oven Broiler Stainless is smaller and heats up a lot faster and keeps it heat a lot better, so, all in all you will be saving a lot of energy.

Enough about that now, here is your recipe for Healthy, Sweet Crunchy Oatmeal Granola

Sweet Crunchy Oatmeal Granola

Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 2 TBSP water
  • 4 cups old fashioned oatmeal
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup sunflower seeds
  • 1 cup chopped nuts (any combination you like)
  • 1 cup raisins
Method:
  1. Put butter, brown sugar, honey, and water in a 9x13 baking pan. Turn oven on to 375 degrees and set pan inside oven to melt ingredients.
  2. Remove pan from oven when butter, brown sugar, and honey are melted, stir, then add the remaining ingredients and stir together well.
  3. Put back in oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, stirring every 10 or 15 minutes while it bakes.
  4. Remove from oven, let cool, and add raisins, mixing again. Let cool completely.
  5. Store in tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. Serve with milk as a cereal or as a snack.
With this granola in the refrigerator you will never be at a loss of what to serve for breakfast on the run.