French Toast Casserole

Sunday was a lovely day - it was a church potluck day. This one was a bit different as it was a breakfast potluck, giving everyone the chance to show off a different set of skills from the normal lunch or dinner on the grounds. I happened to be at my in-laws house when I was making my shopping list and told my mother-in-law that I was planning to make fab friend Lisa's French toast casserole recipe - a delicious custardy bread pudding with praline topping.

Sunday morning is not my forte. Perhaps it is rebellion against my upbringing as a church planter's daughter - being hauled hither and yon across Southern Africa every Sunday of my childhood -  that makes me sluggish and disorganized on the first day of the week. Whatever the cause, I have difficulty being on time for church. Now that I have two children, difficultly has become impossibility. Thus, As a result of being 25 minutes late to the potluck, there was quite a bit of French toast casserole left over. (You would think the promise of food would get me to church faster, but you would think wrong.)

Not wanting to spend all Sunday compromising my diet by stealing bites of pecan encrusted leftovers, I asked my husband to sneak the remains of the casserole into my mil's kitchen while the in-laws were still at church. It was greatly enjoyed, I understand, and my mil asked for the recipe. So, here it is....

French Toast Casserole

1 loaf French bread, cut into 1 inch slices
8 eggs
1 cup milk
2 cups half and half

dash of salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cardamom

Place bread slices, overlapping, in a buttered 9x13" pan. Mix remaining ingredients just until blended and pour over bread. Refrigerate, covered, overnight.

For topping, mix with a hand mixer:

2 sticks softened butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tbsp dark agave nectar
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Spread topping over casserole. Bake at 350F for 40 minutes. Let it stand for at least 10 minutes before serving.

My fil advises that it is even better the second day:)

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Muffins

Stone is the primary breakfast maker in our house. Through the week, we tend to eat cereal, oatmeal, and toast - easy, fast food. On the weekend, Stone makes us biscuits, pancakes, omelets, and all manner of delicious treats. This morning he was making blueberry muffins. Since he was using real blueberries, we knew that Simon was unlikely to eat them (Simon disdains combining textures). So, I mixed up some chocolate chip and peanut butter muffins to round out the meal. The recipe came from cooks.com and was as delicious as it was easy.

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Muffins
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter
2 tbsp melted butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups self rising flour
1/2 cup milk
1 cup chocolate chips

1. Mix peanut butter and butter in a large bowl. Add in sugar, eggs and vanilla. Mix thoroughly.
2. Stir in flour. Add milk and chocolate chips, stirring until just combined.
3. Spoon by 1/3 cup measures into 12 cup muffin pan (use liners if using a metal pan - I use stoneware).
4. Bake 23 minutes at 350F.

Kidney Bean and Spinach Soup with Cornbread Waffles

This lovely soup came from the World Market cook Soup, a Christmas gift from my fabulous husband. I adapted it for the crock pot.

Kidney Bean and Spinach Soup
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 corn cob, kernels stripped off
2 cups kidney beans, soaked over night
4 cups water
4 cubes chicken bullion
1 bunch spinach, washed and shredded
1/2 lb chopped bacon

Place all ingredients in crock pot. Cook on low for 8-10 hours, until flavors are well blended.

Simon helped me make cornbread waffles to accompany the soup. The recipe actually comes from the back of a Jiffy Mix box - it was easy and delicious.

Cornbread Waffles
1 pkg Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 egg
2 tbsp butter, melted
3/4 cup milk

In medium bowl, stir all ingredients until just blended. Cook according to waffle iron instructions for regular waffles.

Easy Sausage Muffins: Foods Made for Family and Friends

Another of my pre-surgery written posts. I am looking forward to getting around to your blogs and catching up. In recovery news, I am having my stitches out tomorrow - they have been rather a nuisance. Your good wishes have made this whole ordeal much, much easier.

I love making sausage bread - it is delicious and it is definitely a comfort food. Recently I was introduced to a very lovely woman who greeted me with, "You are the girl who makes the sausage bread!" The lady in question has gone through some troubles of late and as the days went by after meeting her, I kept thinking of her words. When I found out that she would be attending the same event I would be, I decided I had to make some sausage muffins for her. I didn't have time to make my usual recipe, with the bread from scratch, so I came up with this fast - but still fantastic - version. 

Easy Sausage Muffins
2 cans Pillsbury french bread
1 lb sausage

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, fry sausage until cooked through.
2. Empty French bread dough into a large bowl. Add sausage and, using hands, mix until thoroughly combined.
3. Divide dough into 12 muffin cups. Bake at 350F for 25 minutes or until browned.

Berry Muffins: Foods Made for Family and Friends

I made these muffins to take to a dear friend who just gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. Growing up, this was an easy recipe to make since I just had to go out in the yard and pick some mulberries from our tree. Unfortunately, I have never been able to find mulberries in Tennessee.  A frozen mixed berry combo (raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries) substituted nicely and gave the muffins a pretty purple color.

(Mul)berry muffins
Crumb Topping
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
4 tbsp margarine
Batter
1/4 cup margarine
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup (mul)berries

1. To prepare crumb topping: mix flour, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Blend in butter with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles crumbs. Set aside.
2. To prepare muffin base: In a large bowl, cream butter and margarine. Beat in egg. Add milk and vanilla. Beat until nearly smooth.
3. In a small bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to milk mixture and stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold berries into batter.
4. Spoon batter into 18 greased or lined muffin cups. Top each with crumb topping and press down lightly. Bake at 400F for 12-15 minutes.

 Note from Stone (the Uploader): Angela is having a rather rough recovery. She appreciates all of your thoughts and prayers.

Oatmeal Raisin Muffins - 6 points

Do you love oatmeal raisin cookies? Either you are now dreaming of them or you are making an "ick" face - it seems like they are a love them or hate them type of treat. I love them. I would, many times, rather have oatmeal raisin than chocolate chip - it is true. I love the texture of the oatmeal, the caramelization on the raisins, the spice of the cinnamon. I would eat them all day long.  Which is why I was so happy to find that this recipe yields a muffin that tastes just like an oatmeal raisin cookie. So indulgent, so perfect, so not even a crumb of one left in my house this evening.

Oatmeal Raisin Muffins - From In the Kitchen with the AWA
1 cup oats
1 cup buttermilk
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
1/3 cup melted butter
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup raisins

1. Place the oats and buttermilk in a bowl and seal. Refrigerate overnight.
2. Mix flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, and raisins in a medium bowl.
3. Add egg and butter to the oat mixture. Add oat mixture to flour and mix well. Spoon into greased muffin tins.
4. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes.
5. Yields 12, 6 point muffins

Did any of you see the lovely story about this man on the news?

At the end of the U2 concert on Saturday, Bono leaned over to talk to someone in the crowd. He then motioned to some of the security people to pull the man up on stage. We (the crowd) went wild, of course, to see this guy make it to the stage. Bono was heard asking the man what he wanted to play and then asking the stage crew to hand him Bono's guitar. The man requested "All I Want is You" and told the crowd that his wife's name is Andrea - omg he was going to play for his wife with U2! He also said he was nervous - which got a big laugh. He did an excellent job - earned years of points with his wife - and then, when he started to give the guitar back to Bono - Bono told him to keep it! Wicked cool.

The story made it into the news today because the man -who is named Adam - is blind. He was holding a sign that said something equivalent to "Blind Guitar Player: Bring me up" If you want to see the actual performance, click here.  Be forewarned that, if you are a big sap like me, you will probably cry.

My husband has never sung to me on stage in front of 50,000 people, but he has done it in front of a few hundred people a couple of times. I am lucky to have a man who sings to me. This is one of my most frequent serenades...

Farmer's Market, Cheese Scones, and U2 in Nashville

Yesterday started out with a successful trip to the Farmer's Market on the square...

Had some lovely bread in the middle...

Cheese Scones from In the Kitchen with the AWA
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried mustard
1 cup grated cheese, 2% or less fat
1 cup lowfat milk
6 tsp oil

1. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and mustard.
2. Add cheese and milk to the flour mixture.
3. Pour 1/2 tsp of oil into each cup of a 12 count muffin tin or stone. Evenly divide batter between cups.
4. Bake at 500F for 10 minutes, until golden brown.
5. Yields 12, 2 point servings - serve hot

And ended with an amazing concert: U2 performing at Vanderbilt University...

Before U2 emerged, we were treated to some interesting numbers...

The band arrived and began to rock our faces off....

The show was similar enough to the Atlanta show two years ago to feel familiar, but there were some amazing additions - like the cool James Bondish CGI during "Mysterious Ways"...

And being outside made the lights that much more impressive...

It was completely amazing - including the humanitarian aspect Bono always brings to the show. (Click here for more.)

They saved my favorite song for the encore, with made me a happy girl. Since it was the end of the concert, it will also be the end of my post. 

Banana Nut Muffins - 7 points

Notice my completely unevenly sized muffins? That is because I was making them hastily. I spotted my father-in-law, who was trying to be sneaky, mowing my lawn. I thought he needed a thank you, so I whipped up a batch of muffins for him to enjoy when he was finished with the yard. Even - no. Delicious - yes.


Banana Nut Muffins adapted from The All New Good Housekeeping Cook Book
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
6 tbsp cold butter, cut into pieces
1 cup walnuts, chopped
3 overripe bananas, chopped
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup apple sauce
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Use a hand held mixer on low speed to combine the ingredients until the mixture resembles large crumbs.  Stir in walnuts.
2. In a medium bowl, combine bananas, milk, apple sauce, and vanilla. Use hand held mixer to blend until smooth.
3. Add banana mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until combined.
4. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups; bake 25-30 minutes at 400F. Immediately remove from tins after baking; place on a wire rack to cool.
5. Yields 12, 7 point servings

I enjoyed this muffin guilt free, since I went for an hour long bike ride this morning. My father brought me a bike a year ago, and I finally got it in riding condition. I hadn't ridden one in years; I remembered how much fun it was but I had forgotten how much exercise it is. I am not ashamed to admit that there were a couple of hills that almost defeated me. The fun still outweighs the pain, and burning enough calories to earn a muffin is a big plus.

Whole Grain Corn Bread - 3 points, Menu Plan Monday

Thank you for your comments on my Jazz Fest post yesterday. I will continue to include my travel/event/ restaurant posts as part of this blog. Again, I continually appreciate your support.

For some reason, one of the Google searches that seems to send people to my site is "What to eat with scallops". One of the reasons that this puzzles me is that I have no posts on what to eat with scallops (I do have recipes for scallops, which you can see here.)

If you are looking for a seafood sidedish, the Southern answers are usually cornbread, hushpuppies, and cole slaw. Here is a cornbread recipe that is light on fat and full of healthy whole grains.

Whole Grain Corn Bread

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup light butter

3/4 cup light soymilk

1. Sift white and wheat flours, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Stir in cornmeal. 

2. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is the consistency of coarse meal. 

3. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk. Stir together until dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. 

4. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 10 -12 times. Roll out until 1/2" thick. Cut rounds with a biscuit cutter (I used a heart shaped cookie cutter this time). 

5. Sprinkle an ungreased cookie sheet lightly with cornmeal. Arrange biscuits on a cookie sheet 1" apart and sprinkle with cornmeal. Bake 10-12 minutes. 

6. Yields 10, 3 point servings

Menu Plan Monday

Sunday

grated egg masala

Monday

stewed collard greens and white beans

white cake with whipped milk chocolate frosting for birthday at work

Tuesday

cabbage and mushroom curry

shaum torte

chicken Ceasar pizza for party with mentor

Wednesday

barbeque pork chops

Thursday

spicy marsala chicken

Friday

night out at the park

Saturday

chili cookoff: Angela vs. Stone

I mentioned on my Resolution Round Up that I was going to start a to-do list to check off. You can now see it by clicking on the "List" tab at the top of this blog. 

Chocolate Chip-Cinnamon Easter Bread - 7 points

I finally did it! After bemoaning my lack of planning and time, I did sit down on Saturday morning to make my weekly menu and managed to find some easy recipes for today. But...when to shop? Well, I have the best husband in the world. Between the Happy First Birthday party and the quinceneara yesterday, Stone ran to store for me while I took a quick bath and got all dolled up. What a great guy!

As our day yesterday was rather a blur, it is appropriate that my first picture for you is a rather blurry shot of myself attempting to keep my nephew from getting a head start on the Easter egg hunt that was our first event of the day. 

I decided that I may as well make something ridiculously indulgent for Easter. Easters is supposed to be a joyous celebration, so it is a good day to share to special occasion food. Thus, I decided to go back to a pre-Weight Watchers treat that I haven't in a very long time. It is full of prepackaged food (which I do not shun on special occasions or busy days - growing up with absolutely no convenience foods makes you quite thankful for the woman who first put spaghetti sauce in a jar and the man who decided to box up some cake mix).

Second photo break...look at this little cake covered hand at the Happy First Birthday Party!

You will have to excuse me for using a little bit of slang in my description of this breakfast treat. My students  - and thus I, by exposure to them - often describe something that is extreme as being "on crack". So, for example, fried green tomatoes from Miller's Grocery are like tomatoes on crack.  Chocolate Chip-Cinnamon Easter Bread is like the middle of a cinnamon roll on crack. You know...the part of the cinnamon roll that you eat the whole rest of the roll just to get to? The gooey, sweet, cinnamon center. That is what this is, except it is even better.

Chocolate Chip-Cinnamon Easter Bread - from Pillsbury Annual Recipes 2008
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cans refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing
1 box vanilla pudding and pie filling mix (not instant according to the recipe - I used instant and it was fine)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

1. Use 1 tbsp butter to grease a bundt pan. Melt remaining butter in microwave (or over the stove if you are trying not to wake your sleeping spouse).
2. Separate roll dough into 16 rolls. Cut each roll in half crosswise. Place half of the roll pieces in the pan. (If you are like me, this will not look like enough to constitute a bottom layer. Trust me, it is.)
3. Over the rolls in the pan pour half of the pudding mix, half of the brown sugar, and half of the melted butter. Repeat layers; top with chocolate chips.
4. Bake 25 minutes at 375F. Cool for 2 minutes before inverting the pan to remove the ring to a plate. Top immediately with icing. (The recipe says to wait 15 minutes. The recipe is wrong). Serve immediately.
5. Yields 16, 7 point servings

With that much sugar and that much fat, how could it not taste delicious?

I would love to end with a picture from the event that ended our blur of a Saturday - the quinceneara. Alas, I have no pictures that do not show multiple faces of other peoples' children. As I did not ask their permission to post those pictures, I will leave it up to you to imagine a girl in a beautiful pink dress celebrating young womanhood...tier upon tier of chocolate cake...smiling faces...and me, in a pale blue dress, dancing with my handsome husband.

Eier-Kuchen - 5 points

Eier Kuchen (from the Loaves and Fishes book Dom at Belleau Kitchen inspired me to pull off the shelf) are a lovely, thin German pancake. They have the pliability and light texture of a crepe. They are versatile - equally good topped with cottage cheese and chives or smothered in cinnamon cream syrup (as below).  They have the added bonus of being kind to one's diet - three pancakes for only five points.

Eier-Kuchen

4 eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup flour

pinch of salt

1. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Add flour, milk, and salt; beat until smooth.

2. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Pour out pancakes by 1/4 cup. Flip when bubbles form and the edges are dry.

3. Yields 4, 5 point servings (approximately 3 pancakes per serving)

 

If you would like the recipe for the taste bud tempting cinnamon cream syrup, it is posted directly below this recipe. Yes, two posts in one day - I know, I know. Too much. I am just trying to catch up a bit, and I am anxious to post on the cookie I made tonight for the Random Recipe challenge!

 

For more about points, click here.

Here is my plan a la Menu Plan Monday.

Sunday

loaded potato soup

creamy cabbage soup

banana brownie pie

Monday

old fashioned stewed chicken

gingerbread modeling dough for Random Recipe Challenge

Tuesday

spicy split peas

Wednesday

spicy teriyaki mushrooms

bunny cake for Simon to take to school

Thursday

dinner out before Maundy Thursday services

Friday

onion, pepper, and feta quiche

prepare bean casserole to take to party on Saturday 

Saturday

eat at former students' quinceanera

Wendy's Welsh Scones - 2 Points

Dom over at Belleau Kitchen has a new challenge involving your first cookbook. Mine is a hippie-inspired volume called Loaves and Fishes (which I will tell you more about when my life slows down enough for me to actually take on the challenge). I took it down in order to begin the challenge; while flipping through it's pages I found an old favorite that would be perfect to make with a little helper. 

Here are all of the ingredients set out on the table for Simon to dump into the mixing bowl. 

He was a fabulous chef and greatly enjoyed the pouring, mixing, and spooning out. He also greatly enjoyed the fruits of his labor. In fact, after he ate an aunt sanctioned cookie, he pulled a chair up to the cabinet and had a second, unapproved cookie in his mouth faster than I could grab him. I couldn't really blame him. They are slightly sweet, dense, packed with nature's candy - delicious, plump raisins. 

Wendy's Welsh Scones

1 cup white flour

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup brown sugar Splenda

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp butter

3/4 cup raisins

1 egg

1/2 cup light soy milk

1. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients save raisins.

2. Add raisins and mix.  

3. Drop dough by tablespoons full on a stone or greased cookie sheet.

4. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. 
5. Yields 24, 2 point servings

Here are the lovely scones themselves...

And here is the cutie assistant on a trip to the park. 

Chunky Pancakes - 4 Points

Yes, another pancake recipe! Someday I will be able to start a blog full of them! This recipe was adapted from the excellent cookbook The Newcomer's Guide to Cooking in Africa: American Recipes from Scratch, edited by Edith M. Jenkins.

Chunky Pancakes

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup quick cook oats

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1  cups milk

3/4 cup yogurt

2 egg whites, slightly beaten

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1. Mix dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine wet ingredients.

3. Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredient bowl. Stir just until combined.

4. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Pour out 1/4 cup batter for each pancake, flipping when bubbles form in the middle and the edges are dry.

5. Yields 12, 4 point servings (for an explanation of the points system, click here)

Eggless Pancakes - 2 points

1. I have to work overtime every day this week.
2. A disk slipped in my back (teaching children to read is dangerous business).
3. My computer has completely crashed, so I have to share the laptop with Stone - the grad student husband.

These are the reasons why, even though it is a few days, I have not get had time to get to my resolution round up. It will come, I promise. After all, these things shall pass.

Here is another pancake recipe. Simon wanted pancakes and I was all out of eggs. Luckily, I found a recipe from cooks.com and was able to adapt it for my needs. I was quite pleased with how they turned out. I served them with homemade berry syrup.

Eggless Pancakes
1 cup flour
1 tsp Splenda or other non-calorie sweetener
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup soy milk, light regular
1 vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp water

1. Sift dry ingredients int a medium bowl. Add wet ingredients; whisk until combined.
2. Let the mixture rest while you heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with non-stick cooking spray. 
3. Cook pancakes, 1/4 cup batter each, flipping when bubbles form and edges are dry.
4. Yields 8, 2 point servings

Enjoy!  I read many books over the break and have so many to share with you. I loved Atonement by Ian McEwan. This was my second attempt at reading it. The first part is painfully dull, and I could not overcome it during my first reading. I am glad that I plowed through it this time, because the second half of the book is truly stunning. The descriptions of the French and English experience during the early years of World War II were riveting. I was also intrigued by the brave work of wartime nurses. Well worth reading, in my humble opinion.

Banana Cardamom Bread - 4 points

I had two bananas that were turning a lovely shade of black, so I decided they were begging to be baked into some sort of yummy bread. I have been making this bread, based on one from The Ultimate Healthy Eating Cook Book, for years and find it delightful.

I decided that the bread wanted to be shaped like a turtle (Simon saw bread shaped like a turtle in Family Fun magazine not too long ago and thought it was wonderful).

Banana Cardamom Bread
2/3 cup warm water
1 pkt active dried yeast
1 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp ground cardamom
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tbsp rum
2 ripe, mashed bananas
1 tbsp sesame seeds

1. Dissolve the sugar in the warm water. Gently mix in yeast. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes to activate the yeast.
2. Sift the flour and salt into a medium bowl. Make a well in the middle of the flour and pour in the yeast mixture, bananas, rum, and cardamom. Stir until all ingredients are incorporated.
3. On a lightly floured surface, knead the bread for 5 minutes until smooth. Form dough into a ball and place in a glass bowl. Cover the bowl and allow the dough to sit for 2 hours.
4. Shape the dough as desired (the book suggests braiding or leaving in a loaf.) Place on a greased baking sheet or stone. Leave to rise 1/2 hour.
5. Brush the top of the dough with water. Sprinkle on sesame seeds.
6. Bake the bread at 425F for 10 minutes. Lower the heat to 400F and bake an additional 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack before slicing.
7. Yields 10, 4 point servings

Look how cute!

I did use raisins for the face. I will admit a dirty little secret - I love burned raisins. They are a guilty pleasure. In this case, though, I did allow Simon to eat all of them. Apparently, they are one of his guilty pleasures as well.

Much love to one of my favorite bloggers, The Food Hound, for bestowing the Stylish Blogger Award on me. Please check out her amazing blog. She is not only a great cook; she is a fantastic writer.

Sourdough Pizza Crusts- 5 points

I decided that a nice food to have in the freezer would be some individual pizza crusts. I love making pizza from pitas or wraps, but I thought that a nice sourdough crust would be a interesting change. I found a great recipe at Sourdough Home (which is chock full of great recipes). You can find the recipe by clicking this link. I followed the directions with the following exceptions.

1. I used my Amish sourdough starter instead of a traditional sourdough.
2. Instead of one large crust, I rolled my dough out to make 8 mini crusts.

Here are the crusts before being placed in the freezer:

I made these when I had family over for dinner. I topped each crust with 1/4 cup of artichoke and garlic salsa and 1/8 cup fat free mozzarella - which kept each at 5 points, since the toppings were nothing. They were delicious! The crust is, of course sweet because of the sugar in the starter. Everyone agreed that the sweetness went nicely with the spice from the salsa. Since Simon likes his pizza with a bit more cheese, his was topped with 1/4 cup 2% Colby Jack cheese. Here it is just before he scarfed it down.

Because of the sweetness, this crust would make an excellent dessert pizza as well! I think if you shaped it like a heart, it would also be quite lovely for Valentine's day.

Sourdough Sausage Muffins - 7 points

While my parents and grandmother were here this week, we received a call saying that my grandmother's oldest sister had passed away. My great aunt had been in a nursing home for several years, slowly fading away as Alzheimer's took her memory. This morning, my father had the honor of conducting her memorial service.

I did not get to spend a lot of time with my great aunt. During college, I spent a few nights in her home as a resting over place when traveling to visit my grandparents. She always served a wonderful breakfast and, like any good college student, I was perpetually hungry and grateful for free food! One morning she served some delicious rolls that I was sure were an old family recipe because they were just that good. I asked her if I could have the recipe and expected her to reply that it was a secret.

Nope. It was Mr. Food. Apparently, my aunt loved watching the Mr. Food section on the news in the morning. The week before, he had made a bread using dough from a bread maker, broccoli, and nuts (I think - I can't find it on the Internet). We had a good laugh over me thinking Mr. Food's quick cooking idea was my family's culinary heritage. Then, we had this long conversation about other things you could put into yeast dough to make delicious muffins.

When I got to my grandmother's house, I used her bread maker to make all kinds of versions of the Mr. Food/ Great Aunt bread. The one that we finally decided we liked best contained a mix of sausage and nuts. It has been part of my repertoire ever since, and I think of my great aunt whenever I make it.

Stone announced that he is going to a Super Bowl party at the home of one of his supervisors. Although I will not be joining him (as I enjoy neither American football nor listening to people yell at the TV), I thought it would be fun to make something to send along with him. Since my great aunt has been on my mind, I decided to make the bread that reminds me of her. This time I added a little sourdough twist - just a little something to mess with the family tradition.

Sourdough Sausage Muffins
1 cup Amish sourdough starter
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
2 pkts yeast
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
5 cups all purpose flour
1 lb maple flavored sausage
1/3 cup pecans, finely chopped

1. Combine all ingredients save sausage and pecans. Knead until dough is soft and smooth.
2. Form the dough into a ball and leave it in a glass bowl, covered with a cloth, for 45 minutes.
3. While the dough is rising, brown the sausage in a medium skillet over medium low heat. Drain.
4. Add pecans and sausage to the dough by kneading gently. Once they are fully incorporated, recover the dough and leave it for another 20 minutes.
5. Gently form the dough into 18 balls, and place each ball into a greased muffin cup or muffin stone. Allow 15 more minutes, for dough to rerise.
6. Place the muffins in a 400F oven for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown on top. (This temperature will make the muffins quite crusty - if you would prefer them to be softer, lower the temperature and extend the cooking time.)
7. Yields 18, 7 point servings

If you try this recipe, I hope it may become one of your family traditions as well:)

I have enjoyed all of the Super Bowl snack lists people have been posting, particularly....

The Girl Who Ate Everything
My Kind of Cooking
For the Love of Cooking
Recipe Girl
Chicho's Kitchen (so, these were not actually intended for the Super Bowl, but they are perfect for it!)

Diet Soda Muffins - 5 Points, A Challenge, Pink Saturday

What a terrible lot of titles I have tonight. To start, I have had a lovely week with my parents and grandmother visiting. I was so sad to say goodbye to them this morning, as I always hope that they will decide to move in with me. But they promised to come back soon. I have a lot of blogs to catch up on now that they have returned to their home far away.

I mentioned that I wanted to try a cake using orange soda, since I apparently have an obsession with using fizzy drinks in my cooking (Diet Cola Brownies, Lemon Pecan Butter Cake). Last night I looked through the kitchen to see what breakfast food I could bake. I sponsor a health and fitness club at school, and we were having a meeting this morning to discuss how to deal with stress during the cold months. That sounded, to me, like a discussion that would require chocolate.

Here is the recipe:

Diet Soda Muffins
1 box double chocolate muffin mix
1 can diet orange soda

1. In a medium bowl, stir muffin mix and diet orange soda until blended.
2. Pour batter into muffin stone or greased muffin cups.
3. Bake according to package directions.
4. Yields 12, 5 point servings

They were very good and had a hint of  orange that really complimented the chocolate. The kids ate them all up!

Now for the challenge bit. I have noticed a lot of great challenges out there in the blogosphere. Here is my intention with this challenge - to offer an opportunity for those who love to cook to share their skills with others.

I pointed out that my posts for Cream Cheese Corn  and Turkey Stuffing Casserole were a little high in points and presented in aluminium pans. Here was the rest of that meal:

Obviously this, along with a double batch of corn and four times the recipe for stuffing casserole,  is meant to feed a large crowd.  Many homeless shelters serve large groups of people and have their own kitchens, staffed by volunteers. There are, however, some smaller shelters that depend on individuals and religious groups to provide food for their lodgers. We have a small shelter like that in town. After being inspired by a fabulous book, I called and offered to bring a meal.

It was so much fun cooking large amounts of food - I almost never get to do that - and providing a meal for people who were truly thankful. So, my challenge to you is to share your cooking skills with someone in need. It may be a shelter, a sick friend who could use a nice pot of soup, your neighbor who enjoys baked goods, or a co-worker who has had a hard time lately. Whomever you chose, I would love to hear your story!

Finally, it is, of course, almost time to wish you a Happy Pink Saturday I thought that I would share one of my favorite pink items with you.  This is a shirt bearing the initials of my alma mater, Middle Tennessee State University. Stone bought it for me a year ago. He bought me a large...a junior's size large! It was SO tight. I could only wear it in the privacy of my own home, and I felt like I was stuffed in a sausage casing. Fifty pounds later, it is too big. I have to wear another shirt under it to keep from being indecent. I love this shirt!

Last Friday I left you with the song that was playing on my Creative Zen. Here is this Friday's musical contribution - what the Zen ""DJ" has me listening to at the moment. "See The Sun Again", by Dido.



Sourdough Cornbread - 4 points

In an attempt to use my Amish sourdough starter in a non-traditional way, I decided to make cornbread pancakes with it. Because cereal was expensive where I was raised, I grew up eating a hot breakfast every morning and most mornings that meant cornbread pancakes. My dad would break them up in a glass of cold milk and eat them with a spoon. My mom preferred them with butter and syrup. I ate them buttered, and Alanna liked to top hers with cheese. However you eat them, they are a wonderful breakfast.

This time, I served them as a side dish for some fantastic fish that I will post later. I was really pleased with their consistency and flavor. They were sweet like a good Southern cornbread but also had a distinct sourdough tang. Well worth the effort of tending to a starter!

Sourdough Cornbread
1 cup Amish sourdough starter
3 egg whites
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp table salt
1 cup whole grain cornmeal
1 can corn (not vacuum packed)

1. In a medium bowl, gently stir starter, egg whites, canned corn, and butter until just combined.
2. In a separate bowl, sift together dry ingredients. If you are left with pieces of whole grain in your sifter when sifting the flours, just dump it into the bowl. The sifting is meant to separate the pieces, not keep out fiber!
3. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the starter mixture. Slowly mix the dry and wet ingredients together until just combined.
4. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Fry cakes two at a time, using 1/4 cup batter each. Follow normal pancake frying protocol.
5. Yields 15, 4 point servings

I really, really want to tell you about that fish, but is already late, and I have to get some exercise if I am going to meet my goal for the year! Have a good night.

Amish Sourdough Starter for Friendship Sharing

Last week, the Amish friendship bread started up at work again. Every couple of years, someone brings in baggies full of white, yeasty starter and a pile of recipe papers. The next week, there are four times as many baggies from people who have made more to share. Eventually, we end up with a teacher’s lounge table overflowing with baggies that no one will take.

Since I know that this is the process, I have chosen to use all of my starter at home. Now, this is not a traditional sour dough starter. First, because it uses yeast –which is a big no-no among sourdough aficionados. Second, the addition of so much sugar makes it very sweet.

I also find the word Amish suspect. I do not know any Amish people personally, and therefore am unable to verify that this recipe actually originated with them. But…in order to differentiate it from traditional sourdough…I will go ahead and use “Amish” despite my uncertainty.

If no one at your workplace is proffering bags of starter, here is the recipe.

Amish Sourdough Starter

1 package active dry yeast

1 cup milk

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

Day One: Mix ingredients gently in a glass or plastic container (Ziploc bags are typical).

Days Two-Four: Stir the ingredients. (If using a bag, squish the contents around a little).

Day Five: Add another cup each milk, flour, and sugar.

Days Six- Nine: Stir or squish

Day Ten: Add one cup each milk, flour, and sugar. If you are giving the mix away, take out four cups (placing each cupful in a separate container). Give four friends each one cup of starter, instructions for days two – ten, and a recipe. Use one cup of your starter and keep the rest to start the steps over.

Traditionally, the recipe you give is one for an Amish friendship bread. Since I haven’t made one in awhile and can’t vouch for the recipe that I was given (since I used mine for other recipes) I will not include that here.