SPICE MUFFINS

Whole wheat flour in the canister and my other flour of choice by King Arthur

Sift:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon nutmeg

In mixer:
½ cup butter - room temperature
½ cup coconut sugar
½ brown sugar
add: 4 eggs (room temp) 1 at a time and mix well
on low speed, add ½ c milk + (if using ww flour, you may need a tad more)
add flour mixture and
stir in 1 c pecans (optional)

Bake 400º for 12-15 min

    ALWAYS use a microplane and use fresh nutmeg...BIG difference!

I love my scoops in several sizes...all your muffins will be the same size.

Tender and warm...don't forget the fresh butter!

TIP:

Bake ALL muffins at 400º ~ even if the recipe says 350º. That BLAST of heat makes them rise nicely!! You'll have to play around with your recipes and adjust your time accordingly...it's just a tip I've learned along the way!

Use this as a base recipe - add grated apples, a bit of pumpkin or applesauce, any nuts or raisins. Use your imagination!

COOKWARE

Sometimes I like a nice fluted edge in a pie plate. Other times, I love a rustic easy pie in a cast iron skillet. 

Speaking of pots and pans..... I've been through several sets over the years and always unhappy with the results. Over 10 years ago, we invested in Al Clad and I've never regretted it. Between Al Clad, cast iron and my two Dutch ovens by LeCreuset, I'm a happy camper, uh...I mean cook.

ORGANIZE YOUR RECIPES!

TIP: I've tried every recipe file system I can think of. Recipe boxes, baskets, notebooks i.e. one for breads, one for vegetables, etc. I've tried breaking my files down even further - one for tomatoes, one for cookies, etc. Every year I run into the problem, "Where is that recipe for pumpkin cookies? - did I file it under 'cookies' or 'pumpkin'?

I finally came up with something a couple of years ago and I'm still working through it. I have SEASONAL books! I have 2 main notebooks (and they are large) - spring/summer/canning and fall/winter/Christmas. I have another smaller notebook for 'everyday' i.e. pancakes, biscuits, piecrust, dressings and other recipes I use all year round.

In my fall book, I have all the apple and pumpkin recipes, as well as all the soups. In the summer book are berries, salads and cool drinks. I even have a page in each book referring to a page number so I can easily find those recipes I love in my favorite cookbooks. It's a breeze to locate all my zucchini recipes. If I get a bushel of apples, well, you get the picture.

I don't know about you, but my brain works better when I'm that organized! We buy our food seasonally, why not cook that way?

MARGUERITES

WHO KNEW? This little snack has been in my family for YEARS! My grandparents (born in 1899) made them and my dad treated us as children. I've never heard of anyone else making these - ever!!! Now, I find out they are called 'Marguerites'. 

Hat tip to the Pioneer Woman!
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/06/tres-gourmet-quick-sticky-delicious-marguerites/?cuid=cf403d2e04a999fa2b53fdc9e73271f9

Rick's Key Lime Pie

My husband is very particular about his Key Lime Pie! We have tweaked this recipe several times - folding in whipped cream, using less eggs, whipping egg whites. He didn't like those as well as this final adaptation. And, whatever you do, DON'T buy a pre-made crust. That just won't do!! It doesn't take that long to make your own...make extra and freeze it -- ready to go!

Rick's Key Lime Pie

(Have all ingredients at room temperature)

In a mixer cream:

1 8 oz cream cheese

add - 6 egg yolks

1 can Eagle brand condensed milk (ooh, it's sweet)

½ cup Nellie and Joe's Key Lime Juice

1 t vanilla

Grate a bit of lime zest into the mixture

Mix well and pour into a 9" pre-cooked graham cracker pie shell

If you are concerned about your eggs - bake in a 350º oven for 7 min.

Cool completely and chill over night - or several hours if you just can't wait that long!

Top each piece with freshly whipped cream and garnish with a key or regular lime slice

Homemade Graham Cracker Crust

(I like to crush fresh graham crackers in the food processor)

1 ¼ c graham cracker crumbs

¼ c sugar

¼ c butter

⅛ t cinnamon

Bake 375º - 7 min (cool before adding key lime mixture)

Press ½ of this into your 9" pie plate

Note: This crust will make 2 pies - save some for later or ½ this recipe

TIP:

•We LOVE to reduce the amount of graham cracker and add nuts. Try pecans or walnuts. Let your imagination go! •Keep graham crackers in the freezer so that you have them on hand. •Freeze individual egg whites for future use (use an ice cube tray) or make the Meringue Drops posted earlier

JUICE!

The Omega Vert hd juicer is by far my favorite! The four juicers I had previous to this were either difficult to use, hard to clean, noisy or by the nature of centrifugal force, heated the juice. This Omega crushes the produce and is very easy to clean. Oh, and takes takes up very little space. I found a series of YouTube videos by 'Discount Juicers' that convinced me to give it a try. I've made nut milks as well. 

Whatever juicer you have, why not dust it off and do something healthy today! This morning I had carrot, celery, lemon and ginger. - yum

PEPPERMINT MERINGUES

                                                           

3 large egg whites, room temperature

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
12 drops red food coloring (optional - I didn't use it, but for Christmas, it would be fun!)
Preheat oven to 200°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt on medium-high speed until white and foamy, about 1 minute. With mixer running, gradually add suger in 3 additions beating for 2 minutes between each addition. Beat until firm peaks form, about 2 minutes longer. Add powdered           sugar and peppermint extract; beat to blend, about 1 minute.

Dot coloring over surface of meringue; do not stir (the coloring will form swirls when piped). Spoon meringue into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2" tip. Pipe 1" rounds onto prepared sheet, spacing 1" apart.
Bake meringues until dry, about 2 1/2 hours. Let cool completely, about 1 hour (meringues will crisp as they cool). 

DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature between sheets of parchment or waxed paper.

We made 3 key limes pies the other day and I had 12 whites...so I tripled the recipe today!
Use a flavor of your choice - lemon, lavender, chocolate, vanilla or keep them plain!

HOMEMADE STOCK

I always keep chicken or vegetable stock in my freezer. I don't always go to extra trouble making it from a whole chicken. After baking a chicken, I take the bones and throw them in a pot of water with salt, a bit of onion and celery. Or, if we are having wings, I simmer the tips that aren't used. Today, I caramelized onions, added garlic and celery to the thawed stock I had in the freezer. I now have 4 quarts ready to use tomorrow. I think chicken and dumplings may be on the menu!