Oatmeal Coconut Muffins

 1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

A good dash of Mace- optional

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups quick-cooking oats

1 cup milk or milk of your preference

⅓ cup butter, softened

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs

1 cup coconut

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon coconut extract

Raw sugar for topping

 Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Set aside for now. In a large bowl, stir together the oats and almond milk, and let stand for 10 minutes. Then add brown sugar, butter, and eggs. Stir very well to combine. Do not use a mixer!  Next, stir in the flour mixture, stirring together just until combined. Then stir in coconut, coconut extract, and vanilla extract. DO NOT OVER MIX! Fill the paper liners ¾ full. Sprinkle tops with a good bit of raw sugar. Bake for 7 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking for 12 to 15 minutes or until the centers are springy to the touch and the muffins are golden brown. Let the muffins cool in the pan for a few minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely or serve warm.

 

 

 

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

A good dash of Mace- optional

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups quick-cooking oats

1 cup milk or Almond Milk

⅓ cup butter, softened

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chocolate chips

Raw sugar for topping

 

 

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Set aside for now. In a large bowl, stir together the oats and almond milk, and let stand for 10 minutes. Then add brown sugar, butter, and eggs. Stir very well to combine. Do not use a mixer!  Next, stir in the flour mixture, stirring together just until combined. Then stir in chocolate chips and vanilla extract. DO NOT OVER MIX! Fill the paper liners¾ full. Sprinkle tops with a good bit of raw sugar. Bake for 7 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking for 12 to 15 minutes or until the centers are springy to the touch and the muffins are golden brown. Let the muffins cool in the pan for a few minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely or serve warm.

German Chocolate Pie

1/4 cup melted butter

2 tablespoons Dutch Processed Cocoa

2 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup coconut

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped pecans

1- 9" fresh or frozen pie crust. Pre-bake the crust at 400 degrees for 8 minutes. 

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together the first seven ingredients. Then fold in the last 3 and pour filling into the partially baked pie crust. Bake for 45 - 50 minutes until the pie is set. A slight jiggle in the center is okay! Cool on the counter for 2 hours. Store pie in the refrigerator.

Toasted Coconut Pie

1 3/4 cups sweetened flaked coconut, toasted or untoasted 

3 large eggs, room temperature + beaten

1 ¼ cups granulated sugar

½ cup salted butter melted + completely cooled

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell or frozen pie shell

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the coconut into one even layer on a large baking sheet, and bake for 8-12 minutes, stirring a few times so that the coconut browns evenly. Watch closely, burns easily!  Once the coconut is lightly browned, remove it from the oven and cool completely on the baking sheet. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, butter, lemon juice, vanilla, and coconut. Pour this mixture into the pie shell. Carefully transfer the pie into the oven and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until set and golden brown. If the edges begin to brown too quickly, lightly cover them with tin foil. Allow the pie to cool before slicing. The pie can be served at room temperature, cold, or slightly warm.

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup Recipe

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 onions, (3 cups finely chopped)

3 garlic cloves, minced or grated

56 oz crushed tomatoes, (two, 28-oz cans) with their juice, preferably San Marzano

2 cups chicken stock

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, plus more to serve

1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/3 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated

½ cup grated parmesan cheese for topping

Directions:

Heat a nonreactive pot or enameled Dutch oven over medium heat. Add butter, and olive oil to pan. When butter has melted add the chopped onions. Sauté for 10-12 minutes, stirring often, until softened and golden. Add minced or grated garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes with their juice, chicken stock, chopped basil, sugar, and black pepper. Stir together and bring to a boil then reduce heat, partially cover with lid and simmer for 20 - 30 minutes.

Use an immersion blender to blend the soup in the pot to desired consistency or transfer to a blender in batches and blend until smooth (being careful not to over-fill the blender with hot liquid and pulse a few times initially to get it started), then return blended soup to the pot over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese and return to a simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper if needed and turn off the heat.* Ladle into warm bowls and top with more parmesan and chopped fresh basil.

*Some crushed tomatoes can seem tangier. If the soup seems too acidic or sour, you can add more heavy cream and sugar to taste. 

T’s Best and Favorite Bolognese (RAGU ALLA BOLOGNESE)

 

6 tablespoons of butter

6 tablespoons Cold Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

1 cup of onion, minced

1 cup of celery, minced

1 cup of carrots, minced

2 pounds plain ground pork or 1 pound ground pork & 1 pound ground chicken

Salt

2 cups of dry white wine

3/4 cup of milk

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes, San Marzano if possible

¼ cup milk

 

In a large pot, if possible, use an enameled cast iron deep pot, heat the EVOO and butter, add in the onion and cook for 2 minutes over medium heat. Next add the celery and carrots, continue cooking until onions are clear and celery and carrots have softened.  Now add the ground pork and 1/2 teaspoon of salt, breaking up the pork with a fork as it cooks. As soon as the pork starts to lose its pink look add the wine and turn heat up to medium high. Cook stirring occasionally until wine has almost all evaporated. Turn the heat back to medium and add the milk and the nutmeg. Again, cook until milk has almost evaporated. Add the tomatoes and mix well. When the tomatoes have started to bubble, turn the heat down until the ragu has the laziest simmer, meaning just an occasional bubbling. Simmer, uncovered for a minimum of 4 hours, stirring occasionally. After 3 hours of simmering add the ¼ cup of milk. This is usually served on Tagliatelle in Italy but most all my USA friend prefer it on Capellini or angel hair pasta.

* Robert & Lily Kleimon's favorite pasta dish!

T’s Sweet BBQ Sauce for Pulled Pork

 1 ¼ cups ketchup

¾ cup brown sugar

¼ cup molasses

1 (6-ounce) can pineapple juice

¼ cup water

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon dry mustard powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika*

2 teaspoons paprika*

2 - 3 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon hot sauce

½ teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

 

In a saucepan whisk all ingredients together. On medium heat bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes minutes.

* If you prefer a more smokey flavor, use 1 tablespoon smoked paprika instead of the 2 paprikas listed.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 leeks, cleaned and chopped

6 thyme springs 

2 16 ounce packages of sliced baby portobello mushrooms

1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms

1 cup white wine

1/4 cup flour

1/4 butter

2 cartonsTrader Joes Low Sodium Chicken Broth

1 -2 cups Heavy Cream or Half & Half

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a  2 cup glass measuring cup add the dried mushrooms and fill the cup with oiling water. Stir and set aside.

Saute onions and leeks in the tablespoon of olive oil until they are staring to turn clear. Add the mushooms and saute for 2 - 3 minutes.  Strain the procini mushrooms and their broth into the mushroom onion mixture.  Add the white wine and cook over high heat until wine has almost evaporated.  Now add the butter and flour and mix until butter is melted and all is mixed together well.  Add the chicken stock, thyme, salt and pepper.  Simmer for 30 minutes.  Remove thyme sprigs and puree soup in a blender and then return the soup to the pan.  Add 1 -2 cups of cream or half & half, reheat and serve. Do not boil!  

T's Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets

 2 Chicken breasts, pounded

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated (not shredded) Parmesan cheese

Dash garlic powder

dash cayenne pepper

heavy dash Penzeys Lemon Pepper

1/4 teaspoon basil or any herb you desire optional

Pam Original Cooking Spray or Avocado Spray

In a pie pan or bowl mix together dry ingredients and spices. In another pie pan or large bowl beat an egg. Dip the pounded chicken breasts into the beaten egg. Then dip into the breadcrumb mixture. Spray the tops of the chicken cutlets with Pam, and place them into your 400-degree preheated air fryer. Bake on one side for about 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Then turn the chicken breast over spray the top and bake for 3-4 more minutes until the chicken is golden.