"Poor Knight"

We made this on New Years Day morning for breakfast and I think it may become a tradition.  While the original recipe calls for stollen, we used cinnamon raisin bread instead, and I think it came out great. We made a few alterations, but over all I really enjoyed this one.

Ingredients:

3 1/2 oz Cranberry Jelly

1/2 cup Orange Juice

2 pinches ground Cinnamon

2 eggs

3/4 cup milk

1 1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp Vanilla

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Vanilla Ice Cream

Directions:

In a small pan, combine cranberry jelly, orange juice and cinnamon (the jelly will take a while to liquefy down, so just keep it from burning to the bottom of the pan) and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and make sure the syrup is well mixed.

Spray a frying pan with cooking oil and turn on heat to prepare. Whip eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla together in a shallow dish and turn each slice of bread into the mixture before placing on hot frying pan. Heat each side until golden brown.

Serve with vanilla ice cream and cranberry orange syrup.

Mini Jalapeno Cheddar Corn Muffins

Preheat Oven: 375 degrees

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup Sugar
• 1 tbsp Honey
• 1/4 cup Butter, melted
• 1 large Egg
• 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 cup Buttermilk (1/2 cup Skim Milk, 1/2 tbsp Lemon Juice)
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/2 cup Yellow Cornmeal
• 1/2 cup Flour
• 1/4 cup Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and sliced finely

Directions:

In medium bowl, stir sugar, honey and butter together. Whisk in egg. Whisk in baking soda and buttermilk. Add salt, cornmeal and flower. Do Not Overmix. As soon as flour is blended in, fold in sliced jalapeno and cheddar cheese.

Add batter equally to cups of a greased mini muffin tin. Bake 15 to 20 minutes.

French Dip Soup

Preheat oven: 400 degrees

Ingredients

·        4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

·        4 pounds Onions (use any kind you’d like)

·        6 cloves Garlic, minced

·        10 oz white mushrooms, Sliced

·        1/8 teaspoon dried thyme

·        2/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed

·        2 cups Merlot or other red wine

·        6 cups water

·        3 tablespoons beef bullion

·        Beef Roast, cooked and shredded

·        1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

·        1/4 teaspoon salt (I use coarse sea salt)

·        6 slices French, Italian, or sourdough bread, cut into cubes

·        3/4 ounce shredded Swiss cheese

Directions

Peel and slice onions thinly. In  stock pot, over medium high heat, add  oil, onions, garlic, mushrooms and thyme to the pot and stir to coat the onions and mushrooms with the oil. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are transparent.

Add brown sugar and stir to coat. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions start to brown (about 15 minutes), then reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pot and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until onions are browned and caramelized. Pour in red wine and cook, stirring constantly, until the wine has cooked down. Add water, bullion, and roast all at once, stirring while pouring to loosen any remaining bits of onion from the sides and bottom of the pot.

Cover, reduce heat and simmer the soup for 40 minutes. (You can stop at this point – if you want to make the soup ahead, let it cool, then cover and place in the fridge – reheating before serving)
Ladle soup into ovenproof soup cups, bowls or a large crock. Top soup with cubed bread and shredded Swiss.

Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 1 or 2 minutes before serving.

Shaped Vanilla Cookies

Preheat Oven: 375 degrees

• 1 cup Margarine
• 1 cup White Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 2 tsps Vanilla Extract
• 3 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 tsp  Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Salt

Cream together margarine, sugar and eggs. Stir in Vanilla, flour, baking soda and salt.

Roll out (not too thin) and cut into any shape. Bake for 8 minutes.

Cornbread

This is a great addition to Chili

Preheat Oven: 450 degree

• 1 cup Buttermilk
• 1 cup Stone Ground Cornmeal
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Honey
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 Egg
• 1 tbsp Shortening

Melt shortening in a 9-inch round iron skillet in the heating oven.

In large bowl, stir cornmeal, salt, sugar and baking soda together. Stir in the egg, honey and buttermilk.

Remove skillet from oven and pour batter into skillet. stirring the belted shortening into the batter.

Bake for 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven when top of cornbread is brown and feels firm to the touch. Turn out onto serving plate. Cut into wedges. Serve immediately.

Scottish Shortbread

Preheat Oven: 350 degrees

• 3/4 cup Butter
• 1/4 cup Sugar
• 2 cups Flour

Mix butter and sugar thoroughly. Work in flour with hands.

Chill dough. Roll or press into a ball and smash into 1/2 inch thick round. Cut into shapes.

Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 20-25 minutes.

Dark Zucchini Bread

Preheat Oven: 350 degrees

• 3 Eggs
• 1 cup Vegetable Oil
• 1 cup Brown Sugar
• 3 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 3 cups Grated Zucchini
• 1 tbsp Molasses
• 4 cups Flour
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
• 2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

Beat Eggs; add oil and brown sugar. Beat Well. Add vanilla, grated zucchini and molasses. Beat.

Mix dry ingredients together; beat well. Mix wet and dry ingredients.

Bake in greased and floured loaf pans and bake for 1 hour.

Cool in pans until bread will remove easily.

Scones

Make these with some Faux Devonshire Cream and/or Lemon Curd and steep a pot of tea for a wonderful afternoon, rain or shine.

Preheat Oven: 400 degrees

• 3 cups All-Purpose  Flour
• 1/2 cup White Sugar
• 5 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 3/4 cup Butter
• 1 Egg
• 1 cup Milk

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, powder and salt. Cut in butter.

Mix egg and milk in a small bowl.  Stir into flour mixture until moistened.

Knead briefly, roll into 1/2 inch thick round.

Bake on greased sheet for 15 min or until golden brown.