Red Lentil Crackers #GlutenFree #HighProtein

 Let's make Red Lentil Crackers!

Makes about 48 crackers. 

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup (140 g) red lentils, soaked
• 3/4 cup (170 ml) water
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp everything but the bagel seasoning (optional)

Directions:

1. Prepare the lentils: Cover the lentils with water and soak for at least 3 hours or overnight in the fridge. Rinse and drain thoroughly.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F.
3. Make the cracker batter: Transfer the soaked lentils to a mixing bowl, add 3/4 cup water. Using a stick blender, blend to a smooth consistency. (A blender or food processor will also work.) Add olive oil, salt, and baking powder to the lentil mixture. Stir to thoroughly combine all the ingredients.
4. Line a half sheet pan (13-inches x 18-inches) with parchment paper. Pour the lentil mixture onto the prepared baking tray and spread it out into an even layer.  
5. Sprinkle the bagel seasoning evenly over the batter. See note.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and use a pizza cutter or a knife to cut crackers into squares. Return the cut crackers to the oven and bake for an additional 40 minutes or until they are dry and crispy. Cool completely before serving.

 

*  You can personalize this recipe by swapping out the everything bagel seasoning with your favorite seeds, spices, or herbs.

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Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Powder

I’ve seen lots of variations of the Buttermilk Ranch Powder recipe floating around the internet, lately. So I thought I’d give it a whorl. I've added more of this, less of that, and I've substituted white pepper for black because I think its milder nature lets the other spices shine. Here’s my version of the powder. Use it when cooking chicken, vegetables, casseroles, and anything else you can think of. How about Air Fried Ranch Potato Wedges? Or Buttermilk Ranch Chicken Breasts?

Of course, you could buy your own ready made ranch dressing powder. Hidden Valley makes it. And so does the Spice Enthusiast. But why buy it when you can make your own? Here’s how:

Buttermilk Ranch Powder

Ingredients:  

• 1/2 cup Buttermilk Powder
• 2 tablespoons Parsley Flakes
• 1 tablespoon OnionPowder
• 2 teaspoons Dried Chives
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Garlic Powder
• 1 teaspoon Dill Weed
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon White Pepper

·     Directions:

Thoroughly mix together all ingredients and store in an air-tight glass jar. Mix it into mayonnaise, sour cream, Greek yogurt, bread crumbs, and more to add a creamy goodness to your food.

Let your imagination run wild as you make your favorite dips, dressings, coatings, marinades, and more. From hamburgers to hummus and everything in between, this buttermilk ranch powder will add a boost of flavor to your favorite dishes.  

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Hannah Cohoon and The Tree of Life

Hannah Cohoon's original Tree of Life

I have often seen jewelry, artwork, quilts, and other things that feature what is called the Tree of Life. I did a bit of investigating and learned some interesting history.

Hannah Cohoon was born in 1788 in Massachusetts. Her father, Noah Harrison, was a drummer boy during the Revolutionary War and he died the year after Hannah was born. Little is known about Hannah’s husband, but she was married and had 2 children, a son named Harrison and a daughter named Mariah. At the age of 29, Hannah became a Shaker when she joined the Hancock Shaker Community.

The Shakers experienced a major spiritual shift between the 1830s and the 1850s where believers received visions which were revealed in songs, art, and dance. Hannah Cohoon drew her first Tree of Life during one of these visions.

Another of Hannah's Depictions

Hannah’s art has been displayed several times at the Whitney Museum and has been used on a UNICEF Christmas postcard for fund-raising.

I found all of this so interesting. To learn more about Hannah Cohoon and see some of her other drawings, visit her Wikipedia page.

The Tree of Life shows up in Norse Mythology, the Bible, the Kabbalah, and other religious texts. The tree has been a subject of sculptors from around the world. It’s been a source of inspiration in film, in music, and in literature. But this story about Hannah Cohoon and her beautiful drawing captured my attention. I’m inspired by the idea of a woman whose glorious belief led her to have such a lovely vision.   

Beautiful Buttermilk Biscuits by @DonnaFaz #Foodie #Recipes

Few people would use a word like 'beautiful' to describe these easy homemade biscuits, but that's just the way I roll. (Pun intended!) You see, I have an on-going love affair with food so it's easy for me to see any type of bread as beautiful (as well as delicious)!

Today, I'm sharing my Buttermilk Biscuit recipe. Mmmmmmm!

Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
• 2 tablespoons shortening
• 1 cup cold buttermilk

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. (Preheating the oven is important.)
2. Measure out the flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Work in the butter and shortening until you've got a crumb-like consistency. (I use my fingers, and I work fast so the butter and shortening won't melt.) Add the buttermilk and stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Dough will be sticky.
3. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and fold it a few times. Pat into an oval that's about an inch thick. I use a drinking glass to cut the biscuits into rounds. Gently reform the 'scraps' and cut into rounds. Place the dough rounds on a cookie sheet. If you like soft-sided biscuits, let the rounds touch. If you like crisper sides, give each biscuit some room on the sheet. Bake for 15-20 until they're tall and golden brown.

Alton Brown has a similar recipe, but suggests using a little less salt. Even with all those cookbooks and cooking shows under his belt, what does he know?

Here are some other delicious biscuit recipes I've found on the web:

Paula Deen offers a great recipe for Garlic Cheese Biscuits. Yum, y'all! Yum!

These Mayonnaise Biscuits look interesting, although I haven't tried them. Yet.

And for those who feel biscuit-challenged, here's a neat video from the Joy of Baking website. (Please note, I never add sugar to my biscuits.)

If you're looking for fast and easy, the Betty Crocker website has a recipe using Bisquick, that very well-known all purpose baking mix. I've added chopped herbs and a 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese to this recipe to make dumplings for chicken stew. Everyone knows a dumpling is simply a steamed biscuit!

Whether they're slathered with butter, honey, or jam - or steamed on top of a pot of thick, luscious chicken stew - there's nothing quite as delectable as a fluffy biscuit!

If you enjoyed my Buttermilk Biscuit recipe, or any of the recipes I've linked to, please use the buttons below to share this post. Thanks, and happy eating!

Red Lentil Spinach Bake

 

Ready to try something different? I found a recipe online, and after some fiddling, I made this today and… oh, my! It’s delicious! The “bread” is made from a blended red lentil batter. It’s light and flavorful. I honestly don’t believe anyone would guess that this recipe contains no wheat flour. Each serving has about 220 calories and 10 grams of protein. 

Red Lentil Spinach Bake

Makes 9 squares

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (180g) red lentils
• 1 12-ounce bag (340g) frozen spinach
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 1/2 cup (100g) feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 cup (200g) cottage cheese (or sour cream or plain Greek yogurt)
• 2 large eggs
• 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/2 tablespoon dried dill
• Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
• 1-2 tablespoons Everything Bagel Seasoning (or sesame seeds) to garnish

Directions:

1. Cover lentils with water and soak overnight.
2. When ready to make the pie, preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8- or 9-inch square pan with parchment paper allowing the paper to overhang on 2 sides (to use as handles for removing pie from pan). Set pan aside.
3. Drain and rinse the lentils. Drain lentils well, letting them sit in the colander while spinach mixture is prepared.
4. Defrost the spinach and press out excess water using either a spatula and strainer or cheese cloth. Transfer the squeezed spinach to a mixing bowl.
5. Add onion, feta cheese, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and ground black pepper to the spinach. Stir until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Set spinach filling aside.
6. Place lentils in a blender. Add cottage cheese, eggs, 3 tablespoons olive oil, dill, pepper, salt and baking soda. Blend to a smooth batter.
7. Pour 2/3 of the lentil batter into the prepared pan, tipping it slightly to distribute batter evenly. Dollop the spinach mixture over the batter in an even layer. Top with the remaining batter, covering as much of the spinach layer as possible. Shake the pan gently to distribute evenly. Sprinkle the top with seeds or bagel seasoning.
8. Bake the pie for about 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately lift the pie from the pan, using the parchment paper as handles. Allow pie to cool slightly before serving.

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Lemon Poppy Seed Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting #Recipes #Foodies

My son recently celebrated his birthday and he requested this cake for the small family celebration we had in his honor. The 3-layer cake is exceptionally moist and the frosting is, I believe, the best I've ever made (I kept dipping into it with a spoon! lol). 

For the Lemon Poppy Seed Cake:

3 cups cake flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons lemon zest

8 ounces butter, room temperature

2 cups granulated sugar

4 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup whole milk

1/4 cup lemon juice

3 tablespoons poppy seeds

For the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:

16 ounces cream cheese, softened

8 ounces unsalted butter, softened

4-6 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon lemon zest

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Make the Lemon Poppy Seed Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Butter and lightly flour three 8″ round pans. Line with parchment.

2. Whisk together 3 cups cake flour, baking powder and salt. Add lemon zest and whisk again. Set aside.

3. In a small bowl, combine milk and lemon juice.  Stir to combine and set aside for milk to curdle.  This is similar to making homemade buttermilk.

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high using the paddle attachment.  Beat until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down bowl. With the mixer on low, add eggs one at a time.  Mix well after each egg. Add vanilla extract. Mix to combine.

5. Add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.  Do not over mix. Add poppy seeds and mix to combine. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl and the mixer blade. Batter will be thick and fluffy.

6. Divide batter evenly between the three 8″ round pans. Smooth tops with rubber spatula or knife to evenly distribute batter in the pan. Bake for 25-27 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove to wire rack to finish cooling.

Make the Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter and cream cheese until smooth.

2. Add vanilla, lemon zest and juice and mix until combined.

3. Gradually add confectioners sugar, adjusting amount, until desired sweetness is reached. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Whip until smooth.

Assemble the Cake:

1. Place one layer of cake onto serving plate or cake stand and top with about one cup of lemon cream cheese frosting.  Repeat with second cake layer, more frosting and then last layer of cake.  Crumb coat and frost cake with remaining frosting.

2. If desired, create soft swirls in the frosting by lightly placing the tip of an offset spatula against the frosting while spinning the turntable. Your spatula will naturally move up the side of the cake, leaving a imprinted swirl.

3. Decorate with lemon slices and a sprinkle of poppy seeds, if desired.

Serve at room temperature. Store, covered, in the refrigerator.

Delicious Oatmeal Cookies #Christmas #Recipes

Christmas is just about upon us, and there is one delectable treat I always make during the holidays. You got it. Oatmeal cookies. Sweet, chewy rounds of goodness. Mmmm! However, these cookies aren't like any your grandmother made—not unless she was privy to my secret ingredient, that is.

What's the secret ingredient? Shredded coconut. That's what makes these mouth-watering morsels of oaty goodness so moist and delicious.

This is one of my tried and true recipes. I come back to it again and again. So fire up the oven, pull out your best mixing bowl, and let's bake up a batch of cookies.

Raisin Oat Cookies

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

¾ teaspoon salt

2 cups raisins

2 cups quick-cooking oats

1 cup sweetened, shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350º. Cream the butter and the sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Stir in raisins, oats, and coconut. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto a light greased baking sheet. Bake for approximately 15 minutes (or until golden around the edges). Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

So...what's YOUR favorite Christmas Cookie Recipe? Let's make this a cookie recipe swap! :)