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! :)

Cranberries And Cream Cookie Bars #Recipe

I found a recipe online that combined a cream filling with an oatmeal crust and I fiddled with the recipe a bit. I added extra cranberries and vanilla to the cream filling. I decreased the salt and swapped out the white sugar for brown sugar in the crust. The result is a cookie bar that is wonderful served warm (with a scoop of vanilla ice cream???) or cold (with a cup of hot tea!). I hope you enjoy!

Cranberries and Cream Bars

Ingredients:

CREAM FILLING:

• 3 large egg yolks
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cup dried cranberries

CRUST:

• 1 cup butter, very soft
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/3 cups old fashioned oats
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

 Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly spray a 13-inch x 9-inch baking pan with non-stick spray. Set pan aside.

2. Prepare cream filling. In the top of a double boiler, whisk together the egg yolks, sour cream, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and salt until well combined; stir in the cranberries. Cook and stir over simmering water until mixture is thickened, 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

3. Prepare the crust. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar. Stir in the vanilla. Add the flour, oats, salt, baking soda, and coconut. Stir until all ingredients are well incorporated. Press HALF of the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Bake the bottom crust until set, about 10 minutes. (The remaining dough will become the topping.)

4. Remove the bottom crust from the oven. Spread cranberry cream mixture over crust and crumble reserved dough evenly over the top of the cream. Bake until filling is set and top is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Cool and cut into bars.

Starlight Cupcakes to the Rescue! #Recipe for #Foodies

It's cold. Freezing cold. And I need a reason to smile. What’s a woman to do?

Bake cupcakes! Yes! One of my favorite recipes for cupcakes comes from my trusty Betty Crocker Cookbook. I have the one I was given as a gift when I married my husband. I also have my grandmother’s Betty Crocker Cookbook which has her notes and hand-written recipes tucked inside. It’s a treasure!

Starlight Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

3 eggs

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups milk (substitute almond milk, if you wish)

2 teaspoons vanilla (original recipe calls for 1 teaspoon)

1.     Cream together the sugar and shortening. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition until ingredients are well incorporated.

2.     Add flour, baking powder, salt, milk, and vanilla. Stir just until batter comes together and no flour is visible. (Too much mixing at this stage will develop the gluten in the flour and make the cupcakes tough.)

3.     Line 36 medium, greased muffin cups with cupcake liners. Fill each liner half full with batter. Bake in a pre-heated 350º F oven until golden and an inserted toothpick comes out clean, about 18 min. Allow cupcakes to cool to room temperature.

I like my cupcakes sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar, but you can use a tub of any flavored frosting you like. Enjoy!

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As you can imagine, I’ve been antsy lately. So I took on the task of creating a new cover for my book TAKING LOVE IN STRIDE. Here’s what I came up with. What do you think? The story is about a stiletto-loving school teacher who gets into a battle of wills with a do-it-my-way businessman. It’s a fun, sweet contemporary romance.

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