Fruit and Nut Yeast Bread

A local bakery makes a wonderful fruit and nut yeast loaf, and this is my 'copykat' version. I adapted Anneliese's French bread recipe, adding dried cranberries, apricots, raisins, and walnuts. It turned out great.

• 4 1/2 - 5 cups flour, all-purpose  (or substitute with part whole-wheat flour)
• 2 tablespoons instant yeast
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1 cup walnuts (or pecans), coarsely chopped
• 1 egg + 2 teaspoons water, beaten

1. Combine sugar, salt and water and oil in a large mixing bowl.
2. Mix yeast with 1 cup of white flour and stir into liquids. 
3. Continue adding flour, stirring at first then using your hands to incorporate the flour.
4. Add fruit and nuts and work into the dough.
5. Knead, adding a little more flour as necessary until dough is smooth and elastic.
6. Cover.  Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk. (About 45 minutes.)
7. Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. divide in half.
8. Shape each half into a 15" x 2-1/2" loaf with tapered ends. 
9. Place on a greased or parchment lined cookie sheet. (One large cookie sheet can hold two loaves.)
10. Cut diagonal slits on top of loaf.
11. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30-45 minutes.  
12. Beat egg with water; brush over dough. 
13. Bake at 375° F for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove loaves from pan to a wire rack to cool.

Pan-fried Pears in Caramel Sauce

We enjoy warm caramelized bananas so I decided to try cooking up pears using much the same method.  They were delicious served up this way. 'Tis the season for pears.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 3 pears, peeled and sliced
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• granola or nuts to sprinkle over (optional)
• vanilla ice-cream

Directions:

1. Melt butter in large skillet on medium heat. Saute pears for several minutes, turning over with tongs or lifter during the process.  Remove pears gently from pan once they are of desired doneness. 
2. Add sugar to butter in pan and cook until melted, while stirring. Reduce heat to low. 
3. Gradually stir in sour cream; cook 1 minute stirring occasionally.
4. Add pear pieces to caramel sauce and cook just until pears are heated through.
5. Spoon pears and caramel sauce into four dessert dishes.
6. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream. 
7. Drizzle with additional sauce and sprinkle with granola or chopped nuts of your choice.

 

Cabbage and Sausage Foil Pack Dinner

Foil packet dinners are easy to prepare and clean-up, and are not just for camping; they can be baked in the oven year-round.  Cabbage and sausage were meant to be paired, and here is a simple and tasty way to serve them up for dinner tonight.

• 1/2 small head cabbage, cut into 3/4" or 1" wedges
• 1 pound farmer sausage, sliced (or your favorite smoked sausage)
• 20 nugget potatoes, cut in half 
• 1 small onion, sliced
• garlic butter
• salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Prepare 4 pieces (12" x 18") of heavy-duty foil.
3. Divide cabbage wedges, potatoes and sausage slices evenly on the four pieces of foil.
4. Top each mound with a dollop of garlic butter and season with salt and pepper.
5. Seal each packet well.
6. Bake for 1 hour, or until veggies are tender. 

Serves 4

Pear Hazelnut Muffins

Hazelnuts and pears make 'the perfect pair'.  Combine them in these muffins and enjoy the taste of autumn!  I served them to the 'corn harvest crew' on the farm recently, and they disappeared in a hurry.

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups flour (or use 3/4 cup all purpose flour and 3/4 cup whole wheat flour)
• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 large pears, peeled and diced 
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts

1. Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla.  
2. Combine dry ingredients and add alternately with buttermilk, mixing just until incorporated. 
3. Add diced pears and hazelnuts; fold into batter.
4. Spoon into greased muffin tin.  
5. Bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
6. Cool for several minutes; then transfer to wire rack. 

Yield: 1 dozen muffins

Peaches and Cream Layer Cake

We have been enjoying fresh  peaches every-which-way for the past while, and soon peach season will be over for the year.  This peaches-and-cream birthday cake was a big hit at our place, so I'll share the recipe with you.  I used a boxed-cake mix with a few additions to make it 'extraordinary'.

Cake:

• 1 white boxed cake mix (Better Crocker Super Moist)
• 3/4 cup peach yogurt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup melted butter 

1. Line two 9-inch round pans with parchment paper.
2. Place cake mix and all other ingredients in a mixing bowl.  Beat on medium speed until smooth.
3. Spread batter evenly in prepared pans.
4. Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. 
5. Cool for about 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Filling:

• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 2/3 cup icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•  2 cups heavy whipping cream

1. Beat the cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla until smooth. 
2. Gradually add the cream, whipping until thick. (If you do not have a heavy-duty mixer, you may have to whip the cream separately and then fold into whipped cream cheese mixture.)

 Glaze for Peaches:

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 1/2 tablespoons peach or orange jello  

1. Combine water, sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl, using whisk to stir until smooth.
2. Microwave on High until boiling and thickened, stirring once in between. 
3. Stir in jello (adds colour and flavour) and cool to lukewarm before using. 

Assembling Cake:

• 2 cake layers
• cream filling
• glaze
• 3 large peaches

1. Place one cake layer on cake plate.
2. Peel and chop one peach. Fold into about 1 1/2 cups of the whipped topping. Spread over bottom cake layer.
3. Place second cake on top.
4. Spread with a generous layer of whipped topping, reserving some to pipe around edge.
5. Peel and slice two peaches.  Coat peach slices with glaze and arrange on top of cake.
6. Pipe whipped topping around the edge.

Harvest Corn Chowder

Let me bring back one of my favorite soups of the season, while the corn and zucchini are at their finest...a recipe posted here five years ago.  This hearty corn chowder may be just what you need on your menu this fall.

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 pound smoked farmer sausage, chopped  (or four slices bacon, chopped and fried crisp)
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 3-4 cups fresh potatoes, cut into small chunks
• 4 ears corn, kernels cut from the cob (or 4 cups frozen whole kernel corn)
• 1 medium-sized zucchini, cut into chunks
• 5 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 cups whole milk (or use half milk and half cream)
• 1/3 cup chopped  flat-leaf parsley

1. Heat oil in heavy soup pot over medium heat.  Add onion, pepper and pieces of smoked sausage.  Cook until onion and pepper are soft.
2. Add chicken broth, potatoes, corn, zucchini and thyme.  Simmer until potatoes are tender.
3. Combine flour, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper.  Add 1/2 cup milk and whisk until smooth. Blend in remaining milk.
4. Add milk mixture to soup pot.
5. Cook while stirring until mixture thickens and comes to a boil.
6. Add chopped parsley. Stir.
7. Remove from heat and serve.

 

Grilled Chicken and Peach Flatbread

A few months ago, I had lunch in a recommended tea room in Victoria and enjoyed a chicken and peach sandwich. Now that was something I wouldn't have thought to combine in a sandwich, but it was delicious!  We have been enjoying B.C. peaches 'every which way' lately, and I came up with a grilled chicken and peach flatbread sandwich which went over well!  

• 2 naan bread
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• pesto (optional) 
• 4 oz. mozzarella cheese, sliced or shredded 
• 2 chicken breasts, seasoned and grilled
• 1 peach, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1-2 tablespoons fresh basil, shredded
• balsamic reduction, for drizzling

1. Brush olive oil on one side of each naan bread, and arrange oiled side down on work surface.
2. Spread one side of naan bread with pesto (if desired) and place mozzarella cheese on top.
3. Slice chicken breasts and arrange pieces over the cheese.
4. Lay peach slices over the chicken.
5. Sprinkle with shredded basil.
6. Drizzle balsamic reduction over the peaches.
7. Top with second naan bread, oiled side out. 
8. Carefully place on grill over medium-low heat. (Can also be done in a pan on the stove-top.)
9. Grill about 3 minutes per side (flipping carefully), or until cheese has melted and bread is lightly browned.
10. Remove from grill; cut through the center to serve.

Serves 2.