Flash Back Friday ~ Glazed Yeast Donuts

A plate full of delicious glazed yeast donuts should cheer anybody up on a cold winter day. To work off the calories go shovel snow, that is if you live in snowy Manitoba.
These donuts are a family favorite. They are messy to eat but once you sink your teeth into one of these you won't mind the mess.

• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons instant yeast
• 8 - 8 1/4 cups flour

1. Scald milk, stir in butter, sugar, salt, and lukewarm water. Whisk till butter is melted and sugar dissolved.
2. Whisk eggs till foamy and add to warm milk mixture.
3. Add 4 cups flour, yeast, and mix well.
4. Add the rest of the flour one cup at a time as needed and knead until dough is smooth, just a few minutes will do it. It will still be slightly sticky. 
5. Place in a covered greased bowl in a warm place and let rise until doubled in bulk 25 to 30 minutes. Punch down.
6. Divide dough into 3 balls. 
7. Roll out each ball to 1/4" to 3/8" thick on a floured surface, using just enough flour so dough doesn't stick to the surface. 
8.  Using a round donut cutter, cut shapes and place on a cookie sheet sprayed with oil, leaving space between each donut for rising. I don't re-roll the scraps, instead just let them rise along with the 'donut holes' and fry them like the donuts. (The fried donut 'scraps' are often grabbed first)
9. Cover with a tea towel and allow donuts to rise 25 minutes.
10.  Deep fry raised donuts in a a pot of hot oil on medium high heat (375º) till donuts are golden on one side, flip over and fry till golden or done, approximately 1 minute on each side. Cut into the first one to check for timing on when they are done. I like using my wok for deep frying.
11. Glaze while warm and serve.

Sticky Syrupy Glaze:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Boil first 3 ingredients for 4 to 5 minutes, till glaze looks syrupy.
2. Whisk in vanilla.
3. Dip warm donuts in glaze and enjoy!

I only glaze as much as I want to serve, as they are best eaten fresh.

The leftover glaze and unglazed donuts freeze well.

Reheat frozen donuts in a 350º oven, checking after a few minutes to make sure they are thawed then dip in reheated glaze. 

Sorry I didn't count them but you should get a couple dozen.

Gingerbread

Warm moist gingerbread on a cold winter's night is a comfort dessert.  Add a spoonful of applesauce which pairs perfectly with the gingerbread flavour.  This recipe is my Mom-in-law Pauline's go to for gingerbread, and she got it from the original Five Roses Flour cookbook. 

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• two teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup molasses
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 eggs, beaten

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. 
2. Stir together the first three ingredients and set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine shortening and brown sugar until creamy.
4. Add in molasses, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon and stir to combine.
5. Stir baking soda into boiling water and then add this to the shortening and molasses mixture. 
6. Stir in the flour mixture and then add in the eggs, mixing well.
7. Pour mixture into a greased 9 X 13 pan and bake for 50 - 60 minutes. 
8. Serve warm with applesauce and whipped cream. 

Oatmeal Snickerdoodles

Oatmeal raisin cookies are a favorite over here...or a version of them that uses granola. But not everyone is fond of raisins and so I came up with an oatmeal snickerdoodle cookie (very much like Ellen's snickerdoodle recipe but with the addition of oatmeal). The oatmeal makes it a healthy choice, right? :)

• 1 cup butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 cups large flake oatmeal (old fashioned oats)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Topping:

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Cream butter sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Scrape down sides of bowl. Then add eggs and beat well.
4. Add vanilla and beat again to incorporate.
5. Combine flour, oats, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl.
6. Add dry ingredients into butter mixture and mix well.
7. Using a small cookie scoop or rounded teaspoon, form cookies and place on parchment lined cookie sheets.  Allow space for spreading. Press down slightly with the palm of your hand.
8. Combine cinnamon and sugar for topping and sprinkle generously over the top of each cookie. 
9. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until lightly browned.  Cool for several minutes before removing from pan to cool completely on wire rack.

Yield: 3-4 dozen cookies, depending on size. 

French Onion Soup

We enjoyed French Onion Soup at a restaurant recently and decided to try it at home changing out a recipe to serve two. We had two oven worthy crocks to use for this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 stick butter, 2 ounces
• 3 cups thinly sliced sweet onions
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon of flour
• 1/8 cup dry vermouth or dry sherry
• 2-1/2 cups beef stock
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 4 slices gruyere plus 1/2 cup shredded Gruyere
• 4-8 slices baguette or french bread buttered and toasted

Method:

1. Melt the butter in a medium heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Add the onions stirring to coat with the butter.
3. Season the onions with salt and pepper.
4. After onions are seasoned and all are sizzling lower the heat.
5. Continue cooking till translucent and caramelized, about 15 minutes.
6. Add flour and cook for at least 2 minutes.
7. Add the dry vermouth or sherry and cook for 2 minutes longer.
8. Add the beef stock and low simmer for 30-35 minutes.
9. Preheat broiler.
10. Add thyme sprigs tied together for easy removal.
11. Simmer for 5 more minutes.
12. Taste and season as needed remembering the cheese will add some saltiness to the final product.
13. Remove the herbs.
14. Ladle into the crocks.
15. Put two slices of cheese on the top of each crock of soup.
16. Top the cheese with the toasted baguettes/bread to fit.
17. Load the shredded Gruyere on top of the bread.
18. Place the crocks on a baking sheet and place under broiler until cheese bubbles and browns.
19. Serve with the extra toasted baguettes/bread.

 You can easily double this recipe to serve 4.

Bread for the Journey

 'Be grateful' is my motto for 2017. So many times we grumble about this and that and forget the many blessings that we do have and that we should be grateful for. As for the blue jay in this photo I would say he looks grateful for the peanuts.

My granddaughter gave me a Gratitude Journal for Christmas and asked me to write down 3 gratitudes a day and to do that for at least 1 month. She will be doing the same. I'm glad she encouraged me, I had often thought about doing it. Keeping track of gratitudes daily results in being more grateful. 
It's something I encourage us all to do. Don't you think there would be a lot less grumbling?

Psalm 100 NIV

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
     Serve the Lord with gladness!
    Come into his presence with singing!

 Know that the Lord, he is God!
    It is he who made us, and we are his;[a]
    we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
    and his courts with praise!
    Give thanks to him; bless his name!

 For the Lord is good;
    his steadfast love endures forever,
    and his faithfulness to all generations.

Saturday in Kathy's Kitchen

These are the measuring cups you'll find in my kitchen. When we moved I donated a few of the ones that were doubles or that I rarely used. My gifts to new brides, my own daughters included has been the large pyrex cup...and it comes with a lid.

For measuring dry ingredients, it's best to have a level cup measuring cup to give you accuracy in measurement. Mine are just simple white plastic ones I've had for 39 years. They were a shower gift.
I also use metal ones. I have the others to that set in my larger containers for quick measure of flour, oats, sugar etc.

 When measuring liquid it's best to use a clear and marked measuring cup so that you can set it on the counter and get an accurate measure.

My go to all purpose cup is the large 8 cup pyrex. It's dishwasher and microwave safe. This large measuring cup is great for making sauces, and also as a mixing bowl. I have 3 of these large cups, but this particular one is my favourite as it has a rubber ring around the bottom so it grips the counter.

I have a 1 and 2 cup pyrex as well. The 2 cup has a lid that is great to use in the microwave to save all the splatters, and also to cover food and store in refrigerator.

The tall one at the front of the photo is also dishwasher and microwave safe. I use this the most to heat up milk when baking bread.

Then there is my favourite mini measuring cup. If you don't have one of these, I recommend you put it on your list. I make a lot of home made dressings and marinades and often those recipes call for 1/4 cup or less of wet and dry ingredients. The measurements on this cup are in tbsp, ounces, ml, and cups. I can pretty much use this one little cup when measuring out the many little amounts of ingredients to go into those recipes...and only have one thing to wash at the end. Start by measuring your dry ingredients...usually spices and then your liquids, usually oils and vinegars.

January is a great time to do some inventory and cleaning of the kitchen. It's like a gift to yourself to declutter and wipe out all your drawers and cupboards. Wipe out your fridge and clean your oven and microwave.  And....don't forget to put out clean kitchen linen.
Happy Saturday!

Ham and Cheese Buns

Soup and sandwiches seem to be a common meal for us these coooold winter days.  I used the base recipe for these buns from this recipe. This is a refridgerator dough recipe and if I use the entire recipe it makes about 20-24 depending on how large you make them. Any (bun) dough recipe works well for these.

These freeze well and are nice to have on hand.

• 4 - 4 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 cup sugar 
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 pkg or 1 Tbsp instant yeast
• 2 cups very warm water
• 1/2 cup melted butter or margarine
• 3 beaten eggs
• mustard of your choice, I used Dijon
• ham slices
• 1 - 1 1/2 cups grated cheese, your choice, I used sharp cheddar cheese. 

1. In a bowl combine 2 cups flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Blend well.
2. Add warm water, butter and eggs.
3. Blend at a low speed til well mixed, continue beating for two minutes.
4. Stir in remaining flour by hand until you have a stiff dough.
5. Cover dough with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of two hours up to 4 days.
6. Take half the dough and roll into a large rectangle. (approx 10" x 14 ")
7. Spread the dough with your favorite mustard, top with slices of ham, and grated sharp chedder cheese or whatever cheese you have on hand. 
8. Roll up into a log and cut into 12 rolls.
9. Place into a prepared 9x13 pan. 
10. Cover and rise for one hour.
11. Bake in a preheated oven @ 375 for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Watch your oven since every oven temperature is different.

Grilled Halibut with Creamy Dill Sauce

We were treated to this Halibut recipe at my brother and sister in law's a few months ago.  It was so delicious, that I asked for his recipe. 

•   6 halibut fillets, 6 ounces each
• salad or olive oil to brush on fillets
• salt and pepper to season
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 red onion, chopped fine
• 2/3 cup whipping cream
• 1 packed tablespoon finely chopped dill
• salt and pepper to taste
• lemon wedges

1. Soak cedar planks in water for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat grill to 400 F.
3. Brush halibut fillets with oil on all sides and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Place the halibut fillets on the cedar plank and place on grill.
5. Melt butter in a small fry pan, add all the remaining ingredients except for the salt and pepper. 
6. Simmer on low heat until thickened.
7. Remove fillets from grill when they have cooked through and flake with a fork. 
8. Spoon sauce over fillets and give each fillet a wedge of lemon slice to be squeezed at the table.  

Asparagus with Red Peppers and Shallots

When deciding what to serve family or friends, I like to plan colour into my meal.

Vegetables are the best way to do that.

For a dinner over the Christmas season, I chose to serve asparagus because of it's bright green colour.

Adding red peppers made it bright and seasonal, not to mention, very tasty.

A simple side dish with only a few ingredients,

• 1 large red pepper
• 1 large shallot (can substitute onions if desired)
• 2-4 pats of Butter, divided
• 2 bunches fresh asparagus

1. Cut red pepper in half  removing and discarding the seeds and white membranes.
2. Cut pepper into wedges and then cut across each wedge at an angle to give you 1 1/2" long ribbons.
3. Skin the shallot and cut it in half and then cut across each half to make 1/2 round slices about the same length as the peppers.
4. Place 1-2 tablespoons of butter in a fry pan over medium heat and stir fry peppers and shallots until tender. Set aside.
5. Snap ends off the asparagus spears and steam in a small amount of boiling water until just crisp tender. Do not overcook. Drain and add a pat of butter to the pan.
6. Immediately place asparagus lengthwise on a platter and top with peppers and shallots, arranging them across the middle of the asparagus as pictured above. 
7. Serve immediately.

Note: You can blanche the asparagus and cook the peppers and shallots earlier in the day,

Just before serving, place butter in a fry pan and gently reheat the asparagus. briefly reheat the peppers and shallots and serve as described above.

Bread for the Journey

Even when there is nothing different about this day
there is something about the beginning of a new year

that causes us to contemplate the future

 and wonder how we can make the days of the year count.

I think it is all of our desire to live in such a way

so as not to look back one day and feel like we wasted our time -

but we may need a redefinition of what that means.

When I think back to the year that was, I'm reminded of 

Psalm 138:8 

The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me.

There is something about this promise that I wanted to grab hold of

and it spurred me on to read more about God's purpose.

Proverbs 19:21

Many are the plans in the mind of a man,

but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.

These verses had me asking what my life would look like
 if I daily sought to find even one small purpose?

Looking back now, I can't say that it changed my life

but I believe it helped change my attitude.

When I felt like I did not accomplish what I had planned -
when there was nothing to check off on my to-do list -

I looked for what God may have allowed to happen to change things

and realized that my obedience was what mattered.

When I looked for God's purpose

I was uplifted by the smallest things.

As we look ahead to 2017 

let's be encouraged to know that God,

 because of His love for us, has a plan for our good.

With this in mind we can look for 

His specific purpose for us, be it big or small.
Sometimes it will be easy;
sometimes it will seem impossible.
But we can trust that His purpose will be the 

blessing we ultimately long for.


May the days of the year ahead  find you discovering His purposes for you
and guide you in the way of peace and joy.

For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

Philippians 2:13