Sunday morning oven pancake

This is an awesome brunch dish or lunch dish that's meant to serve 4 but, I tell you it's so filling I cut the other quarters in half. I really had fun making this pancake.

No more dilly dallying lets get to it but, before I do its only right to give credit where its due, this recipe is my tweaked version of Land O'Lakes 'Sundown oven pancake'...

now let's begin...

The SHELL ingredients:

~ 1 TBSP butter

~1/2 cup flour (all purpose)

~1/2 cup half &_ half

~ 2 eggs, lightly beaten

~ 1/4 tsp. salt

~ a dash of garlic powder

The TOPPING ingredients:

~ 1TBSP coconut oil (more if needed)

~ 2 cups broccoli florets

~ 1cup red onion, cut @ 1" pcs

~ 1 medium red bellpepper cut @ 1" pcs

~ 1 medium green bellpepper cut @ 1" pcs

~ 1medium Roma tomato cut @ 1" pcs

~ 1/2 tsp. salt

~ 1/2 fresh cracked black pepper

~ garlic powder *to taste

~ 1 1/4 cup pizza blend cheese

~ 1/4 cup mild cheese **a sharp cheese was suggested by my friends

∆∆∆

• heat  Oven at 425°, In a 9" pie pan melt the 1 tablespoon of butter in the oven give or take 2 to 3 minutes remove from oven. 

•In a medium bow stir together the flour, milk, eggs, 1/4 tsp. salt, and garlic powder 

• pour this mixture into the pan of melted butter and bake for 12 - 15 minutes or until golden brown remove from oven set aside

Meanwhile...

•  In a medium skillet melt your coconut oil over medium heat add the bellpepper, red onions, broccoli florets, salt, and garlic powder *to taste and cook for 12 to 15 minutes stirring frequently ***Do not add your tomatoes at this point add them in the last 5 minutes of your cooking time...

Now...

• take the shell and spread 3/4 of the pizza cheese and 1/2 of the cheddar cheese on the bottom on the shell

...• top the cheese with the cooked veggies 

• then top the veggies with the remaining cheese (add more if needed)

Then...

• return to oven and bake for an additional 5 - 7 minutes or until your desired color, remove from oven let rest *** pie will deflat a bit

• cut into 4 pieces ** I suggest 8 slices and 

ENJOY!!!

Vegan...ish Applesauce cake

^ The recipe for this cake was for a vegan cake, although I'm not vegan I must say this was a easy, no fuss, quick, and tastey cake. This cake is good plain as it is it don't require any frosting or icing just a little dusting on top to help make it "camera ready"

I had no real intentions on making a vegan or vegan style cake I just needed to bake something and I ran across this applesauce cake on 'themisfitchef.com' and it caught my attention because it simply looked pretty. I tweak the recipe to fit with what I had on hand,  although I've never actually taste an applesauce cake before and really didn't know what to expect this one came out really good not too sweet, the spices aren't over powering but  you're able to taste the spices and it'll really go well with a cup of coffee.

A well thought out meal plan

I normally cook my weekly meals on Sundays and then on Wednesdays or Thursdays then I buy fresh meats and veggies on Saturdays. I was able to plan this week's meals with the help of my  bestest friend who brought over the pork roast and it was so good it was cooked in apples, but he won't tell me his recipe... I'll get it out of him just wait till I cook my 'Apple crisp' I'll get it out of him!

I must be honest...if I don't plan or prepare my meals ahead of time I'd grab the first thing my hands can get hold to, really ...and that's not good so try to have good snacks on hands but, I love to bake (like right now I'm thinking about baking some Orange cranberry white chocolate chunk oatmeal cookies for my guess on Friday)... but my hips and waistline are in a constant battle with my baking. But, when I eat I mindfully cook and choose the healthier versions of stuff.

BREAKFAST:

Over easy eggs fried in coconut oil, this gives a crispy edge around the eggs. I found that during the cooking time if a lid is placed over the eggs it will help cook the white part of the eggs...nothing like an 'undercooked' over easy egg

• I add basil, pepper flakes, sea salt, cracked black pepper, to my eggs not only for flavor but for a bright color effect...often times I sprinkle shredded Parmesan cheese on top or on the bed of sauté spinach before putting the eggs on top (like I did today)...yummy!!!

SNACK:

If I had a choice of snacks I'll always, well 8 times out of 10 I'll choose Greek yogurt (like now I'mma bout to eat my snack as it is in the picture, "I'll be back"!!!...

Ok...I'm back, on to lunchtime

LUNCHTIME...

• for me lunchtime is fun time that gives me time to think about what I don't want for dinner. Today's lunch was a combination of my favorite finger foods, protein, and simple greens. I used a few sprays of infused garlic pepper EVOO on my spinach. I grilled the four 4oz turkey patties on Sunday so, 1 1/2 is like 6oz they are moist and topped with the pan drippings for added flavor... Yep!!!

DINNERTIME:

(LouLou be in her spot as soon as the camera comes out, I think I should start paying her for her appearances)...

By this time of day I try and eat dinner by 8 anytime after that I'll do a simple protein shake and call it a night especially if I didn't plan or prepare me a plate. Today its "pork roast" #YEY !!! it's known that pork doesn't really have a taste so you have to cook it with seasoning, fruits, and or herbs to give that kick. Well, my bestest cooked a pork loin and shared about 6 nice slices with me (these are my last two slices), they are tender I was able to use my fork to slice into it, I topped mines with pumpkin butter because I love it so much. I asked how'd he cook it he just said, "in raisins and apples"...Oh, he will talk.

• the brown rice is full of flavor cooked in butter, chopped Rosemary and 1/2 jalapeño pepper, it came out fluffy. I caramelized the onions, stir fried the stringbeans then added a Chinese marinade... finger licking good!!!

...and that's all in a day's meal

ENJOY!!!

TUESDAY'S MEALS:

Included for

 breakfast:

~ kiwi, spinach, and apple protein shake

lunch:

~ oven rotisserie chicken (thigh &leg) and green apple slices

dinner:

~ 6oz grilled turkey patty

spinach & lettuce salad blend topped with Kern's low-cal Asian ginger salad dressing and green beans (I didn't have room for the grilled corn-on-the-cob)

Buttery pecan tartlets

I made these for my daughter Alexis, she was out of town and it was her birthday the following day. I was up early Saturday morning taking stuff out of the refrigerator so it can get room temperature, getting my measurements out I was so excited to start on these cute little cups of buttery sweetness. After seeing the pictures that I took of the tarts I was so reluctant to send them to her by I did and she made me promise her that I would make her her own little stash.

They're so easy to enjoy by the finger full and just as easy to get carried away with while munching so be caring and share....NOT!!!

...they present very beautifully, no fuss and stay well in an air tight container but, I'm not sure how long they'll last in your home because these were gone the same day.

Thanks to the nice folks at Land O'Lakes for sharing their recipe, although I made some add in's the taste is still awesome plus I had to make do with what I had in my cabinets at 4 o'clock in the morning...so here we go.

HERE'S WHAT YOU'LL NEED...

any changes I've made will be noted with an asterisk (**)

this recipe yeilds 36 tartlets I ended up with 27...the directions says to use a TBSP of the shell mix per mini cup.

THE SHELLS...

~1/2 cup (one stick) butter, softened

**I used the microwave to help speed things along

~ 1/2 cup white sugar

~1 egg

~ 1 + 1/2 tsp. almond extract

**I actually added in one capful that was close to about 1/2 tsp.

~ 1 + 3/4 cup all purpose flour

THE FILLING...

~ 1cup confection sugar (powder sugar)

~ 1/2 cup butter

~ 1/3 cup dark corn syrup

** I didn't have dark corn syrup do I had to create a dark color and used a mixture of food colorings

~ 1 cup chopped pecans

~ ** 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

~ ** 1 tsp butter flavor

~ 36 pecan halves 

**it tried the candied pecan on several of the tarts which had mixed reviews

...on your mark

...get set

...BAKE!!!

• heat oven to 400°

• ** I used a electric hand mixer to combine ALL the shell ingredients at medium speed for 2 minutes and mixture is crumbly (max 3 minutes)

• use between 1/2 - 3/4 Tbsp of mixture per mini muffin cup and press mixture to form the shell ( I used my vitamin bottle cap side to press the dough down and around the cup then the butt of a butter knife to finish)

• Bake for 7 minutes or until lightly browned (10 minutes max)

• Remove from oven and reduce oven heat to 350°

Now...

• in a medium saucepan whisk together ALL filling ingredients EXCEPT chopped pecans and pecan halves

• Cook filling over medium heat about 4 minutes stirring frequently until full boiling point (max 5 minutes)

• Remove from heat add in chopped pecans

• Spoon hot filling into cooled shells and top with pecan halved

• Bake for up to 5 minutes, remove from oven, cool on rack, then remove from pan

....and ENJOY!!!

Orangesicle cheesecake tart

I have no patience when it comes to tasting... my attempt at creating something of my own had me up at 4:30 this morning taking pictures ..."morning sunshine"! This thin slice of deliciousness was such a hit at my family recent get together I was requested to make another one the next day.

This cheesecake is fluffy, not too thick and sliced into 16 slices just enough to satisfy the craving for that orange vanilla popsicle of yesteryears. So, let's get started because I love cheesecake so much my patience is next to nothing during its chilling time. Today my oldest daughter Brandi and her son Xavier a.k.a 'Scrappy' stopped by try my latest dish, Scrappy said, "can I have another piece"? I said, "hun you just had two slices"... he said, "those were small I you shouldda just cut the whole thing into 4 pieces and save me the trouble of keep asking"... So you might wanna think about the size of the slices.

THE CRUST:

~ 7 honey graham crackers

~ 4 TBSP butter melted

~ 2 TBSP white sugar

~ 8 inch parchment lined spring form pan

THE FILLING:

~ 1 package of 8oz cream cheese softened

~ 1/4 cup powder sugar

~ 1/4 cup white s sugar

~ zest from 2 small orange

~ juice from 1 small orange

~ 1 large egg

~ 1 tsp. Vanilla extract.

Now...

Preheat oven to 350°

~ Using a food processor, pulse the cracker down them add sugar and continue into a fine grind then add melted butter scrapping down sides when needed

~ pour the crust into the prepared pan and level the crust out evenly plus up the sides of the pan about 1/2 - 1 inch

Now...

~ pour the batter on top of crust, try a tap out all to most air bubbles ( I wasn't that successful) put on middle rack and allow to cook for 15 minutes at 350° then lower heat to 300° and allow to cook for 45-50 minutes

....cake is done when it no longer jiggling in the middle, the cake will puff up during cooking but will level off or sink a bit in middle as it cools.

THEE SAUCE...

~ 1 TBSP Grand Martier (+ -) 

**I started off with 2 tsp then work my way up listed measurement

~ zest of small orange

~ juice of 1/2 small orange

~ 3 TBSP (+ -) orange marmalade

~ 2 TBSP Certo fruit pectin

~ approx 3 - 4 TBSP of hot water

~ in a mug using hand wand mixer or Emerson stick mixer, mix together marmalade and warm water until mix is loose

~ pour mixture into a medium sauce pan, add orange juices, zest, Certo and bring to a boil until a white foam forms now add Grand Martier allow to boil a minute more to allow alcohol to burn off

~ lower heat to allow cool and thicken up, now remove from heat, while sauce is still loose pour over top of cheesecake and chill completely overnight

~ decorate and serve in 16 slices

ENJOY...