Fluffy Doughnuts with Brown Butter Vanilla Glaze

Ingredients

    FOR THE FLUFFY DOUGHNUT DOUGH:

•     1-½ cup Whole Milk
•     ¼ cups Water, 110 Degrees
•     ½ ounces, weight Instant Rise Yeast
•     ½ cups Sugar
•     1 teaspoon Salt
•     2 whole Eggs At Room Temperature
•     ? cups Crisco
•     2-½ cups All-purpose Flour
•     3 cups Cake Flour
•     1 quart Vegetable Oil, For Frying
•     FOR THE BROWN BUTTER VANILLA GLAZE:
•     ½ cups Butter
•     1 Tablespoon Vanilla Paste (or Extract)
•     2-½ cups Powdered Sugar
•     ¼ cups Hot Water

Preparation Instructions

Add the milk to a small pan, and bring the milk to a boil. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and let the milk cool. (I think it helps if you transfer it to another bowl so that it can cool faster).

In a small bowl, combine the hot water and the yeast. Let sit while rising, about 10 minutes. (Also, make sure that you test the temperature of the water after it is in the bowl – because a cold bowl can cool the temperature down so much that the yeast doesn’t rise. Also, make sure that you stir the yeast into the water right when you add it).

Combine the milk, sugar, salt, eggs, Crisco and the 2 ½ cups of all purpose flour. Mix well, and then add the yeast. When this is well combined, add the additional 3 cups of cake flour.

Mix on high for about 3-5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and leave in a non-drafty place for about an hour (or in my case up to 4 hours!).

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll the nice, fluffy, soft dough to about ½ inch in thickness.

Using a doughnut cutter, or two round cookie cutters, cut out the doughnuts (saving the holes).

Place these on a sheet pan (mine had a silpat, but you could use wax paper or parchment), and let them rise about another 30 minutes, and up to 2 hours.

In a large, heavy pot, heat 1 quart of vegetable oil to 350 degrees (please use a thermometer!!) Fry the doughnuts and doughnut holes just until golden brown, before gently flipping them with a chopstick or a Chinese spider strainer.

When golden on both sides, pick them up with the Chinese spider strainer. Let them sit on a cooling rack to drain, (although they really wont be very greasy). If you want them to be powdered sugar or cinnamon-sugar donuts, then immediately put them in a paper bag filled with the sugar or sugar mixture, and shake to coat.

Otherwise, dunk them (or double dunk them!) in the brown butter vanilla glaze and put them on the rack to cool and harden up.

Brown butter glaze:
In a small saucepan, heat butter until it has melted and started to brown. Add the vanilla. Add the powdered sugar, and stir until it is starting to melt. Stir heavily- it will be very thick and golden brown. Add the water (as much or as little as you need) to thin the glaze, and whisk it until smooth.

Greek Baked Eggs with Leeks, Kalamata Olives and Goat Cheese

Ingredients

* 2 teaspoons Olive Oil
* 2 whole Leeks (white Parts Only), Cut In Half Lengthwise And Thinly Sliced
* 1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Cut Into Thin 1-inch Lengths
* ¼ teaspoons Kosher Salt
* ½ teaspoons Freshly Ground Black Pepper
* ¼ cups Thinly Sliced Kalamata Olives
* 1 teaspoon Minced Fresh Oregano (or 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Oregano)
* 2 Tablespoons Crumbled Goat Cheese
* 4 whole Large Eggs

Preparation Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. You’ll need 2 ramekins with a capacity that will hold 2 eggs plus the veggies.

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and red bell pepper, and sauté until the vegetables are just tender. Season with kosher salt and black pepper.

Sauté for 3-4 minutes, or until the vegetables are just tender. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in kalamata olives and fresh oregano.

Divide the vegetable mixture between two ramekins. Crumble goat cheese over the vegetables. Crack two eggs into each ramekin, taking care not to break the yolks.

Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake until the whites are cooked and the yolks are still soft, about 10 minutes.

Serve immediately.

Poached Eggs on Avocado-Toast

Ingredients

* 2 slices Bread
* 2 whole Eggs
* ½ whole Very Ripe Avocado
* Salt And Pepper, to taste

Preparation Instructions

Begin by boiling a large pot of water to poach the eggs in. When the water is boiling, put your bread in the toaster and then get ready to poach some eggs! Have your eggs out of the container and right next to the pot, and using a wooden spoon, begin to stir the water so it is moving very fast in a circular motion. When the water is spinning around crack the first egg into the center of the pot, pick up your spoon and continue to move the water in a circular motion. The white should congeal around the yolk in a few seconds; don’t worry if you lose some of the whites to the surface! Cook for 2 1/2 minutes until white is set and yolk is runny inside.

While egg is cooking, take the bread out of the toaster and halve your avocado. Divide one half of the avocado and spread over both pieces of toast (save other half for another use). When the egg is ready, remove with a spoon and spread onto the avocado-toast. Repeat the process with the second egg. Salt and pepper your eggs before serving, and enjoy!

The Ultimate Gluten Free Pumpkin Waffles

Ingredients

* ½ cups Light Brown Sugar
* 6 Tablespoons Cornstarch
* 2-½ cups All Purpose Gluten-free Flour Blend (see Note)
* ½ teaspoons Xanthan Gum
* 3 teaspoons Baking Powder
* 1 teaspoon Salt
* 3-½ teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
* 4 teaspoons Ground Ginger
* ½ teaspoons Ground Cloves
* 1 teaspoon Freshly Ground Nutmeg (1/2 Tsp Packed Pre-ground)
* 4 whole Eggs
* 2 cups Pumpkin Puree
* 2 cups Whole Milk
* ½ cups Melted Unsalted Butter

Preparation Instructions

1. Lightly oil your waffle iron and set to desired temperature. Allow to preheat while you prepare the batter.
2. In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar and cornstarch. Whisk to combine. Add the remaining dry ingredients, and stir to combine.
3. Separate the eggs, whites into the bowl of a stand mixer (if using), and yolks into a medium size bowl.
4. Add the pumpkin and the milk to the egg yolks. Whisk to blend and set aside.
5. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
6. While whisking, pour melted butter into egg yolk/pumpkin/milk mixture.
7. Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients, mix until just combined. If they are still slightly lumpy, that is OK. That will work out when the egg whites are added.
8. Place half the whipped egg whites into the pumpkin mixture, and fold in. Add the remaining egg whites, and fold in until no white remains.
9. Scoop batter onto hot waffle iron, and cook until done and nicely browned. I found these took a little longer than my normal waffles, and I think that is due to the moisture that the pumpkin adds to these.

NOTE: The all-purpose gluten free flour mix that I use is from Cybele Pascal, and is as follows: 4 cups superfine brown rice flour, 1 1/3 cups potato starch (not flour), 2/3 cup tapioca starch. Combine all ingredients in a large zipper-top bag. Shake until well blended.

Sausage Apple Breakfast Panini

Ingredients

* 1 loaf English Muffin Bread (or 16 Slices Of Other Favorite Bread)
* 1 whole Granny Smith Apple, Peeled And Chopped
* 1 pound Cooked, Crumbled Maple Sausage
* 8 slices Cheddar Cheese
* 8 Tablespoons Butter

Preparation Instructions

Heat panini pan or panini maker.

Butter one side of each piece of bread. On the non-buttered side, add 1/8 of the cooked sausage, 1/8 of the apple and a slice of cheddar cheese. Top with another piece of bread (butter side out) and bake on the panini maker until the bread is toasted and the cheese has melted. Serve.

Pumpkin Oatmeal

Ingredients

* ½ cups Old Fashioned Oats
* 1 cup Milk Or Milk Alternative
* ¼ cups Pumpkin
* ¼ teaspoons Cinnaomon
* ? teaspoons Ground Ginger
* 2 pinches Nutmeg
* 1 pinch Cloves
* 2 pinches Salt
* ¼ cups Raisins Or Dried Cranberries

Preparation Instructions

Place the ingredients into a saucepan over medium heat and stir to combine. Just as the mixture begins to boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.

When done, remove from heat and pour into a bowl. Top with a drizzle of honey, a sprinkle of walnuts and milk if desired.

Yogurt Creme

Ingredients

* 1 quart Plain Natural Yogurt
* 1 Tablespoon Milk (or Enough For The Consistency You Like)
* 2 Tablespoons Honey, Or To Taste
* 2 teaspoons Good Vanilla
* ¼ cups Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate, Thawed
* ½ cups Fresh Mixed Berries Or Fruit (optional)
* 1 teaspoon Toasted Chopped Pecans Or Pine Nuts (optional)

Preparation Instructions

Strain the yogurt for 12-24 hours in a cheesecloth-lined strainer. It will drain away about 1/2 its volume in clear yellow liquid, leaving you with thick, magical, wonderful, richly creamy stuff called yogurt cheese. It will be quite stiff so beat it until smooth with wire whisk or mixer.

Add milk, honey, vanilla, and orange juice concentrate and beat until smooth.

Layer your yogurt creme in a pretty glass with fresh fruit or berries, toasted nuts, etc….or enjoy it all by itself. Mmm….

Ricotta Strawberry Breakfast Panini

Ingredients

* 2 Tablespoons Cream Cheese, softened
* 1 cup Ricotta Cheese
* 1-½ Tablespoon Powdered Sugar
* 1 whole Egg White (or 1 Tablespoon Egg Beaters)
* 1 loaf Pound Cake
* ½ pounds Fresh Strawberries, Chopped

Preparation Instructions

1. In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, ricotta cheese, powdered sugar and egg white until well-combined. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes to firm up filling. (Don’t skip this step or the filling will just come oozing out the sides of the panini instead of staying inside.)

2. Slice pound cake into 1/2 inch pieces. Heat a panini maker and butter one side of each piece of pound cake. Spoon 2 tablespoons of chilled filling onto a slice of pound cake, top with 1 tablespoon chopped strawberries and top with another piece of pound cake, butter side out.

3. Working with two sandwiches at a time, place in the panini maker and let cook until the outside of the pound cake is golden brown and the sandwich is hot through. Remove from the panini pan, top with whipped cream, if using, and serve immediately.

Makes 6-7 paninis depending on your loaf size.