Cinnamon and Sugar Cake Doughnuts

Well with two healthy recipes in a row, I had to throw something out there that whilst delicious, is incredibly sinful!  I made these for New Years Day breakfast and they were a huge hit.  My oil was a tiny bit hot, but we were too impatient, hence the darker colours here.  This is a fabulous recipe that unlike yeast doughnuts, does not require any proving time.  You could easily ice these with a light icing sugar glaze as well.

• 3 cups white flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• oil for frying

To coat:

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon 
• 1/2 cup sugar

In a large bowl, stir together dry ingredients.

Make a well in the centre and pour in the milk, egg, butter, and vanilla. Stir until well blended. Allow to rest while oil heats up. 

Pour oil into  heavy duty pot to about 4 inches depth.

Heat the oil to approximately 190 C 

On a floured counter, roll the dough out to about 1/2 an inch in thickness. Use a doughnut cutter or glass (I used a bottle cap for the hole) to cut out the doughnuts.

Fry doughnuts in hot oil until golden brown, turning once. Drain on paper towels.

Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a bowl and place warm doughnuts in it, turn to coat.

Enjoy warm or cool!

Mama's Power Brekky - Curried Pea Frittata

Being eight months pregnant, I've found that I need to eat a high protein nutritious breakfast to ensure I have enough energy to get through a day of small child wrangling, school runs, cooking, cleaning, errands and managing to look somewhat sane and possibly even awake when hubby gets home after ten.  Eggs are a fabulous way to start the day and ensure your energy level remains high for quite some time. Add that to two servings of veggies and you're really off to a good start.  Peas are a great source of ALA and phytonutrients and topped off with some homemade beetroot relish I have a breakfast that any midwife would approve of. This is so easy and so delicious and is a truly fabulous start to the day!

Curried Pea Frittata for One

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• handful frozen peas
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp curry powder
• salt and pepper, to taste
• beetroot, tomato, salsa or other fresh relish to serve

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the onion until just softened.  Add the peas and cook until warmed through.

Meanwhile whisk eggs with salt, pepper and curry powder.  Pour over pea and onion mixture and allow to gently cook.  Lift sides with a spatula to allow egg to flow underneath.  Cook through, or pop under a hot grill to finish.  

Serve hot with relish or mango chutney. 

Fluffy Oatmeal Pancakes

My kids are pancake mad. They would have pancakes or waffles every day if I let them, but as it is I reserve them for weekends.  I've been trying to get more whole grains into them of late, so began experimenting with healthier pancake batter.  This final recipe is a real winner. Even though it's mostly oats and whole wheat flour, they remain fluffy and light and are divine with a little butter and maple syrup.  I mix this in a food processor so I can process the oats before adding the remaining ingredients.  Normally pancakes are terrible when done in a food processor, as they get over whisked and tough, but because of the whole ingredients in this recipe, it works just fine.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup oats
• 1/2 cup white flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1.5 cups buttermilk*
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup melted butter

Whizz oats in food processor until floury in texture. Add whole wheat flour and whizz again.  Add reminaing dry ingredients and pulse to combine.  

Add wet ingredients and blend until combined.

Grease a small frying pan with butter and wipe.  Ladle in about one quarter cup of the batter and swirl the pan to spread it out.  Cook over a medium-low heat until bubbles for in the centre of the pancake.  Flip and cook other side.  Repeat with remaining batter.  

To keep warm, I put a little water in a pot and keep it simmering. I top the pot with a plate and place the pancakes on top as I go, topping with a lid.  It keeps them warm but doesn't allow them to dry out.

Serve warm with butter and real maple syrup.

* You can substitute regular milk soured with a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice.

Baked Ziti

I first heard about Baked Ziti when I was watching The Sopranos.  I was immediately intrigued and have tried several recipes since.  This is the recipe I've cobbled together that everyone seems to love.  I tested it out on my sister-in-law who is Italian and she said it's better than her Grandmothers which was high praise indeed.  What I love most about this recipe is the cost, it's so cheap to make consisting of basic frugal ingredients.  If you're sick of the usual bolognaise based dishes like lasagne and meatballs, definitely give this a go.

Ingredients:


For the tomato sauce-

• Olive Oil
• 1 lb Italian Sausage, removed from casing*
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 500g of passata
• 1 can diced tomatoes

For the bechamel-

• 1/4 cup (2 oz) butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 cups milk
• grating of nutmeg
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan

To assemble-

• 1lb (dry weight) ziti or penne pasta, cooked and drained
• 2 cups grated mozzarella

Pre-heat oven to 180C/350F.

Cook ziti according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Heat some olive oil in a large skillet. Saute the onions until slightly softened and add sausage, stirring to break up.  Once browned, add garlic, sugar and oregano. Stir in passata and tomatoes and simmer for 10-15 minutes.  Taste for seasoning and season with salt, pepper and/or sugar to your taste.

Meanwhile, make the bechamel.  Heat butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan.  Add butter and stir for a minute.  Slowly whisk in milk and bring to a boil.  Once thickened, remove from heat and stir in nutmeg and parmesan.  Season with salt and pepper. 

Grease a 9x13 casserole dish with butter and layer half the pasta, half the meat sauce and half the bechamel in it.  Repeat and top with mozzarella.  Bake for 30-40 minutes until bubbling.  Allow to stand 10-15 minutes before serving.

* If you cannot get Italian sausage, use normal Irish or herb sausages and add a tablespoon of fennel seeds, an additional tablespoon of oregano, teaspoon of basil and a quarter teaspoon of chilli flakes.

 

Decadent Chocolate Mousse

This is a quick and easy recipe that doesn't involve egg separating and tempering.  It makes a rich and decadent mousse that can be adjusted to your taste.  If you're on a low carb diet and like dark chocolate, just leave out the sugar for a luxurious treat.  If you prefer a milkier chocolate, use a lower cocoa percentage.  I wrote this recipe down when I was in college and I think it was from the back of a cooking chocolate bar, but I can't for the life of me remember which brand.  I like it because I don't need to whisk egg whites or temper yolks and it creates just as luxurious a mousse.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 10 oz dark chocolate 
• 1/4 cup espresso, hot
• 4 eggs
• 2-3 tbs sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream

Melt dark chocolate over a double boiler and remove from heat.  Stir in coffee and allow to cool.

Beat eggs with sugar until fluffy, thickened and pale yellow, about 5-7 minutes.

Stir eggs into chocolate mixture.

Whip cream to stiff peaks and fold into mousse.  Spoon into glasses or ramekins and chill for 2-3 hours.  Serve as is or with some crème fraiche and red berries. 

Weekly Menu

One of my new year's resolutions is to plan a weekly menu.  I am hoping to do some batch cooking in the next few weeks so himself won't be stranded when baby comes.  I figure I'll make double dinners and freeze half. Oh how I wish I had my big American freezer, this dinky Irish one will maybe allow a weeks worth of meals at best, but a week will buy me some time with our wee man come March.

Monday:

Chicken Curry with White Rice

Tueday:

Baked Ziti and Garlic Bread

Wednesday:

Mongolian Beef with White Rice

Thursday:

Weeknight Sausage Pasta

Friday:

Chicken Gyros

Saturday:

Leftovers

Sunday:

Fennel Stuffed Pork Belly Roast with Roast Potatoes, Carrots and Creamed Leeks

Almond Crunch Granola

This is a wonderfully delicious and decadent breakfast that you would easily pay a good few euro for in the supermarkets, but when home made with Aldi ingredients, it costs jut a few cents a bowl and tastes sublime! A perfect way to start the day!

 

Ingredients:

• 6 cups porridge oats
• 2 cups dessicated coconut
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 egg whites
• 1/2 cup sunflower oil
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1 cup slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 350F/180C.

Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl.  Whisk oil, egg whites and extract together until frothy.  Combine with dry ingredients and spread out on a large cookie sheet and bake for fifteen minutes. 

Remove from oven, stir and top with almonds. Bake a further ten minutes and stir again.  Bake for a final five minutes until golden brown.  If desired, mix in some dried fruit of your choice. Store in an air tight container and serve with ice-cold milk or Greek yoghurt.