Plátanos Maduros (Sweet Fried Plantains)

My first mother-in-law was a Mexican immigrant. After I married her son, we moved into Mama Nona's house to save money to buy our own house.

I was twenty years old, and I’d lived on a farm in Michigan for most of my life. Growing up, the only Latinos I’d ever seen were the migrant workers who whistled at us from the back of a flatbed truck when they rode down our dirt road. When I moved into Mama Nona’s home in Waukegan Illinois, I was totally immersed in Mexican culture.

Mama Nona was born in Mexico in the 1920s. For the last thirty years she had lived in a rotting old house at the edge of a ravine that gangsters called “Death Valley”. Ray was the only one of her twelve children who was born in the United States.

Because Ray was the youngest, I was closest to his high school-age nieces and nephews. Work was strictly regulated between men and women, and Ramona, Maribel, Rosie, and Marijenia  squeezed into Mama Nona's steaming kitchen to cook with their mothers. One of the first recipes I learned was plátanos maduros, Ray's favorite dessert dish or side dish. Even though women were supposed to do all the cooking, Ray and I competed to see who could make the best plate of fried plantains.

At a party last weekend, a friend was reminiscing about the wonderful mofongo he ate in Puerto Rico. Mofongo is a dish made with unripe plaintains and has a consistency and use similar to mashed potatoes. Talking about mofongo led me to a craving for plátanos maduros (which are made throughout the Caribbean and Latin America), so I made them for breakfast one day this week. They were as good as I remembered.

If you don't have cholesterol problems, I would highly recommend using Latino crema instead of sour cream. Crema has the consistency of yogurt and is much less sour and much more creamy. It's amazing stuff but probably not as good for you.

Plátanos Maduros

 Ingredients

 4 large ripe plantains (skins should be mostly black mottled with dark yellow; fruit should be slightly soft)
1/2 cup Canola or Corn oil
1 cup crema or sour cream at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Directions

Peel the plantains. I find it easiest to cut a line in the tough skin from top to bottom, and peel from there; plantains don't peel as easily as bananas. Cut the plantains into 1/2" slices.

Heat a frying pan on medium heat and then add oil. When the oil is hot, fry the plantain slices on each side until golden brown and tender, turning as needed. Don't crowd the plantains in the pan; cook in batches if they all don't fit. Drain the slices on paper towels.

Place plantains on a warmed plate and drizzle with crema or sour cream. Sprinkle with sugar (and cinnamon, if desired). Serve immediately. A lot of Latinos like it as a side dish without crema or sugar, just a squirt of lime or a bit of salt. I'm going to try drizzling them with honey next time.

Serves 2-4.

Mama Nona in Mexico, 1940s

You can read more about my experiences living in a Mexican household in Scenes from a Mexican Kitchen and Life and Times of a Little Gringa.

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Mini Confetti Quiches

The Hungry Lovers home is very busy these days - Joe's working long hours to manage the employees in his financial practice, and I'm working on a bunch of new photography and writing projects at night and on weekends. With him off to early appointments and late networking events, I decided to come up with a make-ahead healthy and hearty breakfast for him to eat on the run.

These mini quiches can be made with any combination of ingredients. To make a pretty confetti-colored quiche, I used egg whites and low-fat Swiss cheese,  then added broccoli, red pepper, fat-free ham, and green onions. I froze these in their cupcake papers so wecan pop them in the microwave while we are packing for work, and then take them on the road.

Ingredients

1 10" low fat frozen pastry crust (if you don't like frozen, you can make your own)

3 cups egg whites or egg substitute, or 12 eggs

1/4 cup broccoli florets, finely chopped

1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped

1/4 cup green onions, thinly sliced

1 slice low-fat ham, finely chopped

1/4 cup Swiss or provolone cheese, shredded

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 tsp basil, minced

1 tsp celery seed

1/8 tsp nutmeg

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Place parchment baking cups into a 12-cup muffin pan. Lay the thawed pastry on a cutting board.  With a round cookie cutter or water glass, cut the pastry into 12 circles. Press one circle into the bottom and partway up the sides of each baking cup.

If using whole eggs, beat them together. Then add the rest of the ingredients to the eggs. I mixed these in a large glass measuring cup with a nice pouring spout, so I could easily pour the mixture into each paper cup. Fill them to nearly the top; leave a 1/4" space for the eggs to expand.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the eggs are fluffy and set, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the quiches comes out clean. Let cool.

These can be heated up in 45 seconds from the refrigerator, or about 1.5-2 minutes from the freezer.

Makes 12 mini quiches.

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Pigs in a Blanket Breakfast Bake

A few weeks ago I was craving pigs in a blanket - perhaps craving isn't the right word. I'm pretty sure sausages in buttermilk pancakes were dancing through my dreams. Hey, there are worse things I could be obsessing about, right?

I told Joe the grand vision I had for a brunch pancake bake: apples, breakfast sausages, pancake batter, syrup. He came up with this recipe for Mother's Day brunch - basically it's an upside-down buttermilk cake with caramelized apples and savory sausage. My gosh, this is so amazingly good that I want this for breakfast every day!

Next, I'm going to challenge my master chef to make these into on-the-go breakfast muffins. We used a pie pan, so he actually has a bit of buttermilk pancake batter left over for him to experiment with. We're also going to serve this when all our family is in town for First Born's college graduation in June. Are you hungry, family?

P.S. I'm sure this works well with boxed pancake mix as well, if you want to save a minute or two in stirring together the dry ingredients. We've never made from-scratch buttermilk pancakes though, and Joe says he's never going back to something like Bisquick!

Ingredients

For the Batter
2  cups flour
1  tsp baking soda
2  tsp baking powder
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2  eggs, beaten
2  cups buttermilk
3 tbsp butter, melted
1/2 tsp vanilla

For the Casserole

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup butter 

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 large apple, peeled and thinly sliced

1 package turkey sausage links cut into 1/2" pieces (we really love fully-cooked Bob Evans breakfast sausage)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and oil a 9x13 pan or a large pie pan. If you use the pie pan, you will have some pancake batter left over for later!

Stir together the dry batter ingredients. In a separate bowl, beat together the wet ingredients, then beat in the flour mixture until smooth and well combined. Set aside. (Note: you can make this a day or two earlier and keep it in the fridge - whip it well before using.)

Place the brown sugar, butter, and syrup in a small saucepan and heat to boiling, stirring frequently. Let cool.

Arrange the apple slices in the bottom of the pan and pour the syrup over them. If the sausage is not precooked, brown the pieces in a skillet. Sprinkle the sausage pieces over the apples. Pour the pancake batter on top. 

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Tip the pan over onto a platter and cut into squares or wedges as you prefer.

Serves 4-6.

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Stacked Crepes, Western Omelet-Style

My first crepe experience was at the Magic Pan restaurant in the brand-new Renaissance Center in Detroit, where my Grandpa Williams took us after its grand opening. I remember the world singing hallelujah that Detroit was being revitalized and the pain of having to choose just one crepe entree from the giant Magic Pan creperie.

Magic Pan had sugar lumps wrapped in paper, and my cousin Scott and I ate as many as we could without getting caught, and stuffed our pockets full on the way out the door. While my parents chatted, Scott and I dropped the sugar cubes down through the open courtyard, trying to tag a shopper. I can say this now, because the statute of limitations on that crime has now run out.

I also remember a lecture from my mom that has lasted to this day: I am physically unable to pronounce them "crapes" (which rhymes with grapes) but must always say creps, which rhymes with preps. This means I confuse a lot of Americans when I order them from a menu.

First Born developed a passion for crepes early. She loved them so much that her Aunt and Uncle gave her a crepe machine when she was about twelve. Now that she's on her own, her miniscule Chicago kitchen doesn't have room for many appliances, so we've had the benefit of unlimited crepe-making for years. If you don't have a crepe-maker, the instructions below use a little skillet.

Joe and I came up with this recipe one day while looking for something new to cook for Sunday brunch. Since crepes are such a classic French dish, we turned to Julia Child's cookbook for inspiration. After some reasonably simple directions (especially short for Julia), she went on to describe stacked crepes with fillings in between the layers - kind of like a crepe lasagna.

I adore those pretty little crepe rolls full of juicy berries and jam, and if you top them with a bit of mascarpone you'll be pretty close to heaven on a plate. But rolled crepes are a bit of work and if you're clutzy like me, they can also be messy. Crepes stacked up without any rolling tend to eliminate both problems.

This recipe is great for using up leftovers, which is why it is Western omelet (or Denver omelet) style. We had ham, peppers, onions, and a few other things to throw in the filling. Like always, use whatever makes you happy.

Ingredients

For the crepes
2 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 cup flour
3 tablespoons melted butter

For the filling/sauce
1 tbsp oil
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped mushroom
1/4 cup chopped tomato
1/3 cup chopped ham
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated

For the sauce
2 eggs
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp Lousiana hot sauce
1 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
4 tbsp butter, melted and cooled

Instructions

Add all of the crepe ingredients to the blender or food processor and pulse for 10 seconds. Put the batter in the refrigerator while preparing the other ingredients. This will let some of the bubbles rise out of the batter so your crepes are less likely to tear.

Heat the oil in a skillet and saute the vegetables. Add the ham, then keep warm while making the crepes.

Heat a small non-stick pan. Pour 1 ounce of batter into the center of the pan and quickly swirl it until the pan is evenly covered. Slide a spatula around the edges to release them. Cook for 30 seconds and flip. Cook for another 10 seconds and then flip onto a plate.

Layer crepes with the vegetable mixture and cheese until it is as high as you like.Vigorously whisk together all sauce ingredients until it is frothy, and pour over the stack of crepes. Serve by cutting it into slices like a cake.

If you have leftover crepes, let them cool, then store them in a plastic bag in the fridge or freezer.

Serves 4-6.

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Eunice's Carrot-Banana Bread

I had the most wonderful mother-in-law ever. Eunice was a sweet lady who grew up in the early 1900s and spent most of her life on cattle ranches and in church charity guilds. I see her thoughtful, kind, good-hearted traits in Joe. I just wish I'd met her (and Joe) sooner.

Eunice spent her retirement serving other people and making them happy. In her late eighties, she'd still go to the Senior Center nearly every day to serve those "old" seventy and eighty-year-olds. When she passed away the day after Mother's Day a few years ago, her funeral was swamped with people from all over the U.S. who had loved her. She truly showed a life well lived.

Joe and his mother Eunice at her 90th birthday party

The first time we traveled to Clear Lake, Iowa to meet her, she made a big loaf of this moist and dense banana-carrot bread for me and the girls. I think Joe got some too, but we might have eaten it all without him. She was so happy that I loved it that every time she knew she was going to see me, she would make a couple of extra loaves of bread for me to take home.

When Joe and I were engaged, I gave Eunice a blank cookbook and asked her to write down some of her favorite recipes and maybe some of Joe's long-time favorites. Her banana-carrot bread is the first one in the "breads" section. I love it that I have this recipe written in her handwriting.

I'm a little teary right now.

Last weekend my parents came to visit, to take me out for my birthday and to take the family to a Cubs game as our Christmas present from last year. I made a double batch of the quick bread batter to make a loaf for breakfast and muffins for Jessie and Erich, since they're working through finals week. The bread tasted just as moist and delicious as when Eunice used to make it.

Ingredients

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs (or 1/2 cup egg whites)
2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 or 3)

1 cup grated carrots

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and oil a 9x5 loaf pan (or a 12-cup muffin pan)

In a mixing bowl, combine oil and sugar. Add eggs; mix well. Stir together flour, soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Gradually blend into the creamed mixture alternately with the mashed bananas. Stir in carrots and nuts. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes (for loaf pan) or 25-30 minutes (for muffins), until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from the pan.

Makes 1 loaf or 12 muffins.

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Orange-Cranberry-Rosemary Muffins

Rosemary isn't the first ingredient you'd think of to put in muffins, right? Well, in this recipe, the fresh herb adds a little tang and zest without becoming too pine-y or overwhelming. It's a delicious addition.

I came across this recipe a few years ago when I was writing the herb section of my book
The Complete Guide to Food Preservation. When I started writing my next book, The Complete Guide to Growing Windowsill Plants, I put a pot of rosemary on a sunny windowsill. The next winter it was huge and bursting with pale lavender flowers that lasted until May.

Now that rosemary plant is a bush near a sunny window in my kitchen, and I can't use the branches fast enough to keep it decently trimmed. Rosemary is a wonderfully hardy houseplant for a sunny location; it handles neglect and drought well, and smells lovely every time you brush up against it.

Ingredients

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
2/3 cup orange juice
½ cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
2 tablespoons orange zest
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary (can substitute dried)
1 cup dried cranberries, lightly chopped
2 tbsp orange zest, divided
3 tbsp powdered sugar
1 tbsp vanilla
1 tsp milk

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease or line a 12-cup muffin tin.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. In a smaller bowl, mix the egg, orange juice, milk, and melted butter until combined.

Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, until just combined. Fold in the rosemary, cranberries, and 1 tbsp of orange zest.

Spoon the batter into muffin cups, nearly to the top. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Stir together the powdered sugar, vanilla, milk, and the last tbsp of orange zest, and use this to frost the tops of the muffins as they cool.

Makes 12 muffins.

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Blueberry Crumb Cake

I made this coffeecake to bring along on the family camping trip this weekend, where we romped on a gorgeous Lake Michigan beach for two days. If you ever get a chance to visit Grand Haven, Michigan, you shouldn't miss it; there's a reason Michigan is called "The Third Coast". The sugar-sand beaches here are as gorgeous and well-maintained as those on the Atlantic or Pacific - without the heavy waves or eye-burning salt water.

 

If you ever get tired of splashing in the surf, playing in the sand, or relaxing on a blanket in the sun, it's fun to head into Grand Haven proper. The boardwalk leads up the river to a lighted musical fountain, ice cream shops, and a pretty little town with some interesting stores and cafes.

Grand Haven pier, with its iconic red lighthouses, is a pretty walk. Teens perform back flips into the water and boats anchor along the edge to watch the sun set over the lake. The sunsets over Lake Michigan are stunning; sunrises over the lake, from the Illinois side, are just not the same to me.

We even saw a huge tanker come in off the lake and cruise up the river past the dwarfed yachts and sailboats. Grand Haven is beautiful.

Say hello to my parents, and the tanker Cuyahoga.

We devoured this blueberry coffee cake yesterday while pulling up stakes and stowing camping gear. My nephew Alex was the last one to stumble out of my sister's pop-up camper in the morning. When he took his first bite, he just said, "WOW." It was a good "wow". This is teen-approved food, from a teen who needs serious fuel.

I really want to skimboard like Alex does.

Then I took the fork out of his hand and told him to eat with his fingers, because I was doing the last of the dishes.

We headed out of the PJ Hoffmaster State Park and down to the beach for another day in the sun. None of us really wanted to leave on such a gorgeous day, but eventually we drove off for Ann Arbor and Chicago and Toledo. Today we're relaxing and slowly sweeping sand out of everything (really, EVERYTHING), and washing everything that smells like woodsmoke and bug spray. I really wish I'd made a second batch of this rich and moist cake for us to enjoy today. And by the way, I'm sunburned in places I didn't even know I could burn.

Ingredients

For the cake:

1 stick of butter (8 tbsp)
2/3 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp lemon zest
2/3 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
2 tbsp flour

For the crumb topping

1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
6 tbsp butter, melted
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x11" baking pan.

Cream the butter and sugar together in an electric mixer. Add the eggs, vanilla, lemon zest, and sour cream; beat on low speed until combined. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add the flour mixture to the batter, while beating, until just combined. The batter will be fairly thick.

Place the berries in a bowl and sprinkle with the 2 tbsp of flour (this will help them from falling to the bottom of the cake). Gently stir them into the batter. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out over the pan.

Combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Stir in the melted butter and then the flour. Sprinkle over the top of the batter.

Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Serves 6-8.

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Cheddar-Dill Biscuits

Last weekend a friend gave us four pounds (!!) of pickling cucumbers, so we picked up some fresh dill and canned six pints of kosher dill pickles. A little dill goes a long way - most of the bunch of dill was left over after canning. I made an avocado cream soup Monday night, stirred up some cheesy drop biscuits to go along with, and added some chopped dill to the biscuit recipe.

Man, I was glad I did. These seriously easy cheddar biscuits were fluffy and flavorful, and just as tasty the next day for breakfast. Usually I like a pat of butter on my biscuit halves, but these didn't even need it.

I'll be posting the avocado cream soup recipe next week - it was fabulous hot for dinner, and cold for lunch the next day.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
5 tsp cold butter, cut into bits
3/4 cup sharp cheddar, grated
2 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated
2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
2/3 cup fat-free sour cream
1/3 cup milk

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a cookie sheet.

Stir together flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture is the texture of coarse meal. Stir the cheese, dill, sour cream, and milk into the flour mixture and mix until the dough comes together well. Scoop 12 mounds of dough onto a baking sheet and bake until puffed and pale golden, about 15-18 minutes.


Makes 12 biscuits.

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Strawberry Mango Lassi - drink your breakfast!

A mango lassi always reminds me of my very cosmopolitan friend Natasha. We used to work together in corporate IT, and she took me to all sorts of interesting places and cajoled me into trying new foods. She found great places, too, like a Turkish kebab stand in suburban Arlington Heights or the best sushi place close to work. At the time I was a single mom with sole custody of my daughters, so my only social outlet was lunch dates. Natasha's friendship was a lovely gift to me.

On summer mornings, Natasha used to stop into an Indian store on her way to work to pick up a mango lassi. One time she brought one for me, and it was a splendid creamy-fruity breakfast. I had no idea that Indians invented fruit and yogurt smoothies, or that there were mangoes in India, but I completely approved. Delicious.

Eventually Natasha moved away and we lost track of each other. It's a shame. Stephen King wrote, "Friends come in and out of your life like busboys in a restaurant, have you ever noticed that?" Keep track of the good ones, if you can.

A mango lassi is a nice cooling breakfast or snack on a summer day, and I bet it would be even more refreshing in sultry India. Last week I took my smoothie out on the balcony and sipped it (well, it was so thick I also needed a spoon) while I watched the hummingbirds at the feeder. Three ruby-throated hummers have been stopping by lately.

I added some strawberries to this recipe because, you know, it's strawberry season here in the Midwest. You can stir them in sliced after your make the lassi, or puree them with the mango, or skip 'em entirely if you want.

Ingredients

2 cups ripe mango, peeled and cut into chunks
1 cup sliced strawberries
2 cups plain lowfat yogurt
1 cup ice cubes
3 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp ground green cardamom pods

Directions

Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth and creamy. Add more ice or a bit of milk if the smoothie is too thick. If it's not cold enough, chill it in the refrigerator before eating.

Makes about 6 cups.

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Low Fat Eggs Benedict

Whenever Joe asks me what I'd like for a special breakfast, the answer is almost always "Eggs Benedict! Yes, please, more Eggs Benedict!" That creamy sauce, and the ham and tender eggs drizzling yolk down into the muffin...oh my, that is my breakfast dream.

Unfortunately, traditional recipes use a hollandaise sauce made of egg yolks and enough butter to clog an artery. Of course it's delicious, but very unhealthy. Joe has worked for a long time to come up with a lighter version that still delivers the savory hollandaise taste. He cut down on the butter and replaced it with heart-friendly olive oil. He relies on seasonings to provide flavor in place of the heavy buttery sauce. However, the sauce is a bit more liquid than the full-fat versions. I don't mind a bit.

Thinly sliced fat-free ham or Canadian bacon also cuts down on the calories. I feel much less guilty for lusting for this breakfast dish more often...though Mother's Day is a perfect excuse for a tray of this, in bed, with the newspaper and some tea. Are you listening, Joe?

Ingredients

For the Light Hollandaise Sauce

1 cup egg substitute
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp Lousiana hot sauce
1 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp cream cheese


4 English muffins
8 eggs
8 slices Canadian bacon, low-fat ham, or cooked American bacon strips

Directions

Place egg substitute, salt, mustard, hot sauce, and lemon juice in a blender and give it a couple of pulses. Soften the cream cheese in the microwave for 45 seconds. Add the butter to the oil and microwave for 45 seconds. Stir into the cream cheese and blend well.

Poach the eggs or fry them until over-easy, making sure the yolks are still liquid. Heat the bacon or ham. Toast the muffins and put the halves on individual serving plates. 

Heat the cream cheese mixture for about 30 seconds, until very hot but not separated. Turn on the blender and while it's running, pour the cream cheese mixture into the blender. Blend well.

Drizzle some of the hollandaise sauce over the muffin halves. Lay the bacon or ham on top of the muffins, then put an egg on top of each muffin half. Drizzle with the rest of the sauce before serving.

Serves 4-6.

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Lemony Easter Basket Bread

My mom used to make this bread for Easter dinner nearly every year; I don't know who originally gave it to her. Just a bite of this flaky lemony yeast bread, slightly sweet, takes me back to those days.

The other tradition for Easter dinner was leg of lamb (we always called it "leggo lamb"), which was very confusing for a young Catholic girl. We'd go to Easter mass and sing about the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Then we'd go home and eat the lamb for dinner! We were eating Jesus!

The horror. I was definitely scarred for life.

We're past the Easter egg coloring stage in our house, and don't have any grandchildren yet, so we don't tuck colored eggs into the braid before cooking it. I think you get the idea without the eggs in the bread basket, don't you?

Ingredients

1 package active dry yeast or 2 1/4 tsp bottled dry yeast
1/2 tsp sugar
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup milk
1 3.4 oz (large) package lemon pudding
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon salt
4 to 4 1/2 cups flour

3 eggs, beaten

4 decorated hard boiled Easter eggs, if desired

1 tbsp water

1 egg, beaten

Nonpareil candies for decoration

Directions

Place the active dry yeast and sugar in a small bowl and stir in the warm water. Let sit 10 minutes, until the yeast begins to bubble. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the lemon pudding and salt. Add the butter, then pour hot milk over pudding mixture. Stir continuously until the butter melts and pudding dissolves. Allow it cool to lukewarm.

Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the flour and mix well. Stir the yeast and 3 beaten eggs; beat well. Gradually stir in the rest of flour. Turn out on lightly floured surface or kneading bowl, cover, and let rest for 15 minutes.

Knead till smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface. Cover; let rise till double, about 1 hour.

This kneading bowl is easier for me to use than a floured surface.

Punch down; let rise again till almost double about 60 minutes. Turn out on lightly floured surface or kneading bowl and divide dough in half, then form each half into 3 balls. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. Grease two pie pans or 9x2 round pans.

For each basket, roll each ball into an 18 inch ropes with your hands. Braid the three strands together, pinching together the ends then tucking them under as you coil the braid into each pan. If you're using Easter eggs, tuck the eggs in the loops of the braid. Let rest in a warm place for 20 minutes.

Brush the tops with egg, then sprinkle with nonpareils. Bake at 375° for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the bread sounds somewhat hollow when rapped with a knuckle.

Makes two bread rings.

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Chiles Rellenos Breakfast Casserole (Egg, Cheese, and Green Chile casserole)

We've been making this mild egg, green chilies, and cheese casserole for ages. It's perfect for a brunch dish or a light dinner. When I made this casserole yesterday, I knew Joe had a busy week ahead and would need to eat on the run. I wrapped up his casserole in a flour tortilla so he could eat breakfast to-go. Yum.

If you follow Weight Watchers, 1/6 of this casserole is approximately 4 points and counts for 1 dairy and 1 veggie.

Ingredients

1 tsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped red pepper
2 4-oz cans diced mild or hot green chilies (your preference; I don't like spicy foods first thing in the morning!)
1 1/2 cups egg substitute
2/3 cup low-fat cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1 cup chopped and seeded tomato
1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Directions

Heat frying pan, then add the olive oil. Saute onion and red pepper until slightly tender. Stir in green chilies and cook for 5 minutes on low heat.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and oil an 8-inch square casserole pan. 

Whisk together the egg substitute and sour cream. Stir in the pepper mixture, cheddar, and tomato. Pour into the casserole pan and top with the Monterey Jack cheese.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, until golden brown, and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. You can add red or green salsa before serving, if you'd like.

Serves 4-6.

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Apple Butter Lattice Coffee Cake

I think this is the time of the year when cinnamon and apples and pastry fresh out of the oven tastes especially good. We made this lattice coffee cake with apple butter I canned this summer, and it was perfect for Christmas brunch. It's easy enough to make for any breakfast when you've got the time to sit down together and enjoy the morning.

The inspiration for this pastry came from Farm Bell Recipes, which is a fun site full of delicious cooking ideas.

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1 1/2 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp salt
1 tablespoon sugar
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 stick butter (4 tbsp)
3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cups apple butter (we're partial to our Crock Pot Apple Butter recipe)

Powdered Sugar Frosting

1/3 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp vanilla
2 tbsp milk

Directions

Stir together dry ingredients. With a pastry cutter or fork, cut in cream cheese and butter until crumbly and beginning to stick together. Stir in the milk. With your hands, knead the dough. It will be a little dry, but if it is too dry to stick together, add a little more milk.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Roll out the dough on a floured surface, and shape into a 12x8 rectangle. Place in a greased cookie sheet. Spread the apple butter down the middle of the dough, leaving at least 2 inches on the long sides and a 1 inch margin on the short sides.

Make diagonal

Criss-cross cut strips of dough over the top and pinch ends to seal. Bake in a 375-degree oven for 25 minutes or till nicely browned on top.

Stir together powdered sugar and vanilla, then gradually add milk until the frosting is liquidy enough to drizzle. Using a fork, dribble the frosting back and forth across the warm bread.

Makes 1 loaf.

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