Fuzzy Navel Smoothies
Wake up and start your day with my delicious Fuzzy Navel Smoothies. If you don’t have fresh peaches then by all means use frozen ones.
INGREDIENTS
6 Ounces Peach Yogurt
1 Cup Peach Slices
1 Cup Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice
Place yogurt, peaches, and orange juice into a blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Pour into two glasses and serve immediately. Serves 2.
© Victoria Hart Glavin
Hot Cross Buns
These slightly sweet buns are often served during the Easter season.
INGREDIENTS
4 to 4 1/2 Cups Unbleached Flour
1 Package Active Dry Yeast
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1/8 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
3/4 Cup Whole Milk
1/2 Cup Butter
1/3 Cup Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
3 Room Temperature Large Eggs
2/3 Cup Raisins or Currants
1/4 Cup Diced Candied Orange Peel (Optional)
1 Beaten Egg White
1 Tablespoon Water
Powdered Sugar Icing (See Below For Recipe)
In a large-size bowl combine 2 cups flour, yeast, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. In a medium-size saucepan add milk, butter, sugar, and kosher salt. Heat over a medium-low heat and stir until butter almost melts. The temperature should reach between 120 to 130 degrees. Add milk mixture to flour mixture along with eggs. Beat with an electric mixer on low for 30 seconds. Scrape bowl constantly. Turn to high speed and beat for 3 minutes. Stir in raisins and orange peel. Stir in as much of remaining flour as you can. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour for 3 to 5 minutes. You will want moderately soft dough. Shape into a ball. Place dough into lightly greased bowl. Turn once to grease surface of dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 2 hours or until doubled in size. Punch dough down. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Lightly grease two baking sheets and set aside. Divide dough into 20 pieces. Gently pull each piece into a ball. Tuck edges under to make smooth tops. Place balls 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets. Cover and let rise for 1 hour or until nearly doubled in size. Preheat oven to 374 degrees. Using a sharp knife make crisscross slashes across top of each dough ball. In small-size bowl combine beaten egg white and water. Brush egg white mixture over rolls. Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately remove buns from baking sheets. Cool slightly on wire racks. Drizzle Powdered Sugar Icing into crisscrosses on each bun. Serve warm. Makes about 20 Hot Cross Buns.
Powdered Sugar Icing
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
1/4 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Tablespoon Milk
In small-size bowl combine powdered sugar, vanilla and milk. Stir in additional milk if needed one tablespoon at a time until icing reaches drizzling consistency. Makes about 1/2 cup.
© Victoria Hart Glavin
Potato Latkes
Made with matzo meal these Potato Latkes are perfect for Passover or anytime. Serve with applesauce and sour cream.
INGREDIENTS
4 Medium Potatoes
1 Peeled & Quartered Yellow Onion
2 Tablespoons Matzo Meal
2 Large Eggs
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Apple Sauce
Sour Cream
Peel and cut potatoes into chunks. In a food processor place 1/4 of potatoes. Add onions, eggs, matzo meal, kosher salt and pepper. Pulse until vegetables are finely chopped. Add rest of potatoes and pulse until all potatoes are finely chopped and mixture is combined. In a large-size heavy skillet heat olive oil over a medium heat. Scoop up 1/3 cup of potato mixture and place into hot oil. Fry each latke for 3 minutes per side until brown and crisp. If your potato mixture isn’t holding together well then stir in more matzo meal by the tablespoon until mixture holds. Finish making latkes with rest of potato mixture. Add additional olive oil as needed. Remove from skillet and transfer latkes to paper towels to drain excess oil. Transfer to serving plate and serve with applesauce and/or sour cream. Makes about 8 latkes
© Victoria Hart Glavin
Simple French Toast
Everyone deserves a good breakfast so make extra and freeze it. No need to defrost, just pop into the toaster for a quick breakfast. Make sure to completely cool French toast before freezing. You can also make this French toast a day in advance. Just refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, and then heat on a cookie sheet (400 degree preheated oven) for 10 to 15 minutes.
INGREDIENTS
3 Tablespoons Butter
1 Large Whole Egg
1 Egg Yolk
1/2 Cup Milk
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
4 Thick Slices Challah Bread (Or Other Egg Bread)
Pure Maple Syrup
In a large-size sauté pan melt butter over a low heat. In a medium-size bowl mix together egg, egg yolk, milk, sugar, and cinnamon. Dunk each slice of bread into egg mixture long enough for some of liquid to soak in. Use spatula to transfer to sauté pan. Cook on one side until golden brown. Turn over to cook other side. Add more butter if necessary. Remove and transfer to serving plate. Serve with butter and maple syrup. Serves 2
© Victoria Hart Glavin
Fresh Berry Bismarck
Perfect for a Sunday brunch! Easy to make too!
INGREDIENTS
2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1/2 Cup Unbleached Flour
1/2 Cup Whole Milk
2 Eggs
1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
Fresh Raspberries, Blueberries, Blackberries or Strawberries
Pure Maple Syrup
Powdered Sugar
Preheat your oven to 475 degrees. Place butter in a 10 inch oven proof sauté pan. Place in oven until butter melts and begins to bubble. In a large-size bowl whisk together flour, milk, eggs, and kosher salt. Whisk until smooth. Pour batter into sauté pan and return to oven for 12 minutes until batter if puffy and golden brown. Remove from oven and slide Bismarck onto serving plate. Dust with powdered sugar, drizzle with maple syrup, and fresh berries. Serves 2 to 4.
© Victoria Hart Glavin
Crumpets
Teatime, breakfast or anytime! Crumpets are easy to make. All you need is a heavy skillet and round cookie cutters.
INGREDIENTS
4 Cups Bread Flour
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Sugar
2 Teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
2 1/2 Cups Lukewarm Milk (130 Degrees)
2/3 Cup Lukewarm Water (130 Degrees)
Vegetable Oil For Cooking
In a large-size bowl sift flour. Stir in kosher salt, sugar and yeast. Make a well in center of flour and pour in milk and water. Make sure the milk and water are not too hot so you don’t kill the yeast. Gradually work flour into liquid with a wooden spoon. Beat vigorously to make a smooth batter. Cover bowl with clean kitchen towel and place in a warm, draft-free spot for 1 hour or until batter has doubled in size. Grease a heavy skillet and several round cookie cutters (or crumpet rings). Arrange as many rings as you can get in pan. Heat pan over a medium heat and then pour in enough batter to half fill each ring. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until bubbles appear and burst on the surface. Remove rings and turn crumpets over. Cook on other side for 2 to 3 minutes longer. Remove crumpets from skillet and transfer to serving plate. Return rings to skillet to heat and repeat with remaining batter. Serve crumpets hot with butter and jam. Makes about 16 crumpets.
© Victoria Hart Glavin
Corned Beef Hash
I like to make hash after having a Corned Beef & Cabbage dinner. I often poach an egg per serving to put on top of the hash.
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Cooked Corned Beef (About 2 Cups)
4 Medium-Size Cooked Potatoes
1 Small Yellow Onion
1/2 Large-Size Green Pepper
1 Small Celery Stalk
1 to 2 Sprigs Parsley
Poached or Fried Eggs
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Chop corned beef, potatoes, onion, green pepper, celery, and parsley. Combine in large-size bowl. Grease a shallow nine-inch pan. Transfer ingredients (except poached eggs) into pan. Place in oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until crust is brown. Remove from oven and fold as you would an omelet. Serve with poached or fried eggs, catsup or thickened tomato sauce. Serves 4
© Victoria Hart Glavin
Chocolate Pumpkin Marble Bread
This delicious bread can be eaten for breakfast, a snack or a dessert. It’s easy and fun to make. Make sure to avoid over-swirling the batter or it will become ALL chocolate.
INGREDIENTS
1 3/4 Cups Sugar
3/4 Cup Olive Oil
2 Jumbo or Large Eggs
12 Ounces Pumpkin Puree
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
2 Cups Unbleached Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
3 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
2 Tablespoons Buttermilk or Sour Milk
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and place your rack to the middle position. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Make sure to let parchment paper to hang over the loaf pan edges. In a large-size bowl beat olive oil, sugar, pumpkin, eggs, and kosher salt. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to the wet mixture. Beat until completely combined. Pour 2 cups of the batter into the pan. Pour 1 cup of the batter into a measuring cup and set aside. Whisk milk and cocoa into the remaining batter. Spoon the cocoa batter into the pan. Using a knife, swirl that batter a few times. Spoon the reserved batter over the top and swirl just a few more times. Place into oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes depending on the size of your loaf pan. Remember that each oven heats differently. Remove from oven and cool for 50 minutes. Remove from pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes 1 loaf.
Currant Cream Scones
Weekends are made for coffee and scones. Sometimes I just don’t feel like coming up with weekend breakfast ideas and am happy as a clam to reach for a nice homemade scone to go with my coffee. If you want to be super organized then I suggest keeping prebaked, frozen cones on hand for whatever occasion you might need them for (breakfast, snack time, dessert or tea party). Just put a few in a 35o degree oven and they should be ready to go in about 5 minutes. As an added bonus your kitchen will smell wonderful.
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Unbleached Flour
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/3 Cup Plus 3 Tablespoons Sugar
1 1/2 Cups Dried Currants
1 Cup Heavy Cold Cream
3 Tablespoons Melted Unsalted Butter
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. In a large-size bowl sift together flour, baking powder, kosher salt and 1/3 cup sugar. Stir in currants. Add heavy cream. Use electric mixer to blend, on low, until just combined. Place dough onto lightly floured surface and knead briefly. Roll dough out to one-inch thickness. Use a 1 to 1 1/2 inch biscuit cutter to cut out scones. Place scones 1 inch apart on parchment paper lined baking sheet. Reroll dough scraps and repeat process until all dough has been used. If you don’t have a biscuit cutter you can shape dough into a rectangle 1 inch thick and then cut into squares. Use a pastry brush-to-brush tops of scones with melted butter. Sprinkle with leftover sugar. Put baking sheet in center of oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Remember that each oven heats differently so check at 12 minutes. Remove from oven and place scones on cooling racks. Transfer to serving platter and serve warm or at room temperature with butter and jam. Scones can be stored in an airtight container for up to 24 hours or in the freezer for up to 12 weeks. Makes about 20 scones.
Blueberry Scones
Biscuits and scones are great for entertaining. Split and fill with sandwich toppings for cocktail parties. Serve with whipped cream and jam for teatime gatherings.
INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 Cups Unbleached Flour
4 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Cup Cut Up Butter
2 Beaten Eggs (Room Temperature)
3/4 Cup Whipping Cream
1/2 Cup Dried Blueberries
Whipping Cream
Coarse Sugar
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large-size bowl combine flour, 4 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and kosher salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in center of flour mixture and set aside. In a medium-size bowl combine eggs, 3/4 cup whipping cream and dried blueberries. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Using a pastry blender or fork, stir just until moist. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead dough by folding and gently pressing it for 10 to 12 strokes or until dough is nearly smooth. Divide dough in half. Pat or lightly roll each dough half into a 6 inch circle. Cut each circle into 6 wedges. Place dough wedges 2 inches apart on an parchment paper lined baking sheet. Brush wedges with whipping cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes. Serve warm with butter. Makes about 12 scones.
