Week Seven: Finals Week Breakfast Special

Greetings! With dead week finished at UNI, I know that myself and others all across the U.S. (and other countries) are preparing for their final exams. Now, finals week is a very important week, and no one can really argue otherwise. With so much pressure on students to do well, one part of the day - the most important part - is often overlooked.

Breakfast.

This week's special will focus on delicious, fast, and fun breakfast items that will take your mind off of finals while you prepare and eat them. Some important things to remember about breakfast:

-Breakfast begins your day at a metabolic level. The sooner you get your metabolism going, the sooner you will wake up and the faster you'll be able to think and focus. Eat breakfast as soon as possible after waking up - within a half an hour is best, but within an hour will do just fine.

- Because breakfast gets your metabolism going so quickly, it helps you to digest and process everything in your food. You can literally eat just about anything for breakfast, and by the end of the day, any sugars or fats have been digested, filtered, processed, and expelled. In fact, this also helps to digest and process food throughout the day. The oven is hot and ready to go, as they say.

- Eating breakfast will help you to concentrate throughout the day, and will help you to study, too. Eating breakfast on days when you don't have finals will be beneficial to your studying, and also will help to keep you healthy so that you don't get sick as easily. It will also improve your stress levels and elevate your mood over time.


This Week's Recipes Are: Chocolate French Toast, Pizza Omelets, and Homemade Cinnamon Rolls


Chocolate French Toast
Makes 6 Servings
Prep Time: 7 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 12 slices bread, crusts removed (best if 1 day old)
• 3 milk chocolate candy bars (such as Hershey's) at 1.55 ounces each, halved
• 2 tablespoons butter
• confectioner's/powdered sugar (optional)

1. In a bowl, beat eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and salt. Pour half into an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish.

2. Arrange 6 pieces of bread in a single layer over egg mixture. Place one piece of chocolate in the center of each piece of bread. Top with remaining bread; pour remaining egg mixture over all. Let stand for 5 minutes.

3. In a large nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Fry sandwiches until golden brown on both sides. Dust with confectioner's/powdered sugar.

4. Cut the sandwiches diagonally; serve warm.

Review-
I tried this recipe last week and was incredibly impressed with it. You have to be sure that the egg mixture has solidified the bread enough to flip the sandwich, otherwise you'll end up trying to move soggy bread back into place. Other than that, however, this recipe was very easy to make. I'm not very good at making french toast, but even I could make this simple recipe. If you like chocolate, and you like french toast, then you'll love this recipe! :)


Pizza Omelets
This recipe makes one serving.
Start to Finish: 10 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup pizza sauce
• 10 slices pepperoni (more or less to preferences)
• 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 tablespoon shredded/grated Parmesan cheese

1. In a bowl, beat the eggs and milk. In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the egg mixture. As the eggs set, lift the edges, letting the uncooked portion flow underneath. When the eggs are completely set, remove from heat.

2. Spread pizza sauce over half of the eggs. Top with pepperoni and mozzarella cheese. Fold omelet in half; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Review-
This is an incredibly easy and fast recipe, and it's definitely fun. If you like pizza and omelets as much as I do, you'll definitely enjoy this. You can switch out other toppings (like ham, olives, onion, etc; ) for the pepperoni if you so desire, and it works really well. This seriously takes all of ten minutes per omelet, and is absolutely delicious.


Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Makes: 12
Start to Finish: 15-20 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 1/2 cups biscuit/baking mix (such as Bisquick)
• 1 1/3 cups milk

Filling:

• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup raisins, optional

Icing:

• 2 cups confectioner's/powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. In a bowl, combine biscuit mix and milk. Turn onto a floured surface and knead 8 to 10 times. Roll dough into a 12-in. x 10-in. rectangle. Spread with butter. Combine sugar, cinnamon and raisins if desired, and sprinkle over the butter.

2. Roll the dough up from a long side, and pinch the seam to seal. Cut into 12 slices, and place the slices with the cut side down on a large greased baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

3. Meanwhile, combine icing ingredients in a small mixing bowl, and then spread over the rolls. Serve warm.

Review-
I remember cold winter mornings when I would wake up, greeted by the smell of my mother cooking cinnamon rolls on the other side of the house. Those days were always the best. Now, I'm engaged to a wonderful fiance who loves cinnamon rolls to the point that when I surprise him the way that my mother used to surprise me with them, the only word to describe his reaction is delight.
I have been looking (lazily) for a good recipe for cinnamon rolls made from scratch for over two years, and this is the best I've found. We absolutely love this recipe, and I enjoy making it. It can be tricky to make the first time, but if you read the instructions first, it's easier. While not the fastest (I had to re-knead and re-roll my dough twice because I messed up), this recipe certainly is well worth it.

Week Six: 2010 Holiday Special #1: Turkey and Cookies

Hello, everyone! With the holiday season fast approaching, a lot of people all over the country are preparing for the cooking flurry of the season, myself included. For this Holiday Special, the first of the 2010 year, I’m going to be sharing with you my favorite turkey recipe and two of my favorite cookie recipes. :D

This Week’s Recipes Are: Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast, Mocha Cookies, and Rum Cookies

Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast

Serves: 8

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:

· 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

· 1 large oven roasting bag, such as Reynolds

· 6 lbs. of boneless, skinless turkey breasts, defrosted if frozen

· 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

· 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning blend

· Salt and black pepper to taste

· 1 medium-sized onion

· 4 cloves fresh garlic, or two tablespoons bottled minced garlic

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Place the flour in the roasting bag, close it, and shake to coat the bag well. This will keep the bag from bursting as the turkey cooks. Place the bag in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish and fold the edge back to keep the bag open. Set the pan aside.

3. Remove any packaging from the turkey. Rinse the turkey breasts inside and out and pat them dry with paper towels. Rub the oil all over the breasts. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning and salt and black pepper over the skin. Place the breasts, meaty side up, in the prepared roasting bag.

4. Peel and quarter the onion and place the pieces in the bag, around the turkey. Peel the garlic cloves and place them with the onion pieces, or sprinkle the minced garlic over the turkey breasts. Seal the bag with the tie provided and cut six ½-inch slits in the top of the bag.

5. Bake the turkey until an instant-read meat thermometer registers 170 degrees Fahrenheit when inserted in the thickest part of the breasts (test every breast individually), about 1 ½ hours (15 minutes per pound). Remove the turkey breasts from the oven and let it stand in the bag for at least 10 minutes. The internal temperature will rise to 180 degrees Fahrenheit while the turkey breasts are standing.

6. Carefully open the roasting bag and transfer the turkey to a platter. Discard the vegetables with the bag. Slice the breasts and serve.

Review-

This recipe is actually really simple for the time it takes. If you have the oven access, this is definitely worth trying. Just be aware that 6 pounds of turkey breast can be costly if you don’t shop around. You can also lower the amount of turkey and adjust the cooking time to match, however, so don’t be intimidated by the cost. Overall, this recipe goes really well with some Sweet Roasted Corn and mashed potatoes (I use instant mashed potatoes and mix in a lot of cheddar cheese). This recipe puts a new spin on holiday turkey. :D

Mocha Cookies

Makes: About 2 ½ dozen cookies

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Chill Time: 1 hour

Bake Time: 7 minutes per sheet

Cool Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

· 1 large egg

· 2 tablespoons instant coffee crystals

· 1 cup granulated sugar

· ½ cup butter or margarine, softened

· 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

· 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

· ½ cup baking cocoa

· ¼ teaspoon baking powder

· ¼ teaspoon baking soda

· ¼ teaspoon salt

· For Caramel Drizzle:

· 1 1/3 cups powdered sugar

· ¼ cup caramel topping

· ½ teaspoon vanilla

· About 2 tablespoons milk

1. In a medium bowl, beat egg and coffee crystals with electric mixer on medium speed until crystals dissolve. Add granulated sugar, butter and 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Stir in remaining cookie ingredients (if using self-rising flour, omit baking powder, baking soda, and salt). Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour until chilled.

2. Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Roll dough 1/8 inch thick on lightly floured surface. Cut with 2 ½-inch cookie cutters. On ungreased cookie sheet, place dough about 1 inch apart. Bake about 7 minutes or until set. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

3. Caramel Drizzle: In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar, caramel topping and vanilla until crumbly. Stir in just enough milk until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle over cookies.

Review-

Be sure to know your oven before making this recipe. My oven burns hot, so I found that it only takes 6 minutes to make soft cookies, but 7 minutes makes harder cookies. The drizzle, however, will soften the cookies quite a bit. My fiancé, who hates coffee, loves these cookies. In fact, everyone I know who’s tried these cookies has enjoyed them. As long as you like chocolate, you’re solid.

Rum Cookies

Makes: 48 cookies

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 9 minutes

Ingredients

· 3 cups all-purpose flour

· ½ teaspoon baking soda

· ½ teaspoon salt

· ½ teaspoon baking powder

· 1 cup butter

· 2 eggs

· 1 cup white sugar

· 1 teaspoon rum flavored extract or rum

· ½ teaspoon almond extract (rum can be used to substitute)

· 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1. Mix together flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and butter until the mixture resembles cornmeal.

2. Combine eggs, sugar, rum extract, almond extract, and nutmeg until well mixed. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture. Stir until well blended. Divide the dough into two equal halves. Refrigerate the dough for 2 hours.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

4. Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough out until it is 1/8 inch thick. Using a cookie cutter cut the dough into cookies (whatever shapes you please). Place the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet.

5. Bake in the preheated oven until the edges are golden, 7 to 9 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Optional Rum Glaze for Rum Cookies:

Ingredients:

· 1/3 cup butter or margarine

· 2 cups powdered sugar

· 4 tablespoons rum

1. In 1 ½-quart saucepan, melt butter over low heat, and then remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar and rum.

2. Stir until smooth and consistency of thick syrup. Glazes on 12-cup bundt cake, 10-inch angel food or chiffon cake, top of an 8- or 9-inch layer cake, or lots of cookies.

Review-

This was one where I took an existing recipe for vanilla glaze to make a rum glaze, which turned out to be incredibly good. You can choose to use the glaze or not – either way, these cookies are delicious. I highly recommend them to anyone willing to try them. :D