Cranberry Walnut Slow Cooker Yeast Bread

I'm loving this slow cooker method of bread baking!

This one is a little denser than last week's loaf (recipe link is at the end of this post). It's much like an artisan raisin bread but with cranberries, walnuts and seeds. Good for breakfast or imagine a sandwich with black forest ham and swiss cheese for lunch! Yum!

2 tbsps honey

1  1/2 cups lukewarm water (105° - 110°F)

2  1/4 tsps instant yeast

3  1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup vanilla or honey flavoured Greek yogurt

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup chopped walnuts (or 1/2 cups if not using seeds)

1/4 cup mixed seeds

more honey for brushing while warm if desired

In a large mixer bowl add 2 tbsps honey to lukewarm water. Sprinkle the yeast in and gently stir. Add the flour, yogurt, salt and cinnamon and with the dough hook atttached mix together 1 minute. Finally, add the cranberries, walnuts and seeds and knead with mixer (or by hand if you are so inclined) for 5 minutes. 

Once the dough is smooth form it into a ball and place in the center of a floured piece of parchment paper.

Bring the corners of the parchment up and lift into a 6 quart slow cooker set on high. Place the lid on making sure the paper is tucked in so no heat escapes. 

Cook on high for 2 hours or until the internal temperature reads 200°F (oops, a little over!)

Using the parchment paper "handles" lift the bread out of the crockpot. Brush with honey if using, then place in the oven and broil 3-5 minutes or until golden.

Cool on rack completely before slicing.

Now where is that black forest ham?!?

Here's a little update: I made a mortadella, ham and strong cheddar cheese sandwich with dijon mustard and it was delicious 😋

And here's the link to that loaf I made last week🡻

https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2021/03/slow-cooker-practically-no-knead-bread.html

Chicken Legs with Mandarin Orange Juice

Juicy chicken legs oven roasted in mandarin orange juice, reserved from this orangelicious  Mango and Mandarin Slaw in yesterday's post. Or you could substitute orange juice.

Ingredients:

4 chicken legs, split

1/4-1/2 cup juice or light syrup from canned mandarin oranges (or just orange juice)

1 tbsp light olive oil

onion powder, smoked paprika, cumin and black pepper to taste

Mix the juice and olive oil together and pour over chicken pieces. Then add the seasonings to taste.

Bake in a 400°F oven for 35-45 minutes, basting two or three times.

Perfectly paired with this Mango and Mandarin Slaw.

Recipe 🡻

https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2021/03/mango-and-mandarin-slaw.html

Mango and Mandarin Slaw

With the torrential downpour of rain we're having, thought this sunshiny salad could brighten up the day 🌞

Ingredients:

2 cups cabbage and kale bagged slaw

10 oz (284 ml) can mandarin segments, drained (reserve juice for chicken recipe)

1 carrot, shredded

1 mango, diced

2 tbsps light olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Just toss everything together and serve immediately. If making earlier in the day just hold off on adding the olive oil until serving time.

Oh and that reserved mandarin juice... 

You can use it to make these Chicken Legs with Mandarin Orange Juice.

Recipe 🡻

https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2021/03/chicken-legs-with-mandarin-orange-juice.html

Simple Quinoa and Orzo

 Light vegetarian fare...

1  1/2 cups vegetable broth

1/2 cup orzo

1/2 cup quinoa

1 tbsp avocado oil

1 tbsp butter

1 cup quartered mushrooms

1 tbsp minced garlic

1/2 cup red and/or green sweet pepper

1 green onion, sliced thinly

1 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp black pepper

Bring broth to a boil, then add the orzo and quinoa. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes.

Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet. Sauté the mushrooms 2-3 minutes, then add the garlic, sweet pepper and onion. Cook 2-3 minutes longer.

Add the quinoa and orzo to the skillet along with the oregano, turmeric and black pepper.

Stir together until all warmed through and it's ready to serve!

Serves 2 as a meal, 4 as a side.

Stuffed Tuscan Pork Tenderloin

Any home cook can make this restaurant-worthy pork tenderloin stuffed with a succulent mix of kale, walnuts, mushrooms and orange.

Ingredients:

1 lb pork tenderloin

2 tbsps butter

1 tbsp olive oil

2 green onions, thinly sliced

3 tsps minced garlic

pinch to 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

2 cups chopped kale

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup finely chopped mushrooms

1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

zest of 1 orange

juice of 1 orange (1/4 cup)

1 tbsp dijon mustard

1/4 tsp fennel seeds

1/4 tsp dried rosemary 

olive oil

Butterfly the pork tenderloin (cut it almost in half lengthwise and open like a book). Put it between 2 sheets of waxed paper or slide it into an empty wax cereal bag and flatten with a mallet to about 1/4" thickness. Set aside.

Heat 2 tbsps butter and 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet. Add green onion and cook 1-2 minutes. Then add the garlic and red pepper flakes for 1 minute longer.  Add the kale, salt and pepper and cook 4-5 minutes then remove to a plate.

To the same skillet add 1 tbsp olive oil, or bacon fat if you have it. Add the chopped mushrooms and cook 3-5 minutes.

Combine the mushrooms, kale mix, toasted walnuts, orange zest and juice. Remove to a plate and put in the fridge to cool.

Now open the wax cereal bag or remove top piece of waxed paper from tenderloin. Spread dijon, add salt and pepper along with the fennel and rosemary. Taking the cooled stuffing, spread evenly to 1/2" from edges of the meat. Firmly roll up (some of the stuffing will invariably ooze out) and tie with kitchen twine every inch or so the length of the tenderloin.

Again add 1 tbsp olive oil to an oven safe skillet and brown the pork, about 2 minutes on each side.

Roast in a 400°F oven for 20-25 minutes or until internal temperature reaches between 145-150°F.

Let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

Cut between the strings to keep slices intact. 

And if you remember (I didn't, oops!) remove the strings once on the plate.

Serves 3-4

Slow Cooker (Practically) No Knead Bread

Two hours, no rising, no manual kneading... no way!!! Check it out.

Ingredients:

2  1/4 tsps instant yeast

1 tbsp sugar

1  1/2 cups lukewarm water (105-110°F)

3  3/4 cups flour

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup basil pesto (optional)

1 tsp salt

Topping- dry parsley and bagel everything seasoning (optional)

Add sugar to lukewarm water in a large mixer bowl then sprinkle yeast on top and stir.

Add the flour, olive oil and salt (and pesto if using or just go for white bread). Using the dough hook attachment let the mixer knead for 5 minutes.

When the dough is smooth and elastic form into a ball. Place in a parchment lined 6-quart slow cooker. Sprinkle with toppings, or salt or leave plain.

Put the cover on the crock making sure the parchment is tucked inside so the lid fully closes. 

Set on high for 2 hours, no peeking except through the glass lid.

After 2 hours it should be fully baked with an internal temperature of 200°F. 

Using the parchment, lift the bread out of the crock. It looks a bit anemic at this point.

But place it on the parchment under the broiler for 3-5 minutes and voilà! A beautiful golden loaf of bread!

Just wait 20 minutes before slicing.

Original recipe from: diethood.com

Banana Cake with Coffee Frosting

How can ugly overipe bananas turn into a moist and fluffy cake? Easy! And no sour cream required for this recipe. You probably have all the ingredients in your kitchen right now so get baking!

Ingredients:

1  1/3 cups mashed banana (3 or 4 bananas)

2  1/2 tbsps lemon juice, divided

1  1/2 cups milk

3 cups flour

1  1/2 tsps baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2 pinches nutmeg

2/3 cup softened butter

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Coffee frosting:

1/3 cup softened butter

2 cups icing sugar

2 tsps instant coffee granules

2-3 tbsps milk

So...those overripe bananas. Just toss them in the freezer unpeeled, no need to peel and package.  Then defrost, bring to room temperature and squeeze the banana from nature's individual wrapper (I mean that slimy black peel!) and you're ready to bake!

Preheat oven to 350°F

Add 1  1/2 tbsps lemon juice to the milk, set aside.

Mash banana with 1 tbsp lemon juice, set aside.

Now, beat the butter and sugars together. Then add eggs, one at a time and the vanilla. Beat 2-3 minutes or until fluffy.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt and nutmeg together. Combine the flour mixture, milk and butter mixtures alternating until mixed well. Fold in the bananas.

Pour into a greased and floured 9 X 13" baking pan.

Put pan in preheated oven and immediately reduce heat to 300°F. Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Cool on rack. The original recipe said to take the pan directly from the oven to the freezer for 45 minutes to lock in moisture. Not sure if this is good for your freezer.

Once cooled make the frosting.

Dissolve the coffee granules in milk. Cream the butter then add the icing sugar in 2 to 3 additions until smooth. Add the coffee/milk and spread evenly over cake.

Maybe some swirls 😀

Serves 15

Dig in!

This cake is a nice change from banana bread or banana muffins but if you want to give those a try with your overripe bananas these are my go-to recipes.

Black Banana Bread 

https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2014/01/black-banana-bread.html?m=1

Banana Streusel Muffins

https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2016/05/banana-streusel-muffins.html?m=1

Banana cake adapted from: spendwithpennies.com

Scalloped Turnip

 Here's a change of pace for that boring old turnip!

Ingredients:

1 medium turnip (softball size), thinly sliced

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1  1/2 cups shredded cheese (gruyère, swiss or in this case jalapeño cheddar)

1 tsp garlic powder

1  1/2 - 2 tbsps butter

1  1/4 cups chicken broth

salt and pepper to taste

sprinkle dried parsley

Butter a 1.5L baking dish. Layer turnip and onion slices along with garlic powder, salt and pepper and cheese. If you have a mandolin use it for uniformly thin slices. 

End the layering with cheese and more seasonings and parsley.

Pour the broth in at the edge not to disturb anything, then top with some dabs of butter.

Bake at 375°F for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until a fork goes clean through.

Goes well with most anything you'd serve scalloped potatoes with!

Makes 4 servings