This recipe idea is modified from a recipe I saw in Taste of Home Nov. 2013.

I believe breakfast is the most important meal of the day and I always cook something. This recipe can be used for breakfast but you could change up the fillings and it could be a great dinner or lunch.

Servings: 6

Cream Filling  (top favorite recipe of mine)
Ingredients
1 (15 oz) can drained white navy beans (any white bean will work)  250 g of  beans if you cook them yourself.
1/4 c.sugar (50 g)
1 Ricotta cheese 15 oz.
3 T  powdered sugar (23 g)
1 tsp vanilla

Directions
In your food processor put the drained beans and sugar, pulse until all the beans form a paste. Add the ricotta cheese and pulse again until well mixed. Add the powdered sugar (more if you need it sweeter) and the vanilla. Again pulse until well blended. Mixture freezes well you will have plenty left for next time. This is a great cream filling you will never know it has beans in it....very healthy.

Sandwiches
12 slices of sourdough bread
3/4 c. orange marmalade (240 g)
4 eggs
2 T. milk (31 g)

Directions
1. Spread the cream mixture over six slices of the bread; top with marmalade and the remaining bread. In a shallow bowl, whisk the eggs and milk.

2. Turn on griddle to 350 degrees or medium head, and lightly grease the griddle. Dip both sides of the sandwiches into the egg mixture. Place the sandwiches on the hot griddle, toast for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

Serve with maple syrup if desired

Options
Change the flavor of the jam, Even a pepper jelly would be nice, with a thin slice of ham added to the sandwich.

This makes a nice loaf that keeps well and is especially good with coffee in the morning or as a snack in the afternoon. It can also be made into 12 muffins.





Oven: 350 degrees F
Bake: 45 to 50 minutes (internal temperature 200 degrees F)
Pan: loaf pan 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" inches Grease Pan
Servings: 16 slices      

Muffins (12) grease the pan or use paper liners
                    Bake: 350 degrees for 25 minutes

Ingredients:
2 c. chopped dates (227 g)
4 T. softened butter (57 g)
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tap. salt
2/3 c. to 3/4 c. brown sugar (142 g to 159 g) depending on how sweet you want it
1 c. hot brewed coffee (227 g)
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 T. vodka or brandy (14 g) optional to enhance flavor
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 3/4 c. + 2 T. soft white flour (225 g)
1 c. chopped walnuts (113 g)

Directions:
Place the dates, butter, baking soda, salt and brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Pour the hot coffee into the bowl, stirring to combine. Allow the mixture to cool for 15 minutes.

Add the egg, vanilla, liquor, baking powder, and flour, beating gently until smooth. stir in the walnuts.

Pour the batter into the greased prepared pan, gently tapping the pan on the counter to settle the batter. Bake the bread for 45 to 55 minutes, tenting the loaf with foil after 30 minutes to prevent over browning. Remove the bread from the oven; and test with a toothpick inserted in the center it should come out clean or use an instant read thermometer the reading should be 200 degrees.

After taking out of the oven, cool for 10 minutes, gently turn the bread out of the pan onto a cooling rack to cool. Cool completely before slicing. Wrap airtight, and store at room temperature for several days, or freeze for longer storage.

For Muffins grease the muffin tin or use paper liners. Fill the 12 muffin tin 3/4 to 7/8 full (use a #12 scoop which is 1/3 of a cup). Bake the muffins at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Let them sit in the pan a few minutes before removing them, to cool on a rack.

Additional Tips

• Use flavored coffee like caramel or vanilla.
• Skip the Alcohol if you want, but it will not leave a taste when baked.
• Substitute boiling water for the coffee but the coffee has acid which reacts with the baking soda to produce a rise. To counteract this substituting 1 T. lemon juice for 1 T. of the water.
  
  
  Recipe is based on a recipe from King Aurthur Flour

This is one of my husband's favorite deserts, it's sweet and moist perfect with ice cream or whipped cream. The sauce recipe is the best caramel sauce I have ever tasted, and could be used in other recipes or just over waffles or ice cream.

Oven: 350 degrees F
Bake: 25 - 30 minutes
Pan: 9" x 13" inches
Servings: 24 two inch squares (it's rich)

Ingredients
Cake
2 c. coarsely chopped pitted dates about 12 oz.
1 c. water (237 g)
1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 3/4 + 2 T. soft white flour (216 g)
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. nutmeg

1 c. brown sugar (200 g)
 10 T. butter (141 g)
3 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla

Sauce
1 3/4 c. dark brown sugar (350 g)
1 1/2 c. whipping cream (363 g)
 6 T. unsalted butter (85 g)
 3 T. + 1 tsp tsp corn syrup (66 g)
1/8 tsp. salt

Prepare Pan
Line baking pan with foil, and generously butter and dust with flour.

Directions
The Creaming Mixing Method is used for this recipe ... More Information

Combine dates and water in a sauce pan. bring to a boil, and reduce heat, simmer until dates are soft and most of the liquid is absorbed. The mixture will still be very  moist about 5 minutes. Cool and stir in the baking soda.

In a separate bowl mix the dry ingredients, flour, baking powder, salt and spices.

In a large bowl beat the brown sugar and butter until well blended. Beat in one egg at a time and then mix in vanilla.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 3 additions alternating with the cooked dates in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Pour into 9 x 13 inch pan.

Sauce
Bring all the ingredients to a boil until sauce thickens and reduces to 2 1/4 cups stirring often. This can be made in a advance. Extra is great over ice cream.

Remove the cake from the oven and pierce the top all over. Pour 1 cup caramel sauce over top of the cake. Return cake to the oven and bake until the caramel sauce bubbles about 5 minutes.

Buckles are aptly names; Fresh fruit is baked along with a layer of cake batter that raises to the top, buckling as it cooks.

This recipe is good with cinnamon in the topping and lemon zest in the cake.  Another option is freshly ground nutmeg in the topping and ginger in the cake batter instead.
This is made with the creaming method ... Read More

Oven: 375 degrees
Bake: 40 - 45 minutes
Pan: 9"x 9" square baking pan or 9" round cake pan
        Note: Double the Recipe 13" x 9" pan
Servings: 9

Ingredients
Topping
1/3 c. brown sugar (66 g)
1/2 c. soft white flour ( 57 g)
1 tsp. cinnamon or (1/2 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg)
1/4 c. unsalted butter chilled and cubed (56 g)

Cake Batter
1/4 c. unsalted butter (56 )
3/4 c. sugar (150 g)
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla
zest of a lemon or (another option 1/2 tsp.ground ginger)

2 c.+ 2 T. soft white flour (257 g)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. whole milk (125 g)
2 c. blueberries (288 g)

Directions
Topping
In a small bowl combine the sugar flour and nutmeg. Add the butter and work into the dry ingredients with a fork until it has a crumb like texture.

Cake Batter
In a bowl beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy about 1 minute. Add the egg and beat until well incorporated.

In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and ground ginger, then set aside.

Beat in the flour mixture into the reamed butter in 3 additions, alternating with the milk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. scrape batter off the side of the bowl as needed after each addition.

Gently stir in the blueberries and lemon zest, You can use fresh or frozen berries, But thaw and drain the frozen before you pour the mixture into the prepared 9" x9" baking pan or round cake pan. Sprinkle the  topping mixture on top of the cake and bake 40 45 minutes or until a tooth pick come out clean when placed in the center of the cake.

Let the buckle cool for 10 minutes. Loosen the sides with a knife or spatula. Holding the cake pan in your left hand, gently tip the cake out onto your right hand, remove the pan, and gently right the cake onto a serving dish.

Tip Prepare Ahead
Want to prepare the cake on day, and bake it the next? Spoon the batter into the pan, but don't sprinkle the streusel on top. Cover the pan, and refrigerate. Next day, add the streusel, then bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a tooth pick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Adapted from a King Arthur Flour recipe and Alton Browns Blueberry Buckle recipe

Quinoa: The Super Grain…. the only complete grain with 15% protein
If you have not used quinoa this is an easy recipe, and very tasty desert.
Quinoa makes a great hot cereal, salad, side dish and deserts.
1cup cooked (1/3 c. raw) = 1 serving
           
Cook Time: 50 minutes
 Yield: 8 servings

Cook the quinoa: (Detailed Instructions)
1 cup quinoa (Available at the Co-Op)
1/2 teaspoon salt

Thoroughly rinse the dry grain until the water runs clear. Combine 1 volume of quinoa with 3 volumes of water and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender. You will know that the Quinoa is done when all the grains have turned from white to transparent. I usually don't rinse mine, and they are fine.

To the cooked quinoa add:
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
4 tablespoons butter 
1/2 cup raisins or any dried fruit will do (Co-Op Dried Fruit)
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
      
Stir in the condensed milk, butter, and raisins. Cook, stirring
frequently,  until the pudding thickens slightly, about 15-20 minutes

We put them into individual small yogurt cups to freeze, so if you need something sweet after dinner or a snack they are ready and will satisfy that hunger without all the guilt. You can serve it in wine glasses and top with a bit of whipping cream and chocolate shavings for an elegant desert to serve to company.