Maple Popcorn Clusters

You can tell it is holiday time at my house.  I am going into overdrive making all sorts of sweets.  Last night, I made some Maple Popcorn Clusters.  These sweet treats are  clusters of popcorn, nuts, and dried cranberries covered in a cooked syrup.  The syrup has two types of syrup and two different sugars.

These Maple Popcorn Clusters make a great gift from your kitchen.  I get some holiday cellophane gift bags, put in the clusters, twist and tie with ribbon.  It is easy, quick, and inexpensive.



                                        Maple Popcorn Clusters

Ingredients:

4- quarts air popped popcorn unpopped kernels removed
1-1/3 cup granulated sugar
1- 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
½ cup dark corn syrup
½ cup pure maple syrup
½ cup water
½ cup butter
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1- cup pecan pieces
1- cup walnut pieces
1 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

1. Lay out several strips of waxed paper on a counter top for cooling the popcorn.
2. Spray lightly a large roasting pan.  Place popcorn in the roasting pan. Set aside.
3. Combine in a 3-quart heavy bottomed pot the granulated sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, maple syrup, water, butter and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat stirring until the sugars melt. DO NOT STIR after the sugar melts.  Swirl the syrup 3 to 4 times as it cooks.    Cook the syrup until it reaches 295 degrees.   Have a bowl of ice water near the popcorn.
4.Remove the syrup from heat and stir in the baking soda.
5. Pour the syrup over the popcorn carefully.  THE SYRUP IS HOT.  If some gets on your hand, put your hand in the bowl of ice water.  Add the nuts and cranberries to the top of the popcorn.
6.Stir the popcorn mixture with a lightly greased spoon until the popcorn, nuts, and cranberries are coated.
7. Spread the popcorn out on the waxed paper with two forks.  Let it cool.
8.  Break the popcorn into clusters and store in an airtight container.

Popcorn in Roasting Pan

Syrup Ingredients

Cooling on Waxed Paper

Maple Pecan Clusters

Pumpkin Spice Apricot Bread

This sweet quick bread has a rich pumpkin flavor with a hint of holiday spices - cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg.  The walnuts add a nice flavor to the bread.  Add to this goodness, a maple glaze topped with walnuts.  MMMM:)
I make this bread over the holidays and serve it with different types of butter - pumpkin butter, apple butter, almond butter, peanut butter, and just butter.  

                                                        Pumpkin Spice Apricot Bread

Bread Ingredients:

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

1-teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1-teaspoon ground cinnamon

1-teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

½ cup unsalted butter

1-cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ cup canned pumpkin

¾ cup diced dried apricots

¾ cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Glaze Ingredients:

½ cup powdered sugar

1/8-teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

¼ cup chopped walnuts

Directions for Bread:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9x5 inch loaf pan with Baker’s Joy *or similar product.  Set aside.

2. Whisk together the flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves in a medium bowl.  Set aside.

3. Cream the butter and sugar together with a stand mixer using a paddle attachment until light and fluffy.

4. Beat together the two eggs in a small bowl.

5. Add the eggs and vanilla to the butter mixture. Mix until incorporated. 

6. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture alternating with the pumpkin.   End with the dry ingredients.

7. Fold the dried apricots and walnuts into the bread batter.

8. Transfer the batter into the prepared bread pan.

9. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

10. Cool bread in pan for 10 minutes.  Remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

Directions for Maple Glaze:

1. Stir together the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and maple syrup in a small mixing bowl until smooth.

2. Drizzle glaze over the cooled bread.  Sprinkle the chopped walnuts over the top of the bread.  

3. Slice and enjoy. 

*Bakers Joy is a baking spray of oil and flour.

Makes 1 loaf

Coarsely Chopped Walnuts

Chopped Dried Apricots

Dry Ingredients 

Dry Ingredients Whisked Together

Bread Batter Ready For Pan and Baking

Baked Bread

Maple Glaze

Finished Loaf

Slice of Pumpkin Spice Apricot Bread

Orange Maple Candied Pecans

I make  Orange Maple Candied Pecans during the Holiday Season.  They have the wonderful tastes of the holidays - orange, maple, and sweet.  Not only are they great for munching, they make  a terrific gift from your kitchen.

These nuts are easy to make.  You boil the syrup for five minutes, toss the nuts with the syrup, and bake for one hour stirring every 15 minutes.  Sprinkle with some sugar, let them cool, and you have a tasty nibble.




                                    Orange Maple Candied Pecans


Ingredients:

3 cups pecan halves
2 tablespoons butter
1 ½ tablespoons grated orange zest (zest from one medium orange)
3 tablespoons orange juice
½ cup sugar - divided
½ cup maple syrup


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
2. Spray lightly with cooking spray a 9x13 inch-baking pan.  Place the pecans in the pan and bake in the oven for 5 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside.
3. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the orange zest, orange juice ¼ cup of sugar, and maple syrup to the melted butter.  Stir until mixed.
4.Bring the syrup mixture to a boil over medium heat stirring constantly.
5. Boil mixture for 5 minutes.  Do not stir.   Gently swish the syrup half way through cooking.
6. Pour the syrup over the nuts stirring constantly to evenly coat the nuts.  Arrange the nuts in a single layer in the pan.
7. Bake for 1 hour at 250 degrees stirring every 15 minutes.
8. Lightly spray a cookie sheet.  Set aside.
9.  Remove the nuts from the oven.  Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of sugar over the nuts.  DO NOT STIR.
10. Transfer nuts with a large spoon to the prepared cookie sheet.  Separate into individual nuts with 2 forks.  Cool for 1 hour.
11. Store in an airtight container.



Make 3 cups

Ready for Oven - 5 minutes

Ready for Oven After Syrup Has Been Poured and Nuts Tossed

Out of Oven - Ready for Last Sugar Coating

Last Sugar Coating

On Cookie Sheet Cooling

Orange Maple Candied Pecans

Mexican Food Night: Rolled Chicken Enchiladas

About once a week, we have a Mexican Food Night at our house.    Tonight, I am making Guacamole (see November 7, 2011 post), Rolled Chicken Enchiladas,  and Spanish Rice.  These enchiladas are packed with flavor.  The tortillas are immersed in enchilada sauce and the filling is flavored with it too.  Couple that with chicken and Mexican cheese, and you have a great tasting dish.




                                     Rolled Chicken Enchiladas





Ingredients:

8 corn tortillas
6-7 tablespoons olive oil
1-(14 ounce) can red or green enchilada sauce
1-½ cups  shredded cooked chicken breast  (about half a breast)
3 cups shredded Mexican cheese, divided
½ cup sour cream
Sour cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat the bottom of a 9x13 inch-baking dish with enchilada sauce.
2.  Place 3 tablespoons olive oil in an 8-inch skillet.  Heat oil over medium heat until hot but not smoking.
3. Place tortillas in oil and cook for about 3-5 seconds  or until soft – NOT CRUNCHY per side.  Remove tortillas with tongs and let the oil drip back into the pan.
4.  Place tortillas on a baking sheet lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.  If necessary, blot off excess oil.
5. Repeat with all tortillas adding oil as needed.
6. Mix together ½ cup sour cream and ¼ cup enchilada sauce.  Set aside.
7.  Add 2 ½ cups cheese and chicken in a large mixing bowl. Pour the sour cream mixture over the chicken and cheese.  Mix until well incorporated.

Chicken and Cheese

Chicken, Cheese, and Sour Cream Mixture Combined

8. In a 9-inch pie pan, pour enough enchilada sauce to cover the bottom.  Dip a tortilla in the sauce and turn over to coat the other side.  Place the tortillas on a plate and spoon 3 tablespoons of the chicken filling down the center of the tortilla.

Pie Pan With Enchilada Sauce

9.  Roll up the tortilla jellyroll style.  Place seam side down in the prepared baking dish.
10.  Repeat steps 8 and 8 until all tortillas have been made into enchiladas.
11.  Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the enchiladas and top with the remaining ½ cup of cheese.  Cover with foil and bake for 20-25 minutes removing the foil the last 10 minutes of baking.  The enchiladas are done when the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbly.
12.  Serve the enchiladas on plates with a dollop of sour cream.

Serves 8

Baking Dish With Enchilada Sauce

Tortilla Dipped In Enchilada Sauce

Filling in Middle of Tortilla

Enchiladas Ready For The Oven

Out of The Oven

Ready to Eat

Guacamole: A Classic

Guacamole and Chips

My love for guacamole started out as a kid.  My parents and I would eat out about twice a month at this great little home operated New Mexican Restaurant .  They served the best guacamole ever.  I loved its rich avocado taste, the texture,  and mild spiciness.  
Back then, I ate my guacamole with tortilla chips.  Today, I put guacamole on my turkey sandwiches,  hamburgers,  tacos , and anything else I feel needs it.

When making guacamole, be sure your avocados are ripe.   The avocados are ripe if there is a little give when you gently press the outside of the avocado. If you use them when they are green, they are hard to mash and do not have a good flavor.  In choosing the tomatoes,  I like to use Roma tomatoes because they are meatier and have a lower moisture content than other varieties.  

When storing your guacamole, cover it with plastic wrap.  Place the plastic wrap directly on top of the mixture so no air gets to it.





                                             Guacamole



Ingredients:

3 Haas avocados, halved and seeded
1-tablespoon lemon juice
1-teaspoon garlic salt
1-teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
¼ teaspoon sea salt
2 Roma tomatoes seeded and diced


Directions:

Avocado Halves

1. Scoop the flesh of the avocados using a spoon into a large bowl.
2. Toss the avocado flesh with the lemon juice.
3. Mash the avocados with a potato masher.
4. Add the garlic salt, onion powder, cumin, chipotle chili powder and sea salt to the mashed avocados.  Stir gently until mixed.
5.  Fold in the diced tomatoes.*
6.  Serve at room temperature.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate any leftovers.
*Note: If you are not going to serve the guacamole right away, do not add the tomatoes.  Refrigerate the dip and add the tomatoes before serving.

Yields 2 cups

Diced Tomatoes

 I was at Costco and the chips sounded and looked so good I could not resist

Bread Machine: Garlic Herb Bread

The  aroma of garlic and fresh herbs as this bread is baking  gets the taste buds going. The taste is not disappointing.   It has a mild, yet satisfying flavor, not too dense of a texture, and a slightly chewy crust.
If you are looking for a bread that is easy to assemble and goes great with  everything from soup to making a sandwich, you need to try this bread.  It is also great for making croutons and stuffing for your turkey.

                                              Garlic Herb Bread
                                                 2 pound loaf

Special Equipment:
Bread Machine

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups lukewarm water (80-90 degrees)
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter
4 cups Bread flour
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
4 cloves minced garlic
1 1/2 -teaspoon bread machine yeast



Directions:
1. Place the ingredients as listed in your bread machine pan.
2. Place the pan in the bread machine and select the French bread setting - light crust.
3. When done, remove the bread pan from the baking chamber.  Remove the loaf of bread from the pan and place on a wire rack to cool.  Cool for at least 30 minutes.

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients in Bread Pan

Kneaded Dough

Bread Cooling

Tasty Goodness

Chicken Breasts With White Wine Mushroom Sauce

Don't know what to make for dinner.  Try Chicken Breasts With White Wine Mushroom Sauce.
This dish is great for company or a family dinner.  The chicken is baked in chicken broth, wine, and spices. Before serving, a flavorful wine sauce is poured over it.    Serve it with a veggie and you have dinner.

                         Chicken Breasts With White Wine Mushroom Sauce

Ingredients:
6 boneless and skinless chicken breast halves
½ teaspoon onion powder
1/2-teaspoon curry powder
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1-cup chicken broth
½ cup white cooking wine
Seasoned Salt
Paprika

Mushroom Sauce Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup mushroom slices
2 tablespoons flour
¼ cup cold water
Reserved pan juices
Cilantro for garnish



Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Spray   lightly a 9x13 inch-baking dish.  Set aside.
2. Rinse the chicken breasts under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.  Set aside

Chicken Broth, White Wine, and Spices

3. Whisk together in a medium mixing bowl the onion powder, curry powder, black pepper, chicken broth, and white cooking wine.
4. Put the chicken in the prepared baking pan. Pour the chicken broth mixture over the chicken breasts.
5. Sprinkle chicken breasts with the seasoned salt and paprika.

Chicken Breasts 

6. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake for an additional 45 minutes.
7. Melt the butter in a small skillet and sauté the mushroom slices while the chicken is baking.

Sauteed Mushrooms

8. Lower oven temperature to 200 degrees.  Remove chicken from the pan and place in an ovenproof dish covered with foil.  Return the chicken to the oven   Strain the pan juices and set aside
9. In a saucepan add the flour and water and whisk until smooth.
10. Whisk in the reserved pan juices to the flour mixture slowly.  Cook and stir over low heat till the sauce thickens and bubbles.   Boil for 4 minutes longer.

11.Add the mushrooms to the sauce and heat through.  Remove from heat.
10. Remove the chicken from the oven and place on a platter or on individual plates.  Spoon the sauce over the chicken and garnish with a sprig of cilantro if desired.

Serves 6