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Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Sweet Potato

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A New England city of cobblestone streets – rich in worn brick buildings and unsettled souls. I went to sleep hoping against hopes that I would not encounter the rumored local haunt. About 3 in the morning I was awakened with an eerie feeling I was not alone. There about a foot away from me, a bearded figure in an older period suit began to walk towards the head of the bed, flashing a light back and forth across his path as he approached. The outlets on the nightstand crackled and fizzled. A panicked chill racked my body as every hair stood on end. I thought, “great Scot, this ghost is no tale; he is here.” I closed my eyes in a mix of resolve and disbelief, hoping to ease the fright.

That’s when the bolted hotel room door opened. My eyes flew back open. In walked the front desk clerk on night audit, with a folder in hand. He waved it at me saying, “this one has your name on it and it is due.” I knew the insinuation was more than just the bill. I fled the room, down 9 flights of stairs and tore through the cobblestone streets. The roads were as scrambled as my mind, like tangled shoelace. I couldn’t shake his pursuit.

Suddenly, I opened my eyes in the dark of the hotel room and heard the slip of the receipt being slid under the door of my locked room. The clock read 3:20 AM.

Moving on from story time hour, I know brussel sprout season is wrapping up here, but you must know about this recipe! I’ve fallen in love with roasted brussel sprouts. I hope this recipe does the same for you.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Sweet Potato
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Ingredients

  • 1 pound sweet potato (roughly 1 large potato), diced into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 pound brussel sprouts, trimmed and large ones halved
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced; or ½ tsp granulated garlic
  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • ¼ tsp garlic salt
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • Dash of black pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Place the prepared sweet potato, brussel sprouts and garlic in a large mixing bowl. Cover the veggies in olive oil and add in the rest of the seasonings. Toss till the veggies are coated in oil and seasonings.
  3. Spread the veggies evenly in the baking sheet. Bake 30-40 minutes until veggies brown a bit and the potatoes are fork tender. Serve them warm.

Nutrition

Calories

1166 cal

Fat

75 g

Carbs

107 g

Protein

30 g
Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info
7.8.1.2
85
http://mamasparrow.com/2019/04/26/roasted-brussel-sprouts-and-sweet-potato/

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Crepes – Sweet or Savory

by In Main Dish, Recipes Tagged , , Leave a comment

Do you need a party friendly, “build your own” meal idea for holiday company? Crepes are the way to go. You can make them ahead, each guest can select their fillings and toppings, and you can focus on the rest for the party fun.

 

Crepes - Sweet or Savory
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Ingredients

    Sweet
  • 1 cup flour (white or wheat)
  • 2 Tb sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • ¾ cup milk
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 Tb butter, melted
    • Savory
  • 1 cup flour (white or wheat)
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 eggs
  • ¾ cup milk
  • ½ cup water
  • 3 Tb butter, melted

Instructions

    Sweet
  1. In a medium bowl, mix together flour and sugar. In a large measuring pitcher or bowl, whisk eggs, milk and water. Add the wet ingredients (excluding the melted butter) to the dry ingredient and mix. Slowly whisk in the melted butter. Then vigorously whisk the entire mixture till airy - at least two minutes.
  2. Allow the aerated mixture to rest while preparing your cooking area. Butter a light skillet and warm. Pour in ¼-⅓ cup batter for a 10 inch skillet - use more or less depending on the size of your pan. Quickly lift and tilt the pan after pouring the batter to ensure batter covers the bottom of the pan. Cook until the batter starts forming together. Gently ease the side of the crepe from the bottom of the pan with a rubber spatula. Use the spatula or you hands (careful of the hot pan) to flip the crepe and cook on the other side. Cook about 1 minute and remove to a plate.
    3. Savory
  3. In a medium bowl, mix together flour and salt. In a large measuring pitcher or bowl, whisk eggs, milk and water. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredient and mix. Slowly whisk in the melted butter. Then vigorously whisk the entire mixture till airy - at least two minutes.
  4. Allow the aerated mixture to rest while preparing your cooking area. Butter a light skillet and warm. Pour in ¼-⅓ cup batter for a 10 inch skillet - use more or less depending on the size of your pan. Quickly lift and tilt the pan after pouring the batter to ensure batter covers the bottom of the pan. Cook until the batter starts forming together. Gently ease the side of the crepe from the bottom of the pan with a rubber spatula. Use the spatula or you hands (careful of the hot pan) to flip the crepe and cook on the other side. Cook about 1 minute and remove to a plate.

Notes

Crepes can be stacked. They do not stick to each other. Also, they may be made ahead of serving and can easily be reheated in oven. To reheat in oven, place on parchment paper or aluminum foil on a baking sheet. Spread the crepes out, don’t worry if you have to stack them some. Cover with aluminum foil and reheat at 350 for 5-10 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories

1129 cal

Fat

44 g

Carbs

141 g

Protein

41 g
Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info
7.8.1.2
86
http://mamasparrow.com/2019/04/19/crepes-sweet-or-savory/

Tips for Fantastic Crepes:

  • use a non stick fry skillet that is heavy enough to heat evenly and a thin rubber or silicone spatula
  • use medium to low heat
  • use just enough batter to coat the bottom of the skillet when you swirl the pan
  • lift the pan from the heat, tilt your wrist to allow the batter to spread out across the pan; fill in any holes by drizzling more batter in that area with a ladle
  • once crepe looks a little dry on top, it’s time to flip it
  • gently loosen the edges of the crepe with the spatula before flipping
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Sweet Pepper Bruschetta

by In Main Dish, Recipes Tagged , , , Leave a comment

I recall the first time making bruschetta. There were five of us bridesmaids at my friend’s apartment getting getting ready for her wedding.

A clove of garlic in hand, I rubbed the still warm faces of the toast. It was fascinating watching the garlic clove disappear and the bread surfaces taking on an aromatic, glittery sheen.

Since then, I think fondly of the satisfying sensory experience of making bruschetta. Little rivals the perfect combination of tomato, basil and mozzarella. However, my other half does not care for tomatoes and it hardly seems worth the effort to make a batch of bruschetta for one.

That is where this recipe comes to the rescue – no tomatoes. Yet, this combination maintains the tastiness of fresh toasty bread, olive oil, aromatic garlic, fresh herbs and the tenderness of…sweet peppers.

Cutest lil helper “painting” the breads with olive oil

Toasty bread getting all dressed up for the party

 

Serves 2-3 slices

Sweet Pepper Bruschetta

Yields about 10 slices

10 minPrep Time

15 minCook Time

25 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

  • 1 loaf French baguette, sliced into ¼-½ inch slices
  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • 2-3 Tb, heaping, finely chopped parsley
  • 4 large sweet peppers (mine were 4-5 inches, or 10 small/medium sweet peppers), finely chopped
  • Extra oil for roasting
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 2 Tb finely chopped basil
  • 1 Tb lemon juice
  • ¼ tsp black pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. In a small bowl, mix the ⅓ cup of olive oil and chopped parsley.
  3. Place sliced bread in a baking sheet and brush each side generously with oil/parsley mix. Set aside.
  4. Place finely chopped sweet pepper on another baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and toss to coat the peppers. Place the baking sheet of bread and peppers in the oven until bread is toasted and peppers are softened - approximately 10-15 minutes. Turn the toast over half way through the toasting process.
  5. While items are in the oven, mix the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl (lemon juice, basil and black pepper). Once the sweet peppers come out of the oven softened, add them to the bowl of basil mix.
  6. Carefully heap the pepper basil mix on each slice of toasted bread and serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories

367 cal

Fat

36 g

Carbs

11 g

Protein

2 g
Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info
7.8.1.2
84
http://mamasparrow.com/2018/04/17/sweet-pepper-bruschetta/

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Baked Donuts

by In Breakfast, Recipes Tagged , , Leave a comment

Do you remember the first time you gazed into a bakery case of sweet treats and made your selection? My oldest son had his first trip to a safe bakery at the age of five. Having a life threatening allergy to tree nuts, baked goods are not something we can just pick up anywhere. His eyes were wide staring with excitement and disbelief as he carefully considered which donut to pick. He still talks about the place in Minnesota where he could get donuts and ice cream right from the store. If you have the chance to stop in at Yoyo Donuts in Minnetonka, Minnesota, you certainly should. If this kind of a trip is not in the cards for you, just fire up your oven, you can make donuts right at home.

Who says you can’t have great donuts without leaving the house? These baked donuts prove the fact that you can enjoy fresh baked donuts right in your own home – so long as you’ve stock your cabinets with the ingredients.

This is a no fuss, quick and easy donut recipe. It has become one of our regular Saturday treats to make these together as a family.

 

 

Baked Donuts

Yields 6 donuts

Tender baked donuts with a hint of cardamom and vanilla. Top these with your favorite donut toppings to dress them up or down for the occassion.

15 minPrep Time

9 minCook Time

24 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup flour (or ⅓ wheat & ⅔ all purpose flour)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 egg, room temperature
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar, packed
  • ¼ cup milk
  • ¼ cup of yogurt
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ⅛ tsp cardamom
  • ⅛ tsp nutmeg
  • 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 Tb butter, melted

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Spray a donut baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
  3. Mix dry ingredients (flour through salt) in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.
  4. In a small bowl, beat the egg, mix in the brown sugar, milk, yogurt, spices and vanilla extract. Add and stir in the butter.
  5. Place all the wet ingredients into the dry mix and mix just until it’s incorporated. Put the mix into a large ziploc bag and cut of a corner to pipe the batter into the prepared donut pan.
  6. Bake in preheated oven for 9-11 minutes.
  7. Allow baked donuts to sit in pan for 2-5 minutes before removing the from the pan to a serving platter.
  8. Top the donuts with frosting or dip in butter and roll through a cinnamon sugar mix.
  9. Best served warm. Save leftovers in airtight container for a couple of days.
7.8.1.2
83
http://mamasparrow.com/2018/01/14/baked-donuts/

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Rhubarb Basil White Sauce Pizza

by In Main Dish, Recipes Tagged , , , Leave a comment

While growing up, I remember enjoying fresh produce from the garden. We often exchanged excess produce with the neighbors, who also kept a garden. Outside the garden, in the western part of the yard, there was a patch of hearty rhubarb that popped up every year. I love rhubarb, but for the life of me, I cannot recall any recipes we used it in. Though, I do remember a plethora of uses for the garden zucchini, sweet and savory.

Last summer I started entertaining the thought that rhubarb could be savory. Around the same time, I was trying out lower lactose “alfredo” sauce recipes. This recipe really came together as a result of those interests.

The rhubarb is sautéed with fresh green onions giving it a zippy it’s-summer-and-the-produce-is-rockin’ vibe. The alfredo sauce, basil and mozzarella cheese create a level of comfort. Finally, a bit of tang with crumbled goat cheese to top it all off.

In the time since I posted my last pizza recipe, I have changed my favorite crust recipe. This crust is a bit more tender while still being flavorful, even when adding in some wheat.

Hope you get a chance to give this recipe a try. Be sure to tag MamaSparrow on social media with pictures of your recipe results. Have a great holiday weekend!

Rhubarb Basil White Sauce Pizza

Serves 2 slices or 1/4 of a pizza round

Rhubarb Basil White Sauce Pizza

Yields Makes 2 Pizza 12-14 inches round

Sauteed rhubarb and fresh green onions over alfredo sauce and basil. Tangy goat cheese and mozzarella cheese top off this cozy, spring pizza.

42 minPrep Time

18 minCook Time

1 hrTotal Time

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Ingredients

    Crust
  • New Crust Recipe
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 pack active dry yeast (also ok to use instant, let sit 15-20 mins instead of the 30 - 1 hr)
  • 1 cup flour
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 cups flour, divided, I like a mix of wheat and all-purpose
  • Olive oil or melted butter (optional)
  • Garlic salt (optional)
  • Cornmeal dusted on baking pans
    • Toppings
  • 1 Tb olive oil
  • 2 cup rhubarb, chopped
  • 6 green onions, finely sliced
  • 16 oz of alfredo sauce*
  • ½ cup fresh basil, chopped
  • 4 ounces goat cheese, sliced or crumbled
  • 3 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the water, yeast, 1 cup flour and sugar. Let sit covered 30 minutes to 1 hour if using active dry yeast. For instant yeast, let sit 15 - 20 minutes.
  2. Uncover the bowl and mix in the salt. Add 1 ½ cup cups of flour measuring in 2 Tbs. at a time. Mix. Sprinkle the last ½ cup of flour onto a lightly floured surface and shape the dough into 2 pizza rounds. Bunch the dough around the edges to form crust. Spread dough rounds with olive oil or melted butter and sprinkle with garlic salt, if desired.
  3. Dust baking pans with cornmeal before placing dough on them.
  4. Preheat the oven to 425 degree F.
  5. While the oven warms, start cooking the toppings. Warm the olive oil in a saucepan over medium low heat. Toss in the green onions and warm a couple of minutes. Add the chopped rhubarb to the pan with the onions and warm for another couple of minutes. Pull the pan off the heat and set aside.
  6. Top the crust with the sauce. Evenly spread the onion rhubarb mix over the sauce. Spread the chopped basil for the next layer. Finish the pizzas topping with cheese and garnish with fresh basil leaves.
  7. Eating Now
  8. If eating immediately, bake at 425 degrees F for 10 - 15 minutes until cheese is melted and crust is golden.
  9. Freezing for Later
  10. If freezing for later, set pizza on a cooling rack to allow crust to cool completely. Prepare the pizza for freezing by wrapping in plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil. Mark the wrapped pizza before placing it in the freezer.
  11. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place frozen pizza on baking sheet or foil. Bake 15-25 minutes, until crust browns and cheese is bubbly.

Notes

*I used a homemade cauliflower alfredo sauce. http://leelalicious.com/healthier-cauliflower-alfredo-sauce/ It is healthier and has less lactose. The recipe easily converts to a dairy free/vegan sauce.

Nutrition

Calories

1629 cal

Fat

41 g

Carbs

211 g

Protein

80 g
Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info
7.8.1.2
68
http://mamasparrow.com/2017/05/25/rhubarb-basil-white-sauce-pizza/

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Orange Cinnamon Rolls

by In Breakfast, Recipes Tagged , Leave a comment

My childhood memories of cinnamon rolls and sweet breads are associated with holidays and special occasions. My mom would prepare the tasty treats in a pan the night before. The first riser was responsible for turning on the oven in the morning. 

Making these kinds of treats from scratch may seem daunting, but I wanted to share a few secrets for making the process more breezy. This is the same base recipe I use for Honey Fig Jam Rolls. It’s a nice, quick sweet roll recipe that is about 1 hour to make from start to finish.

Perhaps you have many other things to coordinate, though. Cinnamon rolls are quite forgiving. Below are a few ways you could make these work for your situation.

Refrigerate for the last rise, bake in the morning. You can prepare them up to the point of the final rise – getting them cut and into a pan. Allow them to rise in the refrigerator overnight and bake the next morning.

Rise and freeze to bake later. Allow them to rise and then freeze for later.

Bake, freeze, then warm to serve. Follow the whole recipe and do a shortened bake ahead of time and freeze for later. Then all you need to do is to warm and add your topping.

With some manageable preparation options you can surprise guests and include from-scratch sweet rolls on your brunch menu. These cinnamon rolls go above and beyond with a satisfying inclusion of fresh orange and a healthy drizzling of maple icing. Hope you have a chance to make these real soon. We would love to see photos of your results – tag Mama Sparrow on your social media shares.

Enjoy!

Orange Cinnamon Rolls

Yields 9 rolls

Sweet, orange kissed cinnamon rolls drizzled with a maple-orange icing.

40 minPrep Time

20 minCook Time

1 hrTotal Time

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Ingredients

    Dough
  • 2 ¾ cup flour
  • 2 Tbs sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 package instant yeast
  • ½ cup water
  • ¼ cup milk, room temperature
  • 2 Tb unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 egg, room temperature
    • Filling
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • Zest from 1 orange
  • 2 Tb cinnamon
  • ¾ cup butter, melted
    • Drizzle
  • 1 - 1 ¼ cup confectioners sugar
  • 1 - 2 Tbs. orange juice
  • 2 tsp maple syrup

Instructions

  1. Mix all the dry dough ingredients together in a medium size bowl. In a microwave safe bowl, combine the water, milk and butter. Heat for 45 seconds, or until the butter is melted. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry mix. Stir the egg in. Knead the dough for 4 minutes. Dough should get smooth, have a bit of grip and bounce. Rest the dough in a lightly greased bowl for 5 minutes.
  2. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Mix the orange zest, brown sugar, and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Set aside.
  3. After the dough has rested, roll it out on a lightly floured surface or silpat mat, shaping dough into a rectangle about 9x15 inches. Spread the melted butter over the dough.* Then spread the brown sugar cinnamon mix over top the butter on the dough. Leave 1 inch without filling on one of the long sides of the rectangle; this will be the seam. Starting at the long, not seam side, begin rolling the dough jelly roll style. End the log roll with the seam side down. Use a sharp, floured knife to cut the log into 9 sections to make rolls.
  4. Place rolls into a 9x9 inch pan lightly greased and covered with greased parchment paper. Cover the pan with aluminum foil. Turn off the oven and place the covered pan of rolls in the oven to rise for 20 minutes.
  5. After rising, remove the aluminum cover from the rolls and leave in oven while turning on to 375 degrees F. Bake 16-20 minutes until the rolls just start to get golden. Remove from oven and top rolls with drizzle.
  6. To make topping, combine sugar and orange juice in a bowl. Whisk together and add in maple syrup. Adjust ingredients to desired consistency and taste.

Notes

*For cinnamon rolls, I usually reserve ⅓ or ¼ of the melted butter to pour over the rolls after they have risen, just before baking. The rolls tend to be a bit more tender and the sugar near the bottom of them caramelizes.

Nutrition

Calories

396 cal

Fat

28 g

Carbs

31 g

Protein

9 g
Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info
7.8.1.2
80
http://mamasparrow.com/2017/05/12/orange-cinnamon-rolls/

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5 Minute Breadsticks

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There are few satisfying smells than fresh baked bread with a meal. Homemade bread can be an entire day’s task that you don’t have time for or for which you did not plan. You can still have the satisfaction of fresh baked bread on the table in 20 minutes flat. These bread sticks only require about 5 minutes of hands-on time.

Also, included is my first posted recipe video. You can catch the video over on YouTube too. I can’t help be also share that the music in this video is by my talented husband. *cheesy smile*.

Hope you get a chance to whip these up with an upcoming meal. Please be sure to tag Mama Sparrow on social media with your pictures. We would love to see your results.

Enjoy!

Serves 4-6

Auto Draft

Yields 12 breadsticks

Tender breadsticks with a satisfying blend of garlic salt and parmesan cheese. Fresh bread with dinner does not need to be time consuming. Whip these up

12 minPrep Time

8 minCook Time

20 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

  • 3 Tbs butter, melted
  • 1 ⅓ cup flour OR 1 cup wheat & ⅓ cup all purpose
  • 2 Tbs granulated sugar OR 1 ½ Tb honey
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ⅔ cup milk
  • Garlic salt
  • Grated parmesan in shaker

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 450F. Melt 3 Tb of butter on the baking sheet in the oven while it preheat - about 2 minutes. Take out just before all butter is melted and tilt the pan several times till it finishes melting.
  2. While butter is melting, combine the dry ingredients in medium size mixing bowl - flour, baking powder and salt (also add the granulated sugar at this point, if using instead of honey).
  3. Warm the milk and honey (if using instead of granulated sugar) briefly (45 seconds in the microwave or on stovetop just until warm)
  4. Slowly stir the milk into the dry ingredients.
  5. Sprinkle additional flour over the dough so it is workable and gently knead a few times. The dough should still be fairly wet, but just enough flour to pull apart and shape into 12 breadsticks.
  6. Place the breadsticks onto the baking sheet of melted butter and brush butter from the pan onto the exposed surfaces of the breadsticks.
  7. Sprinkle a little garlic salt over the sticks and bake for 8 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with grated parmesan after breadsticks finish baking and serve warm.

Nutrition

Calories

196 cal

Fat

9 g

Carbs

27 g

Protein

4 g
Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info
7.8.1.2
79
http://mamasparrow.com/2017/04/13/5-minute-breadsticks/

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Persimmon Cranberry Pie

by In Dessert, Recipes Tagged , , , Leave a comment

This is one of those recipes I’ve had for a while (like since early fall), but just never got to posting. No better day for posting a delayed pie posting than Pi Day (3.14).

The fruit called for in this recipe is a fall combination. However, this recipe has been tested and approved with other great combinations that span more seasonings. The best are apple cranberry and apple blackberry. Really, you can use your imagine to get your seasonally available mix.

All of this fresh snow is making me crave things flavored with mulling spices. This is a perfect solution – some late season blackberries I flash froze from last fall, Gala apples, and ginger molasses cookie topping.

I enjoy making all the components of the recipe from scratch (apple cider, pie crust, and cookies). Included in the recipe below are links to my favorite recipes for each of these items. The cider is particularly enjoyable to make from scratch as it simmer for 3 hours and makes the home smell amazing. These are all things that can be bought for a quick baking solution.

Happy Pi Day. I hope you have a chance to make pie real soon. Please tag us on social media to share photos of your pie results. We would love to see what you are making.

Enjoy!

 

Persimmon Cranberry Pie

Apple cider infused persimmon and cranberries on an all butter crust - soft beneath and crispy, flaked on the edges. Top off the coziness with a ginger molasses cookie crumb.

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Ingredients

    Filling
  • 1 9 inch unbaked pie crust (I used this recipe from Completely Delicious http://www.completelydelicious.com/how-to-make-perfectly-flaky-pie-crust/
  • )
  • 4 cups peeled and chopped persimmons, about ¼ inch sections
  • 2 cups fresh cranberries
  • 1 ¾ cups apple cider juice, divided (I made homemade from http://www.amomstake.com/cranberry-apple-cider-drink-recipe/)
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
    • Topping
  • 1 ½ cups ginger molasses cookies crushed (I used this recipe from Eating Well http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/249788/yummy-molasses-crackles you could also use store bought or your own favorite recipe)
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup butter, melted and cooled

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Place the persimmons, cranberries, 1 ½ cups apple cider, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a saucepan. Heat the mixture over medium-low heat until the cranberries pop/split.
  3. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch into the remaining ¼ cup of cider. Add the starch/cider combination to the pan of ingredients. Stir everything until it has thickened.
  4. Remove the pan from heat and set aside to cool while preparing the topping and crust.
  5. While filling is cooling, place ingredients for the crumb topping in a medium bowl. Mix until it forms a crumb like texture. Set aside.
  6. Roll out the pie crust and place in pie dish. Once fruit mixture has mostly cooled, pour it into the pan lined with the pie crust. Trim and prepare the edges of the crust as desired. I just crimped the edges on mine.
  7. Distribute the crumb topping evenly over the filling.
  8. Bake the pie for 30-40 minutes at 400 degrees F. Place a baking sheet on the rack below the pie to catch any pie drippings. When done, the filling should be bubbly. Cover the edges of the crust with foil if they start to brown before the pie filling is baked through.

Notes

Dairy free option - use your preferred vegan pie crust or substitute vegan butter sticks for the butter in the pie crust and topping

Nutrition

Calories

397 cal

Fat

14 g

Carbs

59 g

Protein

8 g
Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info
7.8.1.2
70
http://mamasparrow.com/2017/03/14/persimmon-cranberry-pie/

 

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Galets – Fry Bread

by In Dessert, Recipes Tagged , , , 2 Comments

I was in Missouri for the first time. It was by accident. We were returning from Iowa, driving back into Chicago. There must have been a patch of highway without network connection and the phone maps dropped. My husband and I were in deep conversation and did not notice until he saw the “Welcome to Missouri” road sign. We easily added two hours to that trip.

As we drove back the correct direction, I noticed a scenic area with a river running and rustic homes. I recall a sign for Lost River. I am hoping to look up more information about the place because it was beautiful.

This got me thinking more about perspective. Sometime our destination becomes so important to us that we ignore the meaning in the journey. Tomorrow night is my final presentation for my master’s degree. It is a fantastic destination, reaching this milestone. I would miss out on a lot if I did not recognize the journey that has gotten me here – especially the time spent staying at home with the boys while completing my studies. Time with the little boys is wild, lively, and demands a constant state of remaining in the present. Respecting all of this experience, I cannot find a way to separate the journey of studying, being present with my boys, and completing this degree. My time with the boys has been my lost river – my expected journey.

Back to the reason we were on the road to begin with, we had just visited my in-laws. My other mom is the one who gifted me the adorable bee themed honey pot from the pictures in this post.

The recipe I am sharing with you today is for fry bread. This is a treat that my great-grandmother would make for us, and later my mother. It is a quick bread recipe that finds it’s origins and broad use in Native American cooking. The dough is fried and then covered in sweet or savory toppings. As a child, I usually enjoyed these covered in melted butter and granulated sugar. Recently, I have made them for my family to cover with chili, tacos, or jam and honey. In these pictures, the bread is covered with vegan orange curd and drizzled with honey.

Below is the recipe. The base recipe for these is vegan and can be topped with a variety of vegan sweet and savory options, as well.

Galets – Fry Bread

Yields 8 pieces of bread

Fry bread with a slight crisp to the outside and tender inside. This quick bread is fantastically versatile. Top with your choice of sweet or savory - taco, chili, honey, jam, curd...it's up to you.

10 minPrep Time

10 minCook Time

20 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

  • 3 cups flour
  • 4 ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sugar (for savory use) or 3 tsp sugar (for sweet use)
  • 1 ⅓ cup warm water
  • Oil for frying

Instructions

  1. Fill a skillet with enough oil for the bread to not touch the bottom of the pan. Turn oven to medium high heat.
  2. Mix dry ingredient. Make a well in the center and slowly add the water. You many not use all the water, just add enough to get a shaggy dough. Mix until well combined with a wooden spoon. Let the dough rest for 2 minutes.
  3. Separate the dough into 8 pieces onto a floured surface. Sprinkle flour over the dough and form to a thick circle. Don’t overwork the dough.
  4. Place the dough, one at a time into the pan setting them away from yourself so as to splash the oil. Cook 2 minutes on each side. If you have space, you could cook 2-3 at a time.
  5. Place cooked bread onto a rack to allow excess oil to drain.
  6. Add toppings while the dough is warm.

Notes

Topping Ideas

Sweet:

Butter and granulated sugar

Honey and jam (honey fig jam is awesome)

Maple syrup

Savory:

Taco

Chilli

Vegetable heavy hot dish

Nutrition

Calories

1532 cal

Fat

7 g

Carbs

311 g

Protein

49 g
Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info
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Vegan Orange Curd

by In Breakfast, Dessert, Recipes Tagged , , , Leave a comment

One of the fantastic things about living in the city is accessibility to rich cultural experiences. Yesterday, we had a family trip to the Chicago Cultural Center to attend the Chinese New Year Celebration. It was a beautiful display of dance, martial arts, and music.

No surprise, the boys were very taken with the dragon dance and martial arts dancing. There was much reenactment throughout the rest of the afternoon. I can now claim the skill of reading textbooks while chanting a drum rhythm.

Today, as we enjoyed a snack of vegan blood orange curd spread on fresh baked biscuits, we recounted our favorite parts of the performances yesterday. The tales were movement filled. The snack was well accented with the subtly sweet orange curd. This curd spread was silkier in mouth feel than the creaminess of an egg and butter version. It a delightful, lighter alternative to traditional curd.

This last round I used blood oranges and the color of the cream is so lovely. The process is rather simple. Slice and juice your citrus. Reduce the juice to heighten the flavor. Zest in an orange peel to get a hint of sweet, floral aspect. Then sweeten with your choice of sweetener. In a measuring cup, dissolve cornstarch in cold milk before adding to the juice. Warning: be vigilant while stirring because the cream will thicken very quickly. Once it does, it ready to remove from heat, cool, and store or use immediately.

Curd is a multi functional spread that is delicious on biscuits, cookies, crepes, cakes, and more. Even by the spoonful, no judging here.

Hope you have a chance to try this recipe soon. I’d love to see the results. Be sure to tag MamaSparrow on social media.

Enjoy!

Vegan Orange Curd

Yields 1 generous cup

Silky vegan orange curd. Flecked with the subtle floral sweetness of orange zest. Curd is a multi functional spread that is delicious on biscuits, cookies, crepes, cakes, and more.

10 minPrep Time

10 minCook Time

20 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (3-4 oranges; blood oranges produce a lovely color)
  • ¾ cup non-dairy milk
  • 3 Tbs. cornstarch
  • ½ cup sugar or ¼ cup honey for non-vegans
  • Zest of one orange

Instructions

  1. In a small saucepan, over medium-low heat, reduce the orange juice to about half the volume.
  2. While the juice is reducing, measure the milk in a liquid measuring cup. Whisk the cornstarch in the milk till it dissolves. Set aside.
  3. Once the juice is reduced, add in the sugar and zest. Stir just until the sugar dissolves. Add the milk mixture to the saucepan and use a spatula to mix. Keep on medium-low heat and mix constantly until the texture thickens quickly. If the mixture starts to bubble before thickening, reduce the heat slightly. Once it does thicken, it will be very sudden so stay with you pan. Once the mixture is thickened remove from heat and allow to cool enough to store in a jar or use immediately.
  4. Curd will store in the refrigerator for 1 week or freezer for 3 months. Some settling will occur, give the curd a stir to re-incorporate separating liquids.
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