"Back-To-Winter" Recipes

March definitely went out like a lion, and it has put us back into the winter-food mode. This week, we have some “back-to-winter” comfort foods.

Shout out to Robin W. for her recipe, Blueberry Poppyseed Brunch Cake, which we baked and enjoyed. Thanks Robin!

If you have a recipe you would like to share, please send it to: ads@thedrummer.com (Attn: Now We’re Cookin’).

Blueberry Poppyseed Brunch Cake

Submitted by: Robin W.

Servings: 8

Needed: Springform Pan

Cake: 

2/3 C. sugar

1/2 C. butter (softened)

2 tsp. grated lemon peel

1 egg

1-1/2 C. flour

2 T. poppyseed

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 C. sour cream

Filling: 

2 C. fresh blueberries (frozen blueberries ok, if thawed, drained on a paper towel)

1/3 C. sugar 

2 tsp. flour

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Glaze: 

1/3 C. powdered sugar

1 or 2 tsp. milk

Heat oven to 350°. Grease and flour bottom & sides of a 9” or 10” springform pan.  In a large bowl, beat 2/3 C. sugar and butter until light and fluffy.  Add lemon peel and egg. (beat 2 min. on medium speed). Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup, level off.  In medium bowl, combine 1-1/2 C. flour, poppyseed, baking soda & salt; add to batter mixture alternately with sour cream. Spread batter over bottom and then 1” up sides of greased & floured springform pan, making sure batter on sides is 1/4” thick.

In small bowl, combine all filling ingredients, spoon over center area of batter and bake at 350° for 45 to 55 minutes until crust is golden brown.  Cool slightly then remove sides of springform pan. 

Combine powdered sugar & enough milk until glaze is of desired drizzling, blend until smooth.  Drizzle over top of warm cake, serve warm or cool. 

Pizza Soup with Garlic Toast Croutons

Prep: 10 min. 

Cook: 6 hours

Makes: 10 servings

1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes, drained

1 can (15 oz.) pizza sauce

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 pkg. (3 oz.) sliced pepperoni, halved

1 C. sliced fresh mushrooms

1 sm. onion, chopped

1/2 C. chopped green pepper

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 cans (14-1/2 oz. each) chicken broth

1 pkg. (11-1/4 oz.) frozen garlic Texas toast

1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1 C. shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

In a 6-qt. slow cooker, combine first 9 ingredients. Cook, covered, on low 6-8 hours, until chicken is tender.

For croutons: Cut Texas toast into cubes; bake according to package directions. Add spinach to soup; heat through, stirring occasionally. Top servings with cheese and warm croutons.

Grandma’s Tomato Soup

Prep/Total Time: 15 min.

Servings: 2

2 T. butter

1 T. all-purpose flour

2 C. tomato juice

1/2 C. water

2 T. sugar

1/8 tsp. salt

3/4 C. cooked wide egg noodles

Chopped fresh parsley, optional

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add flour; stir to form a smooth paste. Gradually add tomato juice and water, stirring constantly; bring to a boil. Cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Add sugar and salt. Stir in egg noodles and heat through. If desired, sprinkle with parsley.

Ham and Cheese Frittata with Caramelized Onions

Prep Time: 30 mins

Total Time: 1 hr

Servings: 8-10

2 med. russet potatoes (about 1 lb.)

4 T. unsalted butter

2 yellow onions, sliced

16 lg. eggs

1/2 C. half-and-half

1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste

Black pepper, to taste

1 1-lb. ham steak, trimmed of fat and cubed 

2 C. shredded sharp white cheddar cheese

1/2 C. chopped fresh chives

1 C. sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Prick the potatoes all over with a fork. Microwave, turning over once halfway through, until almost tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Let cool while you caramelize the onions.

Melt 2 T. butter in a large nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until a deep golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Peel and cube the potatoes. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl with the half-and-half, 1 tsp. salt and a few grinds of pepper.

Add the remaining 2 T. butter to the skillet and increase the heat to medium high. Add the potatoes and ham and cook, tossing occasionally, until they begin to color, 2 to 3 min. Reduce the heat to medium. Pour in the egg mixture and cook until just set around the edges, about 2 min. Sprinkle with the cheese and 1/4 C. of the chives. Transfer to the oven and bake until the frittata is light golden on top and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, 15 to 17 min. Let cool in the skillet for 5 min.

Meanwhile, mix the sour cream and remaining 1/4 C. chives in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Slide the frittata out of the skillet onto a cutting board and cut into wedges. Serve with the chive sour cream.

Air Fryer Carrots

Prep Time: 10 min.

Cook Time: 12 min

Total Time: 22 min

Servings: 4

Needed: Air Fryer

15 med. carrots

2 T. butter melted

1 T. olive oil

3 T. honey

2 T. brown sugar

fresh parsley chopped (optional)

Wash and peel all your carrots.

Slice the carrots into 1-1/2 inch long pieces to ensure they cook evenly in the air fryer. For extra thick parts of the carrot, also slice them long ways to create two 1-1/2 inch pieces. Place in a medium-sized bowl.

Melt butter in the microwave for 6-8 seconds.

Add olive oil, honey, and brown sugar to the melted butter and stir well until combined.

Pour glaze over the sliced carrots and stir well to coat all sides of the carrots.

Preheat your air fryer for 2 minutes at 370° F.

Add the coated carrots to your air fryer basket in a single layer. Carrots shrink as they cook, so it is okay to have slight overlaps in the basket.

Air fry for 8 min. Then, shake the basket to rearrange the carrots. Drizzle any remaining leftover glaze on top of the carrots. Continue to air fry for 4 min.

Test the tenderness of the thickest carrot with a fork. If needed, add 2 min. to achieve more tenderness.

Place the air-fried carrots into a serving dish and sprinkle with fresh parsley.

German Meatballs

Servings: 4-6

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 lb. ground pork

1/2 C. finely chopped onion

3/4 C. fine dry breadcrumbs

1 T. snipped fresh parsley

1-1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 lg. egg, beaten

1/2 C. 2% milk

2 to 3 T. vegetable oil

1 can (27 oz.) sauerkraut, undrained

1/3 to 1/2 C. water, optional

Additional snipped parsley

In a bowl, combine first 10 ingredients; shape into 18 meatballs, 2 in. each. Heat the oil in a skillet; brown the meatballs. Remove meatballs and drain fat. Spoon sauerkraut into skillet; top with meatballs. Cover and simmer for 15-20 min. or until meatballs are cooked through, adding water if necessary. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve over hot eggs noodles or rice, or use as an appetizer. 

Carrot Cake Cookies 

Prep Time: 5 min.

Cook Time: 15 min.

Servings: 20

1 (15.25 oz) carrot cake mix

1/2 C. vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 (12 oz. pkg.) white chocolate chips

1/4 C. chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

Add cake mix, vegetable oil and eggs to a bowl and mix well. Dough will be a little stiff, but continue to mix until combined well.

Use a 2 T. portion scoop to scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12-14 min. or until bottoms begin to brow. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 2 min. before cooling completely on a cooling rack.

When cookies are cooled completely, dip into white chocolate. Line a cooled baking sheet or hard surface with parchment paper and set aside.

Place half a bag of white chocolate chips into a microwave safe container and heat at 50% powder for 30 seconds. Repeat, stirring after each time in the microwave until completely melted, about 1 minute, 30 seconds total.

Dip half of the cookie into the white chocolate and wipe the bottom edge on the side of the bowl. Place onto prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with walnuts. Repeat until all cookies are dipped.

Quote of the Week:

“There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” 

~ Edith Wharton