Aebelskivers

A Hinton family tradition that comes from my Scandinavian ancestry is aebelskivers.  We make them every New Years morning for breakfast.  For their wedding showers, we gave each of our daughters an aebelskiver pan so they could continue the tradition. 

And they have.  In each of our homes on New Years Day, we know that we are all making and eating these delicious little pancake balls.

I know it wasn't the original recipe (duh!) but I have taken to using Bisquick. It's easier.  My daughters make them from scratch.

Aebelskivers
4 eggs, separated
3 cups Bisquick
2 cups water
4 Tablespoons melted butter
Butter for frying
Applesauce
Powdered sugar for garnish
In a medium bowl, beat egg yolks until pale.  Stir in Bisquick, water and 4 Tablespoons melted butter until blended.  I another medium bowl, beat egg whites until stiff, but not dry.  Fold whites into Bisquick mixture.  Generously butter each aebelskiver cup (in recent years I have used cooking spray instead)  Heat.  Fill each cup 3/4 full with batter.  (You can add a little bit of applesauce or even blueberries in each one at this point, or you can just make them plain)  When set around the edge (about 1 1/2 minutes), turn the ball over with a fork (or my mom always used a knitting needle.)  Continue to cook and turn until lightly browned on all sides and done in the middle.  Roll gently in powdered sugar.  Serve with syrup of choice and applesauce, if desired.

Split Pea and Ham Soup

Sometimes, not real often, but sometimes, I get a craving for Split Pea and Ham Soup.  When that happens, I make this recipe- one I've had for many, many years.  It just hits the spot- especially if served with a grilled cheese sandwich.

Split Pea and Ham Soup
2 1/2 cups green split peas
1 meaty ham bone OR 1 ham steak cut up in chunks
 1 large onion, sliced
1 heaping tsp. salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon marjoram
2 large stalks celery, diced
2-3 carrots, peeled and diced

Put the peas in a colander and rinse them.  Combine in a pot (or slow cooker) with 2 quarts water, ham bone, onion, salt, pepper. and marjoram.  Bring to boiling.  Cover.  Simmer for about 1-2 hours until peas soften.  Remove bone, let cool and cut off meat.  Discard the bone.  Return the meat to the soup and add the celery and carrots.  Cook slowly for another hour or so.  Mash the soup with a potato masher, if desired.

Garlic Shrimp Pasta

Kristen made this recipe for me when I visited her in Wisconsin.  It is delicious, easy, and low calorie!
Skinny Garlic Shrimp Pasta
8 oz angel hair pasta
4 cups fresh baby spinach
1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 lb. fresh medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 cup chicken broth
Salt and pepper
3 T. chopped fresh parsley
2 T. butter

Cook pasta in plenty of salty as the sea water.  Drain;  Return to pan and stir in spinach, tomatoes and 2 tsp. of the oil.  Cover to keep warm.

While pasta is cooking, heat remaining oil in skillet.  Add onion and cook and stir until soft.  Add shrimp, garlic, and pepper flakes.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Stir in chicken broth and add salt and pepper.  Cook until shrimp are pink- about two minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in parsley and butter.  Stir until butter is melted.  Add shrimp mixture to pasta mixture.  Toss and serve.

Original Source:  Betty Crocker

Monkey Bread with Caramel Topping

Ingredients:

16 frozen bread dough rolls

1/4 cup white sugar

1 TBSP cinnamon

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup corn syrup

3/4 cup brown sugar

Thaw dough rolls in fridge in a sealed gallon-size plastic bag. Once thawed, cut each roll into fourths. Dry the plastic bag then add the white sugar and cinnamon, toss to mix. Add the cut up dough and toss to coat each piece. Place dough pieces evenly in the bottom of a Bundt pan. Cover and let it rise for 30 minutes. I warm my oven to 160 degrees then turn it off and put the pan in. 

20 minutes into the rise, melt the butter in a heavy bottomed small saucepan, add the brown sugar and corn syrup and stir until combined. Bring to a boil while stirring. Once you reach a boil take it off the heat and continue to stir for a minute. Let it rest for a couple minutes to cool before you pour 1/2 of it over the top of the rising bread dough.

Remove the cover and put back in the oven. Turn the oven on to heat to 350. Set the timer for 25 minutes. The dough will continue to rise as it heats up. Check the bread with about 5 minutes left. When it starts browning on top it is done. My oven is hot and cooked a bit faster.

Remove from oven and invert onto a plate slightly larger than the pan. Drizzle the rest of the syrup over the top. It may need to be warmed up a little to get to a drizzle state.

I combined a couple of different monkey bread recipes to make it exactly what I want. Enjoy!

Unbelievably Delicious Buttermilk Scones with Raspberries and White Chocolate

Buttermilk Scones with Raspberries and White Chocolate

Mix together with your hands or a pastry blender:

1 1/2 cups butter

2 cups brown sugar

6 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

When well blended, Add:

1 beaten egg

1 cup buttermilk

Blend well.  Then add:

1 pint raspberries, fresh or frozen

1 package white chocolate chips (about 2 cups)

Gently mix in.  Form into balls and put on a baking sheet lined with parchment or sil pat.  These can be made ping pong ball size to tennis ball size. OR you can form the dough into rounds between pieces of waxed paper.  Roll out to 2-3 inches thick.  Cut the dough into wedges with a pizza cutter.  These wedges are the traditional way of making scones.   Adjust baking time according to size.  For large, bake about 35 minutes at 325.   

Glaze:  Cream and powdered sugar mixed together to make a glaze.  Glaze each scone and store in airtight container.

Variations:  Instead of the raspberries and white chocolate chips, you can add:
Chocolate chips
Pecans
Macademia nuts
Dried cranberries and nuts

Really, whatever you would like.

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies in the World

I work with the young women in our church.  One of my 15-year-olds claimed she had the best chocolate chip cookie recipe in the world.  Well, when someone says that you have to try it.  So I did.  I think she may be right!

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Kelly and Katelin Nordfelt

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons hot water

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups chocolate chips

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven.0 to 350.  Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.  Dissolve the baking soda in hot water.  Add to the batter along with the salt.  Stir in the flour, chocolate chips, and nuts.  Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans.  Bake for about 10 minutes, or until edges are nicely browned.

Rainbow Vegetable Burritos

When I was visiting Kristen in Wisconsin, we tried a lot of healthy recipes.  This one was just delicious.  We actually combined two different recipes: one she got from a friend, and one from the Internet.

Rainbow Vegetable Burritos
2 whole sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1-2 Jalapenos, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 red onion, diced
1 box mushrooms, sliced
Squash, zucchini or yellow, diced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 tsp. oregano
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed and heated, if desired
Cooked rice, optional
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
fresh lime juice
Grated cheese, optional
Sour Cream, optional
Tomatoes, diced
1 package burrito-size whole wheat tortillas
Chop all the vegetables and saute in a large skillet until soft.  Roll with a small portion of black beans and rice (if using) in the tortillas.  Add lime juice and other toppings of choice.   So delicious and healthy!  Top with cilantro.