Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Muffins!

 Keeping with my Lemony theme this week I  have found the most unbelievably delicious muffin, the Fresh Blueberry and Lemon Ricotta Muffin!! 

 Right now the blueberries are coming in so big and flavorful that it is hard not to bake with them and by adding the Zest of the Lemon you are just brightening the flavors. Using Ricotta Cheese in the muffins guarantees that they will be moist and dense, do not expect these muffins to rise too much. These muffins will keep fresh for a few days but, they are so good they deserved to be shared!

Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Muffins

Adapted from The Curvy Carrot!

Servings: 16 muffins

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup Supreme Ricotta Cheese*

1/2 cup Low Fat Milk

8 tablespoons (1 stick) Sommermaid Butter, softened

2 large Eggs

Zest of 2 Lemons

1 cup fresh Blueberries* (washed)

1/4 granulated sugar for garnishing the tops of the muffins

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Line a muffin tin with desired paper liners, or spray with cooking spray. (I use a silicone muffin tin, it protects from burning and works great without using liners just greasing.)

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt, mixing well.  Set aside. In your standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the ricotta cheese, milk, and butter at low-speed, mixing well. Add the eggs, one at a time at medium speed, mixing well after each addition.

 On low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, until just combined. Do not over mix; this should take just one to two minutes.

Blueberries should be folded in by hand. If you add them in the mixer they will break apart and cause your muffins not to rise properly.

Evenly divide the batter between your prepared pans and sprinkle the tops with granulated sugar. Bake until the muffin tops are golden brown on top, about 25 minutes. If you do not have a convection oven setting rotate you muffins after 15 minutes for even baking. When using convection bake check your muffins at about 20 minutes, sometimes they will cook sooner.

Let cool for 10 minutes in muffin pans before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

* Part Skim Ricotta can be substituted for the Whole Milk. Add extra butter, 1 tablespoon, for moisture.

**Word of warning do not go too crazy by adding extra blueberries, this can cause you muffins to be overly dense and not rise much. If you do want to add extra make sure to also add a little extra flour and baking powder to the recipe. 

Lots and Lots of Lemons In My House

I have lots of Lemons in my house and I am in heaven. With Spring looking like it is just around the corner, even though there was snow this morning, the fresh scent of lemon gets me in the mood of warmer, longer and sunnier days and having them in my kitchen and the scent around my house make things even brighter.
 Most people think that lemons are used just for cooking in the kitchen and in beverages. However, they have so many more uses in all rooms of the house from cleaning, refreshing and decorating. Lemons are a great all natural alternative cleaners that do not contain any of the harsh chemicals that conventional sanitizers, air fresheners, and household cleaners do and often do a much better job at the task at hand removing some the toughest stains from the the most delicate materials!

Cleaning:

1. Stain Remover on Linens - Squeeze some fresh lemon juice into a glass dish and use a q-tip to blot the stain on delicate linens like sheets, tea towels, tablecloths, napkins, and placemats. (Also, great for removing underarm stains from cotton shirts.)
2. Remove Stains on Marble, Polish Brass & Silver - If you have stain on light colored marble mix some baking soda with lemon juice to form a paste. Rub the paste on the stained area and let sit for 20 minutes, then wipe away the paste and the stain. 
3. Clean and Freshen Up Your Microwave - If you have a sticky and food cake microwave clean it quickly and easily with half a lemon. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon into a bowl with 1 1/2 cups of water and microwave on high for at least 7 minutes and more if it is really dirty. The lemon and water will steam the inside of the microwave softening the caked on food. Once the steam has condensed on the inside of the microwave wipe it away with a warm sponge or cloth. 
4. Make Your Chrome & Aluminum Sparkle - Just rub your chrome fixtures and aluminum pots and pans with some lemon slices to bring out their shine. Wipe after with a clean dry cloth. 

Freshening:

1. Garbage Disposal - If you have leftover halved lemons or rinds toss them down the garbage disposal to freshen it up (works with other citrus fruits too!) The bright citrusy scent with fill the whole kitchen.
2. De-funk a Room of Off Scents - Commercial Air Fresheners do not last long to help with unpleasant smells and most often smell fake and unpleasant themselves. The high end fresheners that lack all the chemicals are often expensive and perfumey. If you put a few slices of lemon in a bowl and leave it in a room within minutes the room will begin smelling fresh and the scent will last for hours and into the next day. This is great for rooms where animals and dirty laundry may linger. 
3. Brighten and Freshen Up a Cutting Board - About once a month or so I clean all of my wooden cutting boards with some fresh lemon before cleaning them with mineral oil. I will also freshen up any of my plastic boards with lemon juice between uses to remove any stains from the boards. 

New Ideas & Uses in the Kitchen:

1. Lemon Salt - If I have extra lemons in the kitchen that I know will not get used in a timely manner I will the zest for lemon scented salt and juice the lemon freezing the juice for future use. First you zest the whole lemon(s) and spread the zest out on a dish. Pop the dish into the microwave for 30 - 45 seconds to dry it out and then let it sit on the counter for 1 hour. Once the lemon zest is dry add it to 1/4 cup of sea salt per lemon in a glass mixing bowl. Combine the zest and salt and store in a glass jar or container in your spice cabinet. It is great to use in just about any dish 
2. Lemon Juice Ice Cubes - Often you have recipes that call for just the zest or juice of half a lemon. If I know I will not be using the juice of the lemon before it goes bad I will freeze the juice of the lemon in an ice cube tray in the fridge and use the cubes when needed for cooking or cleaning. Once the cubes are frozen I transfer them to a freezer bag that is labeled lemon cubes in the freezer, this way no one will get a lemon surprise in their drink!
3. Keep Your Rice Free - If your rice clumps up when cooking add a few tablespoons of juice to the water and it will remain free of clumps.
4. Keep you Fruits Fresh - If you are slicing up apples or pears for a lunch bag or cheese board spray the fruit with a bit of lemon juice to keep the slices from turning brow. You can do the same thing to keep and avocado or bowl of guacamole fresh too. 

Bake Me a Pasta Dish Tonight!!

"Lazy Man Lasagna"

 My husband absolutely loves any type of baked pasta dish that is out there and Sunday being the day before Valentine''s Day I figured why not make him something that he would really enjoy. (We always go out for Valentine's Day!) I had some Backyard Tomatoes that were good and ripe, Supreme Dairy Ricotta Cheese, and  some of the NEFF Ground Beef in the freezer. Mr. Linny likes to call this dish lazy man lasagna but, there is nothing really lazy about making your sauce from scratch!
 What is so great about baked pasta is that it is flexible. You can change it as much as you want adding and subtracting ingredients making it a little different each time. If you have sausage or turkey instead of beef it works perfectly. You can add chopped spinach, mushrooms, zucchini or any other vegetable to spice it up of in place of the meat for a vegetarian dish. Oh and holy leftovers... We had enough to share the next day with our friends!

Ingredients

What you will need:

 Large Pot (8 quarts)

 Large Baking Dish

 Medium Mixing Bowl 

 Cutting Board & Knife

 Measuring Cups

 Wooden Spoon

Ingredients:

4 Backyard Tomatoes

1 Yellow Onion (diced)

6 Cloves of Garlic (chopped)

2lbs of Ground Beef (defrosted)

1 Egg

1 bag of Supreme Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1 container of Supreme Part Skim Ricotta Cheese

1/2 stick of SommerMaid Butter

2 cups Penne Pasta

1/4 cup of chopped Fresh Oregano

1 cup of chopped Fresh Basil 

1 cup Dry Red Wine or Beef Broth

2 tbs. Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper to taste

For the Sauce:

 First I boiled a large pot of salted water and when it came to a rolling boil I dropped in the whole tomatoes for about 3 minutes, or until there skin started to slightly peel back. Once this happened I immediately transfered them to a cool stainless bowl and right to the fridge to keep them from cooking. Once they have cooled chop the tomatoes into 1/2 pieces or crush them ( I prefer the crushing method, it is messy but more fun!)

* I used the same water and pot to cook my pasta in effort to save on time and pot usage. Boil the Pasta to an al dente status. That is when the pasta still has a slight hardness to it but is not hard, it will finish cooking in the oven.

After boiling the pasta strain it and set it to the side. Do not rinse the pasta (reserve about 1 cup of pasta water.)

In the same pot you cooked the pasta in add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and warm the pan up over medium high heat. Once the oil is warm (just before it starts to smoke,) add the beef and spread it evenly over the bottom of the pot so it can brown. Allow the beef to brown on the bottom, about 4 minutes, before stirring the beef. Once the beef is browned add the onions and garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes or until the onions are clear. 

 At this point you should have a nice brown bottom on the pan. This is flavor so you do not want to waste it. By adding some liquid, in this case wine, you will bring the flavor off the pot and into the food. After adding the wine use your spoon to scrap off the remaining pieces. Once you have scrapped the bottom of the pan add the tomatoes, butter & oregano. Once the butter is melted turn the heat down to simmer and let it cook for 30 minutes covered. Add the reserved pasta water if it thickens to much (or more wine/ broth.) After the thirty minutes turn the heat off the burner.

In a separate bowl combine the ricotta cheese, basil and egg, incorporating the two together. Spoon in the ricotta a little at a time incorporating it into the sauce after each spoon full. Once fully incorporated you can add the pasta to the pot and toss together. Once all the pasta is covered pour the pasta in to a baking dish evenly and cover with the shredded mozzarella. Bake the pasta in the oven  for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Let cool for 5 minutes and serve!

Broiled Citrus Salmon for a Cold Winter Day

February is the American Heart Association Go Red month for the awareness of Heart Disease and how it affects everyone through someone. Our hearts are what keep us here and what allow us to be who we are. Yesterday being Valentine's Day, a day dedicated to the heart, I felt it was befitting to use today as a start of a platform for foods that are good for your heart.
 Salmon is an amazing source of protein, has all the right fats and it also high in Omega's. What most people do not know is that salmon is very easy to cook as well (and it will not stink up you kitchen!) One of my favorite go to Salmon dishes is a very simple citrus marinade that you can spice up and dress up for any occasion.

Broiled Citrus Salmon

2 8 oz Fillets of Salmon Thawed

1/4 cup of Munroe Dairy Orange Juice

Juice of 1/2 Lemon  

2 tbs of Olive Oil

zest of 1/2 Lemon

1/2 tsp of Thyme

Salt & Pepper to Taste

 Combine all ingredients in a glass baking dish with the salmon. Cover and return to the refridgerator.

Marinade the Salmon in the citrus and olive oil for at least 30 minutes before cooking. 

 Place the marinaded salmon onto a parchment covered baking sheet. Sprinkle the salmon with the lemon zest, thyme, salt & pepper. Place the cookie sheet on the top rack of the oven  under the broiler (high) for 8 to 10 minutes. When you can seperate the flakes of the salmon with a fork it is done.

 The other half of the lemon can be cut into wedges and served as a garnish! 

*Linny's Tip

 Asparagus is a great accompianment for Salmon and can be broiled in the oven on the same pan, saving you one less dish to wash!

Spice Up the Night with Coconut Chicken Curry

 A few years ago we had gone to a friends house for dinner on a cold winter's night and as soon as we had walked in the door we were welcomed by the warm and inviting aroma of curry and coconut. On the stove was a wonderful dutch oven full of Coconut Chicken Curry. She had noticed my spike of interest in what was brewing and followed with and explanation of how easy the dish was to make! My friend being a school teacher who always stays in the classroom long after the last bell has rung knows the importance of flavorful yet time saving dinners for weekday nights. 

 Every since first having this version of Chicken Curry it has become a staple in my house and is often made in abundance with hopes of visiting friends and leftovers for lunch. 

Coconut Chicken Curry:

Serves 6-8

8 pieces of Chicken Breast cut into 1/2" cubes

2 Yellow Onions Diced

1 Green Bell Pepper Diced

2 Carrots sliced into rounds

2 cup of Chopped Cauliflower

2 cloves of Garlic crushed

1 cup of Peas

2 tablespoons of Olive Oil

2 cups of Chicken Stock or Broth

1 can of Low Fat Coconut Milk

2 tablespoons of Curry Powder

Salt & Pepper to taste

In a large dutch oven or 6qt stock pot warm the oil over medium heat. Once the oil is warm add the chicken spreading it evenly over the bottom of the pan. Let the chicken cook for 4 minutes and then turn in the bottom of the pan, cook for another 3 minutes. Next add the all of the remaining ingredients bring to a boil. Once the pot comes to a boil turn the burner down to low/ simmer and cover for 30 minutes. 

 This dish can be dressed up with a wedge of lime and chopped cilantro! Serve it over Jasmine Rice for a heartier dish. 

Snow. Snow Everywhere... Eggs in a Snow Bank for ME!

So far this year the North East has been getting hit one after another by snow storms. With just three days left to the month we are ranked as the fourth snowiest January on record with third place just an inch away to break the 1904 record. The streets are getting so narrow that even a for a Prius it is getting tight. Sidewalks are walled by three and four foot banks of snow. 

 Ever since the Blizzard of 1978 Rhode Islanders have created habit that whenever they hear hint that snow flakes will start falling they all run to the store for bread and milk in an complete an udder mode of panic. Luckily for our customers than can usually rely on their milkman to deliver in rain, snow or shine. I say usually because this year the storm have been so fierce with blinding blizzard winds, wet heavy slippery snow, and just horrible timing we have been forced to postpone delivery three times already. When we postpone delivery it means in the end there is a lot of confusion for everyone, no matter how hard you try to get the message across, and we all end up having to work on Saturday. And guess what, we have another storm coming next week!

 Well anyway. I have found the most perfect breakfast (or lunch) dish to celebrate all of this snow that we have and it is called Eggs in a Snow Bank!

Thank you, Foodiva's Kitchen!

  So this fluffy snow ball like dish is made by whipping up your egg whites and dropping the yolk in the center then toasting it up in the oven and serving with toast, home fries or both.  In the post on Foodiva's Kitchen she has it serves on toast fresh bread with oven roasted tomatoes stacked with pear and topped with pureed potato. Yum Yum!  Tomorrow this will be my breakfast adventure with just a few changes to the recipe and dish. 

 

Eggs in a Snow Bank served with oven roasted Backyard Farms Tomatoes and Wilted Olivia's Organics Baby Spinach with a side of Fortuna's Maple Breakfast Sausage Cheddar Hash.

For the Eggs:

4 - Country Hen Organic Eggs (Large) Separated - yolk individually separated

pinch of Salt

fresh ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 350* degrees

Put the egg whites in a large mixing bowl beat the egg whites until stiff fluffy peaks are made. 

On a parchment lined cookie sheet spoon 4 large clouds of egg whites. 

Using your fingers create a well in the center of the whites large enough for the egg yolk. 

Drop the individual yolks into the wells. Sprinkle the yolks with salt & cracked pepper. 

Pop them in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until the whites have turned golden brown. 

Oven Roasted Backyard Farm Tomatoes:

2 Backyard Farm Tomatoes Sliced

1/2 cup of Panko Bread Crumbs*

1/2 cup of flour

1 egg beaten 

Preheat oven to 350*

Slice the tomatoes about 1/4 inch thick. Set on a paper towel or tea towel. 

In shallow bowls line up the flour, egg, and Panko crumbs for dredging. 

Dredge the tomatoes first in the flour, next the egg and final coat evenly in the Panko Crumbs. 

Set the covered tomatoes on a cookie sheet and bake at 350* for 12- 15 minutes.**

*I like to add either some Herbs d'Provence or Italian Herbs to my bread crumbs for extra flavor

** Can be baked at the same time as the Eggs in a Snow Bank

Fortuna's Maple Breakfast Sausage Hash & Cheddar Cheese

1 package of Fortuna's Maple Breakfast Sausage defrosted and cut into bite sized pieces

5 Narragansett Red Bliss Potatoes diced in 1/4" pieces

1 Yellow Onion Chopped

1 clove of Garlic crushed

1 cup of shredded Cabot Cheddar or Supreme Cheddar Cheese

2 tablespoons of Olive Oil (separated)

Salt & Pepper

Soak the chopped potatoes in a large mixing bowl with cold water and salt for 10 to 15 minutes. Drain before using. Toss the drained potatoes in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and crushed garlic.

In a large skillet over warm heat brown the sausage. Add the chopped yellow onion cook until the onion peels are translucent. 

Remove the sausage and onions from from pan and set aside. 

In the same skillet add the remaining oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the potatoes and layer evenly across the bottom of the pan. Let the potatoes cook for 3 to 4 minutes before turning or until golden brown. Once brown toss the potatoes and cook for another few minutes to brown the other sides, refrain from continuously turning. 

Finally add the sausage and onions to the skillet toss to combine. Once combined add the shredded cheddar cheese and it is ready to serve. 

Potato Leek Soup - Topped with Bacon & Cheese

 Last night little Mr. Jack Frost came to visit New England and he brought with him below zero temperatures. In his honor I made some hearty and near healthy Potato Leek Soup. I added some bacon and cheese to the soup making it more like a bowl full of loaded baked potato.
  If it was not for the use of bacon in this dish I could call it healthy Potato Leek Soup. Last night it was too cold for me to venture to the store to get turkey bacon to substitute for the real thing. However, having the real bacon does add such a better flavor to the soup.

NY Daily News

Potato Leek Soup
Serves 6

8- 10 Narragansett Potatoes Red or White (washed peeled and chopped to 1/2" pieces)
1 medium Yellow Onion chopped
3 Leeks chopped and rinsed very well
1 Celery rib chopped
16 oz. of Chicken Stock (low sodium/ no MSG)
1/2 cup of Dry White Wine
1 cup of  Munroe Dairy Low Fat Milk
1 cup of Cabot Light Sour Cream
2 tablespoons of Herbs d'Provence
Salt & Pepper to Taste
1 Bay Leaf

 1/2 lb of Bacon
1 cup of Shredded Supreme Cheddar or Narragansett Creamery Cheese Atwell's Gold

 * Keep the chopped potatoes in a bowl of cold water on the counter while prepping the rest of your ingredients and strain before use. This will make the potatoes less starchy in the soup.

 Warm a 8 qt or larger stock pot on the stove at medium heat. Add the 1/2 lb of bacon to the pot, cover with a splatter screen and cook until the bacon is crisp. Remove from bottom and lay bacon on a paper towel to strain the grease. Pour the excess greases from the bottom of the pot into a safe container and not down the drain.
  Add the white wine to the remaining bacon grease to deglaze the pan of the bacon. Using a wooden spoon or spatula scrap the bottom of the pan loosening the bits of remaining bacon. Once finished add the onion, leeks, celery, potatoes, and bay leaf. Pour the chicken stock over the vegetables and the salt & pepper/ herbs d'Provence. Cover the pot and let simmer for 15- 30 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through and be pierced easily with a fork or knife.
 Once the potatoes are cooked turn the heat on the stove burner off (removing the pot from the burner if necessary.) Add the milk and sour cream to the pot. Also if you have scraps from grating the cheese add them as well. Using an immersion blender in the pot puree the ingredients. If you do not have and immersion blender you can use a regular blender, (covering the top with a tea towel*) using a hand mixer, or potato masher.
  Top each serving of the soup with pieces of bacon (crumbled) and cheese.
Left over can be frozen in freezer safe container or in zip lock bags.

*When using your blender to mix warm ingredients never use the cover. The expansion of the ingredients will cause the top to blow off and cause a big mess in your kitchen. - Trust me I know from experience