BRANDY PLANTAINS A LA MODE

Ingredients-
2 very ripe (black skins) plantains, peeled
4 tbsp butter
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 oz brandy
1/2 cup wine

Steps-
Chop off both ends of plantains, then slit skin lengthwise to remove it.
Melt butter in a skillet.
Carefully (don't splatter melted butter!) place the plantains in the skillet.
Mix the cinnamon and sugar together and then sprinkle over plantains.
Cook for five minutes and then remove from heat.
Remove the plantains and place in a dish
Add wine to the empty skillet and stir thoroughly with sugar and cinnamon remnants.
Pour the sauce over the plantains.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and pour brandy over the plantains.
Make sure kids and pets are out of kitchen
Set plantains on fire and allow the flames to go out by themselves.
Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Eat it all, don't save leftovers.

HONEY GLAZED DONUTS WITH RAISINS AND PINE NUTS

(epicurious.com)

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1.5 cups warm water

1/2 tsp sugar

1 envelope dry active yeast

3 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup golden raisins

1/4 cup pine nuts

1 large egg, beaten

1 TBSP vegetable oil + more for cooking

1.5 cups honey

3/4 cup water

1 TBSP cinnamon

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1. combine 1/4 warm water and sugar in small bowl, until dissolved

2. sprinkle yeast over water/sugar mixture and stir until blended

3. let sit about 5 minutes - until yeast dissolves and mixture is foamy

4. whisk flour and salt together in large bowl

5. make well in center - fill with raisins, pine nuts, beaten egg and oil

6. pour remaing warm water on top

7. pour yeast mixture on top

8. stir everything until it becomes a smooth dough, scraping sides of bowl

9. cover bowl with plastic wrap, then a towel on top

10. let dough rise in warm, draft-free area until doubled in volume- about 1.5 hours

11. line a large baking sheet with 2 or 3 layers of paper towels

12. pour enough oil into a large pot to be 2 inches deep

13. using a deep-fry thermometer, bring oil to 365 F

14. now work in batches of 5 or 6 donuts-

15. dip a metal tablespoon into the hot oil to coat it

16. now dip oil-coated spoon gently into dough and scoop up a spoonful

17. drop dough into oil

18. wipe spoon off, dip it into hot oil again and get another donut going

19. fry each batch of donuts, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes until they are golden.

20. when the batch is done, retrieve them with a slotted spoon

21. set donuts on baking pan, lined with towels to absorb excess oil

22. let donuts sit at room temperature.

23. once you are done with all your batches, make honey glaze-

24. whisk honey, 3/4 cup water and cinnamon in saucepan over medium heat

25. as soon as it boils, remove from heat

26. dip warm donuts into honey glaze and pile onto a platter

27. set out remaining syrup for your guests

BAKLAWA / BAKLAVA

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. Filo pastry sheets

1 lb melted, rendered butter (melt for 30 minutes over low heat, put it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, scrape off & discard top residue)

1 lb ground, unsalted cashews or pistachios

1 cup sugar

1/4 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Syrup-
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup water
2 TBSP orange blossom flavoring or juice of 1 lemon or orange
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1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Mix nuts, sugar, allspice and cinnamon
3. Cut pastry sheets to fit 9x15 baking pan. Keep them covered with wet towels to prevent drying out
4. Spread one sheet across bottom of pan and brush with melted butter
5. Add alternating layers of sheets and brushed on butter until you have it 20 sheets deep
6. Pour nut mixture on top and spread evenly
7. Put layers of pastry & melted butter on top until all sheets have been used
8. Slice with knife into squares/servings
9. Bake for 1 hour at 350
10. While baklawa is baking, make syrup-
11. Combine sugar and water in pan and bring to boil
12. Continute to stir until syrupy - about 10 minutes
13. Mix in orange blossom flavoring
14. Put in refrigerator immediately
15. You need to baklawa to be done and the syrup to be COLD before combining
16. Once these conditions are meet, pour the cold syrup on top of of the warm baklawa.

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Zucchini Bread

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2 loaf pans - 5x9"
3 eggs
1 cup apple sauce
2 cups Splenda or sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups coarsely grated zucchini
1 8oz-can crushed pineapple
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1.5 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup golden raisins
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1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Beat eggs with mixer
3. Then add in apple sauce, sugar and vanilla and beat until foamy
4. With a spoon, stir in zucchini and pineapple
5. In separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda & powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg
6 Add one-third of the dry ingredients to wet ingredients bowl and mix. One mixed well, add half of the remaining dry ingredients and mix again. Once that addition is mixed well, add the rest and mix well.
7. Mix in raisins and nuts gently
8. Divide batter between two greased/floured loaf pans
9. Bake 1 hour, do toothpick test.
10 Cool about 10 minutes and then turn onto wire rack

Serving option #1 - cut a thick slice and put in a bowl. Top with more applesauce. Yum!
Serving option #2 - cut off a small piece and eat every time you walk by the kitchen.

I made this recipe last year and my mom and I loved it. Sorry I didn't take any pictures to make this recipe page look a little prettier! Tell me how you like this recipe!

SOFT & CHEWY

APPLE-OATMEAL COOKIES

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1.5 cups quick-cooking oatmeal
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1.5 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup finely chopped apple
1 slightly beaten egg
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup oil
1/3 cup milk
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1. Preheat oven to 375 F
2. In bowl combine oats, flours, brown sugar, baking powder & soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir.
3. Stir in raisins and apple
4. In another bowl combine egg, honey, oil and milk
5. Pour liquid ingredients into bowl of dry ingredients. Mix until a smooth batter.
6. Using a teaspoon drop balls of dough, spacing them 2 inches apart, on a cookie sheet.
7. With damp fingertips, press dough balls down until cookie is about 1.5 inches across.
8. Bake 10-12 minutes until golden brown
9. Cool on baking rack.
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HOT FRUIT POCKETS-
GREAT FOR BREAKFAST ON COLD MORNINGS!

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1 package prepared biscuit dough
1 apple, pear, or peach (fresh or canned/drained)
cinnamon - just a sprinkle
sugar - just a sprinkle
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1. Preheat oven to 375 F
2. Cut fruit into chunks
3. Mix fruit, sugar and cinnamon in bowl.
4. Press 1 piece of dough flat onto cookie sheet
5. Top with some fruit
6. Cover with another piece of flattened dough and press to seal edges
7. Sprinkle a little more spices on top
8. Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown
9. Cool a little bit before serving.
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