Dirt Bombs

Dirt Bombs

A cross between a Cinnamon sugar doughnut and a muffin!! 

If you have weekend guests during the holiday season, here's a recipe that will score you some points. You can store them in a Ziploc bag and successfully reheat them, individually, wrapped in a paper towel, in the microwave at full power for 15 seconds. They're perfect like that, and they are SUPERB served warm.

About three years ago, I was introduced to "Dirt Bombs" by a woman named Sol on the Garden Web cooking forum. I am not sure where the recipe originated from, but when I did a Google search, it appears that a bakery in Cape Cod is flaunting this delicious muffin on the menu. Of course, it gets rave reviews, and the dough can be refrigerated for up to three days.

The recipe:

Yields: 12 muffins*

3 cups AP flour, minus 3 tablespoons
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cardamon

¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk 

Topping

¾ cups unsalted butter, melted
½ cup granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400º F. Place the rack in the center position. Generously grease a 12-cup standard muffin pan.

Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cardamon into a mixing bowl. In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape the bowl down half way through. Mix in the eggs. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk in two additions, mixing gently by hand to incorporate all the flour. The batter will be on the stiff side, but airy. Don’t over mix or beat the batter as this will make the muffins tough. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, without smoothing the tops. Bake for about 25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. As soon as the muffins are cool enough to handle, turn them out onto a wire rack.

Add the melted butter to a bowl. In another bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon. Dip the muffins (top, sides and bottom) in the butter, using a pastry brush -if necessary- to cover areas not buttered by dipping. Immediately roll the muffins in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Thank you for stopping by!

Debbie

Garden Party - Smoked Salmon Frittata

Thank you to Susan at Savoring Time In The Kitchen for hosting our garden party of food and fun! You can visit Susan's blog to see her beautiful garden party and all the other participant's lovely gardens. Susan is a clematis lover, and you will be impressed with her green thumb.

We are in the process of installing 20 new windows at our home, so our garden and home are not quite up to par for a garden party this week. When the time is right, I will welcome friends and family to our cozy backyard and will serve some herbal teas, local food products, a tower of petite foods, including some blueberry and white chocolate biscotti that I have been coveting. Perhaps pull out some lovely vintage linens for the tablescape.

Before our window project began, we enjoyed a Garden brunch for Two. Smoked Salmon Frittata and fresh fruit al fresco.



A quick and easy frittata, with fresh chives and basil from the herb garden.



Simple fruit salad, with peaches, cherries, bananas and some chopped lemon balm. Lemon balm is a beauty in the herb garden, and can be used for tea, garnish, salads and potpourri. It also has medicinal qualities, and can be used herbally for insomnia or with peppermint in tea for upset stomach. It adds a lemony flavor to fish, chicken, and vegetables. One of my favorites in the herb garden.











Smoked-Salmon and Cream Cheese Frittata

Recipe Adapted from Gourmet Magazine "Everyday Meals"

8 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 oz. cold cream cheese, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3 oz thinly sliced smoked salmon, chopped

Whisk eggs, milk, chives, basil, pepper and salt in a bowl.

Heat oil in a 12 inch ovenproof nonstick skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Pour egg mixture into skillet and scatter cream cheese pieces on top, then cook, lifting up cooked egg around edges using a spatula to let raw egg flow underneath, until frittata is set on bottom and egg is almost set but still moist on top, 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat. Sprinkle salmon all over frittata, then press on salmon lightly and shake skillet to allow salmon to settle into top.

Broil frittata about 6 inches from heat until set and slightly puffed and golden. About 1 1/2 minutes.

Cool for 5 minutes and loosen edge with spatula and slide onto a large plate. Cut into wedges and serve.

I topped with a few thin slices of red onions.

I hope you'll also stop by Designs by Gollumfor this week's celebration of Foodie Friday. You'll find many great posts.



Thanks for coming to the garden party!

I was in the mood for Creme Brulee French Toast

Since it was Mother's Day weekend and Mom was joining us for brunch, I did a search through thousands of recipes that are stored in a software program in my laptop and came across a recipe for Creme Brulee French Toast that my friend Woodie shared with me. Not sure why I waited so long to use the recipe, since I always knew it would be a winner. But I'm glad I waited for a special occasion. I topped mine with blackberries, and dusted with confectioners sugar.





I adore these plates that I bought at TJ Maxx, just perfect for Mother's Day brunch. The little flowers were perfect for the occasion.



CRÈME BRULEE FRENCH TOAST
(Courtesy of Arthur Schwartz, WOR Radio)


1 Stick Butter

1 Cup Brown Sugar

2 Tablespoons Corn Syrup

8-10 inch round country loaf, or
1 pound French bread or 1 Challah

5 eggs

1 1/2 cups half and half

1 teaspoon Vanilla

1 teaspoon Grand Marnier

1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Melt butter, sugar and corn syrup in saucepan over moderate heat. Pour into 9 X 13pan.

2. Slice bread into 6 slices and place on top of the sauce in the 9 X 13 pan, press together to fit.

3. Whisk together eggs, half and half, Vanilla, Grand Marnier and salt. Pour over bread.

4. Cover and chill 8 to 24 hours.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 40 minutes, until puffy and brown.

Thanks for stopping by!

A Heart-y breakfast

A little something to show you care. All you need is a 3" heart shaped cookie cutter, some bread, butter and eggs. Serve with orange juice, and a good morning hug.

I also saw this idea in Martha Stewart Living. Here are the easy instructions:

Using a 3" heart shaped cookie cutter, remove the center and toast it.

Melt about 1 TB of butter in a small skillet, and cook bread slice until light brown.

Add another TB of butter and flip bread.

Fit cookie cutter, coated with cooking spray, in bread's cutout heart and crack an egg into the cutter.

Cover skillet and cook until egg is set. (about 2-3 minutes)

Use tongs to remove cutter.

Serve with toasted heart for dipping into yolk (I cooked my yolk longer, since I don't dip).

Thanks for stopping by!
xxoo
Debbie