Today’s offering is Cinnamon Raisin Bread and this recipe makes 3 loaves!
Ingredients
1 1⁄2 cups milk
1 cup warm water (must be between 110-115 degrees)
2 (1/4 ounce) packages active dry yeast
3 eggs
1⁄2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup raisins
8 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Directions
Warm the milk in a small sauce pan on the stove until it just starts to bubble, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat.
Let cool until lukewarm, about 120-125 degrees.
Dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside until yeast is frothy, about 10 minutes or so (make sure your water is at the correct temperature or the yeast won’t activate.) Then mix in eggs, sugar, butter salt and raisins (stir in the cooled milk slowly so you don’t cook the eggs.) Add the flour gradually to make a stiff dough.
Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for a few minutes until smooth.
Place in a large, buttered, mixing bowl and turn to grease the surface of the dough.
Cover with a warm, damp cloth and let rise (I like to let my bread rise in the oven with the light on. It has just the right amount of heat and keeps the bread out of drafts.) Allow to rise until doubled, usually about 1 1/2 hours.
Roll out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle 1/2 inch thick.
Moisten the dough with 2 tablespoons milk and rub all over the dough with your hands.
Mix together 1 cup of sugar and 3 tablespoons cinnamon and sprinkle mixture evenly on top of the moistened dough.
Roll up tightly (the long way).
The roll should be about 3 inches in diameter.
Cut into thirds, and tuck under ends and pinch bottom together.
Place loaves into well greased (you can use Crisco or butter for this) 9 x 5 inch pans and lightly grease tops of loaves.
Let rise in warm place, uncovered, again for about an hour.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until loaves are lightly browned and sound hollow when tapped.
Remove from oven and let cool on rack.
Take melted butter and spread over tops of loaves.
After about 20 minutes, lay loaves on their sides and remove from pans.
Since Easter is later this month, I’m bringing my favorite Easter candy recipe–coconut eggs!
Ingredients
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon butter, softened
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon shortening
Directions
In a bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add sugar and coconut. Refrigerate for 1-1/2 hours or until easy to handle. Using hands dusted with confectioners’ sugar, mold rounded tablespoonfuls of coconut mixture into egg shapes. Place on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Freeze for 2 hours or until slightly firm.
Melt chocolate chips and shortening. Remove eggs from the freezer a few at a time; dip into chocolate mixture until completely coated. Return to waxed paper; refrigerate until hardened. Store in the refrigerator.
ENJOY!
Pat’s Note: How many you get depends on how large you make the eggs. I always make the entire recipe, because these freeze beautifully and you can enjoy them months later!
I happen to LOVE peeps, but I know that I am probably in the minority…lol. I found an article sympathizing with those who do not share my love of peeps detailing things to do with them.
From: Symplistically Living:
Got Peeps? First off, I’m sorry and secondly, if you don’t enjoy Peeps there are several things to do with Peeps besides eat them and we’ve got the list to prove it.
Throw them in the trash
Peep Bouquet
Make a Peeps Easter Wreath
Make a Tealight Vase
In cognito Peep (Dress them Up!)
Make a Peeps Dress
Make Marshmallow Peeps Play Dough
Make a Cigarette Holder
Make Peeps Jewelry
Now, if you really want to get creative with Peeps leave them out for a few days to harden and you can use them for all sorts of things like:
A door stop
A paperweight
A pin cushion
Use them as a squishy (can you say, stress reliever?)
Use them as Cornhole game pieces
Make puppets on sticks with them
Microwave them for a fun experiment
Decorate your mantel with them
Make a Keychain out of them (it’d be hard to lose your keys after this)
Use them as garden markers (use sharpies to write on them)
Use them as land markers while hiking
Use a bunch of them as balloon weights
Use them to teach your kids math
Put them in the bath and see if they sink or float (experiment)
Use them as packing material instead of packing peanuts
Make bookmarks (attach them to the end of a popsicle stick)
Freeze them and use as an ice pack
Pencil top decoration (glue them onto the end of a pencil)
In honor of Easter coming up this month, I found a carrot shaped cake!
Ingredients
Cake
1 box carrot cake mix with pudding in the mix
Water, oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
Green and orange gel food color
Frosting
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 to 3 teaspoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Spray 1 (9 x 5-inch) loaf pan with cooking spray. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper. Place paper baking cup in each of 9 regular-size muffin cups.
Make cake mix as directed on box using water, oil and eggs. Pour 2 1/2 cups of batter in loaf pan; pour remaining batter evenly into muffin cups. Bake loaf 40 minutes; bake cupcakes 20 minutes. Cool loaf in pan 5 minutes; remove cake from loaf pan and cupcakes to cooling racks. Cool cupcakes and loaf completely, about 1 hour.
Using long serrated knife, trim triangle-shaped piece from corners of one end of loaf; reserve pieces. With knife, round corners of other short end of loaf.
For the frosting: in large bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, milk and vanilla with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, on low speed until frosting is smooth and spreadable. In small bowl, mix 1/2 cup frosting with green color until desired color. In large bowl, mix remaining frosting and orange color until desired color.
Bring reserved cut edges together at the bottom of cake to form carrot tip. Hold together with some of the orange frosting. Use remaining orange frosting to frost carrot. Use green frosting to make the carrot top. Use remaining orange and green frosting to create carrots and carrot tops on cupcakes. Serve cupcakes with cake.
Pat’s Note: Although this recipe uses a carrot cake mix, I have substituted my own homemade carrot cake recipe and it turned out just fine, so the choice is yours.
Since April Fool’s Day is coming up and I thought you might want to try this, I present an April Fool’s Cake. (I didn’t even know this existed…lol)
Ingredients
1 jar (14 ounces) pizza sauce
1/2 pound bulk Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled
1 package (8 ounces) sliced pepperoni
3 cups biscuit/baking mix
3/4 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon garlic salt
5 to 6 slices mozzarella cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°. In a bowl, combine the pizza sauce, sausage and pepperoni; set aside. In another bowl, combine the biscuit mix, milk, eggs, butter and garlic salt. Spread half of the batter on the bottom and up the sides of a greased 10-in. fluted tube pan. Spoon meat mixture over batter; cover with remaining batter.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until browned and a toothpick comes out clean. Invert onto a baking sheet. Arrange cheese over cake. Return to the oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Using two large metal spatulas, transfer cake to a serving platter; serve immediately.
Today’s offering is Peanut Butter Fudge Ice Cream Cake!
Ingredients
3 cups chocolate crisp rice cereal (such as Cocoa Krispies)
1/2 cup salted dry-roasted peanuts, finely chopped
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
4 cups vanilla ice cream, softened
Cool Whip
Hot fudge topping
Coarsely chopped salted dry-roasted peanuts
Directions
Stir together cereal, finely chopped peanuts, and butter in a medium bowl. Press mixture into bottom and up sides of a lightly greased 9-inch glass pie plate. Freeze until solid, 15 to 30 minutes.
Microwave peanut butter in a small microwave-safe bowl on HIGH until melted and smooth, about 30 seconds. Let stand at room temperature 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Place ice cream in the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer; beat on medium-low until smooth, about 30 seconds. Drizzle peanut butter into ice cream, beating on low just until incorporated, about 30 seconds.
Spread ice cream mixture into frozen pie shell. Cover and freeze until firm, 8 hours, or up to 24 hours. Before serving, remove pie from freezer, and leave out at room temperature 10 minutes. Spread whipped cream evenly over pie. Drizzle with fudge topping, and sprinkle with coarsely chopped peanuts.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, oil and confectioners’ sugar until blended (mixture will clump together). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extract and food coloring.
Combine the flour, pudding mix, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in nuts. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375°.
Shape into 1-in. balls; roll in colored sugar. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 7-9 minutes or until cookies are set. Cool for 1 minute before removing to wire racks. Store in an airtight container.
Pistachios are rich in various nutrients and may support weight loss, gut health, blood sugar management, and heart health. They can be enjoyed in many recipes. Pistachio nuts are not only tasty and fun to eat, but also highly nutritious. In fact, these edible seeds of the Pistacia vera tree contain healthy fats and are a good source of protein, fiber, and antioxidants. Pistachio intake can be traced back nearly 300,000 years. Nowadays, they’re very popular in many dishes, including ice cream and desserts.
Here are 9 evidence-based health benefits of pistachios.
Pistachios are very nutritious, with a 1-ounce (oz), or 28-gram (g), serving of about 49 pistachios containing the following nutrients:
Calories: 159
Carbs: 8 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 6 g
Fat: 13 g
Potassium: 6% of the Daily Value (DV)
Phosphorus: 11% of the DV
Vitamin B6: 28% of the DV
Thiamine: 21% of the DV
Copper: 41% of the DV
Manganese: 15% of the DV
Notably, pistachios are one of the most Vitamin B6-rich foods available. Vitamin B6 is important for several bodily functions including blood sugar regulation and the formation of hemoglobin, a molecule that carries oxygen in red blood cells. Pistachios are also rich in potassium, with 1 oz containing more potassium than half of a banana.
Antioxidants are molecules that help prevent cell damage and play a key role in reducing the risk of certain health conditions, such as cancer. Pistachios are a great source of antioxidants. They may also contain a higher amount than other varieties of nuts and seeds, according to some older studies. Pistachios are especially rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, two important antioxidants for eye health. These compounds help protect your eyes from damage caused by blue light and age-related macular degeneration, a condition in which your central vision is impaired or lost. They’re also rich in polyphenols and tocopherols, two types of antioxidants that may help protect against cancer and heart disease.
While nuts have many health benefits, they’re typically high in calories. If you’re managing your calorie intake, this could make it more difficult to fit them into your diet. However, pistachios are among the lowest-calorie nuts. Each oz (28 g) of pistachios contains 159 calories, compared with 185 calories in walnuts and 196 calories in pecans. Protein also comprises about 14% of their calorie content, making pistachios second only to almonds when it comes to protein content. Plus, pistachios are rich in essential amino acids, which must be obtained through diet because your body cannot produce them.
Despite being an energy-dense food, pistachios are a great weight-loss-friendly food. Pistachios are rich in fiber and protein, both of which may contribute to weight loss by increasing feelings of fullness and helping you eat less. A 2020 review of 11 studies found that regular consumption of pistachios may be linked to a reduction in body mass index (BMI), which is used to estimate body fat. However, pistachios were not associated with changes in body weight or belly fat. A 2020 study also found that participants who ate pistachios experienced reductions in blood pressure, ate fewer sweets, and increased their fiber intake, all factors that may contribute to weight loss. Another factor possibly contributing to pistachios’ weight loss properties is that their fat content might not be fully absorbed. Part of their fat content may be stuck within their cell walls, preventing it from being digested in the gut. Lastly, in-shell pistachios may be good for mindful eating, as shelling the nuts takes time and slows the eating rate. A 2011 study found that individuals who ate in-shell pistachios consumed 41% fewer calories than those who ate shelled pistachios.
Pistachios are high in fiber, with one serving containing 3 g. Fiber moves through your digestive system mostly undigested, and some types of fiber are digested by the good bacteria in your gut, acting as prebiotics. Gut bacteria then ferment the fiber and convert it into short-chain fatty acids, which may have several health benefits, including a reduced risk of developing digestive disorders, cancer, and heart disease. Butyrate is perhaps the most beneficial of these short-chain fatty acids. In one 2014 study, eating pistachios increased the number of butyrate-producing bacteria in the gut to a greater extent than eating almonds.
Pistachios may reduce your risk of heart disease in various ways. For instance, they could help lower blood cholesterol and improve blood pressure. Many studies on pistachios and blood lipids involve replacing part of the calories in a diet with pistachios. Up to 67% of the studies in a 2016 review found reductions in total and LDL (bad) cholesterol and increases in HDL (good) cholesterol. Meanwhile, none of these studies observed that eating pistachios harmed the blood lipid profile. Pistachios may also lower blood pressure more than other nuts. A 2015 review of 21 studies found that eating pistachios reduced systolic blood pressure by 1.82 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and decreased diastolic blood pressure by 0.8 mmHg.
The endothelium is the inner lining of blood vessels. It’s important that it works properly, as endothelial dysfunction is a risk factor for heart disease. Vasodilation is the widening or dilating of blood vessels. Endothelial dysfunction is characterized by reduced vasodilation, which leads to decreased blood flow and increased blood pressure. Nitric oxide is a compound that plays an important role in vasodilation. It causes blood vessels to dilate by signaling the smooth cells in the endothelium to relax. Like most nuts, pistachios are a source of the amino acid L-arginine, which is converted into nitric oxide in the body. Therefore, these tiny nuts may play an important role in promoting blood vessel health. A 2014 study in 42 people who consumed 1.5 oz (40 g) of pistachios a day for 3 months showed improvements in markers of endothelial function and vascular stiffness. Proper blood flow is important for many bodily functions, including erectile function. In a 2019 study, regular consumption of nuts, including pistachios, was associated with improvements in sexual desire and orgasmic function in males.
Despite having a higher carb content than most nuts, pistachios have a low glycemic index. This means they don’t cause large blood sugar spikes. Research suggests that eating pistachios may help promote blood sugar regulation. A 2020 review of six studies concluded that pistachios could significantly reduce fasting blood sugar and improve insulin resistance in people with type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, or metabolic syndrome. A 2024 study also found that eating 57 g of pistachios after dinner may be a good nighttime snack for people with prediabetes. Eating pistachios between dinner and bedtime had similar effects on glycemic, lipid, and blood glucose levels as traditional care. Pistachio nuts are also rich in antioxidants, carotenoids, and phenolic compounds, all of which are beneficial for blood sugar regulation.
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