Posted in Tips and Tricks

Tips and Tricks Tuesdays: Oven Roasted Tomatoes

Posted on by Northerly Nosh

Oven Roasted Tomatoes

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Serve these oven roasted tomatoes as a side dish, on a salad or as an appetizer.

6 plum tomatoes
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
2 Tbsp black pepper
2 Tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp herbes de Provence

Preheat oven to 325°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice the tops off the tomatoes and discard. Slice the tomatoes in half lengthwise and lay them flesh side down on baking sheet. Drizzle each tomato with olive oil. Sprinkle salt, pepper and sugar evenly over the tomatoes. Add a small amount of herbes de Provence to each tomato. Roast in oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour (the tomatoes will shrivel up and lose their liquid when done). When cool, peel skin from back of tomatoes. Serve warm, cold or at room temperature.

Oven roasted tomatoes can be stored in an airtight container or freezer bags in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Posted in - Pork, Meal Planning

Meal Planning Mondays: Recipes to Try for the Week of 3/11 – 3/17/2013

Posted on by Northerly Nosh

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Meal Planning Mondays are an experiment to see what works for my family. I like trying new recipes. I have too many pins on Pinterest that are not being utilized. This week I committ to making these recipes…Pepperoni and Spinach Stromboli and oatmeal cups. These recipes will continue to be made ahead time and frozen.

Pepperoni and Spinach Stromboli

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Makes 4 Stromboli, each Stromboli serve 6 people

1 package provolone
1 bag spinach
2 packs pepperoni
8 cups mozzarella
4 loaves of frozen pizza dough, thawed and raised according to pizza dough directions if needed.

Prep Day: Roll dough into rectangle. Layer cheese, pepperoni and spinach. Roll it up and then brush olive oil on top. Wrap in plastic wrap and aluminum. Freeze.

Serve Day: Defrost fully. Place in warm oven to encourage the dough to rise. Crank the heat up to 375 (best if cooked on a pizza stone) and bake till bottom of the dough is cooked for about 25 to 30 minutes.

Oatmeal Cupcakes To Go

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(makes 24-25 cupcakes)

5 cups rolled oats
2 1/2 cups over-ripe mashed banana, measured after mashing
1 tsp salt
5 tbsp liquid sweetener of choice–such as pure maple syrup or agave)
2/3 cup mini chocolate chips
2 1/3 cups water
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp oil of your choice
2 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

optional add-ins: cinnamon, shredded coconut, chopped walnuts, ground flax or wheat germ, raisins or other dried fruit, etc.

Prep Day: Preheat oven to 380 F, and line 24-25 cupcake tins. In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients and stir very well. In a separate bowl, combine and stir all wet ingredients (including banana). Mix wet into dry, then pour into the cupcake liners and bake 21 minutes. I also like to then broil for 1-2 minutes, but it’s optional. These oatmeal cakes can be eaten right away, or they can be frozen and reheated for an instant breakfast on a busy day.

Serve Day: Thaw and reheat for a simple breakfast.

Posted in Breakfast

Sunday Brunch: Banana Bread Scones with Brown Sugar Glaze

Posted on by Northerly Nosh

Banana Bread Scones with Brown Sugar Glaze

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Makes 8 scones

2 very ripe bananas (about 8 oz or 1 cup once mashed)
2-4 tablespoons milk, whole or 2%
1/2 cup (4 oz) plain yogurt, whole or 2%
2 1/2 cups (12.5 oz) all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons (1 1/2 oz) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons (2 oz) unsalted butter
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

For the glaze:
1 tablespoons (1 oz) salted butter
2 tablespoons (1 oz) milk, whole or 2%
1/4 cup (2 oz) packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4-1/2 cup (2-4 oz) confectioner’s sugar

Prep Day: Mash the bananas and then add enough milk to make one total cup (if necessary). Stir in the yogurt and set aside.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Cut the butter into several pieces. Work it into the dry ingredients using a fork, pastry cutter, or your finger tips until there are no pieces of butter larger than a pea.

Pour the banana-yogurt mixture into the bowl with the flour and stir just enough to incorporate all of the flour. Fold in the walnuts, if using. This will make a fairly wet dough.

Line a dinner plate with a piece of wax paper and turn the dough out on top. Pat it into a disk about 1-inch thick and cover with another piece of wax paper. Freeze the scone dough for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Peel off the top layer of wax paper and invert the scones onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Peel off the second layer of wax paper. Slice the scones into eight wedges and pull them apart a little to give them some room to expand. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the scones are firm to the touch and turning golden-brown on the edges. Cool completely and cut apart any scones that baked together with a sharp knife. Package and freeze.

Serve Day: Thaw and reheat scones in oven for a few. To make the glaze, melt the butter and the milk in the microwave for 30 seconds. Add the brown sugar and vanilla, and stir until the sugar has melted (heat for an additional 30 seconds in the microwave if necessary). Whisk in the confectioner’s sugar, starting with 1/4 cup. Add more confectioner’s sugar if desired to make a thicker glaze.

Just before serving, drizzle the glaze over the scones. The glaze will harden after setting for a minute or two, and can be served right away or packed for a later snack. The glaze can make the scones a bit sticky if kept for longer than a few hours, so store any scones to be eaten later un-glazed.