Cookies For Breakfast

  

That's because they're fully loaded. But instead of a sugar crash, you'll get sustained energy throughout the day and a real fill-up before you hit the road. Registered dietician and author Marisa Moore stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her new cookbook The Plant Love Kitchen and recipe for loaded breakfast cookies. She says there's a lot here to like, including a short ingredients list that's very healthy. Marisa told Tonia she uses roasted and salted sunflower seeds to give the cookie a

crunch and the dried cranberries to add some chewiness. She says because there's not much in the way of sugar, but plenty of fiber and protein, these cookies will fill you up and not slow you down! Great for breakfast or a snack!

• 4 ounces dried cranberries
• roasted, salted sunflower seeds
• ¼ cup hot water
• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• ¼ cup almond butter (or sunflower butter, or peanut butter)
• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a half baking sheet with oil or line with parchment.
• Blend the dried cranberries with hot water in a small food processor or blender until a thick paste forms.
• Place the puree in a medium mixing bowl. Stir in the oats, brown sugar, almond butter, cinnamon, and salt until a dough forms. Use a tablespoon measure to scoop the dough, roll, then flatten 12 small cookies and place on the prepared baking sheet. 
• Bake at 350°F for about 12 minutes or until the cookies are lightly brown on the bottom and fragrant. Enjoy warm or let cool on a cooling rack before transferring to a sealed container for up to 3 days. 

The Sweet Side of the South

 

So much of what we call American food comes from southern recipes, and this one is no exception. Anne Byrne, who wrote the new cookbook Baking in the American South, stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about the stories that come with the recipes, all 200 of them. Among them, Anne told Tonia about Aunt Elizabeth's Banana Pudding, which Anne says is the classic version of the pudding. It's homemade, it's rich and it's sweet, much like a custard. 

.Serves 12

Prep: 45 to 50 minutes

Bake: 12 to 15 minutes

PUDDING1 

1/3 cups (267 grams)granulated sugar

2/3 cup (80 grams) all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

4 cups whole milk

6 large egg yolks

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick/57grams) unsalted butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

54 to 58 vanilla wafers

4 to 5 medium-ripe bananas, sliced1/4 inch thick (about 3full cups)

MERINGUE6 large egg whites

3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar

1.Make the pudding: Place the sugar, flour, and salt in a heavy, large saucepan and stir to combine. Set aside.

2.Place the milk in a medium saucepan over low heat and stir until bubbles form around the edges of the pan and the milk is scalded, 3 to 4 minutes. Gradually stir the hot milk into the sugar mixture until combined, then place the large pan over medium-low heat and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until it thickens, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.

3.Place the egg yolks in a small bowl and beat with a fork until lightly combined. Spoon a tablespoon or two of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks and stir with a fork to warm the eggs. Gradually spoon the egg mixture into the milk mixture in the saucepan, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Place the pan over medium-low heat and cook, stirring, until the mixture is smooth and thick, about2 minutes. Stir in the butter and vanilla and let the pudding cool.

4.Line the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with the vanilla wafers, flat side down. Arrange the sliced bananas on top of the cookies. Spoon the pudding over the bananas and spread to cover them.

5.Heat the oven to 350º F, with a rack in the middle.

Make the meringue:

Place the egg whites in a large clean bowl and beat on high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form, 2 minutes. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form, 3 to 4 minutes.

7. Using a rubber spatula, spread the meringue on top of the pudding so it covers the surface and nearly touches the edges of the dish. Bake until lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve at once!

Bananas Rum and Cream, All with a Twist

  

Yep! This twist has it all! Abby Dodge, who wrote the new cookbook The Everyday Baker stopped by Tonia's Kitchen, to talk about her Banana Rum Truffle Tart.  Abby told Tonia that it's a wonderful combination of salty and sweet, with the added treat of dark rum.  It's a real treat that will have your party guests clamoring for more!

For The Crust:

1 cup (35⁄8 oz./103 g) finely    crushed salted pretzel crumbs

2 Tbs. granulated sugar

Good pinch of table salt

5 Tbs. (21⁄2 oz./71 g) unsalted    butter, melted

For the filling

5 Tbs. (21⁄2 oz./71 g) unsalted    butter, divided

14 oz. (397 g) bittersweet chocolate,    finely chopped (see p. 380)

1 cup (240 ml) whole milk

11⁄4 tsp. table salt

2 medium (5 oz./142 g each) ripe    bananas (see p. 114)

2 Tbs. firmly packed light or dark    brown sugar

2 Tbs. dark rum

For the topping

1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream 

1 cup (8 oz./227 g) mascarpone

1⁄3 cup (23⁄8 oz./67 g) firmly    packed brown sugar

2 Tbs. dark rum

Pinch of table salt

Pretzel sticks, for garnish

Make the crust

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F (180°C/gas 4). Have ready a 91⁄4-inch (23.5 cm) fluted tart pan with a removable bottom.

2. Put the pretzel crumbs, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl and stir until blended. Pour the melted butter over the crumbs and, using a silicone spatula, mix until well blended and the crumbs are evenly moist. Taste and add more salt if needed—the flavor should be both sweet and salty. Dump the mixture into the tart pan and lay a large piece of plastic on top of the crumbs. With your fingers directly on the plastic, press the crumbs evenly into the bottom and sides of the pan. (A straight-sided, flat-bottomed coffee mug or a measuring cup works well at the end to ensure the crumbs are tightly packed on the bottom.) Remove the plastic and bake the crust until fragrant, 9 to 11 minutes. Move the pan to a rack and set aside to cool.

Make the filling

1. Cut 4 Tbs. (2 oz./57 g) of the butter into pieces, then add it with the chocolate and milk to a medium, heatproof bowl and melt in a microwave or in a medium bowl set over simmering water. Remove from the heat, add the salt, and whisk until well blended and smooth. Set aside.

2. Peel the bananas, slice into 1⁄2-inch (12 mm) pieces, and cut each piece in half. Put the remaining 1 Tbs. butter in a medium skillet and cook over medium heat until melted and bubbling. Add the banana pieces and sprinkle with the brown sugar and rum. Cook, using a silicone spatula to turn and gently stir, until the bananas are slightly softened and the juices are reduced and very thick, 2 to 3 minutes (see the Essential Technique on the facing page). Slide the pan off the heat.

3. Pour about one-third of the chocolate mixture into the crust and spread evenly to form a thin layer. Scatter the bananas in an even layer over the top and pour the remaining chocolate on top to cover the bananas and form an even layer. Refrigerate until the filling is chilled, about 3 hours. Cover and continue chilling until the filling is set, about another 4 hours, or up to 2 days, before proceeding with the recipe.

Make and add the topping

1. Put the heavy cream, mascarpone, brown sugar, rum, and salt in a medium bowl and beat with an electric handheld mixer fitted with wire beaters on low speed until smooth. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until the cream is thick and holds firm peaks.

2. Scrape the topping onto the center of the filling and, using a small offset or silicone spatula, spread to cover the filling, leaving the center slightly domed along with lots of swirls and peaks. Cover loosely and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours or up to 8 hours.

To serve

Set the tart pan on top of a wide can and allow the outer ring to drop down (see the Essential Technique on the facing page). Move the tart to the counter and run a long, thin metal spatula between the bottom crust and the bottom of the pan. Using two long, wide spatulas, carefully lift and slide the tart onto a flat serving plate. Run a thin knife under hot water, wipe it dry, and cut the tart into slices, heating and wiping the knife after every slice. Serve the slices topped with the pretzel sticks.

Twists

Flavor swap

Change the fruit: Instead of the bananas, omit the cooking, butter, sugar, and rum and use 6 oz. (170 g) raspberries or 8 oz. (227 g) cherries (Bing or Rainier), pitted and halved (see p. 322).

Finishing Touches

Just before serving, lightly dust with unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder.

Rum, Bananas and Pretzels...All Twisted Together!

 

Yep! This twist has it all! Abby Dodge, who wrote the new cookbook The Everyday Baker stopped by Tonia's Kitchen, to talk about her Banana Rum Truffle Tart.  Abby told Tonia that it's a wonderful combination of salty and sweet, with the added treat of dark rum.  It's a real treat that will have your party guests clamoring for more!

For The Crust:

1 cup (35⁄8 oz./103 g) finely    crushed salted pretzel crumbs

2 Tbs. granulated sugar

Good pinch of table salt

5 Tbs. (21⁄2 oz./71 g) unsalted    butter, melted

For the filling

5 Tbs. (21⁄2 oz./71 g) unsalted    butter, divided

14 oz. (397 g) bittersweet chocolate,    finely chopped (see p. 380)

1 cup (240 ml) whole milk

11⁄4 tsp. table salt

2 medium (5 oz./142 g each) ripe    bananas (see p. 114)

2 Tbs. firmly packed light or dark    brown sugar

2 Tbs. dark rum

For the topping

1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream 

1 cup (8 oz./227 g) mascarpone

1⁄3 cup (23⁄8 oz./67 g) firmly    packed brown sugar

2 Tbs. dark rum

Pinch of table salt

Pretzel sticks, for garnish

Make the crust

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F (180°C/gas 4). Have ready a 91⁄4-inch (23.5 cm) fluted tart pan with a removable bottom.

2. Put the pretzel crumbs, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl and stir until blended. Pour the melted butter over the crumbs and, using a silicone spatula, mix until well blended and the crumbs are evenly moist. Taste and add more salt if needed—the flavor should be both sweet and salty. Dump the mixture into the tart pan and lay a large piece of plastic on top of the crumbs. With your fingers directly on the plastic, press the crumbs evenly into the bottom and sides of the pan. (A straight-sided, flat-bottomed coffee mug or a measuring cup works well at the end to ensure the crumbs are tightly packed on the bottom.) Remove the plastic and bake the crust until fragrant, 9 to 11 minutes. Move the pan to a rack and set aside to cool.

Make the filling

1. Cut 4 Tbs. (2 oz./57 g) of the butter into pieces, then add it with the chocolate and milk to a medium, heatproof bowl and melt in a microwave or in a medium bowl set over simmering water. Remove from the heat, add the salt, and whisk until well blended and smooth. Set aside.

2. Peel the bananas, slice into 1⁄2-inch (12 mm) pieces, and cut each piece in half. Put the remaining 1 Tbs. butter in a medium skillet and cook over medium heat until melted and bubbling. Add the banana pieces and sprinkle with the brown sugar and rum. Cook, using a silicone spatula to turn and gently stir, until the bananas are slightly softened and the juices are reduced and very thick, 2 to 3 minutes (see the Essential Technique on the facing page). Slide the pan off the heat.

3. Pour about one-third of the chocolate mixture into the crust and spread evenly to form a thin layer. Scatter the bananas in an even layer over the top and pour the remaining chocolate on top to cover the bananas and form an even layer. Refrigerate until the filling is chilled, about 3 hours. Cover and continue chilling until the filling is set, about another 4 hours, or up to 2 days, before proceeding with the recipe.

Make and add the topping

1. Put the heavy cream, mascarpone, brown sugar, rum, and salt in a medium bowl and beat with an electric handheld mixer fitted with wire beaters on low speed until smooth. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until the cream is thick and holds firm peaks.

2. Scrape the topping onto the center of the filling and, using a small offset or silicone spatula, spread to cover the filling, leaving the center slightly domed along with lots of swirls and peaks. Cover loosely and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours or up to 8 hours.

To serve

Set the tart pan on top of a wide can and allow the outer ring to drop down (see the Essential Technique on the facing page). Move the tart to the counter and run a long, thin metal spatula between the bottom crust and the bottom of the pan. Using two long, wide spatulas, carefully lift and slide the tart onto a flat serving plate. Run a thin knife under hot water, wipe it dry, and cut the tart into slices, heating and wiping the knife after every slice. Serve the slices topped with the pretzel sticks.

Twists

Flavor swap

Change the fruit: Instead of the bananas, omit the cooking, butter, sugar, and rum and use 6 oz. (170 g) raspberries or 8 oz. (227 g) cherries (Bing or Rainier), pitted and halved (see p. 322).

Finishing Touches

Just before serving, lightly dust with unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder.