Pistachio Cake

This recipe is very much like the Easiest Chocolate Cake I made a few weeks back.  Which by the way got rave reviews from the people I baked it for.  I am baking this recipe for the same people, we'll see what they think!!  I tasted it and it's moist, a nice green color, and deliciously nutty!! If you love pistachios you will be sure to love this one!!!

Pistachio Cake or Muffins

1 box Classic Yellow Cake mix

8 oz. whole shelled pistachios, grounded. (Be sure to reserve 1/2 cup for decoration on top of the frosting)

3 eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 1/3 cup water

1 package Pistachio Flavor JELL-O (not prepared)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put aside 1/2 cup of the ground nuts aside for later. Mix the rest of the ingredients together in a bowl, whisk to combine well, and pour into a loaf pan, muffin tins, etc.  Bake until a cake tester comes out clean and golden brown.

I made 24 mini muffins, and still had left over batter for a 9x9 inch brownie pan. I cooked the mini muffins for 25 minutes and the cake for about 40 minutes. I frosted the mini muffins with Vanilla Bean Frosting.  The frosting is made with confectioner's sugar and Earth Balance Natural Shortening, it's like a vegan version of butter for baking. (Make sure to get the green package, the other one contains salt.) 

I am not frosting them yet, because I want it to be fresh, but here is the recipe for the Vanilla Bean Frosting.  It can be made vegan if you use non-dairy soy milk and vegan natural shortening!!

Vanilla Bean Frosting

2 cups confectioner's sugar (if you want a really sweet icing add more sugar, to taste)

1 cup butter OR Earth Balance Natural Shortening (at room temp.)

1 teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste (OR vanilla extract w/the beans of a vanilla bean scraped out)

1 tablespoon milk or soy milk (can be vanilla flavored)

Blend ingredients together and frost cupcakes just before serving.  Sprinkle some ground pistachios on top! (You should have about 1/2 cup leftover from the cake recipe!)

Pumpkin Pancakes

When I got home from work today, I was craving something sweet yet filling, and I remembered I had a little pancake mix left in the pantry.  I also had a can of pumpkin that I've been saving to make a pumpkin bread pudding.  I had just come back from the store and had all the ingredients for the bread pudding so I began to prepare it.  Then I had an idea to take a little of the pumpkin puree and mix it into the pancake batter.  I've seen recipes for pumpkin pancakes around the web but never tried it. So, I went for it! 

Pancakes were the perfect sweet and filling meal to have!  I'm considering it as my dinner...because who doesn't love breakfast for dinner?!  And I even saved one for lunch tomorrow! Now I'm pretty sure you can use any pancake mix that you have on hand and just follow this recipe.  I added chocolate chips to mine but you don't have to. This recipe can be doubled, tripled, etc.  Also, if you want more of a pumpkin taste, try adding more pumpkin and let me know how it comes out!

Pumpkin Pancakes

(makes 4 large pancakes)

1 cup of any pancake mix

1 egg

1/4 cup pumpkin puree

2/3 cup milk

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

chocolate chips, about 1/4 cup (optional)

Mix all ingredients, except the chocolate chips, together in a bowl and whisk until smooth.  If the batter seems too thick for you add a little more milk and whisk it in.  Place a non-stick pan greased with non-stick spray or butter over medium heat.  Pour about 1/4 cup of batter  in the pan and let cook until bubbles form, 2-3 minutes, then flip and cook the other side for an additional 2-3 minutes, until golden brown.  (If you are using chocolate chips, sprinkle them on pancake after pouring the batter but before bubbles form.)   Enjoy with your favorite syrup!

Egg in a Hole

I was browsing through the list of blogs I read daily and saw this great idea on Proud Italian Cook.  I had actually purchased an acorn squash at the Farmer's Market a few days prior and thought it would be a perfect weekend breakfast!

Egg in a Hole
(Serves 4 people)
1 acorn squash, sliced into rings, pulp and seeds removed (save the seeds for roasting later)
salt and pepper, taste
1/4 cup olive oil
4 eggs
parmesan cheese, for sprinkling on the egg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place acorn rings in a bowl with half of the olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Coat all the rings and place on a greased baking sheet.  If you want to reserve and roast the seeds, place them in a corner on the baking sheet, toss with olive oil and salt.  Roast for about 30 minutes. (Roasting time for the seeds may be shorter)  Roasting the squash can be done the day before.

 When you are ready to cook the eggs, place the rest of the olive oil in a heated pan and place the roasted acorn squash in the pan as well. Crack an egg in each acorn hole, add salt and pepper to the egg, cover and cook to your desired egg consistency.  I like my egg over easy, so I flipped the the egg over once.  Serve with a sprinkling of grated parmesan cheese and a piece of toast! ENJOY!