Ham and Cheese Panini

Submitted by Julie Twitchell

We have had these sandwiches about every other week at our house this Summer. Having a panini maker sure helps keep the house cooler, but I have heard you can use your grill too--on super low heat. We used to make ham and cheese sandwiches under the broiler and on ciabatta rolls. I don't think we will go back.

Black Forest Ham
Baby Swiss Cheese
Artisan bread(we get the french country bread at Kneaders Bakery)
mustard
mayonaisse
Olive oil

Set panini maker to Grill and on High or turn your grill on low. Take one slice of bread. Spread mustard on one side, then layer 2 ham slices, and 1 slice of cheese. Finish the sandwich with mayonaisse on another slice of bread. Now that you have the sandwich, brush olive oil on the outsides of the sandwich. We used to use butter, but the olive oil makes it crunchier and not soggy at all.

Donut Muffins

Submitted by Julie Twitchell

I must be on a cinnamon-sugar kick these days. I am also eyeing a cinnamon swirl bread recipe. It must be because my kids love cinnamon too. I have heard lots of people talk about these, and man they are good. You have got to try them! And the supposedly freeze well too--although they won't last that long at my house.

1 3/4 Cup flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 Cup oil
3/4 Cup sugar
1 egg
3/4 Cup milk

For the coating:
1/4-1/2 Cup butter, melted (I used 1/4 Cup and had some left over)
1/3 Cup sugar
1 TB cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a muffin pan. (I used a mini muffin pan)
2. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
3. Combine oil, sugar, egg and milk in a large bowl. Add dry ingredients and stir only to combine. Distribute batter to fill 12 muffin cups.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes. (When using the mini muffin pan, bake only for 8-10 minutes). While muffins are baking, melt butter in a small bowl. In another bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon.
5. Shake muffins out of the muffin tin while the muffins are still hot.
6. Dip muffins into the melted butter and then roll in the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Place on a wire rack and allow to cool.

Cook's Note: I got 24 mini muffins and 6 regular sized muffins from one batch. I didn't roll the muffins completely in the butter and cinnamon sugar mixture--just the tops.

Printable Version

Snickerdoodles

Submitted by Nicole Loscher

2 3/4 Cup flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 sticks butter, softened
1 1/2 Cup sugar
2 eggs
cinnamon(about 2 tsp)
sugar( about 1/2 cup)

Mix together flour, tartar, soda and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs 1 at a time; beating well. Add flour mixture slowly. Chill dough for 1 hour. Roll in balls and roll into cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Banana Bars

Submitted by Kara Titus

• 1/2 Cup butter (softened)
• 1 1/2 Cup sugar
• 1 Cup sour cream
• 2 Cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 2-3 medium ripe bananas (or I use my frozen ones)

Mix all ingredients together, then stir in bananas. Grease a sheet cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Cream Cheese frosting:

• 1 pkg. cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 Cup butter or margarine, softened
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 3/4 - 4 cups powdered sugar

Mix together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add extract and then powdered sugar. Frost completely cooled bars.

Ricotta Frittata

Submitted by Stacey Hutchings

I based this on a recipe found at the SimplyRecipes website. I have a friend with celiac disease and made this for her this week--she loved it. It's great for people with diabetes or anyone that needs to follow a low-carb diet. It's delicious and travels well--a hungry teenager can grab a slice and take it on the run. It's also an excellent refrigerator magnet. You can throw anything in it you like, but here's what I chose:

Onion, Spinach, Cherry Tomatoes, Swiss Cheese, Bacon

If you aren't using left-overs and are starting from scratch, take three slices of thick bacon, give them a rough chop, and cook on low heat in a skillet until some of the fat has rendered (about 5 minutes). Add anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 an onion, finely chopped. Season with a little salt and pepper. Cook low and slow for about 10 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add a bunch of spinach (I used 1/2 a bag), season with a little more salt and pepper, and toss until wilted. I don't like big pieces of spinach throughout my frittatas, so I pour the whole thing onto a cutting board and give it a good rough chop. This also cools things down enough so that when I add it to the base it doesn't immediately start cooking the eggs.

Grate about 1/2 cup swiss cheese, and cut any tomatoes in half if you think they're a little on the large side. How many tomatoes? Mmmmmm, however many you'd like. :)

To make the base, you need:

6 large eggs
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
pinch of nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper, to taste

Beat the eggs in a medium bowl. Add the ricotta, Swiss, nutmeg, salt, and pepper, and beat to combine. Fold in the spinach mixture, cheese and tomatoes.

Next you need to grease your pie plate (mine's a 9" glass plate). If you're lucky, you've got bacon grease on hand to use, if not, butter is a good substitute. But I've found bacon grease adds great flavor and does a better non-stick job. Then pour your frittata mixture into the plate. Cook in a preheated 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes, or until it is golden on top. Let sit for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Enjoy!