Baked Doughnuts

I made these doughnuts on a whim. I was gifted a doughnut pan for my birthday and finally decided it was time to give it a try. These doughnuts were so easy to make. Given the fact my kids love doughnuts a quick and easy recipe was needed. Start to finish it took me 25 minutes for 6 doughnuts. Everyone has loved these doughnuts. We are selling them at a yard sale today and everyone who bought one asked for the recipe. Next time I make them I plan on trying to make a chocolate flavored doughnut.

Baked Doughnuts
King Arthur Flour

1 cup Unbleached Pastry flour or Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons dried buttermilk powder
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons water




Directions

Whisk together all of the dry ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, oil and water (or buttermilk or yogurt) until foamy.
Pour the liquid ingredients all at once into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.
Butter or grease the doughnut pan; non-stick pan spray works well here. Note: even though the pan is non-stick, since the doughnuts are low-fat they may stick unless you grease the pan first. Fill each doughnut form half full.
Bake the doughnuts in a preheated 375°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes. When done, they'll spring back when touched lightly, and will be quite brown on the top.
Remove the doughnuts from the oven, remove them from the pan, and allow them to cool on rack. Glaze with icing, or coat with cinnamon-sugar or any non-melting sugar.

Garlic Pork Shoulder

I can't even begin to explain how good this pork shoulder tasted. I will say every person in my house plus the neighbors house at this dish and there were no leftovers. The original recipe calls for it to be cooked in an oven. I did mine on the grill. It was too hot that day to leave the oven on for hours plus I thought using the grill with some smoke would add to the flavor and it did. Next I wrote down cilantro as the herb needed and after shopping and prepping the dish I realized it called for basil. The change didn't really matter as it turned out very tasty. I don't think I could use basil for it now.

Garlic Pork Shoulder
adapted from Relish Magazine

1 garlic head, separated into cloves and peeled
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
2 cups chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 (4 to 4 1/2 lb) bone in pork shoulder

Place garlic, salt, peppercorns, and cilantro in the bowl of a food processor. Process until garlic is chopped. Add olive oil and vinegar and process to form a thick paste. Score top of pork with knife all over. Rub garlic mixture over meat, place in a large bowl or bag and refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.

Prepare grill. Once it is heated add a packet of smoking chips, I used hickory, and place over the fire. Cook over indirect heat for about 3 hours, turning every thirty or so minutes. Once the pork is fork tender and has reached an internal temperature of 160 degrees F place the pork over the heat and brown all sides.

Let pork cool slightly and then chop or tear into large chunks.

Gourmet Green Salad with Homemade Red Wine Vinaigrette

I love salad. I love salad even more when its served with a homemade dressing. This recipe takes two items I love and combines them well. This salad recipe is also easily adapted to ingredients you have on hand so don't think you can't make this just because you don't have all the ingredients listed. This came from one of my favorite blogs, Melanie and My Kitchen Cafe. We have the same taste in food and like many of the same recipes. If you haven't checked her out you really need to visit. This is a very simple salad recipe with a simple to make salad dressing. Making your own croutons is just an added bonus especially if your like me and can't stand the ones you buy.

Gourmet Green Salad with Homemade Red Wine Vinaigrette
My Kitchen Cafe

Salad:
10-12 cups mixed greens
1 pound white button mushrooms, sliced
2 ripe, fresh pears, sliced thinly
1/4 cup thinly sliced Parmesan cheese (use a vegetable peeler to do this)
1 large carrot (or about 5-6 baby carrots), thinly sliced
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 to 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
5-7 slices of bacon, cooked and coarsely chopped
3 cups of homemade croutons (see Mel's blog for a how to recipe if you don't know how)

Put mixed greens in a large salad bowl. Top with other ingredients and toss. Serve with red wine vinaigrette dressing below (or any other favorite salad dressing).

Red Wine Vinaigrette:
2/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup red onions, finely grated (about 1/4 of a large red onion)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons salt
ground pepper to taste
2 cups canola oil

Add all ingredients except oil in a blender. Blend well. While processing, slowly add the canola oil and blend well. Transfer dressing to a jar or cruet. It keeps well in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks (although I’ve found it gets a little thick if it is too cold so I’ll pop it in the microwave for 5-10 seconds to help thin it out before I use it if it has been in the refrigerator for several days).