Volume 9, Issue 112 - December 6, 2005

Hello Recipe Club Member,

Having a holiday brunch? Here are some fresh recipes that are crowd pleasers.

Chef Stefan Global Gourmet The finest hand sourced sea salts and peppercorns, seasoning blends, truffle products, gift sets and more. Available in bulk too.

Maple Sugar Cornmeal Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon maple sugar (see note)
1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons white cornmeal
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup vanilla low-fat yogurt (or soy yogurt)
3 tablespoons milk (or soy milk)
1 tablespoon butter, melted
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 egg (or egg substitute)
1/4 cup toasted chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine 1 tablespoon maple sugar and 2 teaspoons cornmeal in a bowl; stir well and set aside.

Combine remaining 1/2 cup maple sugar, remaining 1/4 cup cornmeal, flour and baking powder, soda, salt and nuts (if using) in a bowl. Make a well in the center of the mixture.

Combine yogurt, milk, butter, vanilla and egg in a small bowl. Stir well. Add to dry ingredients, stirring until just moistened.

Divide batter evenly among 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray, sprinkle sugar mixture evenly over muffins. Bake for 17 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pans immediately, let cool on a wire rack

Note: Brown sugar can be substituted for maple sugar.

BitchinKitchenWear.com Complete One Stop Shop for all your Chef Clothing and Shoes. Easy Online Shopping and Great Customer Service is what Sets Us Apart.

Fresh Pineapple Compote

Fresh pineapple is a flavorful side dish with meats, served at brunch or for dessert. The only problem is that winter pineapples are often quite acid and can cause sore mouths. Adding a little pure vanilla extract helps as it is a natural antacid. However, poaching fresh pineapple alleviates the problem entirely.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

1 medium-sized fresh pineapple (or use fresh peeled pineapple from the store)
3/4 cup sugar (or less, depending on type of juice used)
1 1/2 cups pineapple or orange juice or water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 vanilla bean, split
2 tablespoons rum (optional)
freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Peel the pineapple, slice and cut into wedges or rings, removing the core. Set aside.

Combine sugar, juice, lemon juice and vanilla bean in a saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes. Add pineapple, cover and cook 5 minutes or until pineapple is tender. Using a perforated spoon, remove pineapple from syrup.

Reduce syrup by one-fourth and add rum. Pour over pineapple and allow to cool. Add black pepper. Serve warm or chilled with ice cream, vanilla crème anglaise, or plain as a side dish with an entrée.

VermontButcherBlock Handmade butcher blocks, prof. cutting boards, decorative cheese/sushi boards & wine racks. Personal/Corp. logo laser engraving too!

Lightweight Tangerine-Vanilla Scones

These scones are citrus-fresh in flavor and much lighter in calories than traditional scones. If tangerines aren not in season, oranges work fine.

Ingredients:

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons vanilla sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon each baking soda and salt
3 tablespoons cold butter
one 6 ounce container vanilla yogurt
2 teaspoons grated tangerine zest
1/4 cup tangerine juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preparation:

In a bowl or food processor, mix or whirl together flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, soda and salt. Cut in butter until mixture forms fine crumbs. Mix yogurt, tangerine zest, juice and vanilla. Add to flour mixture and stir just until moistened.

Mound dough on an oiled 12x15 inch baking sheet. With well-floured hands, pat mound into a 9-inch round. With a floured knife, cut through dough to make 6 to 8 wedges. Sprinkle with remaining vanilla sugar.

Bake in a 375 degree F. oven until scones are golden brown, about 25 minutes. Serve hot, or slide onto a rack and let cool. Cut into wedges.