spiced pear muffins

I don't like Bosc Pears. But I get them from my bountiful baskets quite often and no I have found a perfect way to use them! and I would only use bosc pears because they hold up to the cooking!! so so yummy.
*from the kitchn

1/2 cup (4 oz) packed brown sugar
1/4 cup (2oz) white sugar
1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (5 oz) all-purpose flour
1 cup (5 oz) whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (4 oz) milk
2 to 2 1/2 cups pears, unpeeled and diced small (2 medium-sized pears, about 11 oz whole)

Heat your oven to 425°F. Spray the top of your muffin tin with non-stick coating and place muffin cups in all the wells.

In a mixer on high speed, cream together the sugars and the softened butter until they resemble fluffy frosting, about 1 minute. Mix in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated, about 1 minute each. Mix in the vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, mix 1/3 of the flour mixture into the butter-sugar mixture followed by 1/3 of the milk. Continue alternating between the flour and the milk, mixing just until the flour is incorporated. It's ok if there is still some flour on the sides of the bowl. Do not over-mix.

Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula and stir gently to incorporate the last of the flour. Add the diced pears all at once and fold them into the batter.

Divide the batter between the muffin cups. The batter will fill the cups and mound slightly on top. Sprinkle the tops with cinnamon and sugar.

Place the muffin tin in the oven and immediately turn down the heat to 400°F. Bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating the pan once in the middle of baking. The muffins are done with the tops looked cracked and toasted, and when a toothpick inserted in the middle of one of the muffins comes out clean.

Let the muffins cool enough to handle, then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling. Leftover muffins can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days or frozen for up to three months. (Reheat frozen muffins in an oven or toaster oven at 300° or for a few minutes in the microwave)

fool proof pizza dough

1 cup warm water
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey (I used agave)
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
3 cups bread flour {give or take 1/2 cup…depending on the heat & humidity}
(I did about 2 1/2 c. flour)

Mix water, yeast and honey. Add salt and oil. and add half the flour. Then add 1/4 c. flour at a time until it comes clean off the sides.
Mix/knead for 6 MIN!!! don't stop it sooner.

pre heat pizza stone in a 475 oven. cook pizza for about 8-10 min.

Scallion meatballs with Soy Ginger Glaze

from smitten kitchen

Sauce
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup soy sauce, preferably Japanese or reduced sodium
1/2 cup mirin (sweet rice wine), or 1/2 cup sake with 1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup peeled, chopped ginger (I used half and it tasted like plenty to me; adjust to your preference)
1 teaspoon ground coriander
4 whole black peppercorns (no, I did not count how many I put in there)

Meatballs
1 pound ground turkey
4 large or 6 small scallions, finely chopped
Half bunch cilantro, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup) (the cilantro-averse can use flat-leaf parsley)
1 large egg
2 tablespoons sesame oil, toasted if you can find it
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil


Make sauce and you can make ahead if you want. I cut the sugar in the sauce and it turned out runny not glaze like. So if you want to have it more glaze leave full sugar and only use as much as you want.

Roll turkey into balls and fry in fry pan. I browned mine and then put them in a crock pot with the sauce for 2 hours. But I would not recommend leaving in the crockpot longer. it will over power the meatball flavor.

I served it with rice and broccoli.

Latkas

From Our best bites


2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
2 medium onions
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
peanut oil for frying

Shred potatoes using the fine-hole side of a hand grater or food processor. Place in a bowl of cold water and set aside. Meanwhile shred onion using same fine hole grater, or pulse in food processor until very finely chopped.

Drain potato shreds and rinse and dry the bowl that was used and set aside. Place potato shreds and grated onion in the center of a tea towel or several layers of cheese cloth. Twist loose material to secure the bundle, and squeeze firmly to remove excess liquid from the shreds.

Pour peanut oil into skillet to a depth of 1/8 inch. Heat slowly over medium to about 365 degrees F. While oil is heating, use the fork to stir the beaten egg, salt, and pepper into the potato shreds. Take care to make sure the egg and seasonings are fully mixed throughout the potato shreds. Scoop up a rounded tablespoon of potato batter and squeeze it firmly in your palm over an empty dish to remove excess liquid. Shape batter into a rough disk. Place it gently into the hot oil. Use a metal spatula to gently press down on the latke to flatten it.

Oven roasted Brisket

from food network

* 2 tablespoons chili powder
* 2 tablespoons salt
* 1 tablespoon garlic powder
* 1 tablespoon onion powder
* 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 2 teaspoons dry mustard
* 1 bay leaf, crushed
* 4 pounds beef brisket, trimmed
* 1 1/2 cups beef stock

Rub the brisket on both sides with first 8 ingredients. Then put in roasting pan uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Pull out and pour in enough beef stock to cover 1/2 inch of bottom of pan. Then cover the pan with tight fitting lid and bake for 3 hours at 300 degrees.

*I served this with Latkas and green beans. This is a very salty meat so you can cut back salt if you want. I didn't. I just left green beans unsalted and it was perfect!