SANDRA'S CHOCOLATE GLAZED BABY BANANA-WHEAT DONUTS

Sandra's Chocolate Glazed Baby Banana-Wheat Donuts

The most addicting, ever!
As with most cake-like donuts, they should be eaten
the same day they are made for the best results and flavor...

Yield: (Appx. 24 Baby Donuts)

Prep: 10 Mins.

Bake: 10-12 Mins. per batch

INGREDIENTS

Special equipment: 2 Mini Donut Tins (12/batch for a total of 24 baby donuts)

Batter:

1 large egg, beaten

1-1/2 cup milk

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 ripe banana, mashed

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1-1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder (or regular)

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spot spray with Bakers Joy each mini donut tin cup; set aside (or with oil then dusted with flour) -- this process will be repeated for each batch to prevent baby donuts from sticking.

In a medium bowl, add egg and beat with a fork. Add in milk, vegetable oil, mashed banana and vanilla extract, mix with hand mixer to combine. Add in remaining batter ingredients; and using a wooden spoon mix just until combined (do not over mix). Pour batter into a large Ziploc bag, snip one corner, then fill each cup in mini donut tin, about 3/4's full.

Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, until they're light golden on top and slightly brown on edges, and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Place a clean kitchen towel on counter. While hot, tip muffin tin over on its side so hot donut holes fall out onto kitchen towel. Carefully flip hot donuts over to cool. 

Meanwhile, prepare the chocolate glaze below:

Chocolate Glaze

1-1/2 cups powdered sugar

4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

3 tablespoons milk or water

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract.

In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and cocoa powder.  Slowly stir in milk and vanilla extract.  Whisk until silky and smooth.  If you need a touch more milk to make this a dippable glaze, add a bit more.

Dip donuts in chocolate glaze then let rest to harden. Leave donuts uncovered to prevent condensation.

Donuts are best served the day they’re made.  They also freeze just fine! ~ Enjoy!

SANDRA’S HERB SLOW-COOKER FROZEN ROAST with GRAVY and BABY CARROTS

I served this super meal with

mashed skin-on red potatoes and gravy
drizzled on top,

a side of ‘hot’ horseradish for the roast,

including the lovely baby carrots alongside....

Servings: (6 to 8)

Prep: 10 Mins.

Slow-Cook: 8 Hrs. on Low

INGREDIENTS

2 cups baby carrots

1 yellow onion, cut into 8 wedges

4 lb. roast (I used moose)

--[Venison, beef, elk, caribou, pork, etc.

are wonderful alternatives as well]

4 cups low-sodium beef broth

1 (10.75 oz.) cream of mushroom soup

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon worcestershire

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons dried rosemary

1 tablespoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

METHOD

Place baby carrots and onion wedges in bottom of a 6-qt. 'cold' slow cooker.  Place frozen moose roast of top of carrots and onions. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients and pour over roast.

Turn slow cooker to low and cook for a minimum of 8 hours. ~ Enjoy!

SANDRA'S HEAVENLY HONEY-GINGER GLAZED CARROTS

We love this carrot side dish
so much that I wouldn't
doubt if we make at least once per week...

Servings: (4)
Prep/Cook: 12 mins.

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

3 cups baby carrots, or large cut to about the same size
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon fresh ginger root, grated
1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

METHOD

Fill a small saucepan with 2 inches of water, add carrots and a light sprinkling of kosher salt and bring to boil, cover, and simmer until almost tender, about 7 minutes. Drain carrots, and return to saucepan.  Add butter, honey, and grated ginger and continue cooking over medium heat while stirring, until butter is melted, and then continue to cook until carrots are tender, about 3 more minutes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley. Add kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste.  Toss to combine, and serve. - Enjoy!

SANDRA'S ORIGINAL ORANGE-PINEAPPLE BABY BACK RIBS

My husband and I agree that these are the absolute best ribs we've ever made...

Servings: (4 to 6)
Prep: 10 Mins. |
3 hrs. 45 Mins.

INGREDIENTS:

***Baby Back Ribs:
3 racks pork baby back ribs
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

***Marinade:
2 cups orange/pineapple juice -- (I use Tropicana)
2 (1.06-oz.) pkts. dry teriyaki marinade mix
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
2 teaspoons smoked paprika

***Sauce:
1-1/2 cups pineapple/orange juice
1-1/2 cups prepared barbecue sauce (I used Bull’s-Eye Original)

METHOD:

Remove thin silver membrane from the back of ribs (I use clean pliers). Place ribs in a large pot of water just enough to cover ribs, and sprinkle with garlic powder, onion powder, and kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste. Bring to boil, reduce heat and cover to simmer for 1 hour.  Remove ribs, and let cool for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a bowl combine 2 cups orange/pineapple juice, both packets of teriyaki mix, 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger, and smoked paprika. Pour marinade mixture over ribs in a non-reactive shallow pan. Cover and let marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (or with grill you'll be using in-direct heat).

Remove ribs from marinade mixture, but do not discard marinade. Place ribs on rack of shallow broiling pan lined with foil (meat side up). Cover tightly with foil, and bake for 1 hour (or do so over in-direct heat on a covered grill).

While ribs are baking/grilling, make the sauce by first adding the rib marinade to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and add 1-1/2 cups orange/pineapple juice, and 1-1/2 cups barbecue sauce. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes to reduce sauce; remove from heat. Pour half of the sauce into small bowl for basting ribs while cooking.  Reserve the other half separately for serving in the covered sauce pan.

Remove ribs from oven, uncover, and carefully baste with the designated sauce in the bowl, and continue baking/grilling, uncovered, for 30 minutes longer; turning and brushing half way with the designated sauce. Cut ribs into serving portions and place on a platter, along with other designated sauce from saucepan that has been reheated and poured into a small bowl for dipping. ~ Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tips: Serve with grilled corn on the cob, coleslaw, or potato salad, baked beans, and warm and crusty bread. Also, at times we use the BBQ grill over indirect heat in the same method as for the oven (while still boiling, and then marinating the ribs for the same amount of time listed). Further, it will cut your prep time immensely if you boil and marinate the ribs the morning or night before you anticipate baking/grilling them.