Easter Eggstavaganza Blog Hop Winner!

Congratulations to June Manning for winning the Easter Blog Hop Giveaway (thanks to random.org).   Your gift certificate has been emailed to you!  Thank you to all for participating and Kathy for hosting!

Maple-glazed Sour Cream AND Spudnut Doughnuts

I have many fond memories of my Grandma Marks.  She lived in Mountain Home Idaho.  Grandpa delivered milk and dairy products to the town and they had a huge walk-in freezer, accessed outside that held all of their dairy products, and some popsicles that we would raid when we came to visit.  Driving up, I always remember seeing her white wooden fence out front and even though the drive was only four hours, with eight kids in the car, we were always excited to get out of the van.  The back door entrance to her house walked right into her kitchen where Grandma would always have warm maple glazed doughnuts waiting for us as we arrived.  And stocked in her pantry was always some sugar coated cereal just for us.  I loved playing Scrabble and Yahtzee with Grandma and I always enjoyed her food.  I don’t know what inspired me today to make grandma’s maple doughnuts, but I share the recipe with you.  I know not all of you have the same memory, but perhaps you can relate with a memory of another comfort food.  Today, as my kids walked in the door from school with doughnuts sitting all over the counter, we reminisced about sweet Grandma Marks and enjoyed our yummy maple doughnuts.

Sour Cream Doughnut

I’m sharing with you two doughnut recipes.  One is my Grandma’s original spudnut doughnut recipe, the other is a sour cream doughnut.  I let my neighborhood all taste test the doughnuts and the verdict is, everyone liked both.  The sour cream doughnut is more cake-like, whereas the spudnut doughnut is more light and airy.

Grandma’s Spudnut Doughnuts

When frying, make sure your oil is just the right temperature.  I found it takes about 2 minutes of frying per side for the middles to not be doughy.  If your doughnuts burn before 2 minutes, your oil is too hot.  I tested with the doughnut holes until I had just the right temperature.

Spudnuts:

1 cup milk
1 pkg. yeast
1/2 cup water
1 cup cooked, unseasoned mashed potatoes
2/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
3-4 cups flour

Scaled milk and cool to lukewarm.  Dissolve yeast in warm water with 1 tsp. of sugar.  When it gets foamy, add to milk.  Combine next five ingredients and beat well.  Gradually add in flour to make a soft dough.  Make sure not to add too much flour.  The dough shouldn’t be a sticky mess, but too much flour will make your doughnuts dense.  Roll out to 1/2” thickness and cut with a doughnut cutter, if you have one.  I don’t.  So I improvised with a large cup I had and a washed out prescription bottle to cut the inner hole.  Place on a greased cookie sheet and cover.  Let rise for at least one hour.  Then fry in oil.  Drain well on a paper towel.  While still warm, but not hot,  dip in maple glaze.

Maple Glaze:
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. maple flavoring
1 lb. powdered sugar

In a saucepan, melt the butter.  Add milk and brown sugar, heat until just bubbly  Take off heat and add flavoring.  Add powdered sugar until desired consistency.  You want it thin enough you can dip the top of your doughnut in, yet not runny.

Sour Cream Doughnuts:
3 1/2 cups flour
1 TBSP. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
12 tsp. baking soda
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup melted butter (unsalted)
1 cup sour cream

Using an electric beater, beat sugar and eggs until thick (about 5 minutes).  Beat in vanilla, butter and sour cream.  Gently fold in dry ingredients.  Dough will be slightly sticky.  Cover; set in fridge for 2 hours.  Remove and roll out to 1/2” thick.  Cut your doughnuts as described in the spudnut recipe and fry.  Let drain on a paper towel and when still slightly warm, dip in maple glaze.

ENJOY!  (Just probably not TOO frequently!)

Autism Awareness Month

Thank you for joining me in the Autism Awareness Month Blog Hop.  Autism is the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the U.S.  It has had a 600% increase rate in the last 20 years.

The winner of this giveaway will receive a $15.00 Amazon Gift Certificate!

To enter, please fill out the form below:

To learn more: autismspeaks.org

Thanks to Kathy for hosting!

Shrimp Scampi

This is a very simple, yet tasty Shrimp Scampi recipe.  Perfect for a quick meal and it even tasted great the next day.  I served this with a classic caesar salad, roasted asparagus and garlic parmesan biscuits.

Ingredients:
1/8 cup olive oil
1 lb. frozen cooked large shrimp (run under cold water to thaw)
2 tsp. minced fresh garlic
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
5 TBSP. butter (unsalted)
3/4 lb. angel-hair pasta
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
Bring salted water to a boil.  Cook pasta.  Meanwhile, in a heavy skillet heat oil until hot.  Saute garlic and red pepper flakes.  Add wine, salt and pepper and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, 1 minute.  Add shrimp.  Add butter, stirring until melted.  Remove from heat as soon as shrimp is warmed all the way through.  Serve over pasta.

This post is a part of:  Fresh Bites Friday and Gnowfglins, a Comfy Kitchen and Good Cheap Eats

Classic Caesar Salad

I love a good salad.  Here is a yummy version of a classic caesar salad.  When tasting the dressing, it may taste a tad mustardy, but leave it.  It tastes heavenly mixed on the salad.  I made homemade croutons with the salad, which tasted heavenly.

Ingredients:
1 large egg
1 tsp. worcestershire sauce
3 TBSP. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 pinch salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 tsp. anchovy paste
1 tsp. capers
3/4 tsp. dijon mustard
1/3 cup olive oil
2 heads romaine lettuce
tomatoes
green onions
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
croutons (recipe to follow)

Directions:
In a pint jar, mix the worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper, anchovy, mustard and capers in a bowl.  In a small sauce pan, bring water to boiling.  Take your egg and place in the boiling water for 45 seconds to coddle the egg.  Remove and cool slightly.  Crack egg into your jar.  Whisk until smooth.  Now for adding the oil.  DO NOT JUST DUMP.  SLOWLY add the oil in a steady stream while constantly whisking.  If you add the oil too quickly, the dressing will separate.

CROUTONS:
2 cups of cut up baguette.  I use kitchen shears to cut into 1/2” cubes.  Put in a ziploc bag with minced garlic, a little salt and just enough olive oil to lightly coat.  Spread the coated cubes onto a baking sheet and bake at 400 until they are golden (about 10 minutes).