Skorpa (Swedish Toast)
This recipe is courtesy of the "Pilgrim Covenant Concoctions" cookbook and comes from Judy Stromberg.
Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hour Inactive time: 30 mins
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 TB sour cream
3 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp almond extract
Cream the butter and sugar. Add all the other ingredients and mix well. Shape the dough into two long strips on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 350 for half an hour. Let the bread cool but slice while warm; separate and bake at 250 for about half an hour.
NOTES:
I sprinkled chopped almonds and pearl sugar on top. I had pearl sugar left over from my Christmas cardamom bread. You can buy it at Ikea or baking specialty stores. Judy's recipe calls for margarine but I used butter. I also transfered my cut strips to a larger baking sheet so that there was more space between the skorpa.
Toasted Granola
After trying a couple recipes on for size, this is the one I created. I store it in an airtight container with the recipe pasted on the side just in case I run out.
Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 30 mins
1/8 cup pumpkin seed kernels (pepitas)
1/8 cup sunflower seed kernels
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 TB brown sugar
2 TB canola oil
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 ground cardamom
2 cups oats (not quick oats)
1/2 dried cranberries
Preheat oven to 325. Toast the pumpkin and sunflower seeds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for five minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
Combine syrup and next six ingredients (through cardamom) in a medium bowl. Stir in toasted kernels and oats. Spread the mixture in a single layer o a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 325 for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Stirring every five to ten minutes. Remove from oven and cool the granola in the pan on a wire rack. Stir in berries and store in an airtight container.
NOTES:
This recipe can go from toasted to burned way too quickly! The minute you think it is golden brown take the granola out - the residual heat from the pan will continue to cook it just enough to make the timing key. This recipe is a little nutty - from the pumpkin seeds mainly. If you aren't a fan of the more nutty granola I would leave those guys out.
Carrot Cake Muffins
I was in need of a snack that was healthy and sweet! I modified this off of the Quaker Unprocessed Bran box.
Prep time: 20 mins (with shredding the carrots) Cook time: 15
Servings: 24 muffins
1-3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup Quaker Unprocessed Bran
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/8 cup fat-free half & half
3 eggs
2 cups shredded carrots (about 4 medium carrots)
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/2 dates
Heat over to 350 degrees. Spray muffin tins with cooking spray. In medium bowl combine flour, bran, baking soda, pumpkin spice and salt. Mix well and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the butter, oil and milk with the sugar. Add one egg at a time beating well with each. Slowly add the dry ingredients until blended. Stir in carrots, walnuts, and dates. Pour about a 1/4 cup into each muffin well and bake for 15 minutes.
Cream Cheese Frosting
1 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
4 oz cream cheese
1/2 tsp vanilla
Whip together until smooth. TIP: Sift in the sugar to keep the frosting really smooth. I just used a bowl and a fork to break up the chunks of sugar and make sure it went into my mixer at an even pace.
