Banana and Berry Smoothie

The Bay Area weather is quite dreary today.  Not quite a steady stream of rain, which we need, but the slow and consistent drizzle.  There is nothing like a vivid berry and banana smoothie to brighten a Sunday morning. I happen to have all ingredients on hand to make hubby and me a nutritional glass of fruit wonderfulness to start our Sunday.

Japanese Style Pancakes

Often each weekend, hubby will ask – what are we going to have for breakfast?  My answer is “something good”.  I know he typically wants eggs, some sort of breakfast meat and a carbohydrate.  Hubby loves, adores, craves and quite frequently inquires about pancakes.  This weekend was his lucky weekend.  I had been wanting to make these Japanese Style Pancakes for several weeks now.  I saw it on Pinterest, of course, where else is there – just kidding.  But seriously, that site is dangerous – it will either make you overweight or in debt – laughing out loud right now – okay, but I know you are saying to yourself, she has a point ……. right?

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Pumpkin Scones with Spiced Glaze | Secret Recipe Club

It’s a new year of kicking it off with the Secret Recipe Club.  For January, I received Heather’s blog called – It’s Yummy to My Tummy.  While looking through her blog for the perfect recipe to make, I soon realized why her blog had a familiarity to it – she was paired with me back in June and made my Caprese Bites.  Heather likes to make people happy with her food and decided to add her collection of delightful treats to one place – her blog.

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Strawberry, Apricot & Coconut Scones | Secret Recipe Club

It is hard to believe it has been just a week.  A week since our little Max went to heaven. Max came into our home when he was just 8 weeks old and was a bundle of joy.  Max was our furry four legged child.  He battled cancer for the last couple months of his life and on Sunday last week, he went to the great dog park in the sky.  It had to be one of the most difficult days for hubby and me.  The next day was especially challenging since the house seemed so big and empty without our little guy.  Since then, time is beginning to make things a bit easier. The tears have lessened. I can talk about and think about him, without getting so emotional.  I will have always have a special place in my heart for Max. They say time heals and I believe it does.

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Greek Yogurt Handmade Granola Parfait + Tillamook Farmstyle Brunch Highlights

When an invitation came via email from Kelly at SodaPop PR to attend a Farmstyle Brunch sponsored by Tillamook at The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen in the Mission district in San Francisco, it was an instantaneous YES! Tillamook is one of those well respected brands that I have enjoyed for years.  I have long associated them with their infamous medium sharp cheddar cheese and learned quickly that they have expanded their brand into other products.  The focus of the brunch was to introduce their new Farmstyle Greek Yogurt.  By the way, Tillamook makes butter, sour cream, yogurt and ice cream.  Note to self, need to buy some of their ice cream pronto.

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Lemon Currant Cream Scones | Secret Recipe Club

Weekend mornings at our house are sometimes quite frankly lazy days.  Hubby and I work long hours all week and come the weekend, it is time to let our hair down, keep our pajamas on, sip on some freshly brewed coffee and enjoyed a handmade breakfast.  Lately I have been on a Steel Cut Oatmeal kick and can’t get enough.  The hearty flavor with a touch of brown sugar is simply love in a bowl.  Albeit, the time (almost 30 minutes) one must put into coking this bowl of love, it is very much worth the time for tasty and healthy reasons.

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Monte Cristo Bites with Raspberry Bourbon Jam | Secret Recipe Club

Time seems to be spinning faster and faster.  Do you feel that way too?  It is hard to believe we are entrenched in the fall season with the leaves changing to those beautiful autumnal shades of brown, orange and yellow.  Living in Northern California, we experience the changing of the seasons however it is subtle as opposed to other regions around America.  I am still sporting my flip flops on the weekends and perfect painted toes, but this shall become a distant memory in the next month or so.  We are currently enjoying what we deem – Indian summer.  It is a time where we have mildly warm weather, shorter daytime light and little to no rain.  It is an exquisite time of year in Northern California.

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Bouchon Bakery Bacon Cheddar Scones

Each time I visit Yountville I must wait in the long line at Bouchon Bakery.  At first, you may think that it will be eternity until you get inside to preview all of the delightful goodies that await you, but it does goes rather quick, especially if you have a friend with you to pass the time.  If you are by yourself, then listening and watching all of the people will surly pass the time for you.  People come from around the country and the globe to have one of those light green boxes filled with the spectacular treats that Thomas Keller is so well known for.

Last time I went to Yountville, I purchased the Bacon Cheddar Scones and devoured it in the car on the way home.  I could not believe how absolutely delicious this scone was.  As I was driving home, I kept trying to determine what made these so tasty.  Was it the butter, bacon and white cheddar cheese?  I think those were definitely part of the tasty equation.  There was something else that was added that I could not quite put my finger on.

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Cherry and Coconut Scones

On Saturday hubby sent me a text that a Boeing 777 crashed at SFO.  At first, I could not believe it.  Knowing that he was flying himself that day, I asked him like I do every weekend when he flies – text me when you land.  Hubby has been flying as a private pilot for over 25 years and I trust him more than some of the commercial pilots.  Unfortunately on Saturday two young girls lost their lives and numerous others sustained a vast variety of injuries.  We will not know for a while what the actual reason was for the crash but based on what I know from flying with my hubby for a long time and the thoughts he shared with me - we have our theory as to the reason for the crash.  My thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families and that they soon have some sort of peace and comfort to cope with this tragedy.

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Gruyere & Bacon Stuffed French Toast

Breakfast is not my favorite meal of the day. However, it is my hubby’s favorite hands down. If you are curious, mine would be dinner with a whole bunch of small plates. Albeit, I do eat breakfast everyday to get fuel for the day – typically a Greek yogurt along with a banana or berries.

Since hubby likes to go out for breakfast on the weekends or have me create a “full” breakfast on the weekends, I do have a few favorites including French toast. I love the custard consistency along with a crispy outside of French toast and of course, the rich maple syrup that goes along with this delightful weekend treat.

Early in our relationship, I made Grand Mariner French Toast for my hubby. My hubby never had French toast like this before, since I use thick sliced French bread. The thickness of the bread helps to absorb the luscious custard which produces a decadent and satisfying breakfast. I think my hubby had grown up on sandwich bread dipped in an egg mixture; did not take long for him to be converted.

For me, it all starts with the bread, whether it is a Semifreddi's sour dough loaf or a crunchy & chewy ciabatta, the richness of the bread makes all the difference. Next comes the rich custard with egg, half & half along with real vanilla extract - sometimes a bit of triple sec adds that extra special punch and flavor.

Taking it to the next level is stuffing your French toast with various fillings. Perhaps with ricotta and blueberries or mascarpone and orange zest OR gruyere and bacon stuffed French toast? Lately I am a bit obsessed with the later of my variations; hence I wanted to share with all of you. It is something I have been making for quite sometime and perfected the combination over time. The combination of smoky bacon, earthy gruyere, dense sourdough bread, rich custard, sweet maple syrup and hint of cinnamon is an explosion of amazing flavors all in one bite.

Just imagine all of the wonderful flavors and textures you can stuff your French toast with. Would love to hear all of your wonderful ideas for what you would stuff your French toast with!

Gruyere & Bacon Stuffed French Toast

Makes 4 Slices

4 Slices, good sourdough bread (about 1 1/4th inch thick)
8 Bacon Slices, Cooked until crispy and crumbled
1 C. Gruyere Cheese, grated
Cinnamon dusting French toast
Butter for cooking French toast

Custard

2 Eggs
1 C. Half & Half (could use whole milk or 2% milk)
1 t. Vanilla

Once you have the sour dough bread sliced, you will want to with a sharp knife cut into the bottom of each slice and gently slice to almost the end of the top and sides to create the pocket to stuff each slice.

Add the cooked bacon once cooled and gruyere cheese together in a bowl. Divide evenly among the four slices of bread and begin to gently stuff each one. Once you have completed, then gently press each stuffed bread together to prevent the inside ingredients from escaping.

Prepare the custard by adding the eggs, half & half and vanilla together and whisk gently until combined.

Use a large griddle to cook all of the French toast at the same time. Heat griddle on medium and add approximately 2 tablespoons of butter to the griddle and spread evenly. Meanwhile dip each stuffed bread into the custard mixture and add to the heated griddle. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Let cook over medium for about 5 minutes per side – if your cook top runs hot, you may want to reduce the heat to prevent burning.

Serve with your favorite maple syrup. To make more, simply double or triple the recipe to serve the desired amount of guests. Enjoy!!

Dutch Baby Pancake with Brandied Peaches | Secret Recipe Club

Boy how time flies! It just seems like I was celebrating my third month with the Secret Recipe Club yet the fourth month is here already. If you are not familiar with The Secret Recipe Club, it is an online cooking group that each participant is assigned a “secret” blog each month. The secret is that each person doesn’t know who was assigned to their blog and what recipe that person will choose to create. If you are interested in getting involved in this fun group and meeting new food bloggers like yourself, check out the website.

This month I had the pleasure of being assigned Apron Strings. They have a tag line attached to their blog – “Cooking: it’s in our D & A”. I thought this was quite cleaver considering the D&A stands for Donna and Anne who are a reunited birth mother and daughter food blogging team. How cool is that? Donna and Anne have authored a cookbook together as well as creating this blog together.

Additionally Donna has authored several other cookbooks and Anne made it to a finalist in the hit show on Food Television – Ultimate Recipe Showdown. These two ladies certainly share the same D and A. After browsing through their extensive recipes, it was hard to narrow down however my mind was made up when I saw the Dutch Baby Pancake.

You might ask, what is a dutch baby pancake – if you have never experienced this delightful treat, I highly encourage you to make it soon. You might hear it referred to as German Pancake of Dutch Puff. It is very similar to Yorkshire pudding since it is made with eggs, flour and milk. Typically it is served with fresh squeezed lemon, powdered sugar and butter. In addition, it can be served with a fruit topping or syrup. I think it is a personal choice – quite frankly a generous sprinkle of powdered sugar and lemon, I am a happy camper.

A couple weeks ago it was hubby’s birthday. I shared the chocolate espresso cake that I made for him and I wrote in the post about a new breakfast place our neighbors took us out to breakfast to celebrate his birthday. It was called The Original Pancake House and they have locations in most states. I am not the breakfast food enthusiast that my hubby is, but this place impressed me. The selection was expansive, the service was spot on and the food was extremely tasty with large portions.

One of their signature dishes is The Dutch Baby Pancake and of course I had to have it. All I can say is – DIVINE! It was perfectly puffed, crispy yet chewy inside. They served a lemon sauce on the side that was too die for with zest of fresh lemon that just puckered your cheeks. If you have not been there before, check it out. Hope you like it as much as we did.

I have long wanted to make this breakfast delight at home so when I saw it on Donna and Anne’s blog, it was settled – that would be my entry for this month’s Secret Recipe Club. With such a simple recipe, I did not need to mess with perfection. The only variation was that I used salted butter versus unsalted. The cast iron skillet is the key to a perfect Dutch Baby. If you don’t own one, run to the store and pick one up. I actually purchased mine from TJ Maxx for about fifteen dollars.

I picked up a crate of fresh peaches from Trader Joe’s and thought that some spicy brandy peaches would be a perfect accompaniment for this delightful breakfast treat. You could use apples if peaches are not in season. Enjoy and be sure to check out Donna and Anne’s blog!

Dutch Baby Pancake

4 T. butter
4 large eggs
½ cup all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup half-and-half

For the topping:

Juice of 1 lemon
Powdered sugar

Spicy Brandied Peaches

1 Cup sliced fresh peaches
1 T. Sugar
1 T. Butter
½ t. Cinnamon
1 T. Brandy

In a medium sauté pan, melt the butter; add the peaches, sugar and cinnamon. Stir gently over medium heat and cook for a couple minutes. Remove the pan from the flame and add the brandy. Let cook off the burner for a minute and then return to heat through. Spoon gently into a small bowl to serve with the pancake.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Place a large cast iron skillet in the oven until very hot. Melt the 4 Tbs butter in the skillet. In a blender, whir together the eggs, flour, salt and half-and-half.

Pour the batter into the skillet over the melted butter. Slide the skillet into the oven, and bake for 25 minutes.

Remove the puffed pancakes from the oven, transfer them to a plate or shallow bowl, and pour on butter, sprinkle on lemon juice, and dust with powdered sugar. Serve immediately.

Rhubarb Crumb Cake

Rhubarb is a unique vegetable. Typically considered a vegetable, however in 1947 a New York court decided that since it was primarily used as a fruit, it would be counted as a fruit for the purposed os regulation. To me it looks like a pink peice of celery yet it has toxic leaves. You can usually find it early spring through mid summer.

My first memory of Rhubarb is from my Mom who would cook it in sugar with a bit of water until soft. We would eat it in a small bowl and enjoy the slight tartness. It was not until I was older that I realized there were so many variations of how to prepare rhubarb. One of rhubarb’s best companions is the beautiful and lush strawberry. From pies to jams, these two are a perfect marriage of complimentary flavors.

Recently I had one of my all hands on meetings with my team and thought it would be nice to bring a treat to everyone for the morning meeting. Found a recipe for rhubarb crumb bars on Martha Stewart’s site. After making, I realized it was much like a coffee cake than a bar cookie. All in all, simply delicious. I left the cake for the rest of the office and by 5pm, only crumbs were left on the plate.

Rhubarb Crumb Cake

(Adapted from Martha Stewart)

Streusel

½ C. butter, melted
1 C. flour
½ C. packed dark-brown sugar
½ t. salt

Cake

1 pound rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 T. dark-brown sugar
1 C. flour
1 t. baking powder
¼ t. salt
½ C + 2 T. butter, room temperature
1 C. confectioners' sugar
2 large eggs
2 t. pure vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray with non-stick spray an 9-inch square baking pan.

Streusel: Whisk together butter, brown sugar, and salt. Add flour and mix with a fork until large crumbs form. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Cake: In a medium bowl, combine rhubarb, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup flour. In another medium bowl, whisk 3/4 cup flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs, one at a time. With mixer on low, beat in vanilla, then flour mixture. Spread batter in prepared pan. Sprinkle with rhubarb and top with streusel.

Bake cake until golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool completely in pan. Cut into 16 bars.

Savory Breakfast Bread Pudding

Last weekend it was sunny, with our Bay Area weather being just perfect. Last weekend I feasted with foodie friends at a very special brunch. Last weekend was a long holiday weekend.

This weekend it is rainy, cloudy and I feel as though we have been propelled into a new month called – “June-uary”. The hammering rain that inundated the Bay Area yesterday set plenty of records and put the kibosh on plenty of outdoor activities. By mid afternoon yesterday, a little over an inch of rain had fallen in San Francisco, smashing the record of 0.49 of an inch set for this date in 1934.

Hubby and I nestled inside for the majority of the day. We snacked on frozen breakfast sandwiches in the morning while sipping our coffee and watching the weekend edition of Good Morning America. It was quite a different weekend that just a week prior. Yes – I do like a bit of frozen food every now and then. :-)

Yesterday was my birthday. As one of my friends on Facebook commented, - “Happy birthday, Miss Lisa! You look stunning for 29!” - It brought a smile to my face. My hubby showered me with little gifts all day long – certainly made it special. He set reservations at a new Italian restaurant in our city for dinner for us and my parents. Can’t remember ever having a rainy birthday before, but overall it was a wonderful day.

For the brunch last weekend, I brought a savory breakfast bread pudding to share. I promised to post this tasty recipe. I have been making this for years and is typically always a crowd pleaser. The ingredients can vary with either additions, substitutions or deletions but the core dish is completely savory. Enjoy!

Savory Breakfast Bread Pudding

2 Lbs. Ground Pork, cooked and crumbled
1 Loaf, French Bread (Semifreddi’s) – Cut into one inch cubes
2 Leeks, cleaned and finely diced
2 C. Cherry tomatoes, cut in half
2 C. Baby spinach leaves, tighly packed
½ C. Grated pecorino romano cheese
½ C. Grated parmesan cheese
2 C. Gruyere cheese, grated

Custard

7 Eggs
4 C. Half and half
1 t. Nutmeg
1 t. Salt
1 t. Garlic powder
8 to 10 grinds of fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Use a 9 x 13 ceramic pan that is oven proof. Spray with a non-stick spray prior to adding ingredients.

Cook the ground pork in a large skillet until cooked all the way through. Add the leeks and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes. Take off the heat.

In a large bowl add all of the custard ingredients together and mix well. Set aside.

In a super large bowl add the bread cubes, ground pork and leek mixture and toss well. Next add the the parmesan and pecorino cheese and toss. Now add the spinach and tomatoes and toss. Add the custard filling to the bread mixture and toss well until all is coated. Let sit about 30 minutes until will soaked.

Add all of the mixture to the 9 by 13 pan. Sprinkle the grated gruyere to the top of the breakfast break pudding. Bake for about 55 to 60 minutes. Remove and let cool for about 10 minutes and then serve.

Caramelized Apple Skillet Cake

Sunday mornings – are they busy or lazy around your house? For ours, they are often taken in stride and quite easy. We often brew coffee, watch Good Morning America, the weekend edition and simply relax.

With relaxation comes a great breakfast. Sometimes we rally and go out to breakfast where other times, it is handmade and enjoyed in a leisurely fashion. This morning was such a day. When I purchased Karen De Masco’s – “The Craft of Baking” several months ago, the Caramelized Apple Skillet Cake instantly caught my eye.

I am a complete fan of caramel. The golden rich flavor of really terrific caramel is something that resonates with me. The combination of granny smith apples, caramel and a cornmeal infused cake for breakfast was just the ticket for today’s breakfast.

Instead of a cast iron skillet, I opted for a non-stick oven proof sauté pan. I knew this would guarantee that the cake would not stick. After making the cake, a few things I would change would be to double the caramel topping, which I already altered in the recipe below. I actually used one big apple, but would use two, next time along with letting the sugar mixture caramelize a bit more in the pan.

Caramelized Apple Skillet Cake

1 1/4 C.sugar
10 tablespoons butter, very soft
2 medium apples or one large, Granny Smith
2 t. pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, separated
3/4 C. plus 3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
3 T. coarse yellow cornmeal or fine polenta
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1/3 C. whole milk

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

In an 8-inch ovenproof skillet, combine 1/2 cup of the sugar with 4 tablespoons water, stirring to make sure all of the sugar is damp.

Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar turns a golden brown caramel, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in 4 tablespoons of the butter.

Peel, core, and using a mandoline or a sharp knife, cut the apples crosswise into 1/8-inch thick rings. Tightly shingle all of the apple rings over the caramel, starting around the outside of the skillet and working toward the center, overlapping the slices.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the remaining 3/4 cup sugar, the remaining 6 tablespoons butter, and the vanilla. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the egg yolks, one at a time.

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. In three additions, add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk, to the butter mixture. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the batter into a large bowl.

Clean and dry the bowl of the electric mixer well. Add the egg whites and, using the whisk attachment on medium speed, beat to soft peaks, about 4 minutes. In three additions, fold the whites into the batter.

Spread the batter evenly over the apples in the skillet.

Bake, rotating the skillet halfway through, until the cake is golden brown and firm to the touch, 45 to 50 minutes. Place the skillet on a wire rack and let it cool just until the cake is warm, about 30 minutes. Then run a knife around the edge of the cake and invert it onto a plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.

The cake is best eaten the day it is baked but can be kept at room temperature, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 2 days.

Cake Batter Pancakes with Cinnamon Apples

Ever since being a little girl, I have had a distinct fascination with cake batter. Every time my Mom would make a cake, I was right there by her side to lick the bowl. It did not matter if it was white, chocolate or yellow cake mix – they were all delicious.

Every once in a while when we were little, my Mom would have what she called – “Dessert Dinner”. These were very rare occasions but ever so special. I believe we had these perhaps 3 to 4 times during childhood. She would make banana splits, brownies and even give us a small bowl of cake mix prior to cooking the cake. My Mom tried to make things fun, which as an adult I completely appreciate.

Some of these dessert dinners were outings to Fenton’s Creamery in North Oakland. As a family we would wait in line until a table opened up. Today, Fenton’s is still a tradition with many families and they enjoy the handcrafted ice cream. Fenton’s goes beyond ice cream, with a full restaurant menu. The classic grilled crab sandwich was a favorite among our family. We often enjoyed dinner and dessert. We always left with very full bellies but very happy.

Cake batter is still a favorite. When I saw Baking Serendipity’s post for Cake Batter Pancakes, this was something I had to make. If you have not visited Sarah’s blog, take a peek, you will enjoy. The thought of adding cake mix to pancakes was such a brilliant idea. I added a bit more vanilla and milk to the recipe and opted out of the sprinkles. Instead, I added cinnamon apples to the finished product. Next time, I am going classic old school with simple maple syrup.

Cake Batter Pancakes

1 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup yellow cake mix
1 tbsp sugar
3/4 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk + 2 T.

Combine flour, cake mix, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs, vanilla and milk, and stir until combined. Your batter should be the consistency of regular pancake batter, so if you need to add a little more milk, go for it. Spoon onto greased griddle or large skillet and flip when the edges begin to dry, cooking evenly on both sides.

Cinnamon Apples

3 Large Apples, Granny Smith
4 T. Butter
1/3 C. Sugar
¾ t. Cinnamon
Pinch Ground Cloves
2 t. Pure Vanilla Extract
1 t. Lemon juice, freshly squeezed

Core the apples, then slice and put those slices in half. In large skillet, melt the butter, add the apples, sugar, spices and lemon juice. Cook on medium for about 3 to 5 minutes until the apples are soft yet still firm.

Apple Fritter Poppers

The quintessential deep fried treat is the donut. A deep fried sweet dough with a glazed topping is one of life’s little pleasures that. The donut – a decadent little delight that makes so many people happy. My husband is one of those people who absolutely LOVE donuts. We strolled through Williams Sonoma several weeks ago and they were promoting all things donuts. Everything from the donut dough cutters to Bouchon Bakery donut mix. I must admit, they lured me in. I bought the cutter and the Bouchon mix.

I have a bit of an obsession with collecting cookbooks. Do I use all of them for the recipes? The truth is no. I use them more like reading a magazine – the photos fascinate me along with getting inspiration from many of them. I am running out of room to store my over five hundred book collection. It may be time to do a bit of editing. However, I did add to the collection while on my trip to Williams Sonoma and picked up “Donuts” by Elinor Klivans. It is a delightful book that walks you through making donuts at home with the classics, new flavors and flavors from around the world.

Making donuts has been on my bucket list for quite some time. Last Saturday was the day. My husband adores apple fritters. He goes to a small diner type restaurant every once in a while where they sell giant fritters that are literally ten inches in diameter. I may have one bite, but then the rest is enjoyed by him.

While leafing through my new donut cookbook, I came across apple fritters and knew that would be my first donut making adventure. Adapted the recipe slightly. It was super easy to make the dough since no yeast was required. I used a small one inch scooper that I typically use to make cookies. It turned out to be the perfect size to make little apple fritter poppers. The recipe includes a apple cider glaze which I made and also did a simple cinnamon and sugar topping.

I must admit, they were quite addictive and hard to eat just one. My husband absolutely loved them!

Apple Fritter Poppers

1 C. Flour
¼ C. Sugar
1 t. Baking powder
½ t. Cinnamon
½ t. Salt
1/3 C. Milk
1 Egg
1 T. Lemon juice
Zest of half of a lemon
1 t. Vanilla
1 Large apple, cored, peeled and diced small
Canola oil for frying

In a large bowl stir together all of the dry ingredients. Make a well and add the wet ingredients and stir together well. Add the apple and mix together.

In a deep fryer or large sauce pan, pour the grease to a depth of 2 inches and heat over medium until it reads 360 degrees. Test a bit of dough to ensure it is the correct temperature.

Using a one inch cookie scooper, drop about 4 to 5 scoops of the batter into the hot oil. Be sure to not overcrowd the oil. The fritters should float to the top and puff to about double their size. Deep fry until dark golden brown on the first side, about 2 minutes and then using a slotted spoon or thongs, flip over and cook for another minute. Remove with slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel lined baking sheet to drain. Repeat until the dough is gone.

Let cool if you are going to glaze and use a wire rack to let excess glaze drip. If you are going to make a cinnamon sugar mixture, then dip fairly soon after removing from the oil so the sugar mixture sticks.

Cinnamon-Apple Glaze

1 C. Powdered sugar
½ t. Cinnamon
2 T. Apple cider or apple juice

In a medium bowl, add the sugar and cinnamon together and stir. Then add the apple cider and whisk together until smooth.

Cinnamon Sugar

1/2 C. Granulated sugar
1 t. Cinnamon

Mix well in a bowl.  Roll warm donuts in the sugar to ensure it sticks all over.