Gingerbread Butter

 

Gingerbread Butter can be a superstar in your kitchen. It’s a great spread for a variety of breads: muffins, French Toast, scones, and more. How about the next time you make cinnamon rolls, you slather a layer of Gingerbread Butter, with additional Gingerbread Spice, and sugar. Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls rank superior! Aside from breads, you can use it as a topping on baked sweet potatoes. It’s the perfect glaze for steamed carrots. Remember Green Bean Almandine? How fantastic would Gingerbread Green Bean Almandine be?! I guarantee you’ll find many uses for this butter. Let me know, in the comments. 

A YouTube demonstration video is available, by clicking this link.

GINGERBREAD BUTTER

 

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 Cup (1stick) butter, room temperature

2 Teaspoons Gingerbread Spice

2 Tablespoons molasses

 

DIRECTIONS:

Place ingredients in a shallow bowl. Use a small rubber spatula, to combine.

 

SPREAD ON:

Toast

French Toast

Muffins

Pancakes

Green Beans

Steamed carrots

Baked Sweet Potatoes

Fruitcake Oatmeal

When it comes to my Gingerbread Spice recipe, I have no shortage of ideas, to use it. Gingerbread paired with candied fruit becomes fruitcake. I may not be a fan of the actual cake, but I am a huge fan of Fruitcake Oatmeal. 

A YouTube demonstration video is available, by clicking this link.

FRUITCAKE OATMEAL 

INGREDIENTS:

2 Tablespoons candied fruit mix (fruitcake topping)

1/4 Cup quick oats

1/2 Cup milk

1/2 Teaspoon Gingerbread Spice

1 Teaspoon molasses

1/4 Teaspoon rum extract

 

DIRECTIONS:

Stir all ingredients in a microwaveable cereal bowl. Microwave on high 1 minute. Stir. Microwave up to 30 more seconds, watching closely; as oatmeal tends to bubble over. Makes 1 serving.

Foxy’s Snowy Ginger Coffee Cake

I wasn’t a fan of coffee cake until I tried, Fox In The Snow’s Bakery (Columbus Ohio)  coffee cake. First thing I noticed, was the plush texture. I also appreciated that it wasn’t overly sweet. An unassuming cake, yet it drew me back for more. The next day, I was back at the bakery, buying more!

This recipe is in no way a dupe, of Fox In The Snow’s Coffee Cake. They inspired me to make my own. My coffee cake has a velvety texture. It features a buttery ginger streusel, and a bold ginger ribbon, in the middle of the cake. The flavors are balanced, and not too sweet. Foxy’s Snowy Ginger Coffee Cake is my favorite cake… for now! 

A YouTube video demonstration is available, by clicking this link.

FOXY’S SNOWY GINGER COFFEE CAKE

 

STREUSEL TOPPING:

1 1/3 Cups (180 grams) flour

1 1/2 Teaspoons Gingerbread Spice

1/3 Cup (75 grams) brown sugar

12 Tablespoons butter, chilled, chopped

1/4 Cup (30 grams) powdered sugar

 

COFFEE CAKE BATTER:

3 Cups (390 grams) flour

1 Teaspoon baking powder

1/2 Teaspoon baking soda

1/2 Teaspoon salt

1 Cup butter, cool

1 1/2 Cups (330 grams) sugar

3 Large eggs, room temperature

2 Large egg whites, room temperature

1 (8 ounce) container full fat sour cream, room temperature

1 Tablespoon clear vanilla extract 

 

GINGERBREAD CAKE SWIRL:

2 Tablespoons Gingerbread Spice

2 Tablespoons flour

2 Tablespoons sugar

 

TO MAKE STREUSEL TOPPING:

Using the paddle attachment, and a stand mixer;  beat flour, Gingerbread Spice, and brown sugar on low speed. Add butter, and continue on low speed, until flour has formed pea sized crumbs. Cold butter takes a few minutes to meld into the flour. Refrigerate until ready to use. Reserve powdered sugar for dusting top of coffee cake.

 

TO MAKE COFFEE CAKE BATTER:

Preheat oven to 325. Grease and line the bottom of an 9.5” X 3” springform cake pan with parchment paper. Place on a baking tray. Set aside. Using the paddle attachment, and a stand mixer; blend flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, on low speed. Continuing on low speed, add butter to flour mixture; mixing to a sandy texture. In a large mixing bowl, by hand; whisk sugar, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla, to combine. Spoon half of the wet mixture into flour mixture. Mix gently. Remove from mixer. Scrape sides and bottom of mixing bowl, with a rubber spatula. Spoon in remaining batter. Fold, gently. Spoon half of the cake batter, into prepared pan. Sprinkle with Gingerbread Cake Swirl mix, leaving a 1” border. Spoon remaining batter, over Gingerbread Cake Swirl mix.  Bake in center rack of oven. At 1 hour baking time, tent coffee cake, so the streusel doesn’t brown too quickly. Remove aluminum tent at 1 hour and 45 minutes baking time. Total bake time is 2 hours and 15 minutes.  To test for doneness:  Cake tester will come out clean. Cake will slightly pull, from the inside of the pan. Top of cake will spring back, when poked with finger. The internal temperature should read between 200 - 209 degrees. Let cake cool, in pan, for 1 hour; for the texture of the cake to set. Dust, heavily, with powdered sugar.

 

GINGERBREAD SPICE

 

INGREDIENTS:

3 Tablespoons cinnamon

2 Tablespoons ginger

1 Teaspoon allspice

1 Teaspoon cardamom

1 Teaspoon cloves

 

DIRECTIONS:

Whisk ingredients. Store in a spice jar, or shaker.

Gingerbread Banana Milk

 

You can’t run to the store, and pick up banana flavored milk; but you can make your own! That’s the wonderful thing about making your own food. If you can think it, chances are you can create it. I love the flavor combination of gingerbread spice and banana. It’s goes together like peanut butter and jelly. Like cookies and milk. Like cake and ice cream. Like peas and carrots. You get the idea. Just make it.

A YouTube demonstration video is available, by clicking this link.
 

GINGERBREAD BANANA MILK

 

INGREDIENTS:

2 Cups milk

1/2 Banana, mashed

1 Stevia packet

1 Teaspoon Gingerbread Spice

1/4 Teaspoon imitation banana extract

2 Tablespoons molasses

Yellow food coloring, optional

 

DIRECTIONS:

Place ingredients in a blender. Process until smooth. Store in a mason jar. Keep refrigerated. Serves 2.

Drip Boss Chicken

This chicken sandwich is a drip boss; because it’s messy! The sauce, onions, and mushrooms get all over your face. It’s tasty, and gives big boss energy.

A time consuming recipe, because of the caramelized onions. I wanted to present a recipe with the correct way to prepare the onions. However, if you want to speed this recipe up. You have options:  

     Grilled Onions:  Offer a short cooking time; yet taste great.

     Short Cut Caramelized Onions:  Add sugar and a little water to onions, to speed up the cooking process.

     Make Ahead Caramelized Onions: Prepare onions ahead of time. Convenient, and ready, when you are.

A YouTube video demonstration is available, by clicking this link.

DRIP BOSS CHICKEN

CHICKEN PATTIES:

1 Large egg yolk

1 Chicken bouillon cube, crushed

1/2 Teaspoon onion powder

1/2 Teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 Teaspoon paprika

1/4 Teaspoon white pepper

1 Slice bread

1 Pound boneless skinless chicken breast, chopped

1 Tablespoon cooking oil, for baking tray

1 - 2 Tablespoons cooking oil, to grill

6 Slices Swiss cheese, to melt on cooked patties

 

RUSSIAN DRESSING:

1/2 Cup mayonnaise

1/4 Cup Ketchup

1/2 Teaspoon Righteous Seasoning

 

GARLIC BOLILLOS:

3 Bolillos, sliced in half lengthwise

3 Tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 Teaspoon Righteous Seasoning

1/2 Teaspoon garlic powder

 

CARAMELIZED ONIONS:

1 Large white onion, quarter, sliced

2 Tablespoons cooking oil

1/2 Teaspoon Righteous Seasoning

Water to deglaze

 

BUTTERED MUSHROOMS:

12 Ounces button mushrooms, sliced

1 Tablespoon cooking oil

1 Tablespoon butter

1/2 Teaspoon Righteous Seasoning

 

TO PREPARE CHICKEN PATTIES:

Mix egg yolk and spices, in a small bowl. Set aside. Tear bread, and put in food processor. Process to make crumbs. Remove lid, of food processor, and add chicken, and egg yolk mixture. Process until all ingredients are combined. Empty food processor onto an oiled baking tray. Divide chicken mixture into 3 equal portions. Form into patties, the shape of bun. Refrigerate, until ready to cook.

 

TO PREPARE RUSSIAN DRESSING:

Stir ingredients in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.

 

TO PREPARE BOLILLOS:

Spread butter on each slice of bread, then sprinkle with seasoning. Heat a large skillet, or griddle to medium high. Coat with cooking oil. Place bread, buttered side down, onto griddle. Cook to golden brown. Set aside.

 

TO PREPARE CARAMELIZED ONIONS:

Heat a large skillet, or griddle to medium high. Coat with cooking oil. Sauté onions, to soften. Season. Reduce heat to medium low. Stir occasionally. Add 1-2 tablespoons water, to prevent sticking, if needed; or to deglaze skillet. Cook until onions have turned an amber color, approximately 45 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Then begin mushrooms.

 

TO PREPARE BUTTERED MUSHROOMS:

Mushrooms and chicken patties can be cooked at the same time. Heat two large skillets, or a griddle to medium high. Coat with cooking oil. Sauté to soften. Add butter and seasoning. Continue cooking until golden brown.

 

TO COOK CHICKEN PATTIES:

Heat two large skillets, or a griddle to medium high. Coat with cooking oil. Place chicken patties on one half of the griddle, while mushrooms are sautéing on the other half. Let chicken patties cook for 3 - 4 minutes before flipping. Use a spatula, to check if the patty has browned, before flipping. Once both sides of patty have browned, top each patty with 2 slices Swiss cheese. Turn off griddle, then unplug. Let cheese melt.

 

TO ASSEMBLE:

On a plate, in this order:  bottom bun, Russian Dressing, chicken patty, top bun. Makes 3 Mushroom Chicken Burgers.