The Art Menagerie

The Art Menagerie.com is where I display images captured while pursuing my hobby, photography.  

Banana Walnut Cake

Banana Walnut Cake with a frosting of your choice, buttercream , cream cheese, maybe a glaze, or sprinkle of powdered sugar…

Strawberry Rhubarb Danish

Homemade Strawberry Rhubarb Danish, my first attempt at making from scratch, with a little help from my bread machine.  Who knew it could be so easy!  The machine does all the kneading and rising of the dough for you. I added butter, cream cheese, egg, and a little extra sugar to the basic bread recipe….

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Spinach Quiche

Quiche is good!  Also it is a pretty inexpensive dish to make and you can throw in several different ingredients to suit your own taste. Ingredients I used: Frozen deep dish pie shell 10 ounce package frozen spinach thawed & drained of any liquid (squeezed out) 4 Eggs 1 cup milk (regular, low fat, evaporated…

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Nut Roll

I use my bread machine to mix dough, easier on the hands. Nut Roll Dough 1/2 stick butter softened 1/2 block softened cream cheese (4 ounces/half block) 1/4 cup sugar 1 egg 1/2   cup warm milk 1 teaspoon salt 2 1/2 cups unbleached flour 1 1/4 teaspoons bread machine yeast Cream butter, cream cheese, sugar….

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Banana Bundt Cake

I like making my banana breads/bundt cake with a baking mix, for me they always turn out better… Banana Bundt Cake 1 1/3 cups mashed ripe banana, 2 large 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil 2 2/3 cups baking mix (Bisquick or Jiffy etc…) 1/2  cup…

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Eggplant & Italian Sausage Cacciatore

Cacciatore means “hunter” in Italian. Cacciatore is a meal prepared “hunter-style” with onions, herbs, usually tomatoes, often bell peppers, and sometimes wine. I didn’t add wine, but sounds like a good addition, maybe next time.

Apple Crisp

If you have a few apples that need to be used soon, this is a simple easy recipe to use those apples before they spoil.

Calico Chili

There are all kinds of beans out there that can be added to many dishes, different than the usual bean you might add to a favorite recipe.

Corny Hoe Cakes

A pick up, eat with your hand type food. Corn muffins or corn bread are great but these hoe cakes don’t crumble… I like these with a little butter on them and a bowl of chili.

Pumpkin Bread

I decided to make a pumpkin loaf with the remainder of the can of pumpkin I opened to make pumpkin bars the other day…

Oat Flour Pumpkin Bars

It’s not a holiday but I was hungry for something pumpkin, I had a can of pumpkin so I was good to go,,, This is my recipe for oat flour pumpkin bars.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

The recipe I used was on the back of the Christmas kisses candy bag. They really turned out delicious, so basically I’m telling you it is a good recipe for peanut butter blossoms.

Christmas Brunch Mincemeat Cake

Here it is, I used the remaining mincemeat, my second mincemeat recipe.  The end result, a really good coffee type cake, it turned out dense and moist. The orange frosting really compliments the mincemeat flavor…

Mincemeat Cookies

I used None Such mincemeat in the jar for these cookies.  Since there is plenty leftover in the jar after making this recipe, I will be making some mincemeat tarts or maybe even try a new recipe to use up the rest of the mincemeat,  In other words another mincemeat post will be coming soon….

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California Blend Rice Casserole

I changed up my broccoli rice casserole, I thought it would be great with california blend vegetables, instead of just broccoli.

Cranberry Salad

Very easy and a favorite at every holiday table at my house.  This recipe for Cranberry Salad compliments not only the turkey but all of your other side dishes, with a bit of sweet crunch…

Maple Syrup Sweet Potatoes

This is really an easy recipe! And it is really good, I will be adding to my regular recipe rotation & making these Maple Syrup Sweet Potatoes with granola crumbled on top again…

Almond Flour Zucchini Walnut Cake

Almond Flour Zucchini Walnut Cake 1 & 1/2 cups almond flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon all spice 1 cup shredded zucchini 2 eggs, slightly beaten 1/3 cup maple syrup 1/4 cup vegetable type oil 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (save a few to garnish top…

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Applesauce Banana Bread

Applesauce Banana Bread 2 cups bisquick gluten free mix 1 cup  applesauce 1 medium banana mashed 1/2 cup sugar 1/3 cup vegetable oil 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 eggs In large bowl, mix all ingredients together beat with electric mixer on low-medium for about 1 minute . Pour batter into prepared 9×5 loaf pan or…

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Almond Flour Pancakes

Almond Flour Pancakes 1 cup almond flour 2 eggs 1/4 cup milk 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 tablespoons maple syrup Whisk all ingredients together Pour about a quarter cup of batter (per pancake) into heated frying pan or griddle, use a little oil in pan if needed Flip when…

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Black Bean & Chicken Taco Filling

A really tasty dish, this is how it looked for me with the ingredients I had.  I can think of many other ingredients you can add if they were in the fridge.  Avocado, sour cream, salsa, lettuce, etc… Black Bean & Chicken Taco Filling 1 pound lean ground chicken 1 package low sodium taco season…

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Pumpkin Spice Cake

If you like pumpkin, you will love this cake, it is moist and delicious.  And it looks pretty on your Thanksgiving holiday goody table, with your pies, brownies, and cheesecake etc… 😉  The pumpkin on top of the cake, I used to decorate, is actually a frosted cookie.   Pumpkin Spice Cake = Easy semi-homemade cake!…

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Cinnamon Crunch Oat Flour Cake

This cake reminds me of the cinnamon crunch bagels you can buy at Panera Bread, or the taste of those old fashion cookies, snickerdoodles… Cinnamon Crunch Oat Flour Coffee Cake 1 & 1/4 cup oat flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon allspice 1/4 cup sugar 2 eggs 1…

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Pumpkin Pie-Cake

It’s not Thanksgiving, but I was in the mood for Pumpkin Pie.  I didn’t have all the required ingredients, but I had a pumpkin spice muffin mix in the cupboard.  I thought hmm… At first I was just going to make a dump cake with the mix, but I wanted pie! I had a couple…

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Yellow Squash & Egg Bake

This recipe reminds me of squash casserole,  It is modified to use eggs and with the cracker crumbs it will remind you of a frittata/quiche.  I will be making this recipe again and putting it in my meal rotation.  Serve it for breakfast, lunch, brunch, dinner or a midnight snack. Just remember to pick up…

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Black Bean & Sausage Soup

Slow cookers, crock pots make the best soups!  Just throw in a bunch of ingredients turn crock pot on high for about 4 hours.  This soup is now one of my favorites, it is very tasty and the breakfast sausage spices do not over power the other ingredients, they compliment them. I usually add a…

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Apple Oat Flour Cake

Apple cake made with oat flour…  Easy to grind your own oats in the processor and less expensive.  I threw in about a fourth of a cup of raisins this time, sounded good to me.  Also chopped walnuts would be a good stir in too. I frosted the Apple Cake with a little buttercream frosting….

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Fudgy Oat Flour Cake

Believe it or not… This cake has prunes in it and you wouldn’t know it by taste.   I am thinking the prune butter helps give this cake a fudgy texture.  I love prune butter in foldover cookies, on toast etc…  You basically can use it like apple butter and it is very easy to make,…

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Oat Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

You can grind your own oat flour, it is cheap and easy.  Just put oats in processor and buzz away to a fine flour.  I use a magic bullet, I have had for years.  Easy to clean too.  They are still available to purchase and less expensive then they were over ten years ago.  …

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Orange Bbq Glazed Chicken

This thrown together recipe really turned out good!  I search online for recipe ideas to cook with ingredients I have in the fridge or pantry.  Needless to say when I find recipes they will be changed to accommodate the ingredients I actually have. I hardly ever shop for special ingredients, I make due what I…

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Zucchini & Meat Sauce

Zucchini is good and it can be used in a lot of different recipes, even in baking muffins and bread.   This dish is very simple, quick and easy.  You can add other ingredients you have in your pantry or refrigerator to suit your taste; ground beef, ground turkey, mushrooms, onions, green pepper, etc… Zucchini…

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Fall & Apples

Fall, my favorite time of the year…  The cooler crisp air sneaks right in on you, even in Florida, and it’s a welcome relief from the hot humid summer.  Fresh apples are one of the best things I love, puts me in mood for baking my recipes with apples and don’t forget caramel apples and…

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Chocolate Oat Flour Brownies

These brownies turned out really good and dense.  I like that they don’t have much sugar in them and I am pretty sure the oil can be cut down a bit.  I didn’t frost mine, but if you like something sweeter the frosting would hit the spot.   Depends on your mood. Chocolate Oat Flour…

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Oat Flour Pancakes

Something new for me grinding up quick oats into flour…  A great easy alternative to using regular wheat and white flour. Why use oat flour, because it’s very easy to make at home and less expensive than store bought oat, almond, rice etc… flours. I like my pancakes with blackberries (I keep some in the…

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Spinach & Green Onion Quiche

This quiche is definitely not low calorie…  I usually make most of my quiche’s with soy, almond or lower fat milks, this one is made with a can of table cream.  I had the cream in the pantry, I have been wanting to try this cream in a quiche for awhile.  I’m happy I tried…

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