Makin' & Bakin' Mondays

Here's a few favorite recipes I tried this week. Monkey Bread & Falafel Pita Sandwiches!

MONKEY BREAD - have you ever heard of this? It is ooey gooey deliciousness. Kind of like a big delicious cinnamon roll - in a bundt pan! I had only heard of it when I married my husband and it's apparently a Christmas tradition for his Aunt to make it on Christmas morning for her family.
This Friday we had going away/birthday party to go to. We all were asked to bring a dish. When I asked my friend what a few of her husband's (the birthday boy's) favorite dishes were, among the top for desserts were Monkey Bread. Um .... an excuse to make Monkey Bread!? Yes please!!! Without further ado, here's the recipe!


*Photo credited here.

Ingredients:
3 cans (10 oz) Pillsbury refrigerated Grands biscuits
1 cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 margarine (I used a little more than 1/2 cup)
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons water
1/2 cup walnuts or 1/2 cup pecans (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place 1/2 the nuts onto the bottom of a greased bundt pan (9-10").
2. Pour sugar and cinnamon in a plastic bag. Cut the biscuits into quarters and shake 6-8 pieces in the sugar cinnamon mix. Arrange pieces in the bottom of the prepared plan. Combine until all biscuits are coated and place in pan, arranging the rest of the nuts among the biscuit pieces as you go.
3. In a small saucepan, melt the margarine and brown sugar over medium heat, adding the water as needed. Boil for 1 minute then pour over the biscuits.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes. To make sure it is done, pull a piece from the inside and see if it is cooked enough. Put back in for another 10 minutes if it is too "doughy".
5. Let bread cool in pan for about 10 minutes, then turn out onto a plate. no need to cut. The bread simply pulls apart.

*** Make sure you pay attention to what size can of biscuits you buy. You don't want to fill your bundt pan much higher than 1/2 way since the biscuit pieces will rise. You may want to put a cookie sheet under the bundt pan just in case anything flows over.



When we were in Greece, we had the BEST falafel pita sandwiches. And it was one thing I said I wanted to try and make when I got home. So this week I did.


*Photo credited here.


Falafel Pita Sandwiches

Homemade tzatziki sauce
Ingredients:
Plain greek yogurt
1 cup finely diced cucumber
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. dried mint

Directions: Stir all ingredients together until well blended. Let sit while cooking the falafels. Keep refrigerated.

Ingredients for the Falafel Patties:
1 15oz. can garbanzo (chick peas) beans
1/2 chopped onion
1 T dried parsley
2 minced garlic cloves
1 egg
1 t kosher salt
1/4 t black pepper
2 t ground cumin
1 t ground coriander
1/4 t cayenne pepper
juice from 1 lemon
1/2 to 3/4 cup bread crumbs
2 T olive oil
1 package of pitas

Possible Toppings:
tzatziki sauce (see recipe), lettuce, spinach leaves, sliced tomatoes, grape tomatoes, feta cheese ...

1. Drain garbanzo beans. Pour into a mixing bowl and smash with a fork. Set aside.
2. Blend the onion, garlic, egg, lemon juice and spices together in a separate bowl.
3. Pour the mixture over the beans and use your fork to mix together.
4. Add the breadcrumbs slowly until the mixture has reached a consistency that will roll nicely into balls.
5. Roll the mixture into golf-ball sized balls, and flatten them slightly with a fork or your hands. Set aside.

6. Let the olive oil heat in a frying pan over medium-high heat.
7. When the pan is hot, place the falafel patties in the pan (do not squish them in) and allow them to cook 4-5 minutes on each side, or until nicely browned.

8. Cook the entire batch of falafel patties this way.
9. Warm the pitas in frying pan. Cut in half. Put lettuce/spinach inside, followed by 2 falafel patties and top with tzatziki and sliced tomatoes.