Welcome to the first installment of my Kitchen Unlimited blog!
As many of you know, Kitchen Unlimited with Carolyn is one of QVC's newest and most fun kitchen shows, airing every Tuesday morning at 10 a.m. ET. You'll also find the show here and there in additional timeslots on the schedule...like Cooking on Q Day on March 27 when we'll have a special 3-hour edition of the show from 9 p.m. – Midnight ET with all special offers!
In my house, we spend lots of time in the kitchen and it's where we catch up on the day while we have fun with cooking, baking, and kitchen décor. I'm no gourmet chef. In fact, I'm a beginner, learning along the way like many of you, so I like to keep things easy and uncomplicated. I'm also a very busy person, just like many of you, so you'll find lots of time-saving ideas on Kitchen Unlimited, too!
I'm a proud pet mama, so the show (and my blog) will include ideas for making some homemade treats for your pets from time to time. I'll share some of my favorite recipes here, on the show, and on my recipe page on qvc.com. I promise to keep them easy and delicious…some for you and some for your pets! Also, check out the Kitchen Unlimited page on qvc.com for great products from recent shows that you may have missed and some of my all-time favorite kitchen items! Meanwhile, since spring is upon us for my first blog entry, I thought I'd include a couple of my favorite spring brunch recipes here for you. Don't forget, you can prepare and serve these in something new and beautiful that's debuting on March 27 at Midnight ET and kicking off Cooking on Q Day at QVC!
Enjoy and happy munching!
Carolyn
Apple Cinnamon French Toast
(courtesy of my mom, Margie Gracie)
I like this recipe because you prepare it ahead of time, which allows you more time to relax on the morning of your breakfast or brunch.
Ingredients:
1 loaf (8 oz.) French bread
6 eggs
1-1/2 cups milk (whole, 2%, or skim)
8 Tbsp. sugar, divided
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt
1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
4 Granny Smith apples
2 Tbsp. butter
Maple syrup (your favorite brand)
Directions:
The day/night before:
Spray a 9" x 13" baking dish with vegetable oil or nonstick cooking spray. Cut bread into 1-inch thick slices (you should get 10 – 16 slices). Arrange closely, in a single layer, in a baking dish.
Beat eggs and milk with 3 Tbsp. of the sugar, vanilla, and salt. Pour the mixture over the bread.
Combine the remaining 5 Tbsp. of sugar with the cinnamon in a small bowl. Peel, core, and slice the apples. Cut the apples into rings, placing the apple rings on top of the bread. Sprinkle with the cinnamon mixture, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
The next morning:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut the butter into small pieces and arrange over the apples. Bake, uncovered, for 30 – 35 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with maple syrup.
Sunny Smoothies
Smoothies are easy, cool, and delicious, and you can put just about any type of fruit you like in them. Here's one that I like a lot…but feel free to improvise!
Ingredients:
1 cup washed and chopped strawberries (hulls and stems removed)
1 large ripe banana, peeled and sliced
1 cup plain yogurt (low-fat or non-fat)
1 cup chopped fresh peach
1/2 cup raspberries and/or blueberries
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice or pineapple juice
2 or 3 ice cubes
Directions:
Put all ingredients in the blender and process on high speed until smooth (less than a minute). I usually pulse the blender mixture a few times before turning it on high. You can add granola or protein powder to the mixture and have it as your total breakfast on the go! Try adding different fruits, fruit juices, skim milk, or yogurt flavors...even sorbet...until it's exactly the way you like!
Egg Salad and Salmon Half-wiches
If your family doesn't prefer salmon, you can serve with just the egg salad…or try a slice of ham or tomato instead of the salmon.
Ingredients:
A dozen extra-large eggs, hardboiled
1/3 cup mayonnaise (REAL mayonnaise works best)
2 tsp. brown, dijon, or whole-grain mustard
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
1 Tbsp. dill (fresh minced dill is best, but you can use the spice rack kind as well)
8 slices of smoked salmon
8 slices of sandwich thins (I prefer the multi-grain variety)
Directions:
Peel the hardboiled eggs under running tap water and allow to cool to room temperature. Chop the eggs (by hand or pulse in a food processor briefly, about 10 pulses or so). Put chopped eggs in medium bowl and add the mayonnaise, mustard, salt, pepper, and dill. Combine lightly. Toast the sandwich thins, place a slice of smoked salmon on each piece, and top with the egg salad.
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