Vanilla Donuts...sort of

So...today's task on Cornwall Church's advent calendar is: "Make a donut run!"  But I knew I had a doughnut recipe I wanted to try. Or try modified: the original recipe calls for soy milk; I have none (and don't want any!). I also don't have a doughnut pan, and don't have any intention to buy one unless I find a fabulous recipe, and discover a good reason to for making them more often. (...which I really don't foresee!) These are...okay. Not too densely cakey (especially when still warm!), even though they're baked; and they're a quick bread style, using baking powder. I want to find a good yeast recipe. But for now...

Ingredients
½ C plus 2 T butter, softened
1 C sugar
2 eggs
½ t vanilla
3 C flour
1½ T baking powder
½ t salt
1 C milk (soymilk if you want to go that way...)


Directions
Preheat oven 350°. Lighlty coat doughnut pans (or mini muffin tins!) with non-stick cooking spray.

Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add in dry ingredients and milk a little at a time, alternately.

Fill pans 2/3 full. Bake 12-15 minutes, until just beginningto brown at the edges. Remove to wire racks to cool.

For sugared doughnuts, dip in melted butter and then in sugar (or sugar cinnamon, etc.). Or frost with thin glaze of powdered sugar and water. If desired, add sprinkles.

Tarte aux Moutarde & Tomate -- Tomato & Mustard Tart

I made a recipe and half, to fit a larger rectangular pan, but I've kept the recipe in it's original amounts for a 9" tart.

Ingredients
1 pastry crust for 9" pie shell
½ C Dijon or grainy brown mustard
2-3 medium to large tomatoes, thinly sliced
6-8 ounces swiss cheese, shredded
1-2 T olive oil
2 T herbes de Provence

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F.

Gently press pastry crust into 9" pie pan. Dock with a fork. Spread mustard over bottom of pastry crust. Top with shredded cheese; sprinkle with 1 T herbes de Provence. Arrange tomato slices in an overlapping spiral (or rows, if -- like me -- you choose to use a rectangular pan!). Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with remaining 1 T herbes.

Bake 20-30 minutes, until crust browns and tomato edges are starting to brown.