The Allure of Cinnamon - Great Foods You Can Make with This Popular Spice

Nothing is more pleasant than the tantalizing smell of freshly baked cinnamon rolls, wafting through the house on a cool day. Adding cinnamon to apples is the most popular use when cooking, but it is used in pork and poultry recipes, and superb with chocolate. Adding half a teaspoon or stick of cinnamon, to hot chocolate or a cup of tea in the morning will make both these beverages more flavorful. Cinnamon toast is a yummy snack for many of us.

Cinnamon and its enticing aroma have been around for centuries. The specific origins of this spice go back to Egypt. Egyptians imported this spice from China. They would use cinnamon as one of the preservatives to embalm the deceased, as a herbal medicine, and, of course, to add zest to their cooking.

Cinnamon originally comes from the barks of evergreen trees located in Sri Lanka. Two different varieties of cinnamons exist: Ceylon is the fragrant spiral stick we use to spice our beverages, and Cassia is the ground spice we bake with. Cinnamon was one of the major spices in demand when international trade started. It's not surprising to know that it is also the most common spice used in the United States.

The medicinal qualities of this respected spice are numerous. It helps with digestion, lowers cholesterol, helps promote circulation, and helps limit the amount of insulin needed for people with Diabetes II. It can be used as an astringent, antibacterial or anti-fungal. Antiseptically it is used for brushing teeth, to prevent gum disease and overall mouth hygiene. The spiral cinnamon sticks can be used to aid when quitting smoking. When used for physical ailments capsules are available or ground cinnamon is added to a liquid. An oil is also available. The oil is used for aromatherapy and not be taken orally or used on our bodies. Before using any herbal medicine, make sure to check with a licensed professional.

When used for aromatherapy, with candles or incense, cinnamon helps the mind focus, and is an aphrodisiac for men. It livens up the mood. To add a delicate scent to your home, put ground cinnamon in a decorative bowl and set out in your living room or kitchen. You can also make little sachets of cinnamon to put in drawers, or cabinets for added smell. When using the oil, a drip can be added on top of light bulbs for our lamps, for a fabulous aroma throughout the home.

The flavor of cinnamon at it's best is in the recipes below.

Simple Cinnamon Indian Bread

You will find this to be a perfect snack on a cold day.

Ingredients:

2 loaves frozen bread dough

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon (or more depending on taste preference)

1 cup butter

Allow frozen bread dough to rise. Usually this can be done overnight or taken out early morning and allowed to rise during the day for a dessert later on in the day. You can time this according to when you would like to serve this appetizing snack or dessert. In a Parmesan cheese glass container, or any other shaker available, add sugar and cinnamon and blend well. If a container is not available, a coffee cup or small bowl will work well also. A large skillet is best utilized for this recipe, but any large pan will suffice. Turn stove to medium heat. Add a good dollop of butter from cup with a spatula and swirl around pan to cover entire bottom surface. Take a tennis ball sized portion of dough and flatten with your hands. 4-5 portions are suitable from each bread dough. 3 portions should fit into pan, but if not, cook as many as possible. Fry each side for about 3 minutes or until bread is golden brown. Remove from skillet. Put on platter. Use sugar/cinnamon mixture and sprinkle liberally onto each. Repeat procedure until all of the Indian bread is fried. Serves 8-10 hungry people.

Celestial Pork Salad

Try this new recipe for a fall salad, it is heavenly.

Ingredients:

2 heads Iceburg lettuce

1 1/2 pound pork, cut into strips

1 can of pineapple rings (1/4 cup of pineapple juice will be used from can)

10 fresh mushrooms, rinsed and sliced

1 green pepper, rinsed, deseeded, and diced

1/2 medium white onion, peeled, rinsed, and diced

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup sesame seeds, divided

2 tbsp. sesame oil

1 tsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

De-core lettuce and soak in ice water for 30 minutes. Chop lettuce and set in colander to allow draining. In small mixing bowl, add soy sauce, ginger, cinnamon, and vegetable oil. Mix well and set aside. In medium sized pan, add sesame oil. Put on medium heat. Add pork, and season meat with black pepper, and salt. Cook about 3 minutes. Add 1/4-cup pineapple juice, mushrooms, onion, and green pepper and continue cooking. Stir often. When pork and vegetables are done (about 4-5 more minutes) remove from heat. In large mixing bowl, add lettuce and dressing that was set aside. Mix well. Divide lettuce into two large salad bowls. Divide cooked pork mixture on top of each bowl. Now add pineapple rings. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Serves 2 people.

Low Fat Apple Cinnamon Muffins

After trying these muffins you won't believe they are low in fat.

1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 lg. egg whites
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup orange concentrate
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 pinch salt
1 1/2 cup apples, peeled and chopped finely

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine egg whites, buttermilk, orange juice concentrate, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the liquid mixture to dry ingredients; blend until mixture is moistened. Spray non-stick-cooking spray onto muffin pan. Spoon out mixture into muffin pans until cup in pan is 3/4 full. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow cooling. This recipe serves 12 muffins.

Sources:http://www.herbalextractsplus.com/cinnamon.cfm?gclid=CKzvw_aQ4o0CFSABYAodbhmbrQ

http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Cinn_zey.html

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/cinnamon-power-12-home-uses.html