Me likey food!

Crusty Baguettes

2012-01-05T20:31:00.000-04:00

I've neglected to share the recipe for these great baguettes, but we have been loving them all winter. Whoever thought that fresh homemade bread could be so fast!

2 cups very warm water
1 packet yeast (that's 2 1/4 tsp, if you buy it at Bulk Barn like me)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
3-4 cups flour

Combine warm water, yeast, and sugar. Allow 10 minutes to react. Combine the flour and salt. After 10 the minutes has passed, pour the yeast mixture into your stand mixer (or a big bowl, if you plan to do it all by hand) Mix/stir in the flour a half-cup at a time, until the dough becomes soft but not sticky. Knead until elastic.

Cut into four even pieces. Roll each in to a long, thin rope. Twist two ropes together to form each loaf. Transfer both loaves onto a large baking sheet with Silpat/parchment paper.

Allow to rise for 15-30 minutes on top of your oven as it preheats to 425'. Put a large baking dish on the lower rack of your oven (You'll see why in a minute!)

Once the oven is heated and the dough has been left to rise, fill bowl with 3-4 cups of ice. Open the hot oven and place the baking sheet with the baguettes on the top rack, then toss the ice cubes in to the dish bottom rack, and quickly shut the door. Do NOT open your oven for 15 minutes. Bake until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.

Reindeer Cake Pops

2011-12-24T20:16:00.000-04:00

Oh, Bakerella! You fool me into trying your projects, which never turn out near as cute as yours!

Even if they aren't as cute as Bakerella's, they were yummy and the kids had fun making them, eating them, and giving them to their friends for Christmas.

Never made cake pops? They are so easy, and the options are endless! (These ones are made with chocolate cake and chocolate icing) Remember the cake cones I made for a birthday party? Same idea. Look around on Bakerella for some inspiration! (My boys would flip for these ones!)

Peppermint Bark Popcorn

2011-12-22T20:08:00.025-04:00

I took a picture of this delicious treat, but I can't find it...and it hasn't lasted around here long enough to take a second one! This might not sound like much, but this popcorn is SO good and SO addictive. I made several batches over Christmas to give to our neighbours and take to parties as hostess gifts, not to mention some for my own family's hand-over-fist consumption.

I originally saw this recipe last year and didn't get around to making it until now, but it will definitely make an appearance again next year!

8 C air-popped popcorn
8 oz white chocolate
6 candy canes, crushed (yields about 1/2 cup)
1 tsp peppermint extract
3/4 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

**I just pop my popcorn in the microwave in a paper bag. Just put 1/4 C kernels in a regular paper bag, fold over the top a couple of times, and cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Two bags like that yields the 8 cups needed for the recipe. I've tried to do a 1/2 cup of kernels for longer time, but always end up with some burned and some unpopped.**

Put popcorn in a very large mixing bowl. Chop the white chocolate coarsely, and melt according to package instructions. When completely melted, add extract. Stir very quickly (it will likely get a little lumpy, so act fast) and pour over popcorn. Sprinkle crushed candy canes on top, and stir to evenly coat. Spread popcorn onto waxed paper.

Place chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and heat in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. Drizzle over popcorn mixture. Let mixture dry completely until all chocolate is hardened. (refridgerating can speed this process, if you like.) When chocolate is hardened, break popcorn into chunks.

Photo from original source of recipe, Our Best Bites

Cookies and Cream Cake

2011-12-15T19:43:00.001-04:00

I found this recipe when looking for an idea for my brother's birthday cake, and I knew he'd love it! It is one of those super easy recipes that seems decadent and indulgent, but only takes a few minutes.

I did the glaze recommended in the original Kraft recipe, but I was really disappointed with it. A simple ganache would have looked and tasted far better, so I am including that change here for you.

1 8" prepared cake (Devil's food cake mix baked according to directions, or your favourite homemade chocolate cake)

1 pkg cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 C whipped dessert topping (like Cool Whip), thawed

12 sandwich cookies (like Oreo), coarsely chopped

1.5 squares unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/4 C semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 C whipping cream

Beat cream cheese and sugar until well blended. Gently stir in whipped topping, and fold in chopped cookies. Place one cake layer, top-side down, on serving plate. Spread evenly with cream cheese mixture. Cover with remaining cake layer, top-side up.

In a small pot, bring cream just barely to a boil. Remove from heat, and pour over chocolate. Stir continuously until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Chill for 15 minutes before pouring over cake, working from the centre, and spreading to drip over the sides of chilled cake. Store in fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving to to set.

Cottage Cheese Pasta Sauce

2011-12-08T10:35:00.002-04:00

I came across this recipe, and while it sounded a little bland at first, it also seemed like a great way to get some protein into my picky eater. It actually ended up being a hit with the whole family!

Your choice of pasta
1 cup cottage cheese
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup (lightly packed) Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tsp lemon juice

Cook the pasta, and reserve a 1/4 of cooking water before straining. While pasta is cooking, combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Place reserved water in a pot, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat until reduced by almost half. Whisk in the cottage cheese mixture. Reduce heat, and stir until the cottage cheese is smooth and the cheese is melted. Add lemon juice to cheese sauce before serving with pasta.

I've served this tossed with spaghetti (as the original recipe states), and I've used it as a sauce for a baked mac and cheese. We often like to toss steamed broccoli with either (because that's Mr Picky's favourite vegetable). Both get quickly gobbled up by my wee ones!

I Finally Made a Bird!

2011-11-15T21:35:00.003-04:00

I have taken some teasing from friends and family for my anxiety around cooking a chicken or a turkey. I decided to face my fear, and bought a chicken. Then I spent far too much time agonizing over it, flipping through cookbooks, and googling recipes, until I settled on this one. Jamie Oliver, I love you.

1 chicken
2 onions
2 carrots

2 ribs of celery
1 bulb of garlic
olive oil

salt and pepper
1 lemon
a small bunch of fresh rosemary

Before you begin, take your chicken out of the fridge and let it rest at room temperature while you preheat the oven to 475'.

Chop the vegetables (washed, but unpeeled). Break the garlic bulb into cloves, leaving them unpeeled. Pile all the vegetabled & garlic into the middle of a large roaster and drizzle with olive oil.

Prick the lemon all over with a knife, and put it inside the cavity along with the rosemary. Drizzle olive oil on the chicken, and rub with salt and pepper. Place chicken on top of mound of vegetables. Place in the oven (preheated to 475'), and immediately lower the temperature to 400'. Cook for about an hour & 20 minutes, depending on the size of the bird (use a meat thermometer). Allow to rest 15 minutes before carving.

Not a great photo, but I have pride for it like a face only a mother could love. :)

Tortillas

2011-10-25T08:05:00.001-03:00

We eat a lot of tortillas around here. The kids love roll up sandwiches, my husband loves wraps in his lunch and quesedillas as an evening snack, and you've seen all my posts about fajitas, enchiladas, and chimichangas. For the first time in a long time, we needed tortillas this week and they weren't on sale. The best regular priced deal in the store was $3.19 for a package of 10. It made me cringe to pay over $3 for just the starch of a meal, so I started googling. One of my first google hits was this recipe, which made it look so simple that I couldn't resist.

I buy a 10 kg bag of flour for around $10, and it contains about 80 cups of flour...so we'll call it $0.13 a cup. A box of vegetable shortening is around $2 and contains 2 1/3 cups...so we'll call it $0.42 for 1/2 C. Water is free, and I'm not so cheap as to do the math on 1 tsp of salt. So we're talking less than $0.60 for 8 hot fresh tortillas?

2 cups flour
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
3/4 cup warm water
1 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in the mixer until smooth, then turn on to your work surface and knead for about one minute. Divide the dough into eight portions, and form rounded balls.

Heat a frying pan over medium. Sprinkle some flour on your work surface, and roll out each ball of dough into a thin flat circle (about 6 inches in diameter). Place the dough onto the frying pan (I felt like I was almost tossing it). No need to use oil or greasing the pan - they won't stick. When you see bubbles popping up all over the top of the tortilla, it is done...it does not need to be cooked on both sides since it is so thin. Remove it from the pan and wrap it in a clean dishcloth while you cook the remaining tortillas.

There was a learning curve. Some were odd shapes...

And some were too thick...

But eventually I got them round and thin

A cast iron pan is supposed to be ideal for making tortillas. Yet another reason why it's on my "kitchen wants" list (along with a food scale and dutch oven, in case you are curious)!

Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

2011-10-20T21:25:00.000-03:00

Another recipe found via Pinterest! These potatoes were crispy and yummy, albeit a bit salty. I'd leave out the teaspoon of salt next time, since the mixed seasoning would contain some anyway.

3 russet potatoes, scrubbed but unpeeled

3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning (I used Epicure's Classic Vinaigrette seasoning)
1 tsp salt (Again, I'd leave this out next time)
4 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

Slice potatoes into 1/4 inch disks. Toss potatoes with olive oil and seasoning to coat. Place in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 450` for 15 -20 minutes, or until lightly brown. Top with Parmesan cheese, and bake an additional 5 minutes.

Carrot Lentil Soup

2011-10-10T08:05:00.001-03:00

I bookmarked this soup ages ago, but finally tried it this week. Super fast and easy to make, very healthy, and extremely inexpensive. It passed my "Healthy, Cheap, and Easy" test with flying colours! Did I mention that my kids loved it? This will be a staple for us this winter!

1Tbsp oil
3 carrots, sliced
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp minced ginger

1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
3/4 C red lentils  

1/2 C plain low-fat yogurt (for garnish)

In large pot over medium heat, heat oil and cook carrots, onions, garlic, ginger, cumin, salt and pepper, until the until onions are softened. Stir in stock and lentils. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and cover. Simmer until carrots and lentils are tender (about 15 to 20 minutes). Remove from heat and, using an immersion blender, puree until smooth. Return to heat to warm if necessary. Serve each bowl with a dollop of plain yogurt.

Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins

2011-10-04T08:05:00.000-03:00

My mom raved to me about some cranberry pumpkin muffins she had at work. We love anything pumpkin around here, so I was eager to try combining it with cranberry. A quick google search led me to this recipe, which I settled on because I thought molasses sounded like a yummy addition. We love them, and have made them several times already!

2 C flour
1/2 C brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 C pumpkin puree
1/2 C oil
1/4 C milk
1/4 C molasses
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 C fresh or frozen cranberries, coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp (+/-) coarse sugar

Combine flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Combine remaining ingredients in a separate mixing bowl. Add wet ingredients to dry, mixing just until incorporated. Fold in cranberries. Fill muffin cups 12 muffin cups about 2/3-full with batter. Sprinkle tops with coarse sugar. Bake at 350° oven for 25 to 30 minutes.

The Best French Toast Ever

2011-09-29T21:26:00.004-03:00

This recipe is from my cousin Martha, and I think she originally got it from America's Test Kitchen/Cook's Illustrated. When we were together overnight and decided to make French toast for our families for breakfast, I was surprised when she got out a recipe. I have always just cracked a few eggs, poured in some milk, a little vanilla, and called it a day. Once I took one bite of her French toast, though, I knew I'd never make it my old way again!

2 eggs
4 Tblsp butter, melted
1 1/2 C milk
4 tsp vanilla
4 Tblsp sugar
2/3 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 loaf of day old French bread, sliced

Beat eggs in a pie plate; whisk in the melted butter, milk, and vanilla. Once incorporated, whisk in the sugar, flour, and salt until smooth. Soak the bread (original recipe suggest 40 seconds per side, but I always found that to be WAY too long). Allow access to drop off the bread.

Place soak bread to a hot pan that has been preheated on medium-high heat. Cook until golden brown, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on the first side and 1 minute on the second side. Serve immediately.

Smore Cookies

2011-08-25T22:10:00.002-03:00

I found this cookie recipe, and pretty much started drooling on the spot. I made them for two different events in about a week's time, and had several requests for the recipe. Here goes!

3/4 C butter
1/2 C white sugar
1/2 C brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 C flour
1 C coarsely crushed graham cracker (original recipe calls for crumbs, but I liked biting into chunks of graham)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 C chocolate chips
1 cup (+/-) mini marshmallows
2-3 Hershey bars, broken into squares

Beat butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in egg and vanilla. Add flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking soda and salt. Mix well. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop dough by spoonful onto greased cookie sheets about 3 inches apart.

Bake @ 375` for 8 minutes. Remove and quickly press marshmallows and Hershey squares into cookies. Return to oven for an additional 4 minutes.

I crushed the graham crackers by hand so I could control how large/small the pieces were

Yum! All the deliciousness of a Smore, but great for a rainy day :)

Oatmeal Fudge Bars

2011-08-20T21:58:00.020-03:00

Now these are addictive! This recipe is supposedly a knock-off of Starbucks' oatmeal fudge bars.I haven't had the originals to know how authentic these are, but I can attest to how delicious they are! Simple to make, but they taste so decadent!

1 C butter (divided)

2 C brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla (divided)
3 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
3 C rolled oats
1 1/4 C sweetened condensed milk
2 C chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Set aside 2 tablespoons of the butter. Beat the remaining butter with mixer. Add brown sugar and beat until well mixed. Beat in eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla. In another large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and oats. Gradually stir flour mixture into butter mixture. Set aside.

In a small pot, combine the reserved butter (2 Tblsp), sweetened condensed milk, and chocolate . Cook over low heat until chocolate melts, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining (1 tsp) vanilla.

Press three quarters of the oat mixture into the bottom of an 9X13 pan. Spread chocolate mixture over the oat mixture. Using your hands, dot the remaining oat mixture over the chocolate.

Bake for about 25 minutes or until top is lightly browned (chocolate mixture will still look moist). Cool on a wire rack.

*Little note on the baking dish: The original recipe called for a strange size pan that I don't have (10X15, I think) so I just used a 9X13. I found the bottom oat mixture to be a bit thick, so I may try dividing this recipe into too smaller pans next time.

Asian Coleslaw

2011-08-18T08:13:00.002-03:00

I quickly copied this recipe from a book my friend had at our neighbourhood yard sale this spring. Unfortunately, I failed to note the book it was from. If you know the source, feel free to comment and I'll give credit where it is due! We have enjoyed this colourful slaw with a variety of veggies this summer, but it would be a great vinaigrette on mixed greens too.

1/2 C vegetable oil

1/4 C rice vinegar

1 Tblsp soya sauce

1 1/2 tsp brown sugar

1 clove garlic, minced

1 t sesame oil

Combine all ingredients and mix well.

Serve with any combination of the following (or use your imagination):

Cabbage

Bok choy

Green Onions

Snow Peas

Bean Sprouts

Zucchini

Dried Cranberries

Slivered Almonds

Cinnamon Sugar "Timbits"

2011-08-10T08:16:00.002-03:00

This is the first recipe that I've made having found on pinterest, though I have oodles saved. It's originally from Taste of Home, and I've had some luck with their recipes before so I didn't hesitate to try it.

Remember when I posted the chocolate "timbit" recipe that my kids went ape for? Add this to the same category! I will have to remember to pick up a box from Tim Hortons to see if I can fool my kids if I make a variety of these - and maybe even fool my husband too.

1 1/3 cups flour

1 cup Rice Krispies, coarsely crushed
2 Tblsp sugar

3 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter-flavored shortening
1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup butter, melted

Mix flour, crushed cereal, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in shortening until it looks like coarse crumbs. (I did this with two forks, but I'm thinking the food processor would make this really fast next time) Stir in milk until just moistened. Roll dough into 1 inch balls (I think I got 35?). Combine cinnamon and 1/2 cup sugar. Dip balls into melted butter and roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place on a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 425` degrees for 15-18 minutes.

Coconut Curry Shrimp

2011-07-30T21:42:00.025-03:00

I saved this recipe from an issue of Canadian Living a while back. It is one I will save for surprise guests because it was a delicious meal that came together unbelievably quickly. Often times, magazines feature "quick and easy" meals that are anything but (or filled with random pre-made ingredients), but this one is great! With just 5 minutes of marinating and another 5 minutes in the pan, this delicious shrimp recipe can be on the table as fast as a grilled cheese sandwich.

2/3 Cup coconut milk

1 Tblsp fish sauce
1-1/2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp brown sugar, packed
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 lb (454 g) thawed peeled deveined raw/thawed shrimp
1 red pepper, diced
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 Cup cilantro, chopped

In large bowl, combine together coconut milk, fish sauce, curry powder, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Add shrimp, red pepper, green onions and cilantro. Stir until well-coated and let stand for 5 minutes.

In wok or large pan, stir-fry shrimp mixture over medium-high heat until shrimp are pink, about 5-6 minutes.

Kale and Sweet Potato Tortilla Pie

2011-07-25T21:46:00.003-03:00

Remember the kale, sweet potato, and white bean enchiladas I made a while back? I wanted to make them again, but I only had small tortillas. Then I remembered a recipe on my "to try" list for Tortilla Pie from Martha Stewart.Time to improvise!

6 ribs of kale, leaves removed and coarsely chopped
1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1/2 pieces
1 can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed

5-6 green onions, sliced and separated
1 C grated cheese
1/2 tsp garlic
1 tsp cumin

Place the sweet potato in a pot of water, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, put the chopped kale leaves in a steamer basket on top of the pot. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the kale has softened and turned bright green and the sweet potatoes are tender. Drain. Combine sweet potato, kale, beans, and whites of the onion in a large bowl. Stir, mashing the potatoes and beans a little as you go. Stir in 3/4 Cups the cheese, garlic, and cumin.

Place a flour tortilla on a baking sheet and top evenly with veggie mixture. Top with another tortilla, and repeat the layering. Finish with a layer of veggies topped with the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese. Bake at 400` for about 20 minutes, and top with the greens of the onions. Serve with sour cream.

Banana Cupckes with White Chococolate Ganche Frosting

2011-07-20T14:59:00.028-03:00

I saved this recipe from a copy of Today's Parent a while back. I had some baking bananas and didn't feel like making my usual banana recipes, so I pulled this out. The kids were delighted to have cupcakes without a special occasion, and I was really pleased with how well they turned out.

2 Cups all-purpose flour
3/4 Cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 large ripe bananas
1/2 cup butter, softened
½ cup sour cream
2 eggs
1½ tsp vanilla
--------- Icing
6oz white chocolate, chopped
1/4 Cup whipping cream

Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt, and set aside.

Put the bananas, sour cream, eggs and vanilla in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Add butter and continue to purée until smooth and creamy yellow in colour.

Pour banana mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Beat with mixer until the batter is smooth and creamy. Divide into 12 lined cupcake tins. Bake at 350` for 25-30 minutes or until tests done.

To make ganache, heat whipping cream in a microwave at 30 second intervals until boiling. Pour about half of it over the chopped chocolate in another bowl. Stir until the chocolate begins to melt. Add the rest of the cream and stir until mixture is smooth. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes until the mixture cools to room temperature.

Once cupcakes are cool, dip in ganache and allow it to cool and harden.

These rose to have the most perfectly rounded tops. Definitely the prettiest un-iced cupcakes I've seen!

Instead of whipping the ganache into frosting, I dipped my cupcakes in it to have a smooth finish.

TOFUdgicles

2011-07-17T17:59:00.013-03:00

Tofu meets the fudgicle. Magic, courtesy of Weelicious chocolate tofu pudding. These are were a hit with our whole family, and make a deliciously filling protein-rich snack.

1 pkg tofu
1/3 C cocoa
2/3 C sugar
1 Tblsp vanilla

Combine all ingredients in blender or with immersion blender until smooth. Freeze in popsicle molds overnight.

Look at Isaac's eyes - dying for a lick while he waits for me to take the photo...

Banana "Ice Cream"

2011-07-15T14:14:00.001-03:00

Oh yum! Yet another healthy, cheap, and easy recipe...my favourite combination, and my kids are loving this healthy summer treat!

You probably have all the ingredients already for this non-recipe. Bananas? Check!

Chop ripe bananas into 1-inch chunks. Freeze for at least one hour. Place in food processor and process on high, scraping down sides regularly until it forms a beautiful creamy texture. Can be scooped and served immediately, or placed into an air tight container (with plastic wrap pressed tightly to the "ice cream") and stored in the freezer.

(A little tip - use quite ripe bananas. We did it once with bananas that weren't quite ripe enough, and the finished product retained some of that green banana flavour)

Arugula Pesto

2011-07-06T08:15:00.000-03:00

I hate to call this pesto, because it's a little misleading...but that's what Giada called it! In any case, this is a yummy and versatile condiment, but it's definitely not ever going to be mistaken for traditional basil with pesto. Since arugula is more bitter than basil, this spread is a bit more bitter than what you would expect from pesto - but it is full of flavour and we really enjoyed this snack. (And so did a 2 year old who stumbled out of bed just as we were about to eat it)

We enjoyed it on some bread from our produce pack (brushed with a little olive oil), topped with the arugula spread, some sliced grape tomato, and some fresh shaved Parmesan cheese, and baked at 375 for about 10-12 minutes.

2 C arugula
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 C (+/-) olive oil
1/2 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Combine arugula and garlic in the food processor. Scrape down sides often and process until very finely chopped. Add Parmesan cheese and pulse until mixed. Add olive oil gradually until desired consistency is achieved. Season with salt and pepper as desired.

Hummus & grilled vegetable pizza

2011-06-29T08:03:00.000-03:00

I saved this recipe a few weeks ago, and was excited to try it this weekend. It did not disappoint! I will definitely be making grilled vegetable pizza again, and look forward to trying hummus as a sauce on a pizza with chicken and cilantro too. Mmmmm!

1 batch of my fave thin crust pizza

1 small zucchini

1 red pepper

1 portobello mushroom cap

1/2 small red onion

1/2 batch of hummus

Slice the zucchini lengthwise, seed the red pepper, and slice a couple of 1/2 inch slices of onion. Toss all vegetables with some olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cook on the grill until tender - about 5 minutes. Cool and slice.

Prepare the crust, and stretch on to a well-floured cutting board. Spread a layer of hummus on to the entire crust. Top with grilled vegetables. Cook according to my fave grilled pizza instructions, or put it on a baking sheet in a 500` oven for about 10-12 minutes.

I was forgot to take a picture of the finished pizza, but the roasted veggies look gorgeous on their own.

This is the photo from Budget Bytes, where I originally found this recipe. Doesn't Beth take great photos?

Hummus (sans tahini)

2011-06-29T08:02:00.001-03:00

I love hummus, but didn't have any tahini in the fridge when I wanted to make it this weekend. A little searching for a hummus without tahini, and I found this recipe. I used it with much success on grilled vegetable pizza, and the leftover was great with sliced cucumbers.

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 Tblsp sesame oil
2-3 Tblsp warm water

Combine the first 7 ingredients in the food processor and process until uniform. Add sesame oil and process until smooth. Gradually add a little water at a time until desired consistency is achieved.

Update: Raspberry Breakfast Bars

2011-06-28T10:32:00.000-03:00

I posted a month or so ago about raspberry breakfast bars. I had planned to try them with whole-wheat flour, and to test how they freeze. I'm posting about them again to say that I'd highly recommend both! They are delicious with whole-wheat flour, and it adds a nice additional texture to the oatmeal crumble. They are ideal for freezing. They thawed beautifully in the fridge, but they were amazingly good directly from the freezer too...so chilled and refreshing, obviously not crumbly since they were frozen, but still not at all hard. A little dangerous, actually...They called to my each time I walked past the freezer!

Kale, Sweet Potato, and White Bean Enchiladas

2011-06-28T10:02:00.001-03:00

I picked up our first CSA produce pack of the season yesterday! Unfortunately, I didn't know it was starting this week until after I planned our weekly menu and got groceries. D'oh! New challenge - change our planned meals to use the fresh produce we received, and save anything in the freezer and pantry for another week.

I planned on making veggie enchiladas last night. (Have you tried that recipe yet? So so good. It's become a regular meal in our house, and I think in my friend Nicole's house too) Inspired by this recipe, I decided to change my veggie enchiladas a little to use some items we received in the produce pack, and a couple other things I had on hand. (I couldn't pass up $4 for 5lbs of sweet potatoes when I saw them the other day)

6 ribs of kale, leaves removed and coarsely chopped
1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1/2 pieces
1 can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 giant salad onions (and if you don't have Dave's onions, substitute 5-6 regular green onions), sliced and separated
1 C grated cheese (I had mozzarella last night, but cheddar would be great)
1/2 tsp garlic
1 tsp cumin
10 flour tortillas
1 C salsa, slightly watered down if chunky

Place the sweet potato in a pot of water, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, put the chopped kale leaves in a steamer basket on top of the pot. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the kale has softened and turned bright green and the sweet potatoes are tender. Drain. Combine sweet potato, kale, beans, and whites of the onion in a large bowl. Stir, mashing the potatoes and beans a little as you go. Stir in cheese, garlic, and cumin. Soften tortillas by heating for about 30 second in the microwave. Spoon about 1/3 C of vegetable mixture on to each tortilla, fold both right and left sides toward the centre, and roll up. Place seam side down on a lightly greased 9X13 pan. Once all tortillas are filled and rolled, top evenly with watered-down salsa. Bake at 400` for about 20 minutes. Top with greens of the onions and serve with sour cream.

(Instead of using salsa, you could also make the sauce that is listed in the veggie enchilada recipe - I just didn't have the tomato paste on hand, so I improvised.)

Isn't the colourful filling pretty? Similar colour scheme to my family room, but that's a conversation for another blog.

These are delicious, and a great use of kale. Know what else is a yummy use of kale? Zuppa Toscana!

Dark Chocolate and Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

2011-06-27T08:00:00.001-03:00

I spotted this recipe a couple of months ago, and saved it for a day I'd be having my vegan friend Sarah in for tea. She and her husband came for dinner this weekend, so I broke out this recipe for dessert. I had to alter the original recipe a little because I was short on chocolate, but the addition of cranberries was delicious. The kids and the adults all had seconds, regardless of whether or not they contained eggs and butter!

2 C rolled oats
1 1/2 C flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 C vegetable oil
3/4 C brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 C white sugar
2 very ripe bananas
2 tsp vanilla
3 oz dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 C dried cranberries, coarsely chopped

Combine rolled oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. (The dry mix is the job of my little assistants seen below)

In another bowl, beat oil, sugars, bananas, and vanilla until well combined. Add flour mixture and mix until just blended. Fold in chopped chocolate and cranberries.

Drop by spoonfuls onto baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between them. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until cookies are golden. Allow to rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving to a cooling rack.

My "dry mixers" . Cracking eggs is also a favourite of the two-year old in the chef's hat, and he was a little peeved that this recipe didn't need any.

First Attempt of Fondant

2011-06-20T16:34:00.000-03:00

I am a pretty good cook, and a pretty good baker...but a cake decorator I am not. I don't think I've ever been satisfied with the way one of my decorated cakes has turned out. Sure, they are yummy (this buttercream is my delicious go-to), but I always just wished that they would be pretty too!

After reading lots of posts about marshmallow fondant, I decided to give it a try for a Father's Day Cake. My kids chose a Superman card at the store, and the three-year old thought that the cake should match. I gave it a shot!

4 C marshmallows

2 Tbsp water

3 3/4 C icing sugar

shortening or veg oil (to keep it from sticking to everything in a 3-foot radius)

Get everything out, measured, and ready ahead of time because it goes quickly and your hands will be sticky! Grease the inside of your Kitchenaid bowl, as well as the dough hook. In 30 second intervals, microwave the marshmallows and water in a large bowl. Stir after each 30 seconds until fully melted. Combine marshmallow mixture and icing sugar in the greased bowl. Mix on a low speed until most of the sugar is mixed in, then increase speed a little (mostly just so the sugar doesn't fly out of the bowl). Watch in amazement as the goo transforms into a smooth ball that looks like a bright white dough!

Remove from bowl and place onto a greased surface (counter or cutting board). Grease hands and knead. If super sticky, knead in more icing sugar until it is glossy and just tacky. Wrap tightly and let stand for at least an hour to cool off to room temperature.

There are oodles of websites and blog posts that offer tips on how to roll out, cut, and apply the fondant...check them out and find something that will work for you. I rolled mine out on a greased surface and found it really easy to handle (much easier than expected).

I definitely don't LOVE the result of my first fondant attempt, but I don't hate it...and it was fun! I'm looking forward to trying it again soon. If I was doing the same design again, I'd either cut the whole pentagon out as one piece (to eliminate the seams) or cut in pieces, assemble, and rub out all the seams on my greased surface to make it look like one piece.

(The cake is on a piece of painted pottery, in case you thought colour was bleeding out of the fondant)

Bring on the next birthday cake! My three-year-old is having a pirate themed party in August. Time to start looking for some ideas. Maybe this?

Tiramisu

2011-06-14T15:21:00.001-03:00

Lady Fingers were on sale last week and I planned to pick some up to have on-hand to make tiramisu sometime. (Because when I wanted to make it several years ago, I had a hard time finding any) When I got to the store, there was a clearance on ricotta cheese. Of course, traditional tiramisu is made with marscapone, but I figured I could find a ricotta based recipe somewhere...And I did! This was SO good, and ridiculously easy. It would be great to serve for a dinner party because all the prep is done the day before.

1 lb ricotta
1 egg
2 Tbsp rum
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 C sugar
1/2 C (+) strong coffee
Lady Finger biscuits (it took 2 1/2 packages of "giant" lady fingers)

1/2 tsp (+/-) cocoa

Combine first five ingredients in food processor and whiz until smooth (a minute or so). Lay biscuits in a single layer in the bottom of a 9x13 dish. Drizzle half the coffee over them (I found I needed a little more than 1/2 cup). Spread half of the ricotta mixture over evenly over the top. Repeat with second layer, and dust top with cocoa. Refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight. Slice to serve.

I found a tea ball to be perfect for getting the cocoa sprinkled lightly enough, and getting it evenly into the corners.

Rhubarb Muffins

2011-06-14T14:58:00.000-03:00

I saw this recipe and gladly used the last little bit of rhubarb I had frozen from last year. Bring on this year's crop! These yummy muffins made me hungry for more rhubarb baking (especially my favourite rhubarb coffee cake).

2 C flour
3/4 C sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 C sour cream (or plain yogurt)
8 Tblsp butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 C rhubarb, finely chopped

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Whisk the sour cream, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Lightly stir the sour cream mixture into the dry ingredients until just blended - don't overmix. Fold in rhubarb. Divide among 12 muffin cups. (This is a very thick batter, and it will fill the cups) Sprinkle each muffin with cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 400` for about 20 minutes, or until they test done.

I didn't intend to take this series of photos, but it's hilarious to see the results from three quickly snapped photos while the kids were in the kitchen. If it's not obvious, they loved them.

Sweet Potato Chickpea Curry

2011-05-20T14:57:00.000-03:00

A friend recommended this recipe from a Michael Smith cookbook she has been using weekly. We love all of the ingredients, but didn't have a recipe "in the rotation" that uses them all together. We both enjoyed this and it was a very filling meatless meal, though I'd add quite a bit more spice next time. I also didn't notice any added flavor from the orange juice, so I might use water or broth next time to eliminate that sugar (and it would bring down the cost of the recipe, which you know I love).

1 large onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
about 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp curry paste (I'd increase this big time!)
2 sweet potatoes, cubed
1 can chickpeas , drained & rinsed
1 can coconut milk
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup any nut butter (I used soy nut butter)
1 cup frozen green peas
3 cups baby spinach (more or less)
a bunch chopped cilantro

Saute onion and garlic in a little oil over medium heat until they’re lightly browned (5 minutes). Add grated ginger and curry paste, and cook for another few minutes until fragrant. Add the sweet potatoes, chickpeas, coconut milk, orange juice and peanut butter. Bring to a simmer, lower the heat and continue simmering until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Stir in the peas, spinach and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve over rice.

Raspberry Breakfast Bars

2011-05-04T15:55:00.002-03:00

I made these delicious Raspberry Breakfast Bars for Easter Sunday, and they were a huge hit. I cut them long and skinny (kind of like a granola bar) and they held their shape well. I will definitely be making these again soon, and hope to do a test-run with whole wheat flour, and freezing some for busy mornings. (You can see the update here)

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/4 cups rolled oats
3/4 t salt
3/4 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t cinnamon
3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
-----
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 T grated lemon zest
1/2 t cinnamon
2 T all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups frozen raspberries
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 T unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Pulse flour, brown sugar, oats, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon in a food processor to combined. Add the butter and pulse until loose crumbs form. Reserve 1 1/2 cup of the mixture for the topping. Put the remaining mixture into a greased 9X13 baking dish, and use your hands press the crust into an even layer at the bottom of the pan. Bake at 350' until golden brown (about 15 minutes). Remove from oven and let cool.

Whisk the sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon and flour together. Add the raspberries, lemon juice and butter and stir until the raspberries are evenly coated. Spread on top of the crust, and sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture evenly over filling. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the filling starts to bubble around the edges. Once cool, store in an airtight container in the fridge.

I only remembered to take a picture when there were just a few measly bars left on the plate.

Leftovers Renewed: Sweet Potato Chimichangas

2011-05-04T15:53:00.001-03:00

I've posted the recipe for Sweet Potato Enchilada Bake, and I've posted the recipe for Baked Chimichangas. I combined the two recipes recently, and turned our leftover enchilada bake into these chimichangas with great results! (That being said though, wouldn't anything be good baked in a crunchy tortilla?)

Cornflake Crusted Chicken

2011-05-04T15:52:00.000-03:00

Good old Michael Smith to the rescue again! My picky three-year old would live off breakfast cereal if we let him, and won't touch meat with a ten-foot pole. I thought that "cereal chicken" would be appealing to him. Not so much, but the rest of us loved it!

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 eggs
1 heaping spoonful dijon mustard
2 cups Cornflakes, lightly crushed
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

Place flour in one bowl, whisk together eggs and mustard in another bowl, and put Cornflakes in a third. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper and then dip them in the flour. Once both sides are coated with flour, dredge in egg mixture, then dip in Cornflakes and coat well. Place on a lightly greased cooking sheet or baking dish and bake at 375' for about 25 minutes until crispy and cooked through.

Chocolate Roll-Out Cookies

2011-03-23T13:28:00.000-03:00

Once again, a great recipe from Katie at Good Things Catered. Oh, how I wish her blog were still in effect! Thank goodness I still have her old posts saved in my Google Reader.

3/4 C butter
3/4 C white sugar
1/4 C icing sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 C flour
1/2 c. cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and mix thoroughly after each addition. Add vanilla extract, and continue beating. Sift flour, cocoa powder baking powder and salt together. Add to mixture gradually, but be careful not to over mix.

Place dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and wrap tightly. Chill dough in fridge for at least 30 minutes or up to a week. Roll out dough to 1/2 inch thickness, and cut. Place on making sheet and bake at 400' for about 8 minutes.

Cool completely before icing.

Quick Alfredo Sauce (St Patrick's style)

2011-03-21T15:38:00.000-03:00

My cousin shared this easy alfredo recipe with me recently, and I "greened-it-up" for Saint Patrick's Day. This recipe is an absolute keeper because Mr-Picky-Three-Year-Old had three servings!

1Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp garlic, minced
1 Tbsp flour
1 C milk
1/4 C cream cheese
1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 C pureed spinach

Saute butter and garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in flour, then slowly whisk in the milk. Stir constantly and cook until thickened slightly. Add cream cheese and parmesan, and whisk until smooth. (Stir in spinach puree if you want to be festive, or if you want to hide extra veggies) Add salt & pepper to taste.

I tossed it with linguine, peas, broccoli, and sliced chicken.

Four cups of fresh baby spinach steamed then pureed with a little cooking water yielded about 1/4 cup of this bright green puree.

Winter Bruschetta

2011-03-16T20:10:00.001-03:00

The Winter Bruschetta at the Saint John Ale House is a little slice of heaven. I've been meaning to try to re-create it for a while, but it came to mind again this week when bargains on greens, goat cheese, and sour dough bread intersected. :)

This isn't a particular recipe so much as it is a suggestion of combined flavours. I followed the recipes at the sites I've linked to make the various ingredients. The actually bruschetta is quick to throw together, but some of the advance preparation is time-consuming. I'd suggest to prepare things ahead of time to have on hand so you can assemble the bruschetta quickly for your guest (or when you want a yummy treat all to yourself)!

Sour dough bread

Roasted garlic

Maple roasted squash (I halved this recipe)

Goat cheese

Arugula (just a tiny bit)

Balsamic syrup (I halved this recipe)

Slice bread approximately 3/4 inches thick. Spread with a little roasted garlic. Add some maple roasted squash. Press some of it down so it loses its form and adheres better to the bread. Top with goat cheese and a little arugula. Drizzle with balsamic syrup. Place on a baking sheet in a warm oven (375-ish, or just put it in with whatever else you might be making) just to warm.

Yum! I'm fighting the urge to eat the last leftover piece!

When I googled "balsamic syrup recipe", I was delighted to find that the first recipe listed was from Michael Smith. I know I've told you before that I love Chef At Home. Of course, it was his simple recipe that I used. There was a quote there that I just love and had to share: "A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise."

Soy Nut Butter Cookies

2011-03-16T13:00:00.002-03:00

I used my Nan's peanut butter cookie recipe to make these cookies with soy nut butter, which is what we have on hand since there are peanut allergies in our house. They were a hit with the kids (a bigger hit than the soy nut butter itself actually), and my brother thought they were "great dunkers" with a cup of coffee. They are a crunchy cookie, and I'm normally a chewy cookie kind of girl, but they were a nice change.

1 C shortening

1 C soy nut butter

1 C brown sugar

1 C white sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 C flour (Nan's recipe calls for 3 C, but our soy nut butter is much more dry than peanut butter)

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

Cream shortening, soy nut butter, and sugars well. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat. Combine dry ingredients and mix well with wet mixture until incorporated to a thick dough. Form into balls and place on cookie sheet. Press lightly with a fork. Bake at 375` for about 15 minutes.

I tried to mix chocolate chips into some of the dough, but it was too dry for them to really stick.I wouldn't recommend an add-in with this recipe. Keep it simple!

Isaac's favourite part was pressing the fork into the dough, or "making the stripes" as he calls it. And was is that great thing he is standing on? A learning tower! An awesome & handy friend built us this DIY version of the original, and we absolutely love it. Thanks Julien!

Caramel Apple Hand Pies

2011-03-15T14:22:00.002-03:00

I saved this recipe from Lisa's blog a while back, but finally made them this weekend as a snack for all the parents at our family movie night. They were fast and easy to prepare and assemble, and they were delicious. (You can never go wrong with butter and brown sugar!)

6 macintosh apples, peeled and diced

5 T butter

5 T brown sugar

2 t cinnamon

1 double pie crust (your fave recipe or the refridgerated kind)

Melt butter in a small pot over medium heat. Stir in sugar, apples, and cinnamon. Cook, stirring occasionally until apples are tender (about 7-10minutes for macs, but less for a firmer apple).

Cut dough into circles. (Just use a knife, because they don't have to be perfect and you want them bigger than a biscuit cutter. Unless of course you have a really big biscuit cutter...in which case, just ignore me)

With your finger tips, make slight indentations in the centre of the dough circles where you will place the filling. Spoon apple filling onto each circle, folding up the edges and pinching the dough as you go. Bake at 350` for about 25 minutes until the edges are golden.

I originally thought that the filling would be too dry. As the apples cooked down, however, they gave tons of juice that helped form the saucy caramel.

Once I started to make imprints on the centre of the dough for the filling, the circles of pie crust seemed to want to curl up. Ideal for this recipe!

Lovely little pies you can hold in your hand.

(I'd call them more of a rustic tart, but who am I to judge?)

Stir Fry Sauce

2011-03-13T15:32:00.000-03:00

I usually throw stir-fries together willy-nilly without a recipe. My random concoctions for sauce usually leave a little to be desired. I figured that, for once, I'd use a recipe. A google search led me to several recipes, including this one that I decided to make. It was really flavourful without over-powering the veggies and chicken I tossed it with. I'll be using this recipe again.

1/3 cup chicken stock
2 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp lime juice
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp honey
2 tsp corn starch dissolved in 4 Tbsp water
1 tsp chili sauce

Place everything but cornstarch/water in a sauce pan. Cook over medium-high heat until it begins to bubble. Add cornstarch/water and reduce heat to medium-low. Stir until the sauce thickens slightly. Set aside, and add to your stir-fry in the last few minutes of cooking time.

A tip from the original recipe may be useful when you are trying to create your own sauce. "You're looking for a balance of salty (fish sauce), spicy (garlic and chili), sour (lime), and sweet (sugar). Adjust these flavors to suit your taste."

Orange Bread

2011-03-01T14:38:00.001-04:00

You might remember that I have mentioned my grandmother in some previous posts (like the time she gave me her old recipe cards, or my love of her simple shortbread cookies). Nanny McNulty ('Nanny Mamulty' as my toddlers call her) passed away on Sunday night. As my sister posted on Facebook: "After 20 years apart, I wonder what Nanny and Grampy had for supper together last night?"

It felt right to bake something of hers yesterday. This is my Nan's lemon bread recipe (except I didn't have a lemon yesterday, so it became orange bread). Baking from her handwriting (and guessing the amounts, temperatures, times when they aren't listed) feels like such gift.

6 Tblsp butter, softened

1 C white sugar

2 eggs

1/2 C milk

2 Tblsp orange juice

zest of one orange

1 1/2 C flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

3 Tblsp orange juice

2 Tblsp white sugar

Coarse sugar

Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and milk. Add citrus juice and zest and beat well. Combine dry ingredients and mix to combine with wet mixture.

Pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. combine orange juice and sugar. Once cooked, poke small holes in the top of loaf, and pour glaze on top. Sprinkle with coarse sugar (my addition, since I like the sparkle and the crunch. Nan was always a little more 'function over form' than I am.)

Toffee Cheesecake with Chocolate

2011-02-27T14:17:00.002-04:00

With a little inspiration from Betty Crocker and a little creative lisence, I made this toffee and chocolate cheesecake for our friend Steve's birthday last weekend.

Crust
1 1/2 C Ritz cracker crumbs
4 T Toffee bits (Skor, Heath, etc)
1/2 C butter, melted

Filling
2 packages cream cheese
1 can sweetened condensed milk
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 Skor or Heath bars, chopped

Ganache
1.5 squares unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/4 C semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 C whipping cream
1 Tblsp amaretto

Crust
Mix cracker crumbs and toffee bits in food processor. Combine with melted butter, and press firmly into the bottom of 10-inch spring form pan. Bake at 350' for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Filling
Beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each one is added.Stir in vanilla and chopped Skor bar. Spread filling on top of cooled crust. Bake at 350' for 50 minutes, until the centre is not quite set. Turn off oven, but leave cake to cool inside. Do not remove cake from oven until it is cool enough to remove with bare hands. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and store in fridge.

Ganache
In a small pot, bring cream just barely to a boil. Remove from heat, and pour over chocolate. Stir continuously until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in amaretto. Chill for 15 minutes before pouring over cake, working from the centre, and spreading to drip over the sides of chilled cake. Store in fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving to to set.

And to make the cake look a little more festive for a birthday, one of my little guys coloured some paper that we turned into a little banner by writing a 'Happy birthday Steve' and taping some toothpicks to the back.

Chocolate Loaf Cake

2011-02-22T08:18:00.000-04:00

When Ruthie was born last month, a friend brought us this cake. It was delicious, and dense & rich enough that one piece was satisfying (though that didn't always stop me from going back for a second slice). I made it myself today, and the house is full of a lovely warm chocolaty smell. Mmmmm!

1/2 C butter, softened
1 C brown sugar
1/2 C white sugar
1 egg
1 C skim milk + 1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 C flour
3/4 C cocoa (if using dutch process cocoa, see original recipe for change in leavening ingredients)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream butter well. Beat in sugars until fluffy. Beat in egg, milk + lemon juice, and vanilla. Sift dry ingredients together, and stir into wet until just blended. Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake at 325` for 70 minutes, or until it tests done.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-02-20T21:22:00.001-04:00

Another mom brought these delicious oatmeal cookies to playgroup a couple of months ago, and I was glad she was willing to share the recipe. They are probably the best oatmeal cookie I've ever had - soft without being crumbly, chewy without being undercooked, and just the right amount of crispiness on the bottom. I made them with mint chocolate chips, which was a yummy little surprise in there. (Of course, my picky-eating three year old says that anything mint flavoured tastes like toothpaste, so I baked a few for him before stirring the chocolate chips in to the batter)

1 C butter

1 C brown sugar

1/2 C white sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 C rolled oats

2 C flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 C chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugars well. Beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth. Combine oats, flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix dry mixture into wet mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Form into balls and place on cookie sheet. Do not flatten. Bake at 350` for 8-10 minutes.

On My List...

2011-02-10T21:24:00.001-04:00

I've been told by a few sources that I've been slacking off on my blog lately. It's true - 3 babies will do that to you. Don't argue that the three-year old isn't a baby anymore. I'm clinging to it, okay? ;) We're all still definitely eating over here, but I'm not experimenting with any new recipes - just sticking with old reliable ones, along with some of meals I froze in the fall.

To entertain you until I can be a better hostess, I thought I'd share with you some of the recipes that are currently sitting on my 'to try' list. Maybe you will try some of them before me and give me your reviews?

Mediterranean vegetable, white bean, and feta penne

Chick Pea and Artichoke Heart Stew

Cook’s Illustrated’s Chicken Curry in a Hurry

Bombay Chicken with apples

Cheesy Orzo

Tortilla Black Bean Pie

Broccoli Bites

Roasted Root Jumble with Feta Cheese

And no particular recipe for this, but my friend Sarah and I want to recreate the Winter Bruschetta from the Saint John Ale House. (Does it get any better than a combination of maple roasted squash, walnuts, balsalmic syrup, and goat cheese?)

"Creamy Without Cream" Broccoli Soup

2011-02-03T17:26:00.037-04:00

I saved this recipe that Sherrie posted almost a year ago, but just tried it now. I was intrigued by the idea of adding rolled oats to thicken the soup, and was really pleased with the result! I'm definitely going to try adding it to some other soup recipes we already make regularly. We all really enjoyed this broccoli soup - especially our grilled cheese dunking toddlers.

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1/8 tsp nutmeg
4 C chicken stock
1 C water
1/3 cup rolled oats
1 1/2 Lbs broccoli, florets separated/stems peeled and cut into rounds

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Cook onion until soft, then add nutmeg and stir until fragrant. Add broth, water, rolled oats, and broccoli. Stir, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the broccoli is tender (5-10 minutes). Remove from heat and puree using immersion blender (could alternately be done in batches in a blender). Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Vegetable Enchiladas

2011-02-02T16:51:00.005-04:00

I've had this recipe on my 'to try' list for a little while. Reviewers suggested that it was a bit mild, so I added a little garlic and hot sauce to turn the flavour up a notch. We both loved this meal! It's super healthy, quick and simple to put together, and easy on the pocketbook. I think I'll be adding this to our "regular rotation."

2 Tbsp oil
2 tsp cumin, divided
1 tsp garlic, divided
1/4 C flour
1/4 C tomato paste
2 C vegetable broth
3/4 C water
1/4 tsp Mexican hot sauce
2 C grated cheddar cheese
1 can (19 ounces) black beans, rinsed/drained
6 C fresh spinach, chopped/steamed/squeezed dry
1 1/3 C frozen corn, thawed
6 green onions, sliced and divided
16 whole-wheat tortillas (6-inch)

On medium heat, combine together oil, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp garlic, flour, and tomato paste. Cook, whisking, for 1 minute. Whisk in broth and water, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened. Stir in hot sauce, and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine cheese, beans, spinach, corn, whites of green onions, 1 tsp cumin, and 1/2 tsp garlic. Lightly grease 2 8-inch baking dishes.Warm tortillas slightly in microwave to make more pliable. Spoon 1/3 C bean mixture onto centre of each tortilla, fold sides over filling, and place seam side down on greased baking dish. Once all enchiladas are assembled, spoon sauce over the top and spread to coat as evenly as possible. Bake uncovered at 400` for 20 minutes. Garnish with greens of green onion, and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

The original recipe gives directions for freezing prior to cooking, if you are interested. We just had oodles of leftovers this time (which is lovely for our lunches), but next time I'll experiment with freezing half.

Thai Shrimp Soup

2011-02-01T10:24:00.000-04:00

I only changed a few minor things from the original recipe to make this soup. The flavours were light and really fresh-tasting, and it was extremely fast to make. We found it a little light to be our entire meal though - next time we'd have spring rolls or something on the side, or it would make a really great appetizer.

1 tsp oil

2 red peppers, very thinly sliced

1/8 tsp crushed red pepper

4 C chicken stock

2 C water

340g uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined

4 tsp ginger, minced

4 tsp lime juice

1 tsp sesame oil

1 1/2 C Italian style rice, cooked

1/2 C bean sprouts

1/2 C cilantro

In a large pot, heat oil over high heat. Add red peppers and crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add chicken stock and water, and bring to a boil. Add shrimp and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in ginger, lime juice, and sesame oil. Remove from heat. Divide rice, bean sprouts, and cilantro among bowls (intended to serve 4). Top with soup & serve.

Mint Chip Cheesecake

2011-01-27T10:28:00.000-04:00

It's that time of year again: Cheesecake Time (aka my husband birthday). Josh always requests cheesecake for his birthday, but he always lets me dream up the flavour (and somehow we both feel like we are winning). This year, prompted by some minty ingredients leftover from Christmas baking, I invented this pretty and tasty mint chip cheesecake.

Crust
1/2 C Ritz cracker crumbs
1/4 C butter, melted

(Little note on the Ritz cracker crumbs - I started using crackers in my crusts a while back because I find traditional crumb crusts like Oreo or graham be too sweet and overpowering. I like my crust to be a neutral backdrop for the cake itself, and I find the cracker crumbs really do that well. Give it a shot!)

Filling
3 pkg cream cheese (room temperature)
1 C white sugar
1 C sour cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
3 eggs
1/4 C cocoa
3/4 C mint chocolate chips

Ganache
3 squares (3 oz) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 C whipping cream
1 Tblsp creme de menthe

(Little note on the ganache - though these measurements were recommended in a recipe for a ganache for a 10' cake, I found it to be way too much. Making half as much, but definitely keeping the same chocolate to cream ratio, would be sufficient. But feel free to go full-tilt if you are a REAL chocoholic!)

Crust
Mix cracker crumbs and melted butter together. Press firmly into the bottom of 10-inch springform pan. Bake at 350' for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Filling
Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar, sour cream, vanilla and peppermint extracts, and mix well. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each one is added. Divide batter in two. Add cocoa to one portion, and mint chocolate chips to the other portion.

Spread cocoa mixture on top of cooled crust. Carefully spoon mint chocolate chip mixture over cocoa mixture, and smooth with spatula. Bake at 350' for 55-65 minutes, until the centre is not quite set. Turn off oven, but leave cake to cool inside. do not remove cake from oven until it is cool enough to remove with bare hands. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and store in fridge.

Ganache
In a small pot, bring cream just barely to a boil. Remove from heat, and pour over chocolate. Stir continuously until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in creme de menthe. Chill for 15 minutes before pouring over cake, working from the centre, and spreading to drip over the sides of chilled cake. Store in fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving to to set.

Lentil Tacos

2011-01-24T20:45:00.001-04:00

Yet another recipe that falls into my three beloved categories: healthy, cheap, and yummy! These lentil tacos were suggested by a friend and we enjoyed them tonight. They were also a hit with one of two toddlers - hitting two for two at dinner is rare at our house!

1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp oil
1 C dried lentils, rinsed
1 tsp hot sauce
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
2 1/2 C chicken stock
1 C salsa
12 tortillas or taco shells
Your favourite taco toppings (we had tomatoes, green pepper, lettuce, cheddar cheese, and sour cream)

Saute onion and garlic in oil until soft. Stir in lentils, hot sauce, cumin, and oregano. Cook for 1 minute. Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Uncover and cook for an additional 6-8 minutes or until mixture is thickened. Mash lentils slightly, and stir in salsa. Top tortilla or taco shell with approximately 1/4 C of lentil mixture and your choice of toppings.

We used whole wheat soft tortillas. They were delicious, but quite messy as they got a little soggy with the lentil mixture. Hard taco shells would probably work great with this recipe, but I don't like them...so tortilla it will continue to be for us (with a fork for the last few messy bites)!

Morning Glory Bars

2011-01-14T14:46:00.001-04:00

Are you thinking "Really, Jane? More baked goods this week?" I'm sure my husband thinks that everyday when he gets home from work and sees the counters filled with cooling muffins, scones, and breads. I'm expecting baby #3 any minute now, so I'm baking up a storm to fill our freezer with easy-to-grab snacks. What would happen if I didn't? Late-night nursing sessions would be fueled by handfuls of chocolate chips.
I kid you not - I've been there.

On to Morning Glory Bars! I got this recipe from a in my mother's huge collection of cookbooks. (I'll check the title and link to it shortly) They are healthy and delicious, and my toddlers think it's cake - which is a nice bonus!

1 1/2 C flour

1 1/2 C bran cereal

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp all spice

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

1 egg

3/4 C yogurt

1/2 C brown sugar

1/3 C vegetable oil

2 Tbsp molasses (or honey could be used)

1 1/2 C grated carrot

1/2 C raisins

Combine flour, bran, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, all spice in a large bowl. Whisk together egg, yogurt, brown sugar, vegetable oil, and molasses. Combine wet and dry mixtures until just moistened, then stir in grated carrot and raisins. Spread mixture into a greased 9X13 baking dish and bake at 350` for 25-30 minutes or until springs back lightly when touched. Cool completely in pan before cutting into bars.

Banana Coffee Scones

2011-01-12T14:41:00.000-04:00

I found this recipe for banana coffee scones when searching for something new to try with my last baking banana. It just so happens that we didn't finish the coffee that morning either, so it was an easy choice.

These have a great texture, and a very subtle banana flavour. Isaac wishes they had chocolate chips in them, but what 3-year old doesn't want chocolate chips with everything? Maybe next time we will try a little add-in like that. The dough is super moist, so I think it would work well with whole-wheat flour. I'll try that next time too!

2 C flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 C sugar
1/2 C butter, cold & cut into chunks
1 ripe banana
1/4 C milk
1/4 C strong black cold coffee
1 tsp vanilla

In large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. (I always think this is so much easier and faster to do with my hands) In separate bowl, combine banana, milk, coffee and vanilla. Stir into dry mixture to make dough. (This is much less dry than any other scones I've made.)

On lightly floured board, knead dough lightly for about 30 seconds. Shape into a disk about 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 8 segments. (And if you plan to serve to toddlers like me, cut each segment into 2 triangles to yield 16 snack-size scones.) Bake at 425` oven for about 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Muffins

2011-01-07T20:00:00.000-04:00

I had some ricotta in the fridge (leftover from the seafood lasagna) that I wanted to use. I generally just use ricotta with pasta, but I spotted this recipe for muffins and thought it sounded interesting. They didn't rise to have as nice a presentation as some other muffin recipes we like, but they had a great taste and texture.

1 C ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1 C milk
1 Tblsp vanilla
1 Tblsp lemon juice
4 Tblsp butter, melted and cooled
2 C flour
3/4 C white sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tblsp lemon zest
1 1/2 C blueberries

Whisk the ricotta cheese. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add milk, vanilla, lemon juice, and butter. Mix well.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest. Add to the wet mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in the blueberries. (Do not over mix this mixture or the muffins will be tough when baked.)

Divide in lined or greased muffin tins nad bake at 350' for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned on the edges and testing clean.

Four-Layer Pumpkin Cake

2011-01-05T08:27:00.000-04:00

I tore this recipe from a magazine a long time ago, but this was the first time I made it. It looked and tasted like a real indulgence, but took minimal effort and no 'off-the-beaten-path' ingredients. I'll definitely be making it again.

1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix

1 can pumpkin, divided

1/2 C milk

1/3 C oil

4 eggs

1-1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, divided

1 C cream cheese, softened

1 C icing sugar

1 C whipped topping, thawed

1/4 cup (+/-) caramel ice cream topping

Beat cake mix, 1 cup pumpkin, milk, oil, eggs and 1 tsp. spice until well blended. Pour into 2 greased 9-inch round pans.Bake at 250` for 25-30 minutes or until cake tests done. Allow to rest in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Beat cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add sugar, remaining pumpkin, and remaining spices. Mix well. Gently fold in whipped topping. Cut each cake layer horizontally in half with serrated knife to create 4 thin layers. Stack on serving plate, spreading cream cheese filling between layers. (Do not frost top layer.) Drizzle with caramel topping just before serving. (Leftovers must be refrigerated)

Not a great photo - as this was indoors at night and before the caramel topping...but you get the idea. Click the link to the original recipe linked above to see Kraft's mouth-watering photo!

"Timbit" Mini-Muffins

2011-01-04T20:09:00.003-04:00

I made these mini-muffins with my toddlers today, and the youngest thought they were Timbits (much like Munchkins, for all you US Dunkin Donut fans). I think that means they were a hit! As a bonus, they are vegan-friendly and 2 Weight Watcher's points each.

2/3 C sugar
1 ripe banana

1 1/2 C flour
1/4 C cocoa
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 C vegetable oil
3/4 C soy milk (coconut milk or almond milk are also suggested in the original recipe)
1 tsp vanilla

1/4 C icing sugar (the original recipe called for 1/2 C, but that seemed to be way more than necessary)

Beat sugar, banana, vegetable oil, soy milk, and vanilla. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Pour into wet mixture and stir to combine.

Divide batter into 24 greased mini muffin cups. Bake at 350` for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for about 15 minutes. Remove from pan and roll in icing sugar. (I put the sugar in a large bowl so there was lots of room to roll and move the muffins, before dusting the excess back into the bowl.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

2011-01-04T09:59:00.000-04:00

One time last year, I stopped by my aunt's house just as she had finished making this soup - so I got a little sample. It was delicious! I finally asked her for the recipe the other day when red peppers were on sale, and we had it last night. Serve it without the cumin cream for a great vegan soup too!

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp ground coriander
1 carrot, chopped
1 rib of celery, chopped
1 potato, chopped
3 roasted red pepper, chopped
2 cups vegetable stock
1 cup water
salt and pepper to taste

Optional garnish - Cumin Cream (1/4 cup sour cream combined with 2 tsp cumin)

I find the easiest way to roast red peppers is to cut them in half, and remove the seeds. Then, place cut side down on a baking sheet with a little oil on it. Place under a preheated broiler until the skins blacken completely - about 15 minutes. Place the peppers in a bowl and cover with a tea towel. Once the peppers are cool to the touch, simple rub with your fingers to remove the skin.

Over medium-high heat, saute onions in oil until golden. Add garlic and coriander until fragrant. Stir in carrot, celery, potato, roasted red pepper, vegetable stock, and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat and puree using immersion blender. Season to taste with salt and pepper and garnish with a dollop of cumin cream, if using.

Scones with Dark Chocolate Chunks

2011-01-03T09:43:00.000-04:00

I had a bar of dark chocolate that was calling me from the pantry, but I also felt the urge to bake something. I came across this recipe for chocolate chip scones, and altered it to suit. I am enjoying one as a type!

1 3/4 cups flour
1/3 cup white sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
5 Tblsp butter, cut into small chunks
1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks
1/2 Cup skim milk

Combine all dry ingredients. Cut butter in using two knives (I always give up at some point and use my hands) until it looks like coarse crumbs. Stir in chocolate chunks. Work in milk gradually (may use slightly more or slightly less) until the dough comes together. Shape into a disk, and cut into triangles. Bake at 400` for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Seafood Lasagna

2011-01-01T10:00:00.001-04:00

My Dad's birthday is Christmas Eve, which often makes it hard to plan a special meal with all the other preparations that need to take place that day. This year, we decided to have a selection of lasagnas along with salad and bread, so that everything could be made ahead of time or at the very last minute. It worked out great! I took on the seafood lasagna, and was really pleased with this recipe. It seemed rich and decadent, but it was easy to make.

1/3 C all-purpose flour
3 C milk
1 Tblsp butter
1 Tblsp fresh thyme, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 C grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/8 tsp nutmeg
2 C thinly sliced onion
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 C cream cheese
1/2 C cream
1/2 C fresh parsley, chopped and divided
1 Lb medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and coarsely chopped
1 Lb scallops, coarsely chopped
3 eggs
1 2/3 C ricotta cheese
Oven-ready lasagna noodles

In a pot over medium heat, gradually mix milk into flour, stirring constantly until smooth. Cook for 1 minute before stirring in butter, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove pan from heat and stir in 1 1/4 C Parmesan cheese and the nutmeg. Set aside.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onions in a little cooking spray/olive oil for about 4 minutes until softening. Add garlic and saute for an additional 1 minute. Remove from heat, and stir in cream cheese until melted. Stir in half-and-half, 1/4 cup parsley, shrimp, and scallops. Mix eggs and ricotta separately, and then stir into seafood/onion mixture.

Spoon 1 cup cheese sauce (1st mixture) into bottom of a 13 x 9 pan coated with cooking spray. Arrange noodles over sauce and top with half of ricotta mixture. Repeat layers with noodles, remaining half of ricotta mixture, and additional noodles. Pour remaining cheese sauce over noodles and sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup Parmesan. Bake at 350` for 45 minutes or until lightly browned. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup parsley. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Of course, I forgot to take a picture until it was cut and about to be served. The photo may not look super appetizing, but it was delicious - and so were the leftovers!

Christmas Baking 2010

2010-12-21T12:33:00.001-04:00

What's on my Christmas baking list this year, you ask? Well...

It just wouldn't be Christmas without Nanny Mcnulty's Shortbread Cookies, so those are already made.

Since I discovered this great Soft Gingerbread Cookie recipe last year, it's a new tradition and the dough is chilling now.

I have my Knock-Off Subway Cookie dough in the freezer for last minute hostess gifts or visitors.

I'm trying a few new things this year too: Peppermint Fudge is already made (which I'll write my own blog post about shortly). Red Velvet Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies are on deck. And I just found this Peppermint Bark today that might need to happen too (and it's especially easy because I already have all the ingredients).

Also in the works this week are items for my Dad's birthday dinner on Christmas Eve: Seafood Lasagna and Four-Layer Pumpkin Cake.

A lot of those items are still on my "to do list", so I better go get busy!

My New Addition

2010-12-17T17:43:00.001-04:00

Allow me to introduce the newest gadget to grace my kitchen.

This Black and Decker 500 Watt food processor has an 11 cup bowl and 3 changeable blades...and it was 60% off! The regular retail is $99.99 and Canadian Tire has it for $39.99 this week. Yay! And knowing that cupboard space is at a premium, I chose 3 less-used kitchen gadgets to post on Kijiji to make some space and pay for the new item. I'm so proud of me! :)

So, what's your favourite thing to make in your food processor?
Do share - I can't wait to use it!

Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchilada Bake

2010-12-14T21:27:00.005-04:00

Melissa reads my blog and claims she needs cooking lessons. This is the first recipe she has ever shared with me, and now I know that she doesn't need any help in the kitchen. We loved this! I made a few minor variations, and had great results.

(Kenyon: I'd bet money that Steve will want to add this to the rotation)

1 large sweet potato, sliced into disks and boiled until slightly softened
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 large chicken breast, cooked and shredded (alternately, brown 1lb ground turkey with onions & garlic)
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped

"Hungry Janey's Inauthentic Enchilada Sauce" (see below)
1/2 C (or a little more/less) cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 C (or a little more/less) sour cream
1 green onion, chopped

"Hungry Janey's Inauthentic Enchilada Sauce"
1 C tomato sauce
1 Tblsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp cumin
1/ 4 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp garlic
pinch of salt

Stir all ingredients to combine.

Saute onion and garlic (and turkey to brown, if using). Stir peppers, beans, chicken (if using) and enchilada sauce. Heat through. Arrange sweet potatoes in a single layer in a 9X13 pan sprayed with non-stick spray. Cover with mixture and sprinkle with cheese. Bake @ 375' for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with green onions, and top each serving with a dollop of sour cream.

Dr Seuss Birthday Party

2010-12-07T13:03:00.008-04:00

Cooking and party-planning are two of my favourite things and, luckily, they go well together. Because of his current favourite books, we decided to put a Dr Seuss spin on Simon's 2nd birthday party.

We sent this invitation to his friends to invite them (and their parents) to join us.

Here's the whimsical Seussical spread

Green Eggs (no ham): sugar cookies with this icing

Where does one get a cookie cutter shaped like a fried egg? Just bend a round coockie cutter until it looks right!

There's a Wocket in my (pita) Pocket: broccoli slaw with this dressing in mini-pitas

Hop on Pop(corn): popcorn with this seasoning

Three Cheese Trees (from Fox in Socks): cubes of marble cheddar on styrofoam trees (I swear this looked better in person!)

Yertle the (caramel) Turtle: pretzel rolo turtles, with topped with M&M's instead of pecans to be nut-free

One Fish. Two Fish, (not all) Red Fish, (or) Blue Fish: naturally coloured Goldfish crackers

Yink's Pink Ink Drink: pink lemonade

No clever name, but these treats just looked so fun and silly. Similar to Rice Krispie squares but made using Trix cereal and rolled into balls, the bright colours and abnormal shapes were a hit with the kids!

Rainbow Fruit Tray

Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes with this icing, and this filling (+ 3 TBSP raspberry jam) & homemade toppers

These "who-trees" were really simple, but had a big impact with the high-ceilings in our living room and kitchen. They were each just made out of two pieces of bristol board: one for the top, and one cut into wiggly strips to make the trunk. (And having picked up the bristol board at 3 for $1, making each tree for $0.66 is pretty great bang for your buck!)

Thing One and Thing Two were positioned running up the stairs from our entryway, greeting Simon's guests. I projected an image found online, traced it on to bristol board, coloured it, and cut them out. I loved the "coming to life" effect that the third dimension of the ribbon and balloon gave them.

I made these pom poms in alternating red and white tissue paper that were hung with fishing line from the ceiling, but they were somehow missed in our photos.

Our kids' birthday parties are always donation parties, where we ask that our guest bring a donation of non-perishable food for our nearest food bank in lieu of a gift. For our donation box this year, I used a quote from The Lorax that got people talking: "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." One person even asked if they could have the sign - and of course, I obliged!

I had quite a few other ideas for food and decorations that just didn't come into fruition in time for the party (chasing two toddlers at 8 months pregnant will do that to you), but I'd be happy to share some ideas if you'd like to leave a comment.

The CCCC Quest: Recipe 3

2010-11-16T13:03:00.005-04:00

I'm still on my Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Quest (as attempted here and here)...

One of my roommates from university (there were 5 of us - can you imagine?) is now a pastry chef. I don't know why I don't call on Kim's expertise more often, but she sent me an Email with some tips for my Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Quest. Shall I share her wisdom with you?

"Try the first recipe you posted on the blog with half butter and half....shortening!!! All of those types of cookies are mostly hydrogenated fat which yes is bad, but makes for a better fat to sugar ratio as shortening is 100% fat whereas butter is mostly fat with some salt, water, and milk solids naturally making up the rest of the bulk. The shortening should give you a bit more of a "soft chew". And if you want to get really bad...buy the fake butter flavoured shortening. Also the chips they use aren't of great quality, but what they lack in authenticity of chocolate, they make up for in added sugars and flavourings (ie. try all the bins at bulk barn and pick the one you think is closest without looking at brand or ingredients.) Other tips...freeze the batter like your mom used to send to you in university. (It's true...Mom would send me back to school with frozen homemade cookie dough. She rocks!) It gives the structure of the cookie enough time to meld together. Let them come to room temp before you bake them off though. Make absolutely sure that all of your ingredients are absolutely room temp. You want a really "homogenous mixture". You know when you add the egg to the sugar and butter and it looks curdled sometimes?? Avoid that at all costs. Put your eggs in a little bowl of warm water to take them a little more than room temp. Cream your fat and sugar very well, but don't beat the heckout of it when you put the egg and vanilla in. You don't want to beat the egg so much that it "souffles" in the final baking of the cookie...this will take away from chewiness and add to dryness. Cookies are all about balance. Scrape the bowl and paddle very well between butter/ sugar creaming and adding the egg/vanilla. You are creating a network of fine bubbles from the creaming and allowing the sugars to melt into the fat. Try these tips and we'll go from there. We can also get into types of sugars (brown versus white, and even adding a little corn syrup) and also types of flours (most commercial cookies are made with bread flour not AP)"

So with those thoughts in mind, I got back in the kitchen!

1 C brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 C white sugar

1/2 C butter, at room temperature (not microwaved for 15 seconds, like I usually do)

1/2 C golden shortening
2 eggs, at room temperature (or a little warmer with Kim's water trick)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 C flour (measured properly, and not scooped like I often do)

1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 C chocolate chips

Cream sugar and butter very well. Scrape down sides of bowl. Beat in eggs and vanilla until incorporated. Blend in dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips. Empty bowl onto wax paper or plastic wrap. Form into a long skinny log, and place in freezer until well frozen (several hours). Remove from oven and slice dough into 1/3" thick rounds. Place on baking sheet. Allow to come to room temperature (about as long as it takes to preheat the oven.) Bake at 375` for approximately 9 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to rest on baking sheets for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Ding ding ding! We have a winner!

In the words of my taste-tester husband: "These cookies are serious." Since they are sliced, they look a lot like Subway cookies, which I think gives them some major bonus points. The only thing I will change next time is to form the dough into two skinnier logs to get smaller cookies. I might try bigger chocolate chunks instead of chocolate chips to make them more like Subway cookies too. (And by next time, I might mean tomorrow. How pumped will the other moms be when I bring these to playgroup?)

Risotto Balls

2010-11-15T15:46:00.000-04:00

My kids love rice, but they are pretty messy when it comes to eating it. After seeing risotto balls mentioned on a few blogs and in a few cooking magazines, I figured I'd give it a shot! Not wanting to pan fry them (as was often suggested), I followed the same general idea as my tuna balls. The kids loved them, and I am excited to make my own risotto with lots of sneaky vegetables for next time.

2 C of leftover risotto (I used this, which makes exactly 2 cups)
3/4 C dried bread crumbs

Roll chilled risotto into balls. Roll in dried bread crumbs and flatten slightly. Place on greased baking sheet and bake at 350' for about 25 minutes, flipping them over halfway through. Allow to cool on wire racks.

Butternut Squash Flatbread

2010-11-12T09:17:00.000-04:00

I spotted this recipe in Real Simple magazine a couple of months ago. I was flipping through magazine while sitting in the salon getting ready for a beautiful wedding (want see some of Melissa and Toby's amazing photos?). I forgot all about this recipe until I saw butternut squash for $0.39/Lb, and it flashed into my mind. A quick google search and I was ready to make it. I altered it slightly my omitting the pine nuts from the original recipe and adding mushrooms.

We really enjoyed it as a unique savoury alternative to having bruschetta or the like as a side dish. (I don't have a photo because it was too dark to take a decent one last night, and Josh took the leftovers to work before I got a chance to take a shot this morning.)

12-inch pizza crust (I used this recipe)
1lb butternut squash, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
6 white mushrooms, sliced
1 Tblsp fresh thyme leaves
2 Tblsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Grated cheddar cheese

In a large bowl, toss the squash, onion, mushrooms, thyme, oil, salt, and pepper. Scatter over the stretched dough and sprinkle with the cheese. Bake at 425` for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.

(Photo from Real Simple. Just imagine some mushrooms on there!)

The CCC Quest: Recipe 2

2010-11-10T11:05:00.001-04:00

Still on the hunt for the closest thing I can make to a Subway chocolate chip cookie. The next recipe to hit my mixer is this one, courtesy of Lisa. They were soft and chewy and delicious. I think the milk really added to the great texture of this cookie. Still not exactly what I am hunting for though...the search continues!

2 1/2 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 C butter, room temperature
1 C firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 C white sugar
1 egg
2 1/2 Tblsp milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 C chocolate chips

Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Cream butter and sugars until smooth. Add the egg, cream, and vanilla, and beat well. Add the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by spoons onto baking sheets. Bake at 350` for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly golden. Allow to cookies to test on the baking sheet for several minutes before removing to wire racks.

Carrot Pancakes

2010-11-07T21:51:00.002-04:00

I have oodles of carrots that I want to use up, so I did a search on my Google Reader. I was delighted to find this recipe, and they were the perfect easy dinner for this cold wet day. These pancakes were delicious and cooked up nice and thick and light. My kids gobbled them up!

1 1/4 C flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tblsp brown sugar
3/4 C buttermilk
1 Tblsp vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 C grated carrots

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk wet ingredients into a smaller bowl. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix. Fold in grated carrot. Spoon batter into a non-stick skillet over medium heat. When bubbles form and pop on surface, flip over and continue cooking until golden.

Blueberry-Yogurt Muffins

2010-11-06T10:30:00.000-03:00

My friend Natalia shared this recipe with me quite a while ago, but I've neglected to share it with all of you. These muffins are light, delicious, and a very healthy grab-and-go snack or breakfast.

2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tblsp vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup of vanilla yogurt
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups blueberries

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. In a separate bowl, combine orange juice, oil, vanilla, yogurt and egg; add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moist. Gently fold in blueberries. Spoon batter into prepared pans. Bake at 400` for 15-20 minutes.

Butter Chicken

2010-11-05T20:27:00.002-03:00

I saved this recipe from a magazine a while back, but decided to try it today because I had an open can of evaporated milk that I wanted to use. We both really enjoyed it, and it was really simple to prepare.

2 Tblsp oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breast tenders (or 2 full breasts)
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 Tblsp ginger, finely chopped
2 Tblsp butter
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 C tomato sauce
1 C evaporated milk
1/4 C plain yogurt

In a pot over medium heat, cook chicken in 1 Tblsp oil until lightly browned. Remove chicken and set aside.

Add remaining 1 Tblsp oil to pot. Sauté onion, garlic and ginger until soft and fragrant. Stir in butter, lemon juice and spices. Cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add tomato sauce, cooking for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in milk and yogurt. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often.

Add reserved chicken to sauce and bring sauce to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes until sauce has thickened and chicken is cooked through.

We enjoyed it over rice.

The CCCC Quest: Recipe 1

2010-11-04T20:48:00.005-03:00

I have been craving the soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies from Subway. I am setting off on mad hunt for the perfectly thick and chewy chocolate chip cookie: The CCCC Quest. Dramatic? Absolutely! :)

I tried a little variation on this recipe yesterday. They were a hit with the kids because I topped them with a Smartie from their Halloween candy. They were good, but I enjoyed them even more on the second day.

1 C brown sugar, packed
1/2 C white sugar
1 C butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 C flour

1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 C chocolate chips

Cream sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and blend well. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by spoon onto baking sheet. Slightly push a Smartie into the top of each one (so your kids can yell "pink button cookie please!" like mine do). Bake at 350` for approximately 10 minutes.

Slowcooker Jamaican Pumpkin Soup

2010-11-02T14:54:00.007-03:00

I bookmarked this recipe a few weeks ago, and have been itching to try it. A few alterations to the original recipe for the sake of what I had in the house, and dinner was made. The syrup was a last minute addition as I found the soup a bit bitter. The syrup balanced it out nicely!

2 1/2 C fresh pumpkin, peeled and chopped
4 C vegetable stock
1 C water
1 onion. chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 Tblsp white sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp tumeric
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 C maple syrup
Cream for serving, approx 1 Tblsp per bowl (Optional: leave it out and have a great Vegan soup!)

Combine all ingredients except maple syrup into slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Puree with immersion blender or in batches in a regular blender. Stir in maple syrup. Add cream into each bowl when serving.

Carrot Cake Sandwich Cookies

2010-10-28T11:08:00.006-03:00

Oh My! Leave it to Martha to combine two of my favourite sweets (whoopie pies and carrot cake) into one delicious recipe.

(If you are thinking: "I thought she said her favourites were cherry pie, cheesecake, red velvet, coffee ice cream, coconut cream cupcakes..." you are still right. I've got a wee bit of a sweet tooth).

1 C brown sugar, packed
1 C white sugar
1 C butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
2 C rolled oats
1 1/2 cups grated carrot

Beat sugars and butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat on medium speed until well combined. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Gradually add flour to butter mixture, mixing on a low speed until just blended. Mix in oats and carrots. Chill dough in refrigerator for 1 hour.

Once chilled, place dough on baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between cookies. Bake at 350` until browned and crisped around the edges (about 15 minutes), rotating pan halfway through. Cool on wire racks.

Once cooled completely, spread cream-cheese filling onto a cookie, and sandwich together with a second cookie.

I got 21 double cookies out of this recipe (ie: baked 42 cookies)

Cream cheese frosting

1 C cream cheese (at room temperature)
1/2 C unsalted butter (at room temperature)
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 T lemon juice

Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and well blended. Add lemon juice. Sift in confectioners' sugar, and continue beating until smooth.

If you have a sweet little curly-haired redhead to lick the beater, all the better.

Leftovers Renewed: Chicken Tangine Pizza

2010-10-26T11:06:00.000-03:00

One of my favourite ways to makeover leftovers is to have them on a pizza. This was simply pita bread, some leftover Chicken Tangine, and a little mozzarella cheese to help it all stick together. Pop it in the oven at 375` for 10-15 minutes, and then turn the broiler on for a moment to brown the cheese.

Quick, easy, delicious...and also loved by one of two toddlers. (You know mister-picky-3-year-old rarely approves of anything other than pasta and peas.)

Slowcooker Chicken Tangine

2010-10-24T20:56:00.004-03:00

I copied this recipe from Good Housekeeping magazine eons ago, but I just got around to trying it. (I've got quite a stockpile of "to try" recipes. I'll never catch up!) I omitted the chickpeas from the original recipe, because I thought that there was already plenty of protein from the chicken and fibre from the squash...plus, I put more squash than called for and didn't think I could fit it all in my crockpot!

I would have preferred it to be more spicy (a reoccurring theme of this pregnancy, it would appear), but my husband loved it.

1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
2 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup raisins
2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
5 boneless skinless chicken thighs

Combine squash, tomatoes, onion, garlic, broth, and raisins in slow cooker. Combine coriander, cumin, cinnamon, salt, and ground black pepper to make a rub for the chicken. Rub spice mixture all over chicken thighs and place chicken on top of vegetable mixture. Cook on low 8 hours or on high 4 hours.

We enjoyed it over rice.

Apple Puff Pancake

2010-10-20T21:19:00.007-03:00

My friend Sherrie posted on Facebook about how much she enjoyed The Farm Chicks' Maple Oat Scones. I immediate read the recipe and drooled. Then I scrolled through the other available pages on Google Books, and found this recipe for Apple Puff Pancake. We had it for brunch the same day, and it was delicious!

1/4 C unsalted butter
1/4 C packed brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 apple,
5 large eggs
1/2 C milk
1/2 C flour (I used whole-wheat)
Dash of salt

Preheat oven to 425`. Put butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon into your pie plate. Place in the oven until bubbly. Remove from oven. Add apples, stir to coat, and return to oven for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, beat remaining ingredients until frothy. Pour over apple mixture and bake for 20 minutes, or until set.

Thai Coconut Curry Seafood

2010-10-16T14:05:00.006-03:00

We had friends over for dinner last night, one of whom LOVES the Yum Sa at a local Thai restaurant, Lemongrass. I found this similar (though milder) recipe online, and it was a crowd-pleaser. An added bonus? Very little prep and very quick cooking time, so it was a great choice for weeknight company.

I doubled the sauce of the original recipe, because I used both shrimp and scallops and wanted to be sure we had enough sauce for our rice. (I skipped the bamboo shoots from the original recipe only because I didn't have any at the house, but they would be a great addition)

1 tsp oil
4 green onions, chopped
1 heaping tbsp red curry paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 lb scallops
2 cans coconut milk
1 Tblsp fish sauce

In a large pot or skillet, heat oil on medium-high. Saute green onions and curry paste for about one minute until fragrant. Add shrimp, scallops, and garlic. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly. Add coconut milk and fish sauce, and stir to coat. Simmer for 3 minutes, or until seafood is cooked through. Serve tossed with fine noodles or over rice (I've mentioned before how much we love Rooster Brand Scented Rice!)

My apologies for two picture-less posts in a row. I've been a slacker with my camera!

Maple Curry Chicken with Penne

2010-10-07T18:20:00.003-03:00

I've been lucky enough to have been given my sister's leftovers of this dish a couple of times, but this was my first time actually making it. It's delicious, comes together fast, and makes a lot. Can't wait to have it again for lunch tomorrow!

1 lb of chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 red pepper, chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
6 cloves garlic
1/2 cup maple syrup

½ cup chicken stock
2 heaping Tbsp Curry Paste
11/2 Tbsp Montreal steak spice
1 cup cream
2 tsp fresh basil
1 lb box penne pasta

Cook chicken with 2 cloves of minced garlic and a little Montreal steak spice in frying pan. Set cooked chicken aside.

Cook the Penne pasta per the directions on the box.

Sauté onions on medium and remaining 4 cloves of minced garlic in wok until soft. Add maple syrup, curry paste, and steak spice. Cook on medium. Gradually bring to a boil and then add chicken stock, cream, and Montreal steak spice (Be careful with the temperature as you bring to a boil. If cooked on too high, cream may separate). Add peppers, cooked chicken, and basil. Simmer until peppers are cooked (about 15 minutes). Add cooked penne to wok with all of the other ingredients. Toss together. Turn off heat and allow pasta to rest for approximately 5 minutes before serving.

Gingered Carrot Soup

2010-10-07T09:01:00.002-03:00

I've been on the hunt for a good carrot soup recipe, and this one caught my eye. (And what could suit me better than a blog called Cheap, Healthy, Good? Those are my top three kitchen requirements!) Skip the yogurt when serving, and you've got a great vegan dish too.

2 T olive oil
5 C chopped carrots
1 onion, chopped
2 T diced ginger
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
2 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
5 cups vegetable broth (plus I stirred in a little more after pureeing)
2 limes (zest and juice)
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
large handful of cilantro leaves
1 cup Greek yogurt, for serving

Sautee onion and carrots in oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until onions are softened. Add ginger, garlic, jalapeno, and cumin. Stir to coat. Pour in broth and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer, cover, and cook until carrots are tender (about 30 minutes).

Remove soup from heat. Stir in lime zest, lime juice, and cilantro. Puree with immersion blender right in the pot. Add cayenne pepper to taste (I used 1/8 tsp), and add extra vegetable stock (if desired) to reach desired consistency.

Serve with a dollop of plain yogurt. (We are currently bonkers over Astro Original All Natural Yogurt. It's insanely good, and always a great price...plus I have a stockpile of $1 off coupons!)

Pumpkin Waffles

2010-10-04T13:02:00.003-03:00

These pumpkin waffles were gooooood! A total hit with the whole family. I shouldn't have expected any less - I've never been disappointed with anything from Weelicious, and (more importantly) neither have the kids!

1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
3 Tbsp melted butter

Sift dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients. Mix the dry ingredients into the liquid mixture and whisk until smooth. Bake batter in waffle iron according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Baked Potato Soup

2010-10-04T09:13:00.001-03:00

I bookmarked this soup ages ago because I thought my husband would really like it, but I held off making it because it's not very healthy and it's kind of an expensive soup to make. He's on vacation from work this week though, so I've been trying lots of new recipes out on him. We both liked it (and so did one of two toddlers), but it's not something I foresee myself making very often. We'd rather spend extra money and calories on something a little more decadent!

4 T butter
2 leeks, finely chopped
6 C potatoes, cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces
4 C chicken broth
3/4 C skim milk
1/4 C cream
2 C cheddar cheese, grated
6 green onions, finely chopped
8 strips bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
Salt and pepper to taste
Hot sauce, to taste
1 C sour cream, for serving

Heat the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until softened. Place leeks into slow cooker and add the potatoes and broth. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 5 to 6 hours, until the potatoes are tender.

Using an immersion blender, purée the mixture.

Add the milk, cheese, green onions, and bacon. Set heat to low, cover, and cook for an additional 1 hour. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Serve bowls garnished with sour cream.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Scones

2010-10-01T15:40:00.004-03:00

Inspired by my recently roasted and pureed pumpkin and encouraged by Joanna's variation on the recipe, I made these pumpkin chocolate chip scones this morning. Mmmm! Such a yummy fall flavour on a damp day.

1 1/2 C flour
1/4 C sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 Tblsp butter, softened
1/3 C pureed pumpkin
1/3 C buttermilk
1/2 C chocolate chips

Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in pumpkin, buttermilk, butter, and chocolate chips. If necessary, knead with your hands to incorporate all the flour. Form dough into a ball, and flatten into a 1/2 inch thick disk on baking sheet. Sprinkle with sugar and cut into 8 segments. Separate segments, and cut each into 2 smaller triangles (so my toddlers can eat them in one sitting). Bake at 425` for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

These had a more biscuit-like texture than my regular glazed pumpkin scones, but we really enjoyed them. And not having to cut in cold butter is always a nice treat...I don't know why that task always bothers me!

Ginger Waffles

2010-09-22T13:24:00.004-03:00

Mmmm....such a nice taste of fall!

I found this recipe in an old compilation fundraising book. I love to go through those on occasion and see what I might have missed in the past. I thought they were delicious, and they were a hit with three toddlers at lunch time. (Photos of my happy customers appear below too!)

1 1/2 C flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 C buttermilk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 C melted butter
1 Tbsp molasses (Crosby's, of course, since it's made here!)
1/4 C firmly packed brown sugar

Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Stir in the remaining ingredients until smooth. Cook waffles according to the directions with your waffle iron. Mine took slightly less time than my regular waffles often too - plus the dark colour of the batter made them appear quite dark before they were well-done.

Yummy!

Sneaking seconds!

Pink Pancakes

2010-09-22T13:15:00.006-03:00

With oodles of beets from our produce pack program, I was excited to find this recipe for the kids. And they loved them! I noticed a slight smell of beets when I cut into mine, but they taste the same if you close your eyes. I sprinkled chocolate chips and blueberries on a couple to make them extra-appealing to my toddlers.

First, clean your beets and trim to allow an extra 1/2 inch on each end. (ie: 1/2 inch of stem and 1/2 inch of skinny root on each beet). Place in a covered casserole dish, and bake at 425' for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, depending on the size of your beets. Allow to cool in the covered dish, before simply rubbing to remove the skin with your fingers. Then, puree beets in a food processor until smooth - adding a little water if necessary.

You can easily incorporate the pureed beets into your own pancake recipe in lieu of oil or apple sauce.

Bright pink pancakes in the skillet

Finished pancakes (with chocolate chips) cooling on wire rack.

Leftovers Renewed: Baked Curry Chimichangas

2010-09-15T14:03:00.003-03:00

We had a fair amount of leftover chicken & squash curry from the other night, but I didn't feel like having it with rice. Some tortillas were eyeing me in the fridge, so I decided to put them to good use. Delicious! I love when leftover meals are as good as the original meal!

We absolutely LOVED these! I can't wait to try more possibilities for baked chimichangas. My imagination is running wild thinking of the chimichangas I could make from leftover samosa filling, chicken chili, or even marinara sauce and sausage!

4 large tortillas
2 Cups of leftover curry (approx)
Olive oil, for brushing
1/3 Cup sour cream
1 tsp curry powder
Pinch of salt

In the centre of each tortilla, spoon approximately 1/2 cup of curry. Fold in the right and left sides of the tortilla towards the centre. Fold up the bottom of the tortilla to cover the filling, and roll up towards the top of the tortilla. Place on a baking sheet and brush top & sides with olive oil. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Bake at 425' for 25 minutes, until golden and crisp.

Combine sour cream, curry powder, and salt for a great dipping sauce to serve on the side.

Slowcooker Red Curry Chicken with Squash

2010-09-15T14:00:00.004-03:00

I saved this recipe a long time ago and now that our CSA has been rich with squash, I decided to give it a try. I made a few alterations from Cara's recipe to use what I had in the house.

1 onion, chopped
1/2 bag of frozen red & green peppers (about 1 cup)
1/2 sweet mama squash, chopped into 1-2 inch pieces
4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp red curry paste
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1-inch piece of ginger, minced
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 400ml can coconut milk + water to yield 2 cups liquid
1 Tbsp cornstarch

Combine all ingredients except cornstarch in slowcooker. Cover and set to low for 8 hours. Stir cornstarch and allow to cook for an additional 20 minutes, or however long it takes to make the rice. Serve over rice. (We love Rooster Brand Scented Rice!)

This was delicious, though not as spicy as we would normally choose. Perhaps my substitution of additional coconut milk in lieu of chicken stock tamed it down. (But I hated to have 1/2 a can of coconut milk and 2/3 carton of chicken stock leftover!) Next time, I'll stick to Cara's recipe, use stock, and see what happens.

Chewy Coconut Lime Cookies

2010-09-08T16:24:00.005-03:00

Oh my! I bookmarked this recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything a few weeks ago, but didn't try it until today. The kitchen smelled like a sunny vacation (a mix of sunscreen and a margarita), and the batter tasted amazing. The cookies turned out light and chewy, and totally delicious. Enjoy!

2 3/4 C flour

1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 C butter, softened
1 ½ C white sugar
1 egg
½ tsp vanilla extract
zest of one large lime
3 Tbsp lime juice
½ C unsweetened toasted coconut
½ C sugar for rolling cookies

Toast coconut by spreading on a baking sheet and cooking in a 350' oven for approximately 5 minutes.

Combine the first four ingredients, and set aside. Beat butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, lime zest, and lime juice. Beat well. Stir in toasted coconut. Add dry mixture gradually and mix well.

Roll batter into 1-1.5 inch balls, and roll in sugar. Place on silpat-lined cookie sheets (or parchment) about 1 1/2 inches apart, as they spread considerably. Bake for 10 minutes at 350'. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes on cookie sheets before moving to a cooling rack to cool completely. (Yields 60 cookies!)

Cinnamon Rolls

2010-09-02T13:19:00.000-03:00

Yet again, blogless-Laura has shared another great recipe with me. Laura Emailed me the link to this cinnamon roll recipe a few months ago, but I was slack to try it. What was I waiting for? They were delish! And I have long wanted to try The Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls, but her recipe makes a huge amount and the time commitment seemed a little daunting. My solution? Laura's rolls with PW's icing. The combination was fantastic!

Rolls:
1 1/4 C warm water
1/3 c oil
1/4 C sugar
2 1/4 tsp rapid rise yeast
1 tsp sat
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 egg
3 1/4 C flour
1/4 C melted butter
1 Tblsp cinnamon
1/2 sugar

Combine water, oil, sugar, and yeast. Let rise for 15 minutes until bubbly. Add salt baking powder, baking soda, and egg. Mix well. Add flour one cup at a time until well incorporated. Cover with a clean tea towel and let rise approx 15-20 minutes.

Roll dough into a large rectangle approximately 1/4-1/3 inch thick. Brush liberally with melted butter and evenly sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Starting with one long edge, gradually roll up entire dough into a long log. Cut rolls approximately 1-inch thick using a serrated knife. Place in greased baking pans and allow to rise. Once risen, bake at 425' for 15 minutes until just lightly golden.

Icing:
2 C icing sugar
2 tsp maple syrup (Thank you to The Bells for my stash!)
1/4 C milk
2 Tblsp melted butter
1/4 C brewed coffee
Pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, and whisk until smooth. Drizzle over (or drown) warm (but not hot) cinnamon rolls. You may wish to add the coffee and milk gradually to get your desired consistency.

Naked Buns
Unbelievable icing
Well-dressed cinnamon buns

Zucchini Blueberry Muffins

2010-08-29T08:21:00.006-03:00

I spotted this recipe at Good Things Catered, and knew I had to try it. I had all the ingredients in the fridge, and our muffin container was empty. (Yes, we have a designated muffin container) What's more important to point out, though, is that I have never been disappointed by a recipe from Katie at Good Things Catered. Everything I've tried from her has been an A+, so I never hesitate to delve into her site. Check it out!

I made just a few little adjustments to Katie's Zucchini Blueberry Bread recipe to make 15 of these Zucchini Blueberry Muffins. They were a huge hit with our family, and didn't last long. I'll be making them again today!

1/4 C oil
1/4 C applesauce
1/2 C white sugar
3/4 C brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 C shredded zucchini
3/4 C all purpose flour
3/4 C whole-wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 C blueberries

Combine oil, applesauce, sugars, egg and vanilla. Stir in zucchini. Add flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon until just combined. Gently fold in blueberries. Divide into lined muffin pan, and sprinkle sugar on top of the batter. Bake at 350` for 30-ish minutes.

Sugar Cookies

2010-08-27T10:32:00.001-03:00

My sweet cousin Sadie has been competing in a local talent competition, and has made it through to the finals! (Want to see why? Check her out on YouTube!) I wanted to bring her a little treat to congratulate her on doing so well with the weekly competition throughout the summer, so I made her some superstar sugar cookies. (This is another recipe that I originally got from Katie at Good Things Catered, but her site is no longer active.)

1 1/2 C butter
1 1/2 C sugar
1/2 C icing sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp lemon zest
5 C flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Cream butter and sugars for 5 minutes in mixer. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in vanilla and lemon zest. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together.gradually mix dry ingredients into wet mixture. Roll out (using icing sugar to avoid sticking to rolling pin (or, in my kitchen, wine bottle), and cut as desired. On a Silpat or parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake cookies for about 8 minutes @ 400`. Frost cookies as desired only once completely cooled.

I used this icing recipe for the first time. In lieu of flooding or painting the icing, I dipped the cookies in it. It was quick and simple, but obviously didn't have the crisp result of flooded cookies.

Here is one of Sadie's Superstar Cookies

And here are some hearts I made to keep at home for my little loves (with the icing thickened and piped on)

Cranberry Oat Cookies

2010-08-25T15:00:00.002-03:00

I found this recipe in this pregnancy cookbook, and I honestly wasn't expecting them to be as good as they are. They have a great flavour and texture, and come together really quickly. Next time, I think I'll add some orange and lemon zest for a little extra somethin'-somethin'...and by the look of our cookie jar, next time will be very soon!

7 Tblsp butter, softened
6 Tblsp white sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1/2 C dried cranberries, chopped
1 1/4 C flour, sifted
1/2 C oatmeal

Blend butter and sugar until fluffy. Add vanilla and egg and mix well. Stir in cranberries. Add flour and oatmeal and stir until a smooth dough forms. Roll into balls, and press with a fork. Bake at 375` for 12 minutes or lightly golden brown. Allow to cool on pan. (Yields 24 2" cookies)

Hella-Good Tomato Soup

2010-08-24T14:40:00.001-03:00

This started based on the idea of a friend (the infamous Laura), and turned into some seriously delicious soup! A couple days later, we used some leftover soup as a make-shift pizza sauce on pita with some green onions, green peppers, basil, sausage, and mozzarella cheese. The only problem? It was so good that now I'm torn whether I should have the last little bit as a bowl of soup, or if I should make another pizza!

1 onion, chopped
2 Tbsp butter
1 (798 ml) can whole tomatoes
1/4 water (approx - just enough to rinse the tomato can)
1/4 C fresh basil
1/2 tsp roasted garlic
3-5 dashes of hot sauce
4-5 Tblsp Parmesan cheese
1/4 C milk
salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion in butter until soft (If you don't have roasted garlic on hand to add at the later stage, you could always add some raw minced garlic to saute too). Once softened, add tomatoes, water, and basil. Bring to a boil. Add roasted garlic and hot sauce, and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 30-ish minutes. Stir in parmesan cheese. Remove from heat and add milk. Stir to combine, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Squash Fries

2010-08-20T14:49:00.000-03:00

I accidentally ate 1/2 a squash in one sitting the other day. I just couldn't stop! So simple, healthy, and yummy! Leave it to Hungry Girl to put all three in one.

Remove the seeds and peel your squash, then cut into fry-shaped wedges (the larger the fry, the slower your cooking time). Place on a cookie sheet coated with non-stick spray. Sprinkle with coarse salt, and bake at 425` for approximately 40 minutes, turning halfway.

I enjoyed mine with a beloved concoction: 4 parts sour cream to 1 part hot sauce. Mmmmm!

Savoury Pinwheels

2010-07-28T11:05:00.001-03:00

Trying to think of an easy snack to make for my book club meeting, I remembered these pinwheels that my aunt had brought to a party. It sounds like an odd combination, but the sweet and savoury offset each other wonderfully!

There aren't any 'real' measurements, because it depends on how many you want to make.

Start with a large tortilla. Top it from edge to edge with spreadable cream cheese. Sprinkled with chopped green onions (both the green and the white), chopped dried cranberries, and feta cheese. It will look something like this:

Roll up as tightly as you can, and wrap in plastic. Chill for at least an hour, but even overnight works well.
Once chilled, slice with a serrated knife. Ideally, slice them just before serving so the tortilla won't dry out.

Cake Cones

2010-07-26T11:02:00.001-03:00

This is less of a recipe, and more of an adorable idea. I made these cake cones for my son's 3rd birthday party, and the kids loved them. I saw the idea from a local cake maker (Thank you 'Cake Me Smile!'), but the party didn't have the budget for me to buy them for all of our guests. I think my DIY's turned out pretty cute though!

First, make Bakerella's cake balls. Just make the centres and don't coat the yet. (Mine are chocolate cake and chocolate icing. Mmmmm...)

Place your cake balls on a cookie sheet, and top with a mini ice cream cone. Chill in the fridge (or freezer, if you are impatient like me) until firm.

Once the cake balls are firm, melt chocolate (in this case, white chocolate) in a double-boiler. Dip each cake ball/cone in the melted chocolate and top with sprinkles.

An easy way for them to dry and harden standing up was to poke them into the bottom of egg cartons. Isn't it cute how the chocolate drips down the cone a little like melting ice cream?

Love 'em! Can't wait for another reason to make them ;)

Grilled Salad

2010-07-23T11:01:00.000-03:00

I made this to quickly use up some veggies in the fridge, but it was delicious! I am going to try it again soon adding some peppers into the mix too.

3 new potatoes
1 small egg plant
a handful of fresh cilantro
1-2 tsp olive oil
juice of one lime

As always with egg plant, once cut, place in a wire strainer and sprinkle with salt. Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes until moisture comes to the surface, then blot dry.

Grill potatoes and egg plant on the grill until done (approx. 15 minutes). Remove from grill and cut potatoes. Toss with remaining ingredients and serve warm.

2010-07-21T14:00:00.003-03:00

Yet another grilled pizza. I can't stop! How does this combination sound?

Beet greens sauteed with green onions
Thinly sliced ham
Jalapenos monterrey jack cheese

It was delicious!

We were too crunched for time for making my usual dough in the bread machine, so I used this recipe (halved for one 12-inch pizza). I rubbed olive oil (just what was left in the bowl from the dough rising) all over the crust before adding the toppings. It kept it simple and really allowed the other flavours to come through and not be over-powered by sauce. Great results, and I'll definitely use that recipe again for my crusts. If you want to be coached through grilling a pizza, click here for my how-to!

Sexy Surf and Turf

2010-07-21T13:44:00.004-03:00

This is the 2nd or 3rd time I've made this recipe in the last few years, and each time I'm blown away by how simple and quick it is! This is the perfect meal to make if you are having company for dinner because you don't have to slave over anything. It requires your undivided attention for about 7 minutes, and that's it. I made it at Josh's request for our 5th wedding anniversary last week, and we both loved it yet again. As a disclaimer, yes - this is a Rachel Ray recipe. I am not normally a fan of RR, but this does it for me!

Olive oil
2 steaks (about -inch thick)
10 scallops (because we are scallop-lovers and pigs)
Salt and pepper
1 large shallot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 cup sweet vermouth
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons chives, chopped

Rub some olive oil on the steaks to coat lightly. Heat a non-stick skillet until very hot and add steak. Cook for 3 minutes on each side for medium rare or 4 minutes for medium to medium-well doneness. Remove the meat from pan and allow to rest. Reduce heat to medium and allow the pan to cool slightly. (Remove it from heat altogether for a moment, if you like)

Drizzle some olive oil over the scallops and season with salt and pepper. Add to a new very hot non-stick pan and cook the scallops for 2-3 minutes on each side until well caramelized.

In the meat's pan (which is now empty and over medium heat) add 1 Tblsp of olive oil, shallot, and garlic. Cook for about 2 minutes. Add the vermouth and allow to reduce for about 30 seconds before stirring in butter to melt.

Once meat is plated, drizzle with sauce and top with scallops.

We enjoyed it with parmesan roasted broccoli and broiled tomatoes.

Coconut Curry that Keeps on Going

2010-07-14T19:42:00.010-03:00

On a hunt for a bok choy recipe that wasn't centred around soy sauce or sesame,a friend suggested this recipe. I used it as a starting point with a bunch of ingredients I had on-hand. Once the first recipe was made, I tweaked it twice to make two more meals which I'll share below.

2 of Dave's giant green onions (or a bunch of regular size)

1 can coconut milk

1/4 cup soy sauce, divided

1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

3 tomatoes, chopped

1 red pepper, thinly sliced

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

4 cups bok choy, chopped

Chop whites of the onions finely, and greens into larger pieces to serve as garnish.

Combine coconut milk, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, brown sugar, curry powder, and ginger in a large pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Add tomatoes, red pepper, and whites of green onions. Cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix in basil and bok choy. Add remaining soy sauce and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender-crisp. Serve over rice and garnish with green onion.

(This photo doesn't show how saucy the dish really is)

Because I skipped the chile paste from the original recipe, we found this recipe very mild. Next time, I'll add curry paste in its place...which is exactly what I did with the leftovers.

For our second night of this curry, I softened some curry paste in a pot with a tiny bit of olive oil before adding the mixture to reheat (you could add a little milk or stock if too thick). As it came to a boil, I added some chopped Swiss chard, covered the pot, and simmered until it was softened - about 5 minutes. We had it over noodles the second night.

For our third night of this curry (can you tell I like to stretch a meal?), I sauteed chopped beet greens until soft, and then added the leftover mixture to combine. I stretched pizza dough, lightly brushed the outer edges with olive oil and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, topped with the curry mixture and grated mozzarella cheese, and cooked on the grill. (See here for my how-to on grilling pizza)

I think the third meal was my favourite, but I've got a thing for pizza!

Italian Bok Choy

2010-07-12T20:19:00.000-03:00

While looking for bok choy recipes, Jamie Oliver's recipe for Italian Bok Choy caught my eye as it had quite different flavours from the majority I have found.

6 cups bok choy, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small onion, finely sliced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup fresh basil

In a large pan add the olive oil, garlic, and onions. Cook for approximately 3 minutes at medium heat. Add half of the basil. Add the bok choy and stir to coat. Continue stirring and cooking until bok choy wilts. Remover from heat and add remaining basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

We enjoyed this (and so did one of two toddlers) with lemon pork chops.

Lemon Pork Chops

2010-07-12T20:14:00.006-03:00

I love the fresh taste of lemon, but it occurred to me that I never use it in my pork. I figured it was about time!

Zest of one lemon
Juice of one lemon
Lemon, cut into chunks
(...essentially, just obliterate a lemon)
1 tsp black pepper
3 boneless porkchops

Combine all ingredients in a sealed bag/container and refridgerate for at least 6 hours. Grill pork as desired, or approximately 4 minutes per side on high heat.

We had it with Italian bok choy, but it would be great with a green salad. Especially one with tahini lemon dressing!

Tahini Lemon Dressing

2010-07-08T20:52:00.003-03:00

This recipe is from The Stone Soup's free e-cookbook that I posted about recently. I changed the quantities slightly from the original to finish off the container of tahini that I had in the fridge. It was fresh and flavourful over mixed greens, and we'll definitely be making it throughout the summer. (And the more I browse The Stone Soup, the more I like it!)

1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients. Mix well and refrigerate.