Come Home for Supper!

Layered Salad with Orange Ginger Dressing

2012-02-19T00:00:00.000-05:00

This is another recipe from Angela Liddon's blog. I made it first for a potluck lunch and then again the next day with a few changes. The orange-ginger dressing is what makes the finished product so tasty. The salad can be layered in 500 ml mason jars (instant lunches!) which will keep in the fridge for a few days. You can also layer or mix the ingredients in a bowl.

Measure

One cup each, dry of two grains such as wheat berries, kamut, barley, quinoa, brown rice ( I used barley and farro, then barley and kamut). Cook them separately in salted water until tender. Drain in sieve.
Boil 1 cup of frozen edamame in water for a couple of minutes and drain.
Measure 1/2 cup dried fruit like raisins or dried cherries

Chop or grate the following vegetables: ( I used a food processor)

1 cup carrots
1 cup green pepper
1 cup red pepper or tomato
1/2 cup cilantro

Dressing;- Mix together

1 cup orange juice
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated or pressed (I used a garlic press)

Assemble salad
For the 500 ml jars layer

1/2 cup one grain
1/4 cup green pepper
1/4 cup red pepper or tomatoes
1/2 cup second grain
1/2 cup carrot
2 tbsp dried fruit
1/4 cup edamame (or other legume)
cilantro (or parsley)
1/4 cup dressing

(I had some cooked grains left over)
Alternately, layer/mix all ingredients in a bowl. You can serve it immediately or store in fridge for up to four days.

Dark Chocolate Almond Butter

2012-02-18T22:20:00.000-05:00

I have purchased almond butter twice and both times it tasted rancid and bitter. I have tasted chocolate-hazelnut spread too, but hazelnuts do not impress me. I saw this recipe on Angela Liddon's blog and was very impressed with the result. (Follow this link for a detailed description of making chocolate almond butter and chocolate peanut butter) Here is a quick description.

2 cups raw almonds
1/3 cup 70% cocoa chocolate squares or chips (all we had at home)

(Angela's recipe calls for 1 tsp coconut oil, 1/2 cup chocolate and a dash of salt. I didn't add oil or salt)

Put almonds in food processor and mix until smooth and creamy. This takes about 15 minutes and you have to scrape the bowl often. Melt the chocolate on low heat and add to the almond butter. Process until well blended. This made about 1-1/2 cups. I wonder how long it will last??

Mexican Fish Soup

2012-02-11T13:05:00.000-05:00

Assemble your ingredients before you start, and this soup comes together quickly

1 dried chile (or more), opened with seeds and veins removed.

Cook dried chile in a small amount of water until softened (about 5-7 minutes) and put into blender with:
1 white cooking onion
2 cloves garlic
3 fresh tomatoes (plum tomatoes work well)
1 canned chipolte chile

Blend on high until smooth and add to a large soup pot along with

4 cups fish stock*
2 cups vegetable stock
1-2 large potatoes (like a Russet) cut in chunks
1-2 large carrots cut in thick slices
3 large bay leaves

Bring to a boil and lower heat to simmer until vegetables are starting to soften (about 10 minutes) then add

1-1/2 lbs firm white fish like Pacific Snapper

2-3 cups coarsely shredded cabbage
5 cilantro stalks

Simmer until fish flakes and vegetables are cooked (about 10 minutes)

Adjust seasonings adding salt, pepper, Old Bay Seafood Seasoning, etc.

Serve with lime wedges, chopped cilantro, sliced avocado, tortillas, taco chips, tostadas or rice as desired.

Serves 6 main course dishes.

*Fish Stock (made ahead of time)

I made fish stock using the bones, fins and head of a mild, non-oily white fish from our fishmonger (about 3 pounds) simmered in a stock pot of water with one onion, leek tops, one large carrot, one large celery stalk, 1 tsp pepper corns, 3 bay leaves, 1 tsp each thyme and oregano, fresh parsley (or cilantro) stalks, salt. Simmer for 30 minutes, strain and cool. It made enough stock for 3 batches of this soup. Store unused broth in freezer.

Vegetable Barley Soup

2012-02-07T18:08:00.000-05:00

This is a hearty vegetable soup/stew which takes just a few minutes to put in a slow cooker in the morning. It can be served over rice or pasta or with biscuits. Ingredients can be changed according to the vegetables you have on hand.

3 onions finely diced
1 cup sliced celery
1 diced green pepper
1 diced red or yellow pepper

Saute the first 4 ingredients in a frying pan in a little oil or broth until softened.
Put in slow cooker and add:

1 large carrot sliced
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
3 cups kidney beans, rinsed and drained (other beans can be used)
1 28 ounce can stewed tomatoes
1/2 cup pot barley (not quick-cooking)
2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning or a mixture of oregano, basil, thyme, hot pepper flakes to taste
1 carton vegetable broth (4 cups)

Cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. One half hour before serving add:

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups or more of chopped fresh spinach or kale
salt to taste

Burritos

2012-01-18T19:57:00.001-05:00

Stephanie made burritos for our bus trip and for my plane ride back to Canada. She wrapped them in foil when they were hot and they stayed warm for a few hours. Burritos are rolled flour tortillas with a warm filling. They can be served for a meal, packed for a lunch, or frozen and quickly reheated in the future. We had them for supper tonight with a salad, guacamole and salsa.

2 cups cooked brown rice
3 cups cooked black beans
2 roasted poblano chilies finely chopped
2 roasted red peppers finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 clove crushed garlic
salt to taste

Grated cheese (optional)
Strips of cooked chicken or beef (optional)

12- 8 inch whole wheat tortillas (I buy this size at Costco. You can use 6 or 10 inch tortillas)

Method:

Mix first 9 ingredients together
Warm tortillas in microwave or on a skillet
Place 1/3-1/2 cup filling in tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese and lay meat on top if using
Roll tortilla up into a cylinder and place in an oven proof dish, seam side down

Continue until all tortillas are filled.
Cover dish and heat burritos in a 350 F oven for 30 minutes. (or warm individually in microwave)
Serve hot with garnishes as desired (salsa, sour cream, guacamole)

Burritos can be wrapped individually for bag lunches.

Variations:
The internet is full of burrito recipes for meat lovers and vegetarians. Breakfast burritos with eggs are also filling and easy to make.
I also cook onion, sweet and jalapeno peppers, mushrooms, spinach and seasoning until soft in a skillet. Add 2 ounces of cream cheese to the vegetables, heating until the mixture is creamy. Put a thin layer of refried beans on a tortilla, then a layer of vegetables and grated cheese if desired. Roll and heat as above.

Guacamole

2012-01-18T18:56:00.002-05:00

We had a wonderful meal at a vegetarian buffet in downtown Tepic and the guacamole was the best I have ever tasted. I wanted a bowl of it, not just a condiment portion! I made some tonight to go with our burritos and it tasted almost a good as what I had in Mexico.

Mash together

2 large ripe avocados (or 3 small)
Juice of one fresh lime
1 clove garlic, crushed
A dash of cayenne pepper
2 tbsp hot red chunky salsa
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
salt to taste

Rosca de Reyes

2012-01-06T20:20:00.001-05:00

Ingredients

4 cups flour
1-11 g package of dry active yeast
150 g sugar (3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp)
6 g salt (1 rounded teaspoon)
3 eggs
120 g melted butter (1-1/3 bars with one bar equivalent to 1/2 cup)
125 g warm milk or water (1/2 cup)
Flavouring to taste i.e. vanilla, orange peel or extract
Decorations as desired such as citron, cherries, dried fruit, slivered almonds

Filling (relleno)

3/4 cup chopped nuts such as almonds and pecans
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
Flavourings as desired
Plastic infants

Method

1. Dissolve the yeast and 1 tbsp sugar in warm milk or water and let it rest for 10 minutes.
2. Put flour in a bowl, make a well and add yeast, eggs and all other ingredients. Stir until well blended and smooth.
3. Knead on floured board until dough is a good consistency
4. Place dough in bowl, cover with a towel and allow it to rise in a warm place for 45-60 minutes until doubled in size
5. Roll dough into a 70 x 25 rectangle

6. Spread filling over dough, place the desired number of plastic infants on the surface and roll it up from the long edge.
7. Make a ring and place it in baking pan covering it and letting it rise again in a warm place until doubled in size.

Place decorations on dough before it rises the second time or you can glaze and decorate it after baking.

Bake at 375 F for 10 minutes and then at 325 F until done (approx 35 minutes)

Note- This recipe was taken from an insert in the package of yeast
Tradi-pan La levadura casera

Tortilla Spinach Lasagna

2012-01-05T11:41:00.000-05:00

Stale corn tortillas are used instead of lasagna noodles in this tasty layered casserole. Tortillas can also be used with a tomato based sauce.

Ingredients

1-1/2 -2 cups milk of choice
2-3 tbsp flour
Dash of salt and pepper

Add milk slowly to flour to make a smooth paste. Add rest of milk and seasoning and heat on stove or microwave stirring often to make a white sauce.

Heat a frying pan and cook until softened...

8 ounces of spinach
1/2 cup mushroom
one diced jalapeño or poblano pepper
one clove of crushed garlic
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Add vegetables to white sauce. (Feel free to alter vegetable mixture)

Using 12 stale tortillas in a greased 9 x 9 pan...

Put 4 tortillas on bottom of pan. Add a layer of vegetables and repeat layers finishing with a sauce layer. Cover the top with a layer of crumbled or grated mild cheese. You can add cheese to the layers if desired. You can also add mashed beans as a layer. I like the texture of white kidney beans in this recipe.

Bake in oven for 30 minutes at 350F until bubbly or heat in microwave for 5-10 minutes.

Serves 4-6

Agua de Frutas

2012-01-04T11:23:00.000-05:00

I am not a fan of sweet drinks, but the fruit drinks and teas served in Mexico are very refreshing and the sweetness is easily controlled.

Fresh fruit drinks

Blend a mixture of fruit such as strawberries, melon, mango, pineapple, orange, etc in the blender with a little water until you have a thick puree. Sweeten to taste. This is your concentrate. To serve, add some fruit to a glass or pitcher and add water a little at a time until desired consistency is reached. The drinks are thick enough that they are difficult to get through a straw. Garnish with lime if desired.

Jamaica

Add boiling water to dried hibiscus flowers and let it steep until it is a deep red color. Strain and cool and add sweetener to taste. Dilute concentrate as described above. I make hot hibiscus tea regularly and use 1 teaspoon dried flowers per cup of boiling water. For the cold concentrate I would start with 2-3 teaspoons per cup of water.

Nut Pinwheel Cookies

2012-01-03T12:11:00.000-05:00

Make a basic sugar cookie dough (like this or this)

Combine
3/4 cup pecans
3/4 cup almonds
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
in a food processor and process until you have a coarse paste. Add a little milk or water to bind ingredients if necessary.

Roll dough into a rectangle that is about 3/8" thick. Spread nut mixture within 1/2 inch of edges. Roll from long edge into a roll refrigerate or freeze log. Slice cookies and bake at 375F for 6-8 minutes or until set and lightly browned.

Icebox Cookies

2011-11-27T22:38:00.001-05:00

Icebox cookie dough is great to have on hand if you want to bake a few fresh cookies. This recipe goes together quickly and will keep in the freezer for a few weeks.

1/2 cup butter

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4-1 cup candied fruit, nuts, dried fruit of choice (chop up larger pieces)

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat well. Combine dry ingredients and add gradually to butter mixture. Add fruit and nuts if desired.

Divide dough into three and roll into logs that are about 1-1/4 inch in diameter. Chill in the freezer for at least 1/2 hour or freeze for use later. Slice chilled dough in 1/4 inch slices and place on baking sheet. Roll edges in coarse sugar if desired.

Bake in a preheated oven at 375 F for 6-8 minutes until set.

Corn Tortillas

2011-11-06T17:40:00.002-05:00

I have made some pretty awful corn tortillas with masa flour in the past. Our daughter brought me a tortilla press from Mexico this summer and taught me how to use it. When I was in California I tasted delicious corn tortillas that were made with a little wheat gluten. They were very flexible and easy to handle when making tacos. I added some gluten to the masa flour when I made tortillas today and they were every bit as good as the ones we had in California.

1-3/4 cups masa flour
1/4 cup wheat gluten
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix together in a large bowl and add

2 cups very hot water (I let boiled water cool for a couple of minutes)
Stir until combined adding a little more water if necessary to get the ingredients to stick together in a dough you can shape into balls.

Divide into 16 balls and cover with a towel to keep the dough from drying out.

Flatten each ball in a tortilla press or by pressing it with a round plate. Place each tortilla on an ungreased hot skillet and cook until brown spots form and the tortilla puffs up. Place warm tortillas in a clean tea towel or tortilla cover.

You can freeze these in an air tight bag and heat them in a moistened tea towel in the microwave.

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

2011-10-30T19:29:00.003-05:00

For years I have made scalloped potatoes by layering sliced potato and onion in a casserole dish and dumping a can of cream of mushroom soup on the top. The result can be gummy and grey depending on the type of potatoes used. I wanted to get away from a milky sauce over the potatoes and experimented with this method. It was very well received by our family!

Slice 3-4 lbs of potatoes in a food processor. (I used new red potatoes and did not peel them.)

Parboil the slices in boiling salted water for 8 minutes (this step could be omitted if you bake the potatoes a little longer)

Butter a 9x13 pan

Put 1/3 of the potatoes on the bottom and sprinkle with 1/2 c grated cheddar cheese, 2 oz of cubed cream cheese, 1 tbsp of flour, salt, pepper to taste.

Add 1/3 of the potatoes and sprinkle with 1/2 c grated cheddar cheese, 2 oz of cubed cream cheese, 1 tbsp of flour, salt, pepper as above. I added 4 oz of lightly cooked sliced mushrooms on the layer too.

Top with remaining potatoes, season with salt and pepper. Add 8-12 oz milk.

Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Cover lightly with foil for the first 1/2 hour and then let the top brown for the last 15 minutes.

Spicy Lentil Tacos

2011-10-15T17:27:00.003-05:00

I saw this recipe on Phoo-d and we had it for supper tonight. We have made tacos with veggie ground round in the past but it is expensive and too salty for my liking. This lentil version tastes better. You can follow the link to the recipe I used but it is copied here as links are prone to going dead.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups Diced Onion
4 cloves Garlic, minced
2 Poblano Peppers, diced (or peppers of choice)
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
3/4 teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoons Ancho Chili Powder (I used regular chili powder)
1/2 teaspoon Dried Oregano
1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1/2 teaspoon Ground Coriander
4 cups Cooked Lentils (2 tins, drained and rinsed)
1/3 cup or more* Vegetable Stock (Low Sodium)
1 small tin Tomato Paste (4-6 oz)
1 Tablespoon Hot Sauce (optional)
2 teaspoons Olive Oil or cook onions in vegetable broth

Cooking Directions

Place a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, onion, garlic, and peppers and saute until soft.

When the vegetables are soft add the black pepper, salt, chili powder, oregano, cumin, and coriander in and stir for a minute. Add the lentils, vegetable stock, tomato paste, and hot sauce to the skillet. Stir until well combined, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the lentils are warmed through and most of the vegetable stock has evaporated, about 4 minutes. If the mixture begins to look dry add more vegetable stock*.

Serve in a corn tortilla or tostada with traditional taco toppings. Serves 4.

Hearty Curry

2011-10-06T18:06:00.000-05:00

I made this curry with ingredients on hand and the meat-lover in the family declared the vegetables tasted better than the meat. I didn’t really measure the ingredients and the recipe is very versatile.

Add to wok or large frying pan with lid:

1 tbsp oil
1 diced onion
2 tsp freshly ground cumin
2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric

Fry until seeds start to pop and onion is starting to soften.

Add:

1-1/2 lbs diced potatoes (I quartered mini potatoes and left the peels on)
1/2 diced green pepper
1/2 diced red pepper
1 sliced carrot
1 tbsp curry paste
3/4 cup water

Stir vegetables so they are coated with seasonings. Cover pot and simmer until vegetables are tender.

Add:

1/2 pound spinach leaves
3/4 cup peas (canned or frozen)
1 cup coconut milk (or more to make enough sauce)
Cover and simmer until spinach is wilted

Add:

1 tsp garam masala
cayenne pepper to taste

Serve on rice or with naan bread. Serves 4 hungry people, more if it is used as a side dish.

Rice and Bean Casserole

2011-09-18T15:00:00.001-05:00

I modified this Brown Rice and Black Bean Casserole from allrecipes.com. By doubling the ingredients, I made 2 casseroles, one with chicken and one vegetarian. They went together quickly and I set the oven on timer so we had a yummy hot meal when we came home from church. You need 1-1/2 cups of rice and about 2 cups diced chicken (or turkey) for a single recipe. If you don't have any leftovers, start cooking the rice and chicken before you cut up the vegetables. I used 1 tin of black beans and 1 tin of white kidney beans for a double recipe and the combination was very good.

1/2 cup converted rice
1 cup vegetable broth or salted water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 green pepper, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced (add seeds if you like heat)
1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
2 cooked skinless boneless chicken breast halves, chopped
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon cumin
salt to taste
ground cayenne pepper to taste
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained
(1 (4 ounce) can diced green chile peppers, drained)- I used a fresh jalapeno instead
1/2 cup chopped or shredded carrots
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese

Directions:

Mix the rice and vegetable broth in a pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, or until rice is tender.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and cook the onion until tender. Mix in the zucchini, peppers, carrots, and mushrooms. Season with cumin, salt, and ground cayenne pepper. Cook and stir until zucchini is lightly browned.
In large bowl, mix the cooked rice, onion, zucchini, mushrooms, beans, chiles, carrots, and 1/2 the Swiss cheese. Add chicken if not making a meatless dish. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish, and sprinkle with remaining cheese.You can add some crushed tortilla chips if you want. I also added fresh cilantro.
Cover casserole loosely with foil, and bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees F. Uncover, and continue baking 10 minutes, or until bubbly and lightly browned.

Spicy Rice and Beans

2011-09-14T20:06:00.003-05:00

I cooked a pound of black beans in the crock pot overnight and had enough to make this recipe and a double batch of Black Bean Brownies.

Heat a little oil in a wok or large pan and cook until softened:

1 tsp cumin seeds, coarsely crushed with a pestle
1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded or not depending on your heat preference
1 diced red pepper
1-2 cloves of garlic, sliced or chopped
1 teaspoon salt

Add 1-1/2 cups of water and 3/4 cup converted rice and cook 20 minutes until rice is done.

Add 3 cups of cooked black beans and heat through before serving.

I served the rice and beans in green pepper shells. Serves 4 or more depending on whether you use it as a main dish or a side dish. It tastes even better the next day.

Variations: Feel free to add onions or other vegetables, a dash of cayenne pepper or seasonings of your choice. Garnish with cilantro.

Rainbow Vegetable Slaw

2011-09-11T16:32:00.003-05:00

I have an abundance of vegetables in my fridge and made this large marinated salad that should keep for several days. It is colourful and delicious! I used my food processor to prepare the vegetables.

1 medium cabbage
3 ribs of celery
1 red onion
1 large zucchini
3 sweet peppers

Dressing:
1/3 cup oil
2/3 cup vinegar
1/3 cup sugar or sweetener or to taste
1/3 cup water
2 tsp salt

Mix dressing until sugar is dissolved and pour over prepared vegetables.

Variations: Add any of these-
corn, chickpeas, raisins, jalapeno pepper, carrots, yellow zucchini, cucumber, celeriac, napa, etc

Vietnamese Rice Noodle Salad

2011-08-20T18:24:00.000-05:00

This recipe is adapted from An Appetite for Reduction. (I recommend this fast, easy, low fat vegan cookbook). The salad is topped with grilled tofu, but meat eaters could add chicken or shrimp.

Make the dressing first, marinate the tofu, and soak the rice vermicelli while you chop the vegetables.

Dressing:
1/3 cup warm water
3 tbsp sweetener or honey
3 tbsp chili-garlic sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

Tofu:
Cut a 12 oz block of extra firm tofu into 8 slices. Cut each slice diagonally and put tofu in the dressing. Marinate for 15 minutes or more, then grill on BBQ or brown in frying pan. (This can be done after the salad is assembled.) Reserve the dressing to add to the salad.

Salad:
Soak 8-12 oz of rice vermicelli in a large bowl of hot tap water. It will soften up in 10 minutes or less. In the meantime thinly slice:
1/2 cucumber
1 sweet pepper
1 mango
2 green onions
1 carrot
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
Add 2 or more cups fresh greens
(vegetables can be omitted/exchanged according to your preference

Drain vermicelli when softened and add vegetables to noodles. Mix together with your hands if necessary. I break the noodles in half before soaking them to make it easier to combine them with the other ingredients.

Assembly:
Place a serving of salad in a bowl, top with a couple of pieces of tofu. Add dressing to taste and top with chopped peanuts or spicy peanut sauce. (Use a nut of your choice)
If you don't put dressing on the salad, it keeps well in the fridge for a day or more.

Green Smoothies

2011-07-01T14:42:00.000-05:00

Smoothies are all the rage right now but many varieties at fast food restaurants and grocery stores are high in sugar. I added green powder to smoothies for years but I never used fresh greens. After looking at a few recipes on the web and experimenting this week, I found some good combinations. The Becka added one romaine leaf to her fruit smoothie one morning and thought she could get used to it. Daughter #2 cautiously tried a sip of my very green smoothie and was surprised that it was tasty. Here is the way I make them:

Version #1

Add to blender:

1 ripe banana
1-2 portions of fruit of choice (peach, nectarine, strawberries, apricots, mango)
1/2 cup soy milk (or milk/yogurt of choice)
4 ice cubes

Blend until liquefied and gradually add until thoroughly blended:

2-4 cups fresh greens of choice- I like spinach best, but kale, colards, chard or mixed baby greens work as well.

This fills 2 glasses. I drink one at breakfast and take the other to work to sip on during the day.
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Version #2

Blend 4 cups seedless watermelon until liquefied
Another fruit of choice (i.e. strawberries, banana, canteloupe)
Add 2-4 cups greens and blend
Add water if the mixture is too thick
You can add some lime juice and/or sweetener if desired

Rice and Bean Salad

2011-06-28T18:07:00.004-05:00

I love the flavours in this salad! You can vary the vegetables according to what you have on hand.

2 cups cooked basmati rice (or rice of your choice)
1 tin black beans rinsed and drained
1 cup canned or fresh corn kernels
1/2 cup diced orange or red pepper
1 tomato, seeded and diced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4-1/2 cup diced red onion (to taste)
Finely grated rind of one lime

Dressing:
Whisk until well blended-

1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin

Mix ingredients together and add dressing. The salad keeps well for a couple of days. Other vegetables that work include diced carrots, cucumber, zucchini, celery.

Variation: Use other grains such as quinoa, farro, barley or couscous

Recipe adapted from this one on myrecipes.com

Chickpea, Peppers and Corn Chip Salad

2011-06-28T17:53:00.000-05:00

We enjoyed a salad similar to this at a recent church potluck lunch. This version has an added tin of chickpeas making it a complete meal. Preparation time is 10 minutes or less, depending on how quickly you can chop peppers.

4 chopped sweet peppers- I used a green, red, orange and yellow pepper
2 green onions
1 tin chickpeas, rinsed and drained
150-200 g broken tortilla chips or corn chips of choice or corn chip strips
3/4 c (small bottle) Kraft Catalina salad dressing

Adjust the amount of dressing and corn chips to your preference.

Mix together and serve immediately. Add the chips just before serving if you are making it ahead of time.

Ice Cream Sandwiches

2011-06-05T16:54:00.001-05:00

One of our national grocery chains is featuring ice cream sandwiches made with their store brand chocolate chip cookies. Right now it costs $4.99 for six small ice cream sandwiches. They are very tasty though. We made some today with small homemade peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies which were made with whole wheat flour and less sugar than the store cookies. I think ours would win a taste test anywhere!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/4 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups quick oats
3/4 cup unpacked brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 large egg
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and salt; whisk in oats until combined.
In another bowl, cream butter and peanut butter together. Stir in sugar and then eggs and beat together until creamy. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture gradually until well combined. Add chocolate chips.

Measure a rounded tablespoon (15ml) of dough, place on cookie sheets and flatten slightly. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown around edges. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

We made approximately 40 cookies with this amount of dough.

I used less than half of a 2 litre carton of ice cream that came in a rectangular waxed cardboard container. Cut a 3 cm (more or less) slice of ice cream and cut it into 4 to 6 squares that are the size of your cookies. Place ice cream between two cookies and freeze immediately. You could use a cookie cutter to get perfectly matched circles of ice cream.

Rhubarb Squares (or Apple Squares)

2011-05-27T06:47:00.004-05:00

The recreation therapist made these with our patients at the hospital. They were very popular!

2-1/4 cups flour
1/4-1/2 cup brown sugar (the original recipe called for 3/4 c white sugar here but I like less)
1 cup salted butter
4-1/2 cups chopped rhubarb*
3 eggs*
3 tablespoons flour*
1-1/2 cups brown sugar* (not packed)

Base:
Mix 2-1/4 cups of flour with softened butter and white sugar. Press 2/3 of mixture into the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan.

Filling:

Beat eggs until frothy, then add sugar, flour and rhubarb and mix well. Pour filling over the base. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture on top.

*Variation: Apple Squares

Substitute 6 cups of chopped apples for rhubarb and decrease eggs to one. Decrease brown sugar to 3/4 cup and flour to 1 tbsp for fruit mixture.

Bake in preheated oven at 375 F degrees for 45 minutes.

Wedding Day Scones

2011-04-29T03:56:00.004-05:00

Here is our special breakfast treat for the Royal Wedding. I adapted the recipe from this one found at Allrecipes and the scones are delicious.

2 cups all-purpose flour (1 cup whole wheat, 1 cup unbleached white flour)
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup hard butter
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup sour cream ( I used 0% fat Greek Yogurt)
1 large egg
Finely grated rind of one orange

Put dry ingredients and butter in a food processor and pulse until butter is finely mixed in with flour mixture. Add sour cream, egg and orange rind and process until dough comes together. Remove dough from bowl and fold in dried cranberries.

Make a circle with the dough (about 8 inches in diameter) and cut into 8 wedges. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 400 F for approximately 15 minutes.

Variations:

Raisin Scones
Add raisins instead of cranberries and omit orange peel

Lemon-Blueberry Scones
Follow the recipe for Simple Scones, adding a generous teaspoon of finely grated lemon rind (zest) to the dry ingredients and substituting dried blueberries for the raisins.

Cherry-Almond Scones
Follow the recipe for Simple Scones, adding 1/2 tsp. almond extract to the sour cream mixture and substituting dried cherries for the raisins.

Stuffed Pasta Shells

2011-04-17T17:23:00.002-05:00

I made these shells for a buffet meal during the Christmas season but did not post the recipe at that time. We had them for dinner again tonight and I took note of the ingredients.

1 pound (475g) container ricotta cheese
1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 cloves minced garlic
1-2 teaspoons dried oregano, basil or herbs of choice
1 cup grated cheddar cheese or 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Mix ingredients together and set aside

Prepare 8 ounces (250g) large pasta shells according to package directions. You can also use manicotti or other large tube pasta.

Fill cooked pasta with filling and place in a 9x13 pan. Cover pasta with a pasta sauce of your choice. I have noticed that jars of pasta sauce are getting smaller and I used 1-1/2 jars (650 ml jars) for this recipe quantity. Bake covered at 350F for 30-40 minutes until heated through.

Chocolate Biscuit Cake

2011-04-06T19:41:00.000-05:00

We are looking forward to the Royal Wedding later this month and may have to make this cake to celebrate. Prince William has chosen a Chocolate Biscuit Cake to go along with a more traditional fruit cake. I copied the recipe from an article by Michelle Locke of the Associated Press. The photos for the article were taken by Matthew Mead. I will take my own pictures once we make the cake

CHOCOLATE BISCUIT CAKE

The royal family prefers McVitie's brand Rich Tea Biscuits for their chocolate biscuit cakes, but any firm butter cookie can be used in this intensely rich and chocolatey no-bake treat. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers; the cake gets better with time.

Start to finish: 3 1/2 hours (30 minutes active)
Servings: 12

For the cake:
7-ounce package butter tea biscuits (sold in the cookie aisle)
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
16 ounces (about 2 1/2 cups) bittersweet chocolate bits
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the glaze:
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
6 ounces (about 1 cup) bittersweet chocolate

Coat a 7- or 8-inch round springform pan with cooking spray.

To make the cake, with your hands break up the biscuits into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces; you want chunks, not crumbs.

In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the cream, honey and butter. Microwave on high for 1 1/2 minutes, or until bubbling. Add the chocolate and stir until melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the vanilla, then the crumbled biscuits. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan, using the back of the spoon to smooth the top. Gently tap the pan on the counter to eliminate any air pockets.
Refrigerate for 3 hours or until thoroughly chilled.

Once the cake is chilled, prepare the glaze. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter and cream. When the mixture reaches a boil, remove it from the heat and add the chocolate, stirring until completely melted and smooth.

Carefully remove the sides from the springform pan (you may need to slide a paring knife around the inside upper edge to ensure the sides come away cleanly from the cake). Invert the cake onto a wire rack, then remove the bottom of the pan from the cake. Set the rack over parchment paper to catch drips.

Pour the glaze evenly over the cake, allowing it to drip down and completely cover the top and sides. Allow to firm up, then transfer to a serving plate. Refrigerate leftovers.

(Recipe by Alison Ladman)

Chocolate Chip Muffins

2011-04-03T17:50:00.001-05:00

Someone in the household had a craving for something sweet on a Thursday afternoon when the pantry was rather bare. We were completely out of eggs, a fact I did not notice until I started making these muffins. So for an egg replacer I used 2 tablespoons of chia seeds mixed in 1/2 cup of water, which is allowed to thicken for a few minutes. The chia seeds added a nice crunch and the recipe turned out well. Here is the basic recipe. I suppose a couple of teaspoons of poppy seeds could be added for a less expensive crunch, but poppy seeds cannot be used in place of eggs.

The recipe is modified from one in Muffin Mania.

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup milk of choice (I use soy milk)
1/3 cup melted butter or margarine
1 egg (or equivalent egg replacer)

Mix dry ingredients and add chocolate chips. Combine wet ingredients and stir into flour mixture until dry ingredients are moistened.

Place in prepared muffin cups and bake at 375F for 20 minutes or until tops are firm.

Greek Yogurt

2011-03-17T20:02:00.000-05:00

I posted instructions on making Greek yogurt on Body Soul and Spirit.

Crunchy Green Salad

2011-02-27T21:36:00.000-05:00

Lettuce is very pricey right now and this salad combines romaine and less expensive cabbage along with plenty of fruit. It has plenty of crunch and taste!

Salad:

6 cups chopped romaine hearts
4 cups sliced red or green cabbage(or coleslaw mix)
1 large red apple, diced
1 large green apple, diced
1 mango, peeled, diced
3 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup cashews

Dressing:

1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Slow Cooker Squash and Chickpea Moroccan Stew

2011-02-26T21:08:00.004-05:00

If you enter the words "squash and chickpea Moroccan stew" in Google search, a number of variations of this recipe will pop up. I made this today in the crockpot and it was warm and delicious after an afternoon spent walking on snowy trails. I could not convince The Becka to eat squash even when there were other textures and flavours in the stew. But her dad thinks it is delicious and I do too!

Crush 1 tbsp cumin seeds with mortar and pestle
Dice 2 onions

Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a small frying pan and fry onion and cumin until soft.

Place the cooked onion in a crockpot and add

1 large butternut squash, diced
1 28 oz tin diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste

Cook on low for 8 hours. About 1/2 an hour before cooking time is over add

2-3 cups cooked chickpeas
1/2-1 cup cut up dried apricots
2 cloves minced garlic
salt to taste ( I didn't need any with canned tomatoes and beans)

Serve with flatbread, over couscous, quinoa or rice. Garnish with cilantro, thick yogurt, sliced almonds and olives as desired.

Fish Cakes

2011-02-25T21:37:00.001-05:00

I baked a whole white fish for dinner along with a few baked potatoes. Left over fish is not as appetizing the next day so I used the fish and potatoes to make these patties.

Season and mash potatoes with salt, pepper and add one beaten egg to each two cupfuls of potatoes.
Add an equal amount of cold cooked flaked fish and combine well.

Shape into small flat cakes and coat with seasoned bread crumbs. Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a pan and fry patties until nicely browned on both sides.

This is a very basic recipe and the following ingredients can be used to change the flavour.

chopped parsley
lightly fried onions
minced garlic
grated lemon rind

Here is a link to another fish cake recipe from Jamie Oliver recipes.

Butter Dips

2011-02-18T17:09:00.004-05:00

One of my Facebook friends posted a picture of her dinner this week which included homemade stew and butter dips. I had never heard of butter dips and Kathie kindly shared her recipe. I always like to make a special treat on Fridays after a week of work and this recipe hit the spot on a late winter afternoon. It is so easy and adaptable.

1/4 cup butter
1 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cups milk

Heat oven to 450 degrees. In square pan melt butter in oven. Remove pan from oven. Measure dry ingredients into bowl. Add milk. Stir until dough forms.

Turn dough onto flour covered surface. Knead lightly, about 10 times. Roll into 8" square. With large knife cut dough in half then cut each half into nine 4" strips. Dip each strip in melted butter, coating both sides. Arrange in 2 rows in pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

This recipe can also be doubled and baked in a 9 x 13 baking pan. Serves as many people as are at your table- anywhere between 2 and 6.

Hey, who ate 1/2 the pan of butter dips?!

Variation: I used 1/2 c all purpose flour, 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and 1/4 cup ground flaxseeds. I used almond milk and added 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese to the dough. With the addition of a little minced garlic, they would have tasted like Red Lobster cheddar bay biscuits.

Sugar Cookies

2011-02-13T19:25:00.001-05:00

I made this cookie dough in the food processor and it turned out very well.

Blend in food processor or by hand until light and creamy:

3/4 cup butter, (or 1/2 butter, 1/2 shortening)
3/4 cup sugar

Add:

2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract and process until smooth

Gradually add :

2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Dough will form into a ball.

Wrap and chill for a couple of hours or overnight.

Roll to 1/4 inch thickness between parchment paper or on a well floured board and cut into shapes.
Bake at 400F for 6-7 minutes until lightly browned (watch closely)
I made about 4 dozen heart shaped cookies with this recipe.

Potato Pancakes

2011-02-07T19:54:00.001-05:00

I got my first food processor this Christmas (after 35 years of marriage) and wonder how I did without it for so long. Tonight I grated potatoes and onion for this recipe in just a minute or so. I did not peel the potatoes. The pancakes were delicious and were served with baked fish and steamed vegetables.

Grate: 8 medium potatoes, (leave peel on)

1 medium onion

Beat : 2 eggs with a whisk until they are frothy and add

4 tablespoons of flour

1 teaspoon salt

Add grated potato and onion to egg and mix well.

Heat a little oil in a frying pan and when the pan is hot, fry potatoes until well browned on each side. Flatten the potatoes so the pancakes are quite thin. Repeat until all potatoes are cooked, adding more oil to the pan as necessary.

Makes 12 pancakes.

Serve plain, with applesauce, sour cream, ketchup or other topping of your choice.

Tortilla Soup

2011-02-04T18:26:00.000-05:00

This recipe is adapted from one published in the 2009 Milk Calendar from the Dairy Farmers of Canada. The original recipe calls for chicken and this version is meat-free.

Finely dice:
1 cooking onion
1 red pepper
1 jalapeno pepper

Cook until soft in 1 tbsp of vegetable oil or butter

Sprinkle 2-1/2 tbsp flour on cooked vegetables and stir it in thoroughly. Add

2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tin rinsed black beans
1 cup canned or frozen corn*
Handful of baby or chopped spinach

Cook over medium heat stirring until soup thickens

Add
2-1/2 cups milk of choice and heat through.

Top soup with broken tortilla chips, cilantro, diced tomato, grated cheese, lime juice as desired.

*I did not have corn on hand and added 1 cup of frozen edamame instead. The recipe is very versatile.

Baked whole salmon

2011-02-01T20:49:00.001-05:00

We bought a fresh 9 pound salmon for Christmas Eve and wanted to prepare it whole for a buffet supper. I checked a number of websites and found a variety of methods for baking a big fish. The biggest variation was in cooking temperature, with some recommending a very slow oven and others a hot oven for a short period of time. In the end, the salmon was absolutely delicious, moist and tender. This is how we did it:

Cut a large peice of foil to completely wrap the fish. Lay it flat and grease it with butter. Place the fish in the foil and fill the cavity with chopped onion, thinly sliced lemon, chopped parsley or cilantro, a few peppercorns and any other herb or vegetable to want for flavouring the fish. Sprinkle the cavity with salt. Stand the fish on it bottom and curve the tail end so it fits in the pan. Sprinkle a little salt on the outside and place sliced onions, lemons, etc on the outside of the fish. Tightly seal the foil so no steam will escape during cooking.

Place in an oven at 325F and bake for approximately 15 minutes per pound. If you have a meat thermometer, the internal temperature should be around 145F. When salmon is still hot, remove the skin. Place on a platter when ready to serve and garnish as desired.

This YouTube video was very helpful although I did not cook our fish at such a high temperature.

Black Bean Brownies

2011-02-01T20:33:00.001-05:00

These brownies are lower fat, high fiber and gluten-free. And they taste good too!

Combine in food processor bowl:

2 cups cooked black beans, rinsed and drained (one tin)
3 eggs
3 tbsp butter or oil
1 tsp instant coffee (optional- we do not prefer this)
1/4 cup cocoa
3/4 cup brown sugar or sweetener of choice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 teaspoon each baking powder and baking soda (optional if you want a cake-like brownie)

Process for 2 minutes until smooth. Put into a greased 8 inch square pan and bake for 30 minutes at 350 F. Sprinkle with chocolate chips before baking if desired.

Serving Size: 1 (42 g)
Servings Per Recipe: 16

Amount Per Serving

Calories 102.6
Total Fat 3.7 g
Sodium 23.3 mg (without baking powder and baking soda)
Potassium 104.1 mg
Magnesium 21.7 mg
Total Carbohydrate 14.9 g (with sugar)
Dietary Fiber 2.1 g
Protein 3.2 g

Barley Pilaf

2011-01-15T18:27:00.001-05:00

We went out for dinner last night and I had a delicious vegetarian meal at a restaurant best known for its schnitzel and German cuisine. The chef made me a phyllo-wrapped mushroom pastry that was out of this world (must figure out how to make it) and served it on a bed of creamy barley. Our newspaper featured a barley stew this week and I modified it slightly as follows:-

30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium yellow onions, diced
28-ounce can chopped tomatoes ( I would use no-salt tomatoes next time)
5 ml dried thyme and basil
1 litre (4 cups) vegetable broth
375 ml (1 1/2 cups) pearl barley
341-ml (12-oz) jar roasted red peppers, drained and cut into strips
140 g (5 oz) fresh baby spinach
2 diced portabella mushrooms
250 ml (1 cup) water
Ground black pepper, to taste

1. In a large saucepan over medium, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and onions and saute until soft and translucent, about 6 to 7 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes, broth, and barley, then bring to a simmer. Cover and continue to cook until the barley is tender, about 50 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Add the mushrooms about half way through the cooking time. Stir in the roasted red peppers, baby spinach and water. Cook until the spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Serves 6.

Garnish with sliced olives if desired.

Energy Bars

2011-01-15T18:13:00.000-05:00

I enjoy a variety of LÄRABAR products, especially their peanut butter and chocolate varieties. At $2.00 a bar, they are pricey and I usually get them in larger boxes where the price works out to about $1.00 a piece. I got a food processor for Christmas, the first one I have ever owned. I have made a couple of LÄRABAR type squares and they turned out well. The measurements are approximate and can be adjusted until the right consistency is obtained.

Chocolate Bars:

Combine in a food processor and process until a paste:

1 cup dates ( I covered them with boiling water for 5 minutes because they were very hard)
1/2 cup whole raw almonds
1/2 cup raw walnut pieces
2-3 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
a few dark chocolate chocolate chips

Press into a 8 inch square pan. Cut into squares or bars. I put the pan in the freezer for 1/2 hour before cutting them.

Oatmeal Raisin Bars

3/4 cup dates
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup almonds
1/4 cup walnuts
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Process until you reach a paste consistency. You may need to add a little water during the processing if it is too dry.

For other ideas, check out this website.

Black Forest Trifle

2011-01-02T16:14:00.003-05:00

This light trifle has only 1/2 cup of sugar in the entire recipe and except for the whipped cream is very low fat.

Cake: Make a hot milk sponge cake following the variation with the cocoa. Use 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of Splenda in the cake. ( I used whole wheat flour for the cake but would not recommend that unless you are make trifle as pudding moistens the cake)

Fruit: I used 2 cups of sour pitted cherries which I froze in the summer. Thaw the cherries, add 1-1/2 tbsp of cornstarch and 1/2 c Splenda to the juice and cook in the microwave stirring frequently until thickened. You could use sliced fresh fruit like strawberries or canned fruit instead.

Pudding: Make a single recipe of chocolate pudding following the variation of blanc mange with the cocoa. I used Splenda to sweeten the pudding. You could also make an instant no-sugar chocolate pudding.

Whipped Cream: Whip 250-500 ml (1-2 cups) of heavy cream with 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1/4 c Spenda until soft peaks form. I don't use Cool Whip or other fake creams but feel free to do so if you like them.

Assemble Trifle: Place 1/2 the cake on the bottom of the trifle bowl. Add half the pudding and fruit. Top with half the whipped cream if using the larger amount. Repeat layers ending with whipped cream. I grated one small square of 70% cocoa dark chocolate on top and added 2 fresh cherries for garnish. Let it sit a few hours before serving.

Trifle is very easy to make and the type of cake, pudding, and fruit used can be changed easily. You can make all parts of the recipe with sugar and higher fat ingredients if you wish.

Bacon and Egg Pie with Vegetarian Option

2010-12-15T18:35:00.005-05:00

Vegetarian version

Mom used to make a bacon and egg pie which was a good lunch for guests when served with a salad. Unlike quiche, the eggs are not beaten and no milk is added. I remember her wrapping hot pies in newspaper and taking them to a church picnic. The recipe was lost and she called me this week to see if I had it written down anywhere. I looked on the internet and discovered that this pie is very popular in New Zealand. There are many variations including some with added cheese. This version is closest to Mom's and I tried it out tonight. I carmelized onions and added a couple of handfuls of spinach to replace the bacon. It is a very easy main dish to make and is good hot or cold.

Ingredients

Pastry of your choice for a 2-crust 8- or 9-inch pie (puff pastry can be used)

1/4 lb side bacon

1 large onion, sliced

1 tomato, sliced

Salt and pepper

6-8 eggs

1/3 cup shredded cheese, optional

Roll out bottom pastry and fit into a pie pan.
Cut bacon strips in half and saute to desired crispness
Arrange bacon in the prepared pie pan.
Saute onion slices until limp and spread over the bacon.
Add sliced tomato and sprinkle with salt, pepper
Break eggs on top
Sprinkle with cheese if desired. (I did not use cheese)
Cover with rolled-out top crust dampening the edges to seal tightly.
Cut a few slits in the top crust

Bake at 425F for 15 minutes, then reduce heat and bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes.

Vegetarian option:

Finely dice 2 onions and put in frying pan with 1-2 tbsp oil. Cook over medium heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring frequently until onions are carmelized. Add a package of thawed and drained spinach or a couple of handfuls of fresh spinach and cook until wilted. Mushrooms can also be added and cooked with the onions if desired. Put the onion mixture on the bottom and break whole eggs on top. Season with salt and pepper then top with thinly sliced tomato. Add top crust and bake as described above.

Vegetarian Chili

2010-12-09T18:33:00.000-05:00

I made chili tonight with ingredients on hand and it turned out very well. Served on tostadas with a salad and fruit for dessert, it made a tasty meal.

Dice:
1 onion
2 Poblano peppers
3 cloves of garlic
and cook in a small amount of olive oil in a wok.

Add:
2 teaspoons crushed cumin seeds
2 teaspoons or more chili powder
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

Add: 6-8 oz of tomato paste and an equal amount of water and simmer with lid on for 10 minutes until vegetables are soft.

Add:
1 19 -oz tin each of lentils, kidney beans and black beans, drained
Add a little more water if necessary.

Slice one zucchini and chop 1/2 fresh cilanto, 1/2 cup salsa and add to mixture. Simmer until zucchini just starts to soften. Adjust seasonings adding salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 6-8 servings

Bonavista Fruit Bread

2010-12-03T21:33:00.004-05:00

This recipe from Newfoundland is from the Laura Secord Canadiana Cookbook. The bread keeps well, is easy to slice and is relatively low in fat. I did not add the walnuts. I soaked the raisins and cut up all the fruit into small pieces. The sugar could be cut down to 1/2 cup if you want. It is a nice, light alternative to more traditional Christmas fruit cake.

2 cups all-purpose flour
3-1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup diced candied pineapple
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped candied cherries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 eggs
1 cup milk
3 tbsp butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5x3" loaf pan thoroughly. Sift or blend flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together. Mix in the fruits and walnuts. Beat eggs, milk and butter together with a fork. Add liquids to dry ingredients and stir only until combined (batter will be lumpy). Fill prepared loaf pan and let stand 30 minutes. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Remove from pan and allow to cool. Serve plain or buttered. Makes 1 loaf.

Aunt Pat's Almond Crescents

2010-11-27T10:37:00.001-05:00

This cookie is a Christmas favourite. I asked for the recipe and got this response from my sister-in-law.

Hey Kinzie Family:

Wishing you all a very happy Christmas, a prosperous New Year and all the best.

Aunt Ruth, here is the recipe for the almond cookies: (I remembered!!!)

2 cups flour
1 cup of butter
2 tsp. of vanilla
1/4 - 1/2 cup of icing sugar
1 tablespoon of water
1/2 cup of ground almonds

cream butter, vanilla and icing sugar, add water, flour and almonds. Mix well. Make into 1/2 moons and bake for 15 minutes at 325F. Roll in icing sugar while still warm. Enjoy.

Don't forget this is a basic recipe, sometimes you have to try it a couple of times to get it the way you like it.

Love Aunt Pat

Black-Eyed Pea Gumbo Soup

2010-10-18T20:30:00.002-05:00

Beth made this for us when we visted her recently. I tried okra once about 30 years ago and was not impressed with the flavour. But this recipe is delicious. I made the roux, but the soup would be tasty without it. The recipe is adapted from this one on allrecipes.com. Diced ham can be added if desired and it is tasty with a side of hot cornbread.

Ingredients

1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups chopped okra
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped celery
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
4 cups water
2 cups chopped tomatoes or canned crushed tomatoes
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper chopped (use seeds if you want more heat)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 bay leaves
1 (15.5 ounce) can black-eyed peas

Heat 1/3 cup oil in a medium saucepan over medium low heat, and whisk in flour. Whisking constantly, cook 5 to 7 minutes, until a golden brown roux has formed.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium high heat. Stir in okra, onion, celery, and garlic, and cook 10 minutes, or until tender.
Thoroughly blend roux into the vegetable mixture. Stir in water, tomatoes, parsley, salt, thyme, cayenne pepper, pepper, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in black-eyed peas, and continue cooking until heated through.

Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling

2010-10-10T07:53:00.005-05:00

If anyone wants to know my favourite kind of dessert, look no further than this. I love cheesy, dense treats with fruit, nuts, pumpkin, carrot, etc. (carrot cake and cheesecake also fall in this category). My daughter bought a pumpkin roll at a local farm store and I immediately searched the internet for a recipe. I reduced the sugar in this version and did not add maple icing on the top. It is still perfect and is fast and easy to make.

Preheat oven to 375F
Grease a 15"x10" jelly roll pan, line with wax paper and then grease and flour the wax paper.
Sprinkle a clean tea towel with 1/4 cup icing sugar (powdered sugar).

In a small bowl combine:
3/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice

In a medium bowl beat until thick (I used hand beaters):
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 to 1 cup pumpkin puree (the recipe called for the lesser amount but I used 1 cup)

Add dry ingredients to egg and sugar mixture and combine well. Pour batter evenly on prepared pan and bake for 13-15 minutes until sponge is set. Do not overbake.

Remove from oven. Turn cake upside down on prepared towel and remove wax paper. Roll the cake and towel up into a firm roll. Roll up the short side of the cake. Put on a rack and let it cool. (It cools fairly quickly)

In the meantime, prepare the filling with:
8 oz (250 g) of regular cream cheese (light cream cheese tends to be too runny)
1 cup icing sugar (powdered sugar)

Beat until smooth. You can add 1 cup of chopped pecans, walnuts, or pralines if you want. When cake is cool, unroll it and spread filling evenly over the entire surface. Re-roll the cake without the towel, wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. Slice and serve.

You can sprinkle it with icing sugar before serving or add glaze/icing with chopped nuts on the top for a richer dessert.

This recipe freezes well.

Vegetarian Moussaka

2010-10-06T20:30:00.004-05:00

We were discussing eggplant at work and I noted that this is one vegetable which does not agree with me. But I have never salted it before cooking which apparently causes the bitterness to "sweat out". So I bought an eggplant and looked up a well recommended recipe for Vegetarian Moussaka on allrecipes.com. It took a long time to make and I barely had enough vegetables and sauce for the recommended 9x13 pan. It took longer to cook than stated but in the end (at 7:45 PM) dinner was ready and it was very tasty. The Becka thinks it will make a good dish for special occasions. I modified the recipe significantly and here it is. I am still "iffy" with eggplant but other vegetables could be substituted such as mushrooms, peppers or more zucchini.

1. Thinly slice one medium eggplant, salt the cut surfaces and let sit for 30 minutes then rinse and pat dry

2. Thinly slice 3 medium zucchini, 6 medium or 4 large potatoes, (plus mushrooms, peppers or extra zucchini if not using eggplant.

3. Put vegetables in a roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil, salt to taste, and roast for 30 min at 400F. Alternately you can brown the vegetables in a little oil in a frying pan.

4. Thinly slice 1 or 2 onions and 2 cloves of garlic and cook in a little oil until softened. Add 1 tbsp of vinegar and simmer until liquid is reduced. Add a 28 oz tin of crushed tomatoes and a 19 oz tin of rinsed lentils. Season with dried basil, oregano, hot pepper flakes, etc to taste. Simmer for 15 minutes

5. Assemble in a 9x13 pan by placing a single layer of each vegetable on top of the other, adding 1/2 the tomato and lentil mixture and repeating the layers ending with tomato and lentils. You can add 1 cup of feta cheese (or mozzarella) in the middle.

6. Cover a bake at 375F for 25 minutes. In the meantime prepare the topping.

7. Blend 2 tbsp of flour with 1-1/4 c milk (I used plain soymilk) Cook in microwave until thickened stirring frequently. (about 2-3 minutes) Stir the sauce and add 1 tbsp butter or margarine. Add one well beaten egg, stirring constantly so it doesn't get lumpy.

8. Remove partially cooked dish from oven and add topping. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup parmesan cheese and return to oven uncovered for another 25 minutes.

When the casserole is done, let it rest a few minutes before slicing.

Cooked Salad Dressing

2010-09-26T14:49:00.003-05:00

I use this for tuna, salmon and potato salad. It can be mixed half and half with store bought dressings like Miracle Whip as well.

2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp flour
1-1/2 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp salt

Mix dry ingredients in a microwave safe bowl

Add to dry ingredients:

1 egg and blend to a smooth paste

Add 1 cup milk and stir until smooth

Gradually add 1/4 cup of vinegar

Cook for about 3 minutes in microwave (I use 50% power) and stir it every 30-60 seconds.
Cook until thickened. Add 2 tbsp of butter if desired. (I usually don't add butter)

Variations:

For fruit salads, add sugar or honey to taste and a squeeze of lemon juice. Fold in an equal amount of whipped cream.

For a mayonnaise-like dressing, drizzle 1/2 cup oil in cold basic dressing and whirl in blender at high speed.

Vegan Muffins

2010-08-22T15:50:00.008-05:00

This was my first attempt at vegan muffins and I modified Grandma's Graham Gems recipe as it is virtually impossible to ruin. When I asked my daughter what she thought of them she said with some surprise, "They taste like muffins!" And they were delicious!

Egg replacer for one egg:

Mix 2 tbsp chia seeds in 1/2 cup of water and let it sit a few minutes until the mixture thickens.

In the meantime combine:

1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup rolled oats*
1/2 cup ground flax seeds*
1/4 cup raw organic sugar or sweetener of choice
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1-1/2 cups soymilk or almond milk
1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice
1/4 cup oil
egg replacer for 1 egg

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until just moistened. Add 1 cup of fruit. I used a mixture of fresh raspberries and blueberries. Spoon into prepared muffin cups

Bake at 375F for 20 minutes or until muffin tops are firm.

Makes 14-16 muffins.

*Use any combination of flour/grains to equal 1-1/2 cups

Grandma's Graham Gems

2010-07-28T17:43:00.001-05:00

These muffins were a staple when we were growing up and we ate them with fruit for dessert most week nights. Mom also packed them in our school lunches. In the 1950s and 60s, whole wheat flour was not readily available in grocery stores, but graham flour could be purchased in small bags.
Here is the history of graham flour from wisegeek.com.

"Graham flour is a coarsely ground type of wheat flour that is unbleached, and less processed than whole-wheat flour. The production of graham flour starts by finely grinding the kernel or endosperm of winter wheat. The other parts of the wheat, germ and bran are also ground and added back to the endosperm grind, resulting in brown colored flour that many think is nicely sweet.
Graham flour is named after Sylvester Graham, one of the pioneers, or really frontiersman of the health food movement. He invented the flour in 1829 and used it in many recipes featured at his chain of “health" hotels. In addition to advocating for the use of less refined wheat flour, Graham founded the American Vegetarian Society in 1850, though he had less than welcome receptions from large food manufacturers and butchers of the time. He discovered, as many dietitians can attest to now, that it is usually healthier to eat whole grains than it is to eat overly processed food that contains a lot of chemicals."

This recipe is very adaptable and whole wheat flour and bran can be used instead of graham flour. Dried fruit is also a nice addition and cinnamon or other spices also work well with the ingredients.

Preheat oven to 375F. Prepare 16-18 muffin cups.

1-1/2 cups flour (or whole wheat flour)
1-1/2 cups graham flour (or wheat bran)
1/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. In a large measuring cup or bowl mix;-

1-1/2 cups buttermilk (or soured milk)
1/4 cup oil
1 egg

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients mixing until just moistened. Spoon into prepared muffin cups and bake at 375F for 15 minutes or until tops are firm to light touch.

Makes 18 medium muffins.

Tostadas

2010-07-19T20:13:00.007-05:00

During my recent visit to Mexico I enjoyed tostadas with various toppings. My sister-in-law served a hot chicken stew, a crab salad, a wonderful concoction with poblano peppers, mushrooms, tomato and cream, as well as refried beans with cheese on baked tostadas at my brother's birthday party.

I watched a group of young soccer players devour close to 50 tostadas topped with tuna salad while watching the World Cup. The Milpa Real tostadas are the fried version my daughter bought and they were addictively delicious. I haven't found anything as good yet in Canada.

The tostada in the first picture is topped with a salad of lentils, finely chopped apples, carrots, onions, cilantro, avocado, tomatoes and sweet peppers mixed with fresh lime juice.

Or layer refried beans and ground round adding toppings of cilantro, tomato, salsa, sour cream, shredded cabbage or lettuce and grated cheese

The possibilities are endless...

Here is a link to more information on tostadas from Simply Recipes.

Bean Pie

2010-07-18T19:35:00.001-05:00

This dessert pie takes the prize for economy and nutrition. Beans are used in desserts many parts of the world. I found some recipes for very rich versions of bean pie, much like pecan pies, which are popular in southern United States. This recipe is similar in taste and texture to pumpkin pie and can be served with whipped cream.

Ingredients:

1 unbaked pie shell (9 inch)

In a blender combine:

2 cups cooked beans, preferably light, smooth beans such as peruano beans (or white kidney, navy or pinto beans)
1 cup milk of your choice (I used unsweetened soy milk)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon each of cinnamon and ginger
add 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg and cloves if you like them
1/2 teaspoon of salt if you have not used canned or salted beans
3/4 cup brown sugar or sweetener of your choice

Blend together and pour into prepared pie shell. Bake for 10 minutes at 425F and then reduce heat to 350F and bake until set, about 25-30 minutes.

Layered Vegetable Enchilada Casserole

2010-07-17T21:19:00.001-05:00

I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and tried it with a few modifications. It was fast and easy to make and is a good way to use up stale corn tortillas. I did not have any enchilada sauce and could find none at the grocery store. My daughter is going to teach me how to make an authentic version and I will post the directions after we try it out. I made a sauce from 1 cup of hot salsa, 1-6 oz tin of tomato paste and 6 oz of water which was combined in the blender.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups diced zucchini (I used 2 medium zucchini)
1 cup chopped onion (or substitute some chopped fresh mushrooms)
2 cups packed coarsely shredded fresh spinach (I used an 8 oz package)
1 cup whole kernel corn or 1 diced sweet pepper
2 cups enchilada sauce
12 corn tortillas (6 inch)
2 cups shredded cheese
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat oil in skillet. Add zucchini and onion(mushrooms and peppers if using) and cook 5 minutes or until golden brown and tender. Add spinach and corn. Cook and stir until spinach wilts.
Spread 1/2 cup enchilada sauce in a 9x13 baking dish. Place 6 tortillas, overlapping as needed to cover bottom of dish. Spread with half of remaining enchilada sauce. Top with half the vegetable mixture and half the cheese. Top with remaining tortillas and enchilada sauce and vegetables.
Bake 20 minutes. Top with remaining cheese and bake 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Cut into 6 squares and garnish with cilantro.

Lentil Sprout Salad

2010-06-04T21:23:00.005-05:00

I used to sprout mung bean seeds in jars but they are so inexpensive and easily available in the grocery store that it was not worth the effort to do them myself. A few years ago I tried sprouting green lentils and they have become one of my favourite vegetables. I use a large jar (Costco sized jar that had artichoke hearts in it) and soak 1/3 cup of green lentils overnight in cold water. I rinse and drain them using a piece of cheesecloth over the opening of the jar. They need to be rinsed with fresh water twice a day, and in 3-4 days the sprouts are ready to eat. (You can grow them as big as you want.) They can be stir fried or eaten raw. I saw a recipe for curried lentil sprout salad on Veganlicious and modified it as follows.

2 cups lentil sprouts (from 1/3 cup seeds)
2 cups grated carrot
finely grated rind of 1 lemon
juice of one large lemon
1 tbsp olive oil
a handful of raisins
a handful of walnuts
chopped cilantro

Mix ingredients together and serve. I like it best if it sits for a few hours.

Vegan BBQ

2010-05-25T19:44:00.005-05:00

It is a beautiful but unseasonably warm day today, perfect for sitting outdoors on the deck in the late afternoon and evening while cooking supper on the barbeque. I sliced onions, zucchini, and halved two large peppers. The portabella mushrooms and asparagus went on the grill whole. All the vegetables were brushed with a little olive oil and no other seasonings were added. I closed the lid intermittently with the burners on low and in about 20 minutes, dinner was ready. The mushrooms and asparagus cooked the fastest and were transferred to the top tray while the other vegetables cooked.

We put spicy black bean dip on thin whole grain buns (both President's Choice products) and piled on the vegetables.

Delicious! Who knew meatless would be this good?

Strawberry Shortcake Sliders

2010-05-09T21:30:00.005-05:00

I saw these little shortcakes on Simply Recipes. The mini cakes above were made with our regular biscuit recipe instead of the richer ones featured in the first link (a 2 inch biscuit cutter was used). Cut the biscuits in half, add 1-2 strawberry slices and a dollop of cream. Store in the fridge. They may keep for a few hours depending on how many people are in the house. They do "slide down" very nicely!

Moong Dal

2010-04-17T18:36:00.005-05:00

Our local grocery store has greatly expanded the "ethnic food" product line and there are many items I have never seen or used before. I went to get a bag of besan (chick pea flour) and saw an interesting package of split legumes called moong dal. They are split mung beans and are yellow in colour. I have only seen mung beans used for growing bean sprouts. I looked up a couple of recipes on the internet and made this modified dish which was very tasty and easy to make.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups dried yellow split peas
5 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
chunk of fresh ginger root or grated ginger to taste
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or diced jalapeno peppers to taste
1/2 large fresh tomato, diced
juice and grated rind of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin seed (I ground mine with a mortar and pestle)
1/4 cup or more chopped fresh cilantro
2 cloves chopped garlic (optional)
1 tsp garam masala (optional)

Soak beans in water for 30-60 minutes, rinse and cover with fresh water and salt and ginger chunk. Simmer until they are tender, about 30 minutes or longer if you want them softer. Watch that they do not stick and burn, adding more water if necessary. There should not be a lot of water left by the time the beans are done. Add the other ingredients and serve over rice. This recipe can be changed according to your tastes and what ingredients you have on hand. Like any spicy dish it tastes great the next day. Other vegetables can be added during cooking if desired such as carrots, peas, and onion.

Delicious Vegetable Soup

2010-04-16T20:03:00.003-05:00

The sweet potato gives this soup a very nice flavour. It is a complete meal on its own but could be served with some good bread and a salad.

1 tablespoon oil
2 onions diced

Cook onions in the oil in a large pot for five minutes until softened.

Add

900 ml carton of vegetable broth (regular)
500 ml of water
2 medium sweet potatoes scrubbed and diced
3 19 oz tins rinsed canned beans (black beans, kidney beans, etc)
1-2 cups edamame or other vegetable
8 cups chopped kale
1 pound spinach

1 teaspoon turmeric (optional)
1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
1 teaspoon crushed cumin seeds
1 teaspoon oregano
salt and pepper to taste ( I don't add more salt)

Simmer until the sweet potatoes are tender.
I like to eat my soup with some chopped cilantro, red pepper, avocado and lime for a garnish.

Variation:

For a thicker soup, put a 28 oz tin of tomatoes in a blender with 3 tbsp flour and 4-5 garlic cloves. Blend until smooth and add at the end, Stir until thickened.

Serve with homemade croutons.

Shepherd's Pie

2010-04-13T07:00:00.007-05:00

Finished dish (browned parmesan cheese on top of potatoes)

I seldom make mashed potatoes but they are always a hit at home. I decided to try a vegetarian version of shepherd's pie and made a meat version at the same time. I modified the vegetarian version from one I found at All Recipes.com.

Vegetarian mixture

Ingredients:

2 cups vegetable broth, divided
1 teaspoon yeast extract spread, e.g. Marmite (I used miso)
1/2 cup dry lentils
1/4 cup pearl barley
1 large carrot, diced
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
chopped mushrooms
green peas
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, combine broth, yeast extract, lentils and barley. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Add carrot,mushrooms, onion and walnuts; cook until tender, about another 15 minutes. Add frozen peas.
Meanwhile, make mashed potatoes according to you preference. I used about 5 pounds of potatoes for the meat and vegetarian dishes I was making at the same time.
Thicken gravy if necessary. I found that the barley thickened the broth sufficiently. Pour mixture into a 2 quart casserole dish. Spoon mashed potatoes over lentil mixture.
Bake in preheated oven until lightly browned on top, about 30 minutes.(I just browned the top under the broiler for about 7 minutes)

Meat version

For the meat version, I cooked a pound of ground meat with an onion and seasonings. I added the carrots, mushrooms and peas and two cups of broth and cooked it until the vegetables were tender. The broth was thickened with 2 tbsp of flour. Soy ground round could be used instead of ground meat for another vegetarian option.

Both dishes were topped with mashed potatoes. I sprinkled parmesan cheese on top of the one casserole and browned both in the oven under the broiler.

Each casserole serves 4 generously.

Asian Noodle Bowl

2010-04-08T17:29:00.002-05:00

Our local newspaper featured a recipe for an Asian Noodle Bowl. We had soba noodles on hand and used them in a modified version of the recipe. I did not have the vegetables listed in the recipe and used one sliced carrot, one sliced red pepper, three or four sliced mushrooms, a couple of handfuls of spinach and green soybeans (edamame). I stir fried the vegetables in a wok rather than adding them to the boiling water with the noodles. I used whole almonds instead of sliced almonds. Finally, I used 1/4 cup of peanut butter, skipped the brown sugar and used the red hot sauce in the fridge rather than the chili-garlic sauce. The cilantro, avocado and mango was used as a garnish as a "fusion" touch. The recipe is easily modified and the finished product was delicious.

Here is the original recipe from California Almonds:

50 ml (1/4 cup) sliced almonds

340 g (3/4 lb) whole-wheat spaghetti

½ head broccoli, tops cut into florets, stems peeled and sliced thinly

500 ml (2 cups) snow peas, trimmed

1 red bell pepper, cut into 2.5-cm (1-inch) pieces

125 ml (1/2 cup) unsalted almond butter

50 ml (1/4 cup) reduced-sodium soy sauce

45 ml (3 tbsp) fresh lime juice

30 ml (2 tbsp) brown sugar

15 ml (1 tbsp) chili-garlic sauce

1 scallion, green part only (about 45 ml/3 tbsp)

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a dry skillet over medium heat, toast almonds, stirring frequently, until golden, about 3 minutes.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Three minutes before pasta is ready, add broccoli to pasta pot. One minute before it is ready, add snow peas and red pepper to the pot.

3. While pasta is cooking, make sauce. In a large bowl, place almond butter, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, chili-garlic sauce and 45 ml (3 tbsp) of the pasta water and whisk until smooth.

4. Drain noodles and vegetables, return them to pasta pot, add sauce and toss to coat. Serve garnished with toasted almonds and scallion greens.

Makes 6 servings.

Nutritional information per 375-ml (1 ½-cup) serving: 410 calories, 16 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 15 g protein, 60 g carbohydrates, 17 g fibre, 85 mg cholesterol, 460 mg sodium.

Source: California Almonds

Oatmeal Carrot Muffins

2010-04-06T19:29:00.006-05:00

Fast...moist...nutritious...delicious!

1 cup buttermilk
1 cup oats (not instant)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup melted butter or margarine
1 cup finely shredded carrot
grated rind of 1 orange
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Pour buttermilk over oats in bowl. Add beaten egg, melted butter, sugar, carrots and orange rind and mix thoroughly.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix together. Add to oat mixture stirring until just moistened.

If desired add raisin or dates at this point

Makes 12 large muffins.

Bake at 375F for 15-20 minutes.

Recipe from Muffin Mania by Cathy Prange and Joan Pauli

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

2010-04-02T12:32:00.008-05:00

These are quick and tasty and are relatively low in fat compared to Grandma's Lemon Cake.

3/4 cup granulated sugar (I use half sugar, half Splenda)
zest and juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tbsp lemon juice)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons poppy seeds

3/4 cup buttermilk or sour cream
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup melted butter

Glaze

1/2 cup icing sugar mixed with 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Mix lemon zest and sugar together. Mix with other dry ingredients and poppy seeds. Beat eggs and add other wet ingredients. Combine with dry ingredients and mix together until well blended.

Put batter in muffin tin (12 muffins) or you can make one 8x5 loaf with this recipe

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the tops are golden and firm to touch (for muffins)

Bake at 350 degrees F for 50 minutes or so if making a loaf.

Put glaze on tops when they are still warm.

Grandma's Lemon Cake

2010-04-02T10:48:00.001-05:00

I love lemony desserts...lemon pie, lemon curd, lemon cake...

Grandma made this lemon cake for special occasions and it was a family favourite. I once decided to figure out the calories and fat in the recipe and was shocked at the numbers I came up with. So they will remain a secret. If I am wanting a lemony tasting treat, I make these lower fat Lemon Poppyseed Muffins. But I have to add Grandma's recipe to this family recipe blog. It is good to take to a potluck or other event where other people will eat most of it before you have a chance to get started.

1 package Duncan Hines Lemon Supreme Cake Mix
1 package Lemon Jello (4 serving size)
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup oil
4 eggs

Mix cake, jello, eggs, water and beat with beaters for 2 minutes. Add oil and beat for another 2 minutes.

Bake in a greased 9 x 13 inch pan at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes.

While cake is still hot, pierce top with a fork and pour a glaze made with 2 cups of icing sugar and 1/3 cup of lemon juice over the top.

Serve when cool.

Chickpea Burgers

2010-03-31T18:17:00.005-05:00

I am still searching for a fast and easy vegan bean burger which has a good texture and does not fall apart. Lentil Mushroom burgers are tasty but relatively time consuming to make. These patties taste quite different than the lentil ones and are easy to make. I adapted this recipe from a few I looked up on the internet. The spice and vegetable mixture and quantities can be changed according to what you like or have on hand.

1 tin chickpeas (garbanzos) mashed or pureed in a food processor (I just mash them)

1 diced onion
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
3/4 c grated carrot
1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp crushed cumin seeds (or powdered cumin)
1 tsp yellow or black mustard seeds
1 tsp coriander (powdered)
1 tsp salt
1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 cup chick pea flour (besan) or white flour

oil for frying

Add a tablespoon of oil to a frying pan and cook onions and spices together until onion is softened. Add garlic, cilantro, carrot and lemon juice and cook for a couple more minutes. (The Becka skipped this step and added all these uncooked ingredients together with the mashed chickpeas. The result was excellent.)

Add the cooked mixture to the mashed chickpeas and blend well in a bowl. Take 1/4 cup of the bean mixture at a time and form into patties with your hands. Use a little more flour if it is too sticky. Fry patties in a little oil in the frying pan until browned on both sides.

This makes a burger that is the perfect size to serve in an English muffin.

Channa Masala

2010-03-25T18:25:00.006-05:00

This recipe may look complex, but it is very easy, especially if using canned chickpeas. Like most curry dishes, it tastes even better the next day. Serve with basmati rice. I found the recipe here and modified it very slightly.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 medium onions (peeled and minced)
1 clove garlic (peeled and minced)
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper- I used 1/4 tsp
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
6 tablespoons chopped tomatoes- I used a few whole cherry tomatoes
1 cup water- I increased this to 1-1/2 cups
4 cups cooked chickpeas or 2 (15 ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 teaspoons ground roasted cumin seeds- ground with mortar and pestle
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 lemon juiced- I used bottled lemon juice and a splash of lime juice
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

Directions

Heat oil in a large skillet.
Add onions and garlic and sauté over a medium heat until browned (3-5 minutes).
Turn heat to medium-low.
Add the coriander, cumin (not the roasted cumin), cayenne and turmeric.
Stir for a few seconds.
Add the tomatoes.
Cook the tomatoes until browned lightly.
Add chickpeas and a cup of water and stir.
Add the roasted cumin, paprika, garam masala, salt and lemon juice.
Cook covered for 10 minutes.
Remove the cover add the ginger.
Stir and cook uncovered for 30 seconds.

Garnish with finely chopped hot peppers and fresh cilantro leaves if desired.

Chicken and Rice

2010-03-24T18:13:00.000-05:00

This is a fast after-work meal for the meat eaters in the family.

4 skinless chicken breasts, bone in or out
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup (or other creamed condensed soup)
3/4 cup parboiled rice
1 cup water (Add 1/3 cup more water for a creamier base)

Mix rice, water and soup together in the bottom of a casserole dish or roasting pan. Place chicken breasts on top of the mixture. Season chicken with paprika and pepper.

Cover and bake for 45 min at 375 F. Remove lid for last 5-10 minutes.

Serve with a salad or cooked vegetables.

Turmeric-Ginger Tea

2010-03-23T18:06:00.000-05:00

Turmeric and ginger are known for their anti-inflammatory properties and I have been trying to add both spices to my diet on a daily basis. But I was tired of adding turmeric to my grains and vegetables and started mixing a teaspoon of it in a glass of warm water and gulping it down. Ugghh! I found this recipe for a tea which is very palatable and easy to make.

2 cups of water
1/2-1 tsp powdered ginger
1/2-1 tsp powdered turmeric

Simmer ingredients on the stove for 10 minutes. Strain and add the juice of 1/2 lemon and 1 tbsp of maple syrup. Drink warm or cold.

(I think you could use grated raw ginger as well and use a sweetener of your choice)

Trifle to the Rescue

2010-03-13T15:30:00.011-05:00

We experienced a recipe failure while making Magnolia cupcakes and had a large amount of cake that tasted better than it looked.(This tends to happen when you are making a dessert for a special occasion or potluck meal). So we went to the market and bought some delicious fresh fruit to make a trifle. The final result was far better than iced cupcakes in my opinion and made a lovely dessert for company. I modified a trifle recipe from All Recipes.

1 baked white cake- 2 layer size cut in cubes*
2 pints fresh strawberries, sliced and sprinkled with 1/4 cup sugar if necessary
1 pint fresh blueberries
2 bananas sliced and covered with 1/4 cup orange juice
2-3 cups prepared vanilla pudding or custard (I used blanc mange with one egg yolk added)*
1 cup heavy cream, whipped and sweetened to taste

Place half the cake in the bottom of a large glass bowl
Layer 1/2 the strawberries, blueberries, bananas and pudding on top
Add the rest of the cake and repeat the fruit layers and pudding
Top with whipped cream.

*We made this again a couple of days later with a couple of modifications. This version has less cake and more pudding:

Used a single recipe of hot milk sponge cake which is low fat and easy to make
Used approximately 3 cups of vanilla custard pudding made following the recipe for blanc mange and adding one egg yolk
Used strawberries, blueberries and blackberries

Vegetarian Chili

2010-03-11T17:00:00.007-05:00

Chili is one of the fastest meals to make if you use canned beans and tomatoes. I have made it with ground meat, chunks of chicken breast, soy crumbles, but like it this way the best. I have used chili seasoning mixes in the past but due to their high sodium content, prefer to do my own spice mixture. This time I accidently put a teaspoon of cinnamon in instead of chili powder. I added the chili afterwards and the taste was unique and good. I rinse the beans well before adding them to the pan. It can be served in many ways;-

with toast and a salad
in taco shells or with tortillas adding salsa and sour cream
as a taco salad served in a bed of greens and topped with tortilla chips and toppings
as a stuffing for peppers

In a large pan or wok add some or all of these ingredients;-
2 tsp oil, 1 large diced onion, 1 large diced sweet pepper, 2 cloves garlic, 1 or more chopped hot peppers, 1 or more cups sliced mushrooms. Cook til softened

Add-
1-28 oz tin tomatoes
1-6 oz tin tomato paste if you have it
2-19 oz tins rinsed beans ( I used black beans and kidney beans)
1/2-1 tin canned lentils for a "ground meat" like texture
I like to simmer some zucchini slices in the stew after the tomatoes are added

Seasoning suggestions- (season to taste)

1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin ( I crush the whole seeds with a mortar and pestle)
hot pepper flakes, cayenne if you like it hotter
1/2 cup or more chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)
salt and pepper to taste
(or one package of chili seasoning mix)

Simmer for a few minutes to blend flavours. Tastes even better the next day.

For a meat-based chili, add 1/2-1 lb of cooked ground meat or chicken chunks. You can cook the meat with the onions and peppers.

Swedish Apple Pie

2010-02-22T20:52:00.011-05:00

My sister-in-law Shirley made this delicious fruit dessert for us last weekend. It lends itself to modification and I made it with a mixture of fruit (apples, frozen raspberries and blueberries) as I find that storage apples can be bland by this time of year.

Slice 5 cups of apples or 5 cups of fresh fruit and place in a 9 inch pie plate with

1 heaping tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp sugar or sweetener
1/2 tsp nutmeg if desired
pinch of salt if desired

In a separate bowl combine

1 cup flour or mixture of flours
pinch of salt
1/2 -2/3 cup brown sugar or other sweetener
1 egg
1 cup chopped walnuts or other nuts
1/2 cup melted margarine or butter

Place topping evenly over fruit.

Bake at 350F for 40-50 minutes or until top is browned and fruit is tender.

Microwave Popcorn

2010-02-17T21:02:00.006-05:00

Paper bag approximately 14 x 26 cm

Commercial microwave popcorn bags expose users to potential chemical risks which you can read about by following the link to this Wikipedia article. I learned that popcorn can be microwaved easily in regular paper bags and have experimented with the methods described on several websites. Microwave ovens heat unevenly and results can vary even if the same method is used each time. Different sized bags and variations in microwave oven outputs will also affect the recipe. This is how it works in our oven.

Place 1/4 cup of popcorn kernels in a lunch sized paper bag. Fold the top down narrowly twice (about 2 cm folds). If the bag is too small the popping corn will tear it open.

Place bag upright in microwave oven and set on high for 2 minutes 10 seconds (1000 watt oven). Watch the bag closely. Occasionally the popcorn is done in less than 2 minutes so remove early it if the popping slows down a lot or stops.

Remove the popped corn. Sometimes there are quite a few unpopped kernels in the bag and you can put the bag back in the oven for 15 to 30 seconds watching it carefully.

Makes 6 cups popcorn. Pour melted butter over the popcorn or just add salt if desired.

Granola

2010-02-13T19:24:00.008-05:00

Mom used to make granola for me in the 1970's. I would take a jar of it back to the one room I lived in when I went to university. I have never made it myself but my daughter was making some today so I looked up a recipe, modified it and made this batch. I have one complaint about it...
It is too good, and rather addictive.

Ingredients:
2 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon or less salt
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup walnuts
1/4 cup coarsely ground or whole flaxseeds (optional)
1/3-1/2 cup raisins or other dried fruit

(Add 1 to 1-1/3 cups of nuts/dried fruit of your choice to 2 cups of oats)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a cookie sheet.

In a large bowl, toss the oats with the cinnamon and salt.

In a medium bowl, stir together the oil, maple syrup and vanilla. Whisk until completely combined.

Pour the mixture over the oats and flaxseed mixture and and mix thoroughly until all grains are coated.

Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread it out evenly, but leave a few clumps here and there for texture.

Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and use a metal spatula to lift and flip the granola. Sprinkle the walnuts over the granola and return the baking sheet to the oven.

Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and use a metal spatula to lift and flip the granola. Bake for 5-10 minutes until nicely toasted, then remove from the oven. Let cool completely. Sprinkle the dried fruit over the granola.

Lentils and Rice

2010-02-10T21:07:00.005-05:00

I found these colourful mixed lentils in the Indian food section of our supermarket this week. Lentils cook quickly and do not need pre-soaking. They are ideal for a quick supper. I planned to make Mom's Goulash for my husband's dinner and modified the recipe to make this vegetarian version. It turned out very well and both dishes took about 40 minutes from start to finish.

1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 bell pepper chopped
1-2 tsp oil
1 cup lentils
5 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried oregano, thyme
1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes

14 oz canned stewed tomatoes

1 cup basmati rice

1 zucchini, sliced or diced
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
2 cups shredded greens (I used mustard greens)

Heat oil in wok or large pan. Cook onions and peppers until softened. Add lentils and stir into the oil and vegetable mixture. Add salt and spices. (change the spice combination if desired)
Add water and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer lentils for about 15 minutes until they are partially cooked. Add tomatoes and rice and continue to cook until rice and lentils are soft. Add more water if necessary. Add zucchini, mushrooms and greens (or any other combination of quick-cooking vegetables) and simmer until they are done and the liquid is absorbed. Adjust seasonings if necessary.

Makes 4-6 main servings, or 8 side dishes. We served it with cabbage and onion slaw.

(The lentil and rice mixture, without the last group of vegetables, is the right texture and consistency for making a filling for cabbage rolls. I have tried a vegan cabbage roll filling which tasted "OK" but looked very unappetizing. I liked the look of this combination and may try it with some blanched cabbage stored in my freezer)

Pizza Casserole

2010-01-10T19:05:00.004-05:00

I adapted a recipe from A Taste of Home and made this vegetarian version of a pizza casserole. It had all the flavours of pizza and could include other favourite toppings in the layers. I will include directions for the meat version as well in case the above link goes dead. This makes two casseroles so one can be frozen for another time.

Ingredients:

3 cups uncooked spiral pasta- I used cavatappi

2 -340 g packages of veggie ground round (or 2 lbs ground meat)**

16 ounces fresh sliced mushrooms (or 2 tins canned mushrooms)

1-2 green peppers, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped (optional)

1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce- I used a salt-free sauce

1 jar (14 ounces) pizza sauce

1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste

(or you can use 4-1/2 cups of prepared pasta sauce)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

4 cups (16 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

1-120 g package veggie pizza pepperoni

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven,* cook peppers, mushrooms and onions over medium heat until softened; drain.

Stir in the tomato sauce, pizza sauce, tomato paste, and seasonings.

Add the crumbled veggie ground round.

Drain pasta; stir into the sauce.

Divide half of the mixture between two greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking dishes; sprinkle each with 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers. Top each with pepperoni and Parmesan cheese.

Cover and bake at 350° for 20 minutes.

Uncover; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until heated through.

Yield: 2 casseroles (6 servings each).

* if you are using ground meat, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain, and then cook the vegetables until softened

** the second time I made this I omitted the meat/veggie ground round and we thought it tasted even better with just the peppers/mushrooms/tomato sauce.

Lentil Mushroom Burgers

2010-01-07T19:58:00.004-05:00

I have been eating a mainly vegan diet for the past four months and have been trying out many new recipes. This meatless burger is from Canadian Living and is absolutely delicious! I made it exactly according to the recipe. I will copy it here in case the link goes dead. I did not grill them but browned them in a frying pan on the stove.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped pecans
1 can (19 oz/540 mL) lentils, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil
3 cups (750 mL) finely chopped mushrooms
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp (5 mL) chili powder
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
1/2 tsp (2 mL) pepper
1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground cumin
1/2 tsp (2 mL) dried oregano
1/4 cup (50 mL) dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup (50 mL) salsa
6 hamburger buns

Preparation:
In large skillet, toast pecans over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer to food processor. Add lentils; pulse just until smooth. Set aside.

In same skillet, heat oil over medium heat; fry mushrooms, onion, garlic, chili powder, salt, pepper, cumin and oregano until liquid is evaporated, about 10 minutes. Scrape into food processor. Add bread crumbs and salsa; pulse to combine. Form into six 3/4-inch (2 cm) thick patties.

(Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate on waxed paper–lined rimmed baking sheet for up to 4 hours.)

Place on greased grill over medium-high heat; close lid and grill, turning once, until browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. Sandwich in buns.

Tofu Mayonnaise

2010-01-05T20:18:00.001-05:00

I was looking for a vegan option for mayonnaise and came across this recipe on several sites. I did not have high expectations and was very surprised at how tasty it is.

½ lb of medium firm tofu
¼ cup canola oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar or equal amount of sweetener
1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon salt

Take all of your ingredients, and put them in a blender. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy for about five minutes. Transfer it into a jar or a plastic container. Use within a week.

Carrot and Onion Bahjis

2010-01-03T18:32:00.008-05:00

The Becka modified this recipe from one in Jamie Oliver's cookbook Jamie's Food Revolution. She likes to make it on Friday nights but today I made it for the first time under her direction. She has substituted the self-rising white flour with chickpea flour which is readily available in our bulk and grocery stores. If you don't have it you can use regular flour. We serve these with hummus and limes and with a salad, they make a good vegan meal.

Grate 2 large carrots and 1 onion (I finely diced the onion)
Grate a 1 inch piece of fresh ginger (can use 1 tsp dried ginger)
Finely chop 1/2 to 1 cup fresh cilantro

Add the following spices and seasonings:

1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin (seeds or ground)
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon mustard seeds

Add 1 cup chickpea flour
(also known as gram flour, garbanzo flour or besan)
1/2 cup of water

Mix ingredients to form a pasty mixture. I had to add another 1/4 cup of flour to this batch as the carrots were huge.

Heat a couple of tablespoons vegetable oil in a frying pan until hot. Add mixture by teaspoonfuls and cook both sides on medium heat until browned and crisp. The fritters need to cook for a few minutes to cook the vegetables. (like cooking potato pancakes).

Eat when hot. Makes about 25 fritters and serves 4 to 8 people depending on your appetite.

Mexican Pepper and Bean Lasagna

2009-12-27T00:53:00.006-05:00

This recipe for vegetable lasagna is based on one found in Chatelaine Recipes and has been modified slightly.

Ingredients:
1-2 red, yellow or green peppers
1 large portabella mushroom
1 can black beans19 oz (540 mL), rinsed
1 can white kidney or romano beans, rinsed
Olive oil
3 cups (750 mL) tomato-based pasta sauce*
475 g container extra-smooth ricotta cheese
2 tsp (10 mL) each ground cumin and dried thyme leaves
1 tsp (5 mL) chili flakes
1/2 tsp (2 mL) each salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 to 14 oven-ready or fresh lasagna noodles
3 cups (750 mL) grated Monterey Jack, light Havarti or cheddar cheese
1/2 cup (125 mL) or more coarsely chopped fresh coriander

* I used 1-28 oz tin of crushed tomatoes and 1-6 oz tin of tomato paste. The extra sauce is preferable if using oven-ready lasagna noodles. I also cooked in a couple of handfuls of spinach leaves.

Preheat oven to 350F (180C).

Method:
Core and seed peppers, then coarsely chop.
Dice portabella mushroom.
Drain and rinse beans.
Lightly coat a large wide saucepan with oil and set over medium heat. Add peppers and mushrooms. Stir often until softened, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in beans and pasta sauce. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl stir ricotta with cumin, thyme, chili flakes, salt and pepper.

Spread enough sauce to barely cover bottom of a 9x13-inch (3-L) baking dish. Cover with 4 or 5 noodles. Don't overlap. Spoon half the ricotta mixture in dollops overtop, then gently spread as best you can toward edges. Pour half of sauce overtop, then smooth surface. Sprinkle with 1 cup (250 mL) grated cheese. Top with 4 or 5 noodles, remaining ricotta mixture and 1 cup (250 mL) cheese. Finish with noodles, gently pressing them down. Cover with remaining sauce and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Bake, uncovered, in centre of 350F (180C) oven until a knife tip inserted in centre of lasagna feels warm, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with coriander.

Turkey Pie

2009-12-26T17:05:00.006-05:00

My sister-in-law gave us left over turkey after Christmas dinner yesterday and I used it to make this pie today. I found the recipe here and modified it as follows. I added more turkey than the original recipe calls for as my pie plate is deep and needs about 6 cups of filling. It is a good way to use up turkey if you do not have any gravy. I made a two crust pie as suggested but this would also work with just a top crust.

1 cup sliced carrots

1 cup finely chopped mushrooms

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 cup frozen cut green peas

or a total of 3-1/2 cups chopped vegetables

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

3 cups cubed cooked turkey or chicken

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed golden mushroom soup, undiluted

1/2 cup regular sour cream

1 pastry for double-crust pie (9 inches)

Directions:

In a skillet or wok, saute carrots, mushrooms, celery, thyme and pepper in butter and oil until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add turkey, soup, sour cream and green peas to the vegetable mixture and mix well. Line a 9-in. pie plate with bottom crust. Add turkey mixture. Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of pie; seal and flute edges. Cut slits in pastry.

Bake at 425 degrees F for 12 minutes then reduce temperature to 350 degrees F for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

2009-12-25T16:49:00.001-05:00

This tastes as good as the filling of pumpkin pie. I cook and freeze pumpkin in the fall and have it handy for pumpkin loaf or muffins, pumpkin pie and also to add to soup. Quantities are approximate so feel free to adjust to taste and availability of ingredients.

1-1/2 cups plain soy milk

3/4 cup pureed pumpkin (frozen or thawed)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

4 packets of Splenda

Blend together in blender and pour into glasses.

Serves 2

Variations:

Sweeten with honey, maple syrup, ripe banana or other sweetener.

Use any kind of milk

Fruit Bouquet

2009-12-14T10:20:00.004-05:00

Ingredients for this bouquet: (enough for two arrangements)

1 mini watermelon
1 fresh pineapple, core intact
6 kiwi fruit
1 pound whole fresh strawberries
1 pound of grapes
1 head of iceberg lettuce or florist foam

(you can use any firm fruit which does not discolour when cut)

Cut the watermelon in half and scoop out the fruit. Reserve for another use. You can cut a decorative edge on each watermelon if desired. Cut lettuce head in half and put it in the watermelon, rounded side up.

Slice pineapple in 2 cm rings and cut round or flower shapes with a metal cookie cutter. Peel and slice kiwi fruit the same thickness. Wash grapes and strawberries and trim tops of the berries.

Assemble the fruit on bamboo skewers. I cut 1/3 to 1/2 of the skewers off as they were too long for the size of the base. You need to put a firm fruit behind the pineapple ring as it tends to slide down. I found a ring of kiwi worked perfectly. Some people suggest using a gummy candy for support. Cover the pointed end of the stick with a grape or melon ball.

Caution: If doing this with children, I would cut off the sharp end of the bamboo skewer before threading the fruit.

Roasted beets, carrots and onions

2009-11-24T19:24:00.006-05:00

I found this recipe (and picture) on the Meatless Monday blog, tried it and loved it. I have been eating the leftovers for lunch. I added the *spices and also put in some slivered fresh ginger. I cooked it for over an hour to get the vegetables very tender and the onions were starting to carmelize. Yum! I have cut and pasted this recipe and my changes are in italics.

Beets, carrots and red onions are seasoned with middle-eastern spices and oven-roasted in this terrific veggie medley. The Ras el Hanout spice blend can be constructed by mixing many everyday spices, so you can enjoy this veggie side dish without leaving the comfort of your own kitchen. This recipe comes to us from our friends at Foodista.

Serves 4

1 lb carrots, peeled and cut in half vertically
5 medium-sized beets, peeled and cut into quarters
2 large red onions, peeled and cut into quarters
3 teaspoons Ras el Hanout*
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

* Ras el Hanout is a spice blend which can be found in the spice section of many grocery stores and Middle-Eastern specialty shops. To make your own, mix together equal parts of cardamom, ginger* (fresh), allspice, cinnamon*, paprika, coriander*, cumin*, nutmeg and turmeric*. Add a pinch of cloves and black pepper at the end. This spice blend is flexible, so don’t worry if you’re missing a few spices.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. (375F)

Place carrots, onion wedges and beet quarters in a roasting pan in one layer. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Sprinkle the Ras el Hanout spice blend evenly over the vegetables. Drizzle the extra-virgin olive-oil over the seasoned vegetables.

Roast in oven for 25-30 (60) minutes, or until vegetables are cooked through. Let vegetables cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Apple Cake

2009-10-15T19:32:00.003-05:00

This recipe is adapted from the cookbook Simply in Season, an excellent resource celebrating fresh, local foods.

5 cups thinly sliced, unpeeled apples
1-1/3 cups of sugar or sugar/Splenda blend
Combine and let stand while mixing other ingredients

1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
1-2 tsp vanilla (optional)
Combine in a separate bowl

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup nuts or raisins (optional, I have not added them)

Combine in a third bowl. Stir flour mixture into apples alternately with egg mixture.
Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 350F for 50-60 minutes
until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

I have topped this with cream cheese icing or a crumb topping. The picture above shows the crumb topping...1/4 cup butter, 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar mixed together into coarse crumbs. Sprinkle on top before baking.

Quinoa Salad

2009-10-14T19:19:00.000-05:00

This delicious salad can be made ahead and keeps for a couple of days in the fridge. Other grains such as couscous or rice could be substituted for the quinoa.

1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed under hot water for 3 minutes and drained in a fine sieve
1-1/2 cups of water
Dash of salt

Rinse quinoa and put in pot with water and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 7-10 minutes until grains are tender and water is absorbed. Put quinoa in a medium sized bowl.

Cut up finely and add available vegetables to quinoa such as:

celery
carrot
green onion
sweet peppers, red and/or green
seeded tomato
fresh cilantro

Add 1/2 tin cooked lentils (about 1 cup)

Mix together and add the juice of 1-2 fresh limes to the salad.

Chicken Fiesta Salad

2009-09-02T17:13:00.006-05:00

Our daughter in London introduced us to this fast and delicious meal.

2 chicken breasts cut into strips
1 pkg dry fajita or taco mix (we used PC BlueMenu low sodium taco mix)
1 14 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 10 -12 0z can corn or cut kernels off 2 cobs of corn
1/2 c salsa
salad greens
grated cheese, tomato, onion, sour cream, cilantro
lime wedges, guacamole, taco chips for garnish as desired

Coat chicken strips in fajita mix and cook then in a lightly oiled frying pan until done. Take the rest of the fajita mix and add it to the beans, corn and salsa. Heat in a pot on stove until warm.

Place salad greens on plate, add bean mixture, top with chicken strips and garnish as desired.

Makes 4 generous servings.

Vegetarian Option: Cut extra firm tofu into strips, coat with fajita mix and fry in lightly oiled pan until crisp. Serve instead of chicken.

Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins

2009-08-22T18:30:00.002-05:00

I bought the Laura Secord Canadian Cookbook in Niagara Falls shortly after our wedding. It has been one of my favourite cookbooks with excellent recipes and interesting Canadian food history commentaries. This muffin recipe is directly from this book, which is available only from resellers on Amazon.ca. I always double the recipe and get 18 large muffins.

Preheat oven to 375 F.

1 cup flour ( I use whole wheat)
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup brown sugar ( I use 1/2 Splenda or stevia)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Add

1 egg
1 cup milk
1/4 cup oil

Mix batter until just moistened and then fold in

3/4 cup blueberries

Place batter in prepared muffin cups and bake for 15-20 minutes or until set and golden brown.

Fruit Bars

2009-08-21T18:32:00.003-05:00

This recipe was in our newspaper earlier this month and featured raspberries and peaches for the filling. I have modified the recipe and doubled the size. These bars are not sweet and make a good breakfast-on-the-run on a busy morning. Increase the sweetener if you prefer a bar that is more dessert-like. Experiment with different combinations of fruit in season.

Prepare 6 cups of fresh or frozen fruit. I used 2 cups each of strawberries, peaches and blueberries.

Combine fruit in a medium sauce pan with:
4 tbsp cornstarch
2/3 cup orange juice

Cook until filling is thickened. (I cooked the strawberries and peaches in some of the juice for a few minutes and then added the rest of the juice with the cornstarch and blueberries)

Mix together in a large bowl to make crumbs:
3 cups large flake rolled oats
1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar ( I used 100% Splenda in the squares pictured above, but they do brown better with at least half sugar. You could also use honey or maple syrup)
1 cup soft butter

Reserve 1-1/4 cups of the crumbs in another dish
Add one egg to the remaining crumbs and press batter into the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan. Spread thickened fruit on top and sprinkle with reserved crumbs.

Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes or until filling is bubbly. Cool at least 30 minutes before cutting into squares.

Carrot Salad

2009-08-16T18:27:00.003-05:00

Mom made lots of this salad when we were growing up and it was always a favourite. I have seen similar carrot salads with added dressings, but this is just marinated in pineapple juice. It tastes better the second day and keeps for a few days in the fridge. The raisins are optional.

Two pounds carrots, grated
1 tin of canned pineapple, tidbits or crushed
Handful of raisins

Stir ingredients until well combined.

Broccoli Salad

2009-08-15T18:29:00.002-05:00

We go the the homestyle buffet at The Crossroads in Elmira occasionally and this is my favourite salad there. It can be made with broccoli and/or cauliflower. I have had it at potlucks where other additions such as raisins and sunflower seeds are included. Here is the basic recipe.

1 bunch of broccoli cut into small pieces
2-3 slices cooked bacon, finely chopped (we use bacon flavoured soy bits)
Grated cheddar cheese, about 2 ounces
Salad dressing or mayonnaise, 1/3 to 1/2 cup as desired
Sliced green onions

Mix together. Salad keeps for a couple of days.

Stuffed Zucchini

2009-07-29T07:22:00.003-05:00

I am lifting this recipe directly from Simply Recipes, which is simply one of the best recipe blogs around! I stopped at my favourite farm lane to get fresh corn last night. Sadly, it was not ready to be picked yet because of the cool, wet summer weather we are experiencing. But I bought 3 large courgettes (yellow summer squash) and really fresh onions and garlic. This recipe is quick and easy and very tasty.
I omitted the wine. The meat mixture filled 3 squash (6 halves). It served 4 with leftovers.

Ingredients

1 zucchini about 12 inches long, or 6 medium ones
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 pound ground turkey
2 diced tomatoes
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper

Method

1 Cut zucchini in half lengthwise. Scoop out insides, leaving shells about 1/4 inch thick. Reserve about half of the insides.

2 Heat 2 Tbsp of olive oil in a skillet on medium high heat. Sauté onion and garlic until soft. Add mushrooms and reserved zucchini insides, and sauté another 2 minutes.

3 In a separate skillet heat a Tbsp of olive oil on medium high heat. Add the ground turkey. Lightly brown the turkey, stirring only occasionally. After the turkey browns on one side, stir it so that it has a chance to brown on other sides. Cook until the ground turkey is lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Stir in the onion and mushroom mixture from the other pan. Add the wine. Stir in tomato, basil and rosemary and cook 1 minute longer. Drain any excess fat. Remove mixture from heat and set it aside.

4 When mixture has cooled, add cheese, egg, salt and pepper. Fill zucchini shells with mixture. Fill a baking pan with 1/4 inch of water. Place filled zucchini halves in pan and bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes, until golden brown. Remove zucchini from pan and serve while hot.

Serves 4.

Tuna Salad

2009-07-26T19:18:00.008-05:00

Stephanie invented this recipe and serves it often in her home in Mexico. She made it for us and it was delicious but she emphasized that the ingredients are added until the salad "looks and tastes right". Don't be afraid to substitute ingredients or amounts. The lime and cilantro are what make the taste special. It can be served with tostadas, taco chips, or crackers.

Dice (small dice)
1/2 onion
1 carrot (can be grated)
1/2 sweet pepper or jalapeno pepper
1 small seeded tomato
1/2 diced apple (or mango or pear)

Add
1/2 tin corn niblets or corn cut off one cob
1-2 cans drained tuna
1/4 cup or more chopped cilantro

Squeeze the juice of 2 limes (more or less to taste) over the salad and add salt and pepper to taste.

I have now made this a few times and find it a very satisfying lunch for work. I have doubled the vegetables and fruit and added 1/2 cup of garbanzos or peas and found it very tasty.

Chicken Salad

2009-07-26T18:44:00.003-05:00

This is another recipe Stephanie uses in Mexico. She had it at a local restaurant and asked how it was made. It is served cold and keeps for a day or so.

Dice in 1-2 cm squares:
4 large potatoes
2-3 carrots

Boil in salted water until just tender and drain.

Add:
1 can corn
1 diced green pepper (or poblano peppers)
celery (optional)
2 apples
1/2 head shredded iceberg lettuce
2 cups cooked chicken, diced

Dressing:
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 to 1/3 cup mayonnaise (change the proportions according to taste)
salt and pepper

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

2009-07-21T21:42:00.005-05:00

The local strawberry season was disappointing this year due to the cool, wet weather this summer. But my rhubarb has thrived in the same conditions. I extended the strawberries and made several strawberry rhubarb pies.

Prepare a single pastry crust and line a 9" pie plate, fluting the edge.

Combine in a large bowl:
2 cups strawberries (cut large ones in half)
2 cups diced rhubarb
1/4 cup white flour
3/4 cup white sugar

Mix together and dump into the crust.

Crumb topping:
1/4 cup soft butter
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar

Mix together until crumbly and place over the top of the fruit.

Bake at 425F for 12 minutes, then turn heat down to 350F until filling is thickened and clear, about 45 minutes. (glass pans may be done a bit sooner)

It is a good idea to place a cooking sheet under the pie as it usually runs over a little.

Pasta and Roasted Vegetables

2009-05-23T09:25:00.008-05:00

A recipe for Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower and Prosciuto was published on Simply Recipes, an excellent blog to which I subscribe. It looked delicious, and I modified it to a vegetarian dish with the vegetables I had on hand. We have made it three times now and it is already a favourite. The leftovers are excellent for lunch and are good cold or hot. I have copied the recipe from the other blog and have written in my changes.

Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower and Vegetables (Prosciutto) Recipe

If cherry tomatoes aren't available, you can skip them and add a few chopped sun dried tomatoes to the dish at the end.

Ingredients

1 medium cauliflower, cored and broken up into 3/4-inch florets (4+ cups)
1 pint cherry tomatoes (or sundried tomatoes in oil added at the end)
Olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
4 large cloves garlic
(4 ounces of prosciutto) (mushrooms and red peppers used instead of meat)
8 ounces orecchiette pasta (or other pasta)
8-16 ounces baby arugula, collards, kale or spinach, cleaned and coarsely chopped
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I used less cheese than this)

Method

1 Preheat oven to 425°F. Lay out cauliflower, cherry tomatoes ( peppers, mushrooms etc in a roasting pan, sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast until just lightly browned and cooked through, about 15 minutes.
2 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (1 teaspoon salt for every quart of water).
3 While water is heating, slice garlic and greens. Once cauliflower has browned lightly, remove from oven, toss cauliflower with garlic and greens mixture, and return to oven to cook for 5-7 minutes more.
4 Boil pasta uncovered (rolling boil) for 9-10 minutes until firm, but done (al dente). Reserve one cup of pasta liquid. Drain water from pot. Add cauliflower, arugula (or spinach), sundried tomatoes and Parmesan to the pasta. Stir in enough cooking water to moisten. You likely will not need a full cup. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serves 4.

Variation- I used an entire bunch of collards one day when I had no other greens. I sliced them thinly and roasted them with the cauliflower. The combination of greens was delicious!

Lazy Day Cabbage Rolls

2009-03-25T17:24:00.002-05:00

This tasty casserole is a lot faster to prepare than cabbage rolls and has much the same flavour. I made. The leftovers are good too. I use extra lean ground beef and brown rice in the recipe.

1 medium green cabbage, coarsely chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 pound ground beef
1 egg
1/2 cup rice
1-1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional but tasty)
3 cups tomato juice ( I use 1-28 oz tin of diced tomatoes)

Place half the cabbage and onion in a medium roasting pan
Mix the ground beef, egg, rice, salt and seasonings together and spread over the cabbage.
Cover with the rest of the cabbage and pour juice/tomatoes over the top.

Bake at 350 F for 3 hours stirring occasionally and adding more liquid if necessary.

Maple Syrup Muffins

2009-03-22T12:44:00.007-05:00

Here is another recipe from the book Muffin Mania by Cathy Prange and Joan Pauli. We get a case of canned maple syrup each spring and enjoy these muffins as a special treat.

1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. white sugar
1 tsp salt
1-1/4 c. flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 c. rolled oats
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. maple syrup

Soften butter, blend in sugar and salt

Add dry ingredients and blend with pastry cutter until crumbly. Mix in oats.

Blend milk and syrup together in measuring cup and pour over dry ingredients stirring only to moisten.

Bake 350 degrees - 20 minutes. Makes 8 large muffins.

Optional glaze

1 tbsp butter
1/2 c. icing sugar
1 tbsp maple syrup

Spread glaze over muffin tops when slightly cooled.

Cheese Tortellini

2009-02-04T18:14:00.003-05:00

Four Cheese Tortellini

A favourite dinner of the Becka.. very fast to fix after work

1 -700g pkg fresh cheese tortellini
15 mL (1 tbsp) butter
3 green onions, chopped
1 small red pepper, julienned
125 mL (1/2 c) frozen green peas
1 - 330 mL jar four cheese pasta sauce (Classico is good)
50 mL (1/4 c) grated parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.

2. Meanwhile, in skillet, melt margarine over medium heat; cook onions and red pepper for about 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in peas. Add cheese sauce and tortellini;
cook for about 2 - 3 minutes or until heated through.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Makes 4 servings.

Serve with a salad or cooked vegetables
A couple of slices of ham can be served for meat lovers in the family.

Real Popcorn

2009-01-31T20:13:00.001-05:00

Real Popcorn

2 tbsp. neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn

1/2 cup popping corn

4 tbsp. butter

Salt

1. Put the oil in a large, deep saucepan (six quarts or so) with a lid. Turn the heat to medium, add three kernels of corn, and cover.

2. When the three kernels pop, remove the lid and add the remaining corn. Cover and shake the pot, holding the lid on. Cook, shaking the pot occasionally, until the popping sounds stop, after about five minutes. (Note: Just as with microwave popcorn, the threshold between unburned and burned is minuscule, so use your ears and your nose carefully!) Meanwhile, melt the butter.

3. Turn the popcorn into a large bowl; drizzle with the butter and sprinkle with salt while tossing the popcorn. Serve immediately if possible; popcorn is best hot.

Serves 4 to 6 people.

Source: Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything

Play Dough

2009-01-18T18:39:00.003-05:00

I made many batches of this play dough when our children were young. It handles well and keeps soft for a long time in a plastic bag. It can also be rolled out and cut into shapes, dried and painted. I made a double batch today for Sunday School and it was a great hit. Now that we have fewer toys in the house for young visiting guests, this could be an option to occupy little hands creatively. It is too salty to eat and those who try to taste it are quickly discouraged from ingesting more.

2 cups white flour
1 cup salt
4 tbsp cream of tartar
2 cups warm water
2 tbsp oil

I add a couple of teaspoons of cinnamon or you can add 1 package of dried, unsweetened drink mix for scent and colour.

Mix all ingredients and place in a medium saucepan. Heat on medium stirring constantly until mixture thickens into a ball. Turn out onto a table and knead till smooth. Let it cool and place in a plastic container.