Adventures in the kitchen

Yogurt-Cilantro Sauce

2010-05-24T20:03:00.001-07:00

I really like this on my Lentil Walnut burgers. I’m sure there are other things it can be eaten with but I don’t know what…

3/4 cup plain yogurt
2 TBS chopped fresh cilantro leaves*
1 TBS fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl

* I just grabbed a bunch of leaves and probably had way more than I needed, but it’s not really a recipe you can mess up…

Lentil-Walnut Burger

2010-05-24T19:58:00.001-07:00

Man! I want to make these again! Blogging about food on an empty stomach just isn’t the best idea… (That’s Yogurt-Cilantro sauce on the burger, I’ll post that recipe too) I doubled the recipe and it worked great!

3/4 cup lentils rinsed
3/4 cup walnuts
1/3 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
3 garlic cloves
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (I didn’t use these as I don’t like them at all. I’m a spice wimp)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 TBS olive oil
1 large egg

Pre-heat oven to 350
Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until fragrant and darkened - about 10 minutes. Take out and leave them to cool
Place the lentils in a saucepan and cover with about an inch of water above the lentils
Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer
Cover and cook until the lentils are tender but still holding their shape, 15-20 minutes. Drain well and cool
In a food processor combine the walnuts, breadcrumbs, garlic, cumin, coriander, pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
Process until finely ground
Add the lentils and 1 TBS olive oil pulse until coarsely chopped leaving some of the lentils whole
In a large bowl, whisk the egg, add the lentil mixture and mix well
Divide into 4 pieces, roll into balls and squish them between your hands until they’re about 3/4 inch thick
Heat 3 TBS olive oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat
Add the patties and cook until crisp and browned on each side – about 8-10 minutes a side
Place on paper towel to drain some of the oil off.

Pasta with Potatoes, Green Beans and Pesto

2010-05-24T19:37:00.001-07:00

I had some leftover pasta from another dish I made so I used it in this. I also used regular potatoes but they got slightly smooshy.

2 waxy potatoes
1 TBS salt
8 oz tubular pasta (or whatever kind you want
8 oz green beans, trimmed and halved
1/2 cup pesto

Peel the potatoes and cut into 1 inch cube
Place them in a large pot of water and bring to a boil
Add salt and pasta
Return to a boil and cook for 2 minutes
Add green beans, return to a boil and cook until the beans are tender and the pasta is cooked.
Drain.
Mix in the pesto and season with salt and pepper

Curried Carrot Soup

2010-05-24T19:29:00.001-07:00

I made this a couple of weeks ago and have wanted it again ever since. I may just have to make it again tomorrow!

2 TBS butter
1 cup chopped onion
2tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp curry powder*
2 cans chicken broth**
3 cups water
2 lbs carrots peeled and cut into chunks
1 or 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 TBS coarsely chopped cilantro for garnish

Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat
Add the onion, curry powder, salt and pepper
Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until the onion is soft.
Add the broth, carrots, and 3 cups of water
Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the carrots are soft
In a blender puree the soup in batches. Remove the center of the blender lid and cover with a cloth. I don’t know what will happen if you don’t, but that’s what the recipe says to do!
Put blended soup in a clean saucepan and when it’s all blended and in the saucepan stir in the lemon juice. More water can be added if it’s too thick.

*I doubled the curry because I like it strong
** I had to use the powder to make chicken broth and it still tasted fine

Tomato and Olive Pasta

2010-05-13T21:22:00.001-07:00

I decided to make this last night and then realized I was missing some of the ingredients so I improvised.

Salt and pepper
About a pound of short pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves thinly sliced*
1/4 lb cherry tomatoes halved or quartered
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup kalamata olives – pitted and sliced**
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley***
1/4 Parmesan cheese

Cook the pasta until tender (I put 1/2TBS of garlic powder in the water)
While the pasta is cooking heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat (if using garlic cloves put them in the oil and cook for about a minute until golden stirring occasionally)
Add the cherry tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper
Reduce the heat to low and cook for about 3 minutes until the tomato juices run
Add the pasta, olives, parsley and Parmesan (if using garlic powder add the other 1/2 TBS too) to the skillet, mix and serve hot.

*I had to use about 1TBS of garlic powder as we had no cloves so I put half in the water with the pasta and half in at step 5
**we had no kalamata olives so I just used the normal green ones
***We don’t have fresh parsley and I couldn’t find the dried parsley so I didn’t use any.
My parents and brother loved this dish as did I. It was quite tasty even though it was improvised and 4 of us finished what should have fed 6.

Wilted Spinach with Nutmeg

2010-05-13T14:17:00.001-07:00

This is super easy to make and very tasty. It’s also quite versatile. I changed the original recipe to suit my tastes. Here’s how I made it.

2 TBS Butter
6 oz spinach
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
sprinkling of black pepper

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat
Cut any tough ends off of the spinach
Rinse the spinach and place in the sauce pan with water still dripping off the leaves
Cover and cook for 5 minutes
Stir and continue cooking for about 5 more minutes
Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper
Serve while still hot with a slotted spoon

Green Smoothie for Two

2010-05-11T15:49:00.001-07:00

My sister has been making a lot of green smoothies lately and while I was living with her and the family I had about 3 a day. I miss the smoothies (and family) greatly! Yesterday I decided to make my first green smoothie.

4oz spinach
1 banana
1 very large carrot
2 individual sized yogurts
1 cup frozen mango
water for desired consistency

I put it all in the ingredients in the blender and turned it on. I then used a wooden spoon to push the veggies down… while the blender was running… please don’t do that, you will be out a wooden spoon and you will have unwanted fiber in your smoothie. I will not be held responsible for anything you put in the blender while it is running!
There are tons of different ways to make smoothies, I’ll post as I make some more :)

Hamburger Rolls

2010-05-03T10:11:00.001-07:00

These rolls are really tasty and to say something completely dorky you will never buy hamburger rolls again after trying these ones. They are easily doubled and freeze well.

1 cup milk
1 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 (2.5 tsp) (.25 ounce) envelope active dry yeast
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon water

Directions

Combine the milk, 1 cup of water, butter, sugar and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil then remove from the heat and let stand until lukewarm. If the mixture is too hot, it will kill the yeast. And if it’s too cold you will have to reheat it and then it will be too hot and you don’t want to do that. Trust me. I did it. If I can hold my finger in the liquid for 5 seconds then I decide it’s a good temperature.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour and yeast. Pour in wet ingredients and stir until the dough starts to pull together. If you have a stand mixer, use the dough hook to mix for about 8 minutes. If not, knead the dough on a floured surface for about 10 minutes. Don’t over knead it as it will get really chewy. I know. I did that too. Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover and let stand until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Punch down the dough and divide into 12 even portions. Make tight balls out of the dough by pulling the dough tightly around and pinching it at the bottom. Place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper or tin foil – wax paper will stink. I use tin foil. Let rolls rise for about 20 minutes. Squish each ball with the palm of your hand until it is 3 to 4 inches wide.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Mix together the egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl. Brush onto the tops of the rolls. I then like to sprinkle Italian Seasoning or poppy seeds or sesame seeds on top.
Bake for 15 minutes or until nicely browned on the top and bottom.

Sweet Tea

2010-04-24T08:26:00.001-07:00

I LOVE the sweet tea they serve at Cracker Barrel and I finally decided to make some. I found this recipe and it’s really good. The baking soda kind of scared me but it works. Trust me!

just under 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 cups boiling water
6 regular tea bags (or 4 big ones)
3/4 cup white sugar (or some honey to taste)
6 cups cool water (or less depending on how strong you like it. I found 6 diluted it too much)

Directions

Boil water and sugar together.
Sprinkle baking soda into a 64-ounce pitcher, add tea bags and boiling sugar water. Cover, and allow to steep for 15 minutes.
Remove tea bags, and discard; Pour in cool water, then refrigerate until cold.
I recommend tasting it as you put the cold water in so you don’t over dilute!

Crock Pot Mac &Cheese

2010-04-19T10:04:00.001-07:00

My sister hosted a recipe exchange on Friday night and everyone brought copies of seven or more recipes to give to everyone else who was there. I made use of the recipes to make Crock Pot Mac&Cheese last night and it was SO good! I doubled the recipe and changed a couple of things but I’ll give you the original and then my version.

8oz of your favorite pasta
1 egg (beaten)
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter (melted)
12oz can evaporated milk
3 cups sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups Milk

Cook the pasta
Place all the ingredients in the crock pot on low for 3 hours

I doubled the recipe as I like pasta as my main dish, not my side dish. I used 3 eggs because there were three eggs left and I didn’t want one to feel lonely. I didn’t melt my butter before hand, I figured the heat of the freshly cooked pasta would melt it for me. I only had one 14oz can of evaporated milk. I used 4 cups of cheese as 6 cups seemed like way too much. I used slightly less than 3 cups of milk. I also didn’t have enough time to cook it for 3 hours so I cooked it for 1.5 hours on low and .5hours on high. It turned out quite nicely. :)

Almond Cinnamon Rolls

2010-04-14T19:00:00.001-07:00

I was making cinnamon rolls the other day and thought I’d switch them up a bit. So I made Almond Cinnamon Rolls. I used sour dough bread for the rolls but they didn’t turn out as light as I like them, so I’m just going to cover the filling and you can choose your own dough recipe.

4TBS of butter
2 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground nutmeg

Roll dough out to 1/4 inch thick rectangle.
Melt butter and add almond extract to it.
Drizzle butter mixture onto rolled out dough
Mix brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg together and sprinkle on top of the dough
Roll dough into a long log and cut into pieces as big as you’d like.
Place in greased baking dish, cover and let it rise for an hour or two
Bake in a pre-heated oven set at 350 for 25 minutes or until lightly golden brown on top (more or less depending on your choice of dough)
Let cool for about 5 minutes then flip the rolls onto a plate.

For the icing you will need

Icing sugar
Milk
Almond extract

I don’t remember how much I used of any of those. But just keep adding until the taste and consistency are how you like them, then drizzle the icing on the rolls. Yum!

I have a feeling these would taste great with Almond pieces in them, but I didn't have any when I was baking...

Olive Oil Dip

2010-03-15T17:29:00.000-07:00

I made Ciabatta Bread for dinner tonight and my sister suggested I make an oil based dip for it. So I looked up a few recipes and invented!

1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/8 cup mixed herbs I used a mixture of chives, rosemary, basil, thyme and Italian seasoning.
1 or 2 garlic cloves - minced
1/8 cup Parmesan Cheese

Pour the olive oil into a bowl and mix in the herbs, balsamic vinegar and minced garlic (I put everything in a food processor for a few seconds)
Refrigerate until ready to serve (make at least 30 minutes ahead of time but not more than two hours ahead of time, I read that's not a good idea)
Right before serving mix in the Parmesan

Everything can be adjusted to your taste. My sister added some salt to hers and I think it tastes better with a bit of salt in it.

Ciabatta Bread

2010-03-15T16:58:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago whilst Stumbling I came across a recipe for One-Minute Bread. The titled had me intrigued and I had to know just how one can make bread in 60 seconds. Well, obviously you can't have the finished product in 60 seconds, but you can mix all the ingredients in that amount of time.

You will need:

2 cups warm water
1/4 tsp dry yeast
4 cups flour
1 tsp salt

Mix the yeast and warm water in a large bowl.
Add the flour and salt and mix with a spoon until well mixed.
Cover with plastic wrap or a dish towel and place somewhere safe for 8-12 hours. I left mine for 5 hours and it turned out nicely.
Preheat the oven to 400
Gently pour the dough onto a greased cookie sheet and sprinkle the top with dried oregano, basil, and rosemary.
Bake for about 25-30 minutes depending on how crisp you like the crust.

We ate this bread for dinner with an Olive Oil dip. It was rather tasty!

*I just have to add a note, my sister, her two boys and I ate half the loaf at dinner. Jessica's husband came in from work and ate the other half. If he eats that much of something, it's good.

Deviled Eggs

2010-03-15T08:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I watched Julie & Julia. I. LOVED. IT! It’s an amazing movie and I found it inspiring – although I couldn’t stand Meryl Streep’s annoying high pitched voice. But it does add to her character. I was inspired to cook yesterday but I didn’t think a drippy nose belonged in the kitchen, so I stayed out. But here’s a recipe I tweaked Friday night. I only used one egg and I didn’t measure anything. I think something like this should be made for your own taste.

Deviled Eggs

1 hard boiled egg
Mayo
Shredded Cheese (I used Kraft Mexican something or other)
Cajun Seasoning

Cut your previously hard boiled egg length wise.
Scoop out the yolk and place in a bowl
Add mayo and cheese to the yolk and mash together
Divide the yolk between the two egg halves and sprinkle with Cajun seasoning.

Jelly and Cream Cheese Shells

2010-03-13T12:15:00.000-08:00

Almost a year ago my dear friend Michelle and I went to Arizona together in search of an adventure. We certainly had an adventure! We hiked a mountain, I almost stepped on a rattlesnake, we spent a day in Sedona and at the Grand Canyon and Michelle broke her leg. But none of that has to do with cooking, and this is a blog of food. While I was in Sedona, I picked up a jar of Prickly Pear Jelly and I just opened it today. IT'S SO GOOD! It's rather sweet but that's how I like my Jelly. I decided to make something but I didn't know what so I wandered into the kitchen for inspiration. I ended up making some jelly and cream cheese filled biscuits.

2 1/4 cups Bisquick mix
2/3 cup milk
4oz cream cheese
8 tsp Jam/Jelly

1. Preheat oven to 405
2. Mix together Bisquick mix and milk
3. Knead and add a bit more mix so the dough is no longer sticky
4. Roll into a log and cut into 8 pieces

5. Roll each piece into a thin circle

6. Place each circle into a cupcake pan

7. Put 1/2 oz of cream cheese in each shell

8. Place 1tsp of jelly on top of cream cheese

9. Pinch the extra dough together

10. Bake for 12-15 minutes

I want to try these again but with pastry as I think a lighter dough may go better.

Sausage and Beef Meatballs

2010-03-13T08:13:00.000-08:00

1lb tube of sausage
1lb ground beef
Spices - I only used a bit of garlic as the sausage was already spiced
1 egg
Bread crumbs - I only had about 1/3 of a cup
1/3 cup creamy salad dressing - optional. I used Caesar and I couldn't taste it in the meatballs
Butter for the baking dish - I used just over 1/8 of a cup in each dish

Pre-heat oven to 350
Put about 1/8 cup of butter in the bottom of a casserole dish
Mix the sausage and beef together
Add the egg, spices, breadcrumbs, and salad dressing
Form into balls and place in casserole dish
Bake for 20 minutes
Place meatballs on paper towel to drain the butter off so they don't become too greasy

Poached Eggs

2010-03-09T14:16:00.000-08:00

I made poached eggs for the first time last night. I also ate them for the first time last night. They are super easy to make and I think I will experiment with them in the future.

You need:

As many eggs as you will eat (keep them cold)
3 inches boiling water (I didn't really measure)
2 Chicken or Beef Stock cubes

Bring the water to a boil and stir in the flavor cubes
Reduce the water to a simmer
Doing one egg at a time crack into a bowl and pour into simmering water. I was able to cook 4 eggs at a time in the pot I used.
Cook for about 5 minutes or until the yolk is as soft or hard as you want it. I found that a little hard to figure out and just stuck to the 5 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon scoop the eggs out of the water and drain on the spoon or place on paper towel.

I've read that you can use tomato juice, wine, plain water, milk, broth, or other liquids to poach the eggs. I may try it in tomato juice one day but that just seems like a waste of tomato juice!

Buttermilk Bicuits

2010-03-07T12:06:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago I was craving Cracker Barrel biscuits and I found a recipe for them on CopyKat and having just made them, I'm quite pleased with the recipe.

2 1/4 C. Bisquick Mix
2/3 C. Buttermilk
1 tsp. Sugar
1 Tbsp. Butter, melted

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. (I think that is too hot, I did this and the bottoms browned before the middle was done cooking, I'd say do it at 350 or 400 for about 15 minutes)
Mix first three ingredients together, add melted butter and stir ingredients until soft dough forms.
Knead 20 times on a surface lightly dusted with flour then form into 9 balls.
Place biscuits in a 8x8 baking dish and slightly flatten
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. *see note on step one

I like to put melted butter on my biscuits as soon as they are done baking.

Easy Pilsbury Pizza

2010-03-05T12:04:00.000-08:00

My Mum made this pizza a couple of time and I absolutely love it! I made it with my nephews today and it was a breeze.

1 package Pilsbury (or other brand) crescent rolls
1 can of chicken (I used a 10 oz can, more than enough)
1.5 oz Honey Mustard Salad Dressing
As much cheese as you desire

Preheat oven to 350F

Open the rolls and roll the dough out on a cookie sheet

Pour dressing on top and spread around

Crumble chicken on top

Sprinkle with cheese

Bake in the oven for about 7 minutes

Sourdough Bread

2010-03-05T11:32:00.000-08:00

I love this recipe. It tastes better the older your starter is but it make soft loaves of bread that my 3 year old nephew describe as "verra goo" (very good) when his mouth was full of the bread.

4 3/4 cups bread flour (I have no idea how much I use but I think it's more than this)
3 tablespoons white sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 cup warm milk (I used sour milk last time and it added to the sourness of the bread)
2 tablespoons butter, softened/metled
1 1/2 cups sourdough starter
1 extra large egg
1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup chopped onion (I have never had onions for the top)

Directions

In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, salt, and dry yeast. Add milk and softened butter. Stir in starter. Mix in about 3 3/4 cups flour gradually or however much you think you need.
Turn dough out onto a floured surface, and knead for 8 to 10 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turn once to oil surface, and cover. Allow to rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in volume.
Punch down, and let rest 15 minutes. Shape into loaves. Place in two bread pans or shape into rolls or pretzels. Allow to rise for 1 hour, or until doubled.
Brush egg wash over tops of loaves, and sprinkle with chopped onion. (I always forget the egg step)
Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 20-30 minutes, or till done. (I find the pretzels and rolls take about 20 minutes and the loaves about 27)

Sourdough Starter

2010-03-05T10:20:00.000-08:00

I love this Sourdough Starter. It’s really easy to do and maintain, as I’m sure they all are but other than Amish ~~Enemy~~ Friendship Bread I haven’t done any. I’ve only used this in one recipe and I’ll post that next. I’m going to try some other recipes at some point to see how they are.
For this starter you will need:
•    1 package active dry yeast (.25 ounce) (2½ teaspoons)
•    2 cups warm water
•    2 cups all-purpose flour
•    Random amount of sugar*
Directions
1.    In large non-metallic bowl, mix dry yeast, 2 cups warm water, and 2 cups all purpose flour and cover loosely.
2.    Leave in a warm place to ferment, 4 to 8 days. Depending on temperature and humidity of kitchen, times may vary. Place on cookie sheet in case of overflow. Check on it occasionally. I’ve never experienced overflow, mine doesn’t seem to grow much at all but I haven’t had a problem with the outcome of the bread so far so I’m sure it’s fine.
3.    When mixture is bubbly and has a pleasant sour smell, it is ready to use. If mixture has a pink, orange, or any other strange color tinge to it, throw it out and start over. Keep it in the refrigerator, covered until ready to bake. My starter only bubbles for the first hour or so after adding to it and then it goes smooth and creamy.
4.    When you use starter to bake, always replace with equal amounts of flour and water mixture with a pinch of sugar. *I don’t measure the sugar, sometimes it’s a tsp other times it is closer to a tbsp. So, if you remove 1 cup starter, replace with 1 cup water and 1 cup flour. Mix well and leave out on the counter until bubbly again, then refrigerate. If a clear to light brown liquid has accumulated on top, don't worry, this is an alcohol base liquid that occurs with fermentation. Just stir the starter to mix it in.

Raspberry Sauce

2010-03-03T11:19:00.000-08:00

•    1 pint fresh raspberries
•    1/4 cup white sugar
•    2 tablespoons orange juice
•    2 tablespoons cornstarch
•    1 cup cold water
Directions
1.    Combine the raspberries, sugar, and orange juice in a saucepan. Whisk the cornstarch into the cold water until smooth. Add the mixture to the saucepan and bring to a boil.
2.    Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the desired consistency is reached. The sauce will thicken further as it cools.
3.    Puree the sauce in a blender or with a handheld immersion blender and strain it through a fine sieve. Serve warm or cold. The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

I used two bags of frozen raspberries but I don’t remember what size. I think it was a bit less than half a pint extra. I didn’t drain the juice and I added a bit extra sugar but not too much as the cheesecake was sweet and I wanted a contrast. Straining took forever as I was using a tea strainer that sits in a teapot... VERY small holes! The sauce thickens as it cools down so I had to heat it up a couple of times as it got too thick for the strainer.
This sauce is good mixed into oatmeal or juices or pretty much anything you want to add raspberry flavour to, I like it stirred into Ginger Ale.

There was quite a bit of sauce that didn't get strained but because of the seeds I didn't want to do anything with it. I am not a fan of raspberry seeds.

Cheesecake

2010-03-01T13:05:00.000-08:00

I did something on Friday that I have never done before. I made cheesecake *applause*. There ~~are~~ were about 100 1oz containers of cream cheese in the fridge so my sister, Jessica, suggested I make a cheesecake. So I found the top rated recipe on allrecipes.com and got to work.

•    15 graham crackers, crushed (I used 1 cup)
•    2 tablespoons butter, melted

•    4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
•    1 1/2 cups white sugar
•    3/4 cup milk
•    4 eggs
•    1 cup sour cream
•    1 tablespoon vanilla extract
•    1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Directions
1.    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch springform pan.

2.    In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter. Press onto bottom of springform pan.

3.    In a large bowl, mix cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Blend in milk, and then stir in the eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate (I slightly beat the eggs before mixing them in). Stir in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth. Pour filling into prepared crust.

4.    Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Turn the oven off, and let cake cool in oven with the door closed for
5 to 6 hours; this prevents cracking. Chill in refrigerator until serving.

Pretty straight-forward directions. I don’t know what I did wrong but my cheesecake cracked. Which I ~~would be ok with had I not spent the evening before looking at pictures of cheesecakes and silently laughing at the cracked ones~~ was ok with because my sister described it this way “Incredible cheesecake. Good enough to break my diet for cheesecake.” You need to understand, my sister is pretty much a cheesecake connoisseur so that says a lot! I love success stories from my kitchen!

I also made a raspberry sauce to go on it. I will post that recipe soon.

Tiramisu

2010-02-24T11:10:00.004-08:00

I realized I have cooked/baked more this month than I had previously thought. My favourite dessert at the moment is Tiramisu. I got the recipe from the cookbook my Aunt gave me for Christmas. It takes 20 minutes or less to put together and tastes amazing –so says everyone who’s tried it.

• 3 TBS instant espresso powder (instant coffee or just super strong brewed coffee work too)
• 3 TBS boiling water (unless you use super strong brewed coffee)
• 1 ½ cups cold water (if using instant espresso or coffee)
• 1 pack (8oz) cream cheese
• ¾ cup heavy cream *
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 packages (3oz each) lady fingers**
• Unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting

1. In a medium heat proof bowl, mix the espresso powder with the boiling water until dissolved. Add 1 ½ cups cold water, set aside.
2. With an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese with the heavy cream and sugar until light and fluffy. (I find it helps if I beat the cream cheese before adding anything else so it gets a bit softer, also it never goes light and fluffy as the cream cheese is heavy but it is still possible to over beat)
3. Spread a few tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture in the bottom of a 2 quart serving dish. Dip some ladyfingers one-by-one in the espresso and arrange in one layer on top of the cream cheese. Continue to layer the cream cheese and espresso dipped lady fingers until you run out, usually three layers of lady fingers and four of cream cheese. The Tiramisu can be refrigerated, covered, for up to one day... if it makes it to the fridge ;)
4. Dust with cocoa just before serving.

*I have always used way more heavy cream. I think the smaller cartons of it are 350ml and I use a whole one. But I don’t add more sugar or cream cheese.
**The last time I made this I used chocolate dipped chocolate almond biscotti instead of ladyfingers and it was marvellous! I also saved a bit of the biscotti and crumbled it on top with the cocoa.
WARNING!!! This is a very rich dessert, and high in caffeine if you use the espresso. Enjoy responsibly!

Added to Tasty Tuesday

Braised Cucumbers

2010-02-23T09:36:00.004-08:00

GAH! February is almost over and I haven’t posted any cooking adventures. I tried making Braised Cucumbers and I wanted to tweak them before I post about them. They were good but too salty. But since that’s all I have to post I will post the recipe and I’ll try them again soon. I found this on a website and it comes from Julia Child’s cookbook, but I don’t know which one.
Braised Cucumbers

• 6 cucumbers about 8 inches long
• 1 1/2 t. salt
• 1/8 t. sugar
• A 2 1/2 Quart stainless steel or porcelain bowl
• A baking dish 12 x 1 1/2 inches
• 3 T. melted butter
• 1/2 t. dill or basil
• 2 Tb white wine vinegar
• 3 to 4 T. minced green onions
• 1/8 t. freshly ground pepper

Peel the cucumbers.

Cut in half lengthwise; scoop out the seeds with a spoon and discard.

Cut in half lengthwise then cut each piece into 2 inch pieces.

In your glass bowl, combine the vinegar, salt, and sugar; then toss in cucumbers.

Let stand for at least 30 minutes or for several hours.

Drain cucumbers and pat them dry in a towel or paper towel.

Pour cucumbers into the baking dish. Add butter, herbs, and pepper and toss to coat.

Heat oven to 375. Set uncovered in middle of oven for about 45 minutes. Toss 2 or 3 times, checking cucumbers 'tenderness.' Cucumbers should be tender but still have a bit of crispness.

I used 3 cucumbers and forgot to half anything else, which may be why they were so salty! But I think with the wine vinegar you probably don’t need to add salt at all. I cooked half of them after soaking them for about 5 hours and the other half after about 24 hours. I think a couple of hours should be enough time for them to soak. I also didn’t use any onions as there were none in the house.

Lemon Custard Cakes

2010-02-05T08:02:00.004-08:00

So I’m a bit late getting around to this, but I have decided I will be cooking new recipes this month. I received a Martha Stewart cookbook for C’mas from my Aunt Polly and I have found many different, amazing looking recipes in it. Since the first week of February is pretty much gone I won’t be making anything. But next week I will tackle Lemon Custard Cakes. They look really good, and while it’s not a fancy-smancy food, I think it’s always nice to have reviews for unfancy foods. If it’s a success I will post the recipe and if it’s not I will forever more be silent on this blog, because failing something this easy will confirm my belief that I am not meant to be in the kitchen.

Scathingly Brilliant Ideas

2010-02-01T17:59:00.004-08:00

After thinking about this for a couple of days, I have come up with precious few ideas for my monthly challenges.

1) Cook a new food each week
2) Invent a cookie recipe and tweak it to perfection
3) Refinish a piece of furniture
4) Drive somewhere new every weekend
5) Eat at local restaurants

I realize those topics may not make for a very interesting blog. But I really started this blog so I can get back into writing. So, if you read my blog thank you! I am always willing to help people waste time! If you don’t read my blog you won’t be reading this so I have nothing to say to you.

A Year of Challenges!

2010-01-29T15:29:00.004-08:00

For about the past four months this blog has been patiently waiting for me to use it. Sadly, I haven't had a single idea of what to do with it. And while cooking dinner I came up with a wonderfully ostentatious scheme! I have determined that every month I am going to pursue a new challenge. So maybe one month it will be reading certain books, cooking a certain amount of new foods, or inventing a new recipe (who wants to be my Guinea Pig???) Since January is pretty much over with, I won't be doing anything. But that gives me two days to come up with February's challenge!