Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Source: My Kitchen Cafe which she adapted Slight from the Dec. Issue of Martha Stewart Living.

In her post she stated "Like most Martha Stewart recipes, the instructions are a tad fussy and it takes some time to chill/freeze all the different components of the dough, but in the end, it was worth it."

Makes 6 dozen (um, not so much - I barely got 3 dozen out of the recipe)

1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 ounces (5 tablespoons) butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
3/4 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
8 large candy canes or 30 peppermint candies, crushed
2 pounds white chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used about 8 ounces white chocolate and the rest white almond bark, since that is what I had on hand - it worked great)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed for 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium-low, and add egg, then yolk, beating well after each addition. Beat in peppermint extract. Slowly add flour mixture, and beat until just incorporated. Shape dough into 2 disks, wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days).

Roll out 1 disk of dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Using a 2-inch round cutter, cut out circles, and place 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Roll and cut scraps once. Freeze cookies until firm, about 15 minutes. Repeat with remaining disk.

Bake until cookies are dry to the touch, about 12 minutes. Transfer parchment, with cookies, to wire racks, and let cool. (Undecorated cookies will keep, covered, for up to 3 days.)

Sift crushed candy, and separate larger pieces from dust, reserving both. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl in the microwave (don't overheat or the chocolate/almond bark will sieze!). Dunk cookies into melted chocolate. Using a fork, press lightly on the cookie until completely submerged in the chocolate. Pick up the cookie with the fork, let excess chocolate drip off, and gently scrape bottom against edge of bowl. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, and sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of either candy pieces or dust on top. Repeat, sprinkling half the cookies with pieces and the rest with dust. Refrigerate until set, up to 3 hours.

***I've not tried making these yet, I'm hoping to try them out tomorrow during Natasha's nap.

Holiday Morning Buns

I made these tonight when I got home from work at 5pm. So simple and fast! I popped them in the freezer and am going to bake them in the morning so that Tash and I can have nice warm buns for breakfast! As the recipe says, it's perfect for Christmas morning.

Holiday Morning Buns
Source: My Kitchen Cafe

3 1/2 cups (14 3/4 ounces) all-purpose Flour + 1/2 cup (2 1/4 ounces) cornstarch
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons (7/8 ounce) sugar
2 to 2 1/4 cups heavy cream

Coating
7 tablespoons butter, melted, OR 2 5/8 ounces milk
Cinnamon and sugar for rolling (I just mixed my own together)

Lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan, line with parchment, and grease the parchment. Parchment isn't absolutely necessary, but it makes it easier to get the bubbly, sugary buns out of the pan once they're baked.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add 2 cups of the cream all at once, then toss and stir the mixture till the dough comes together. If necessary, add additional cream to make the dough cohesive. Gather the dough in your hands and knead it a few times to make sure there are no dry spots.

Place the cinnamon sugar in a small, shallow bowl or pan; or in a plastic zip-top bag. Break off pieces of dough about the size of a ping pong ball, or about 1 1/8 ounces. Dip each piece in melted butter or milk, then roll or shake in the cinnamon-sugar to coat. Place the cinnamon-coated dough balls into the pan of your choice in a single layer; they'll be touching one another, which is just fine.

Cover the pan with plastic, and place in the freezer overnight, or for up to a week or so. If freezing longer than overnight wrap the entire pan in plastic wrap, then in foil. Next day, remove the pan from the freezer, and let the buns rest at room temperature while you preheat your oven to 350°F. The buns don't need to thaw.

If you're baking the buns immediately (not frozen), bake them for 45 to 50 minutes, till the buns in the center are cooked through. You can assess this by taking a toothpick and actually digging into the center bun to take a look; it should look totally baked, not doughy. If the buns have been frozen, bake them for 65 to 70 minutes, testing for done-ness as instructed above. Tent them with aluminum foil after 45 minutes of baking. (I actually forgot the "tenting" step and the buns didn't get burned - phew!)

Remove from the oven, and serve immediately. Dust with confectioners' sugar, if desired, right before serving.

Turkey or Veggie Chili

This is the best chili recipe I have found yet! Simmers in the slow cooker all day, or on the stovetop at the last minute. Easily turns into fabulous veggie chili by simply omitting the turkey and increasing the beans. Add veggies you like, or omit ones you don't like. There is lots of flavour, but its not very hot (my 3yo and 10mth old love it).

1lb ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1c carrots, chopped
1c mushrooms, sliced
1c frozen corn
2 lg cans mixed beans (drained and rinsed)
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
1 can chopped chilis
4Tb chili powder
1tsp garlic powder
1tsp oregano
1tsp cumin
1tsp paprika
1tsp pepper
1tsp salt
1c water (start out with much less, use more if needed depending on how runny or chunky you like your chili)

1. Brown turkey and onions.
2. Add to crockpot. Add rest of ingredients. Simmer on low all day.

or

1. Brown turkey, onions and green pepper in large pot
2. Add rest of ingredients and simmer 45min

Quick and Easy Tilapia

This is my adaption of a tilapia recipe I found on Recipezaar, I made it because I had no other ingredients. It turned out better than many of the 'fancy' recipes I've tried!

1 1/2lbs tilapia fillets (about 6)
1 c flour
garlic powder
old bay seasoning
salt & pepper
2tb butter
lemon juice

Melt butter in large skillet. Dredge fillets in flour, place in pan. Sprinkle liberally with garlic powder, old bay seasoning and salt and pepper. Fry about 2min, flip fillets (be careful, they may want to fall apart). Season again. Fry until done (another few minutes).

Slow-Cooked Moroccan Short Ribs

Slow-Cooked Moroccan Short Ribs
Adapted from Cuisine at Home
Source Blog - Noble Pig

The Rub:
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon salt

The Ribs:
2-1/2 lb. short ribs
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
3-1/2 cups low-sodium beef stock (or broth), divided
3 carrots, cut into 2-inch chunks (cups)
10 baby red potatoes or baby Yukon golds (2 cups)
1/2 onion, cut in half, root intact
2 Tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
6 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dried apricots
2 teaspoon lemon juice

Combine cinnamon, ginger, cumin, turmeric and salt. Rub the spice mix into the ribs, thoroughly coating all sides, pressing the spices into the meat as best you can.

Sear the ribs in olive oil over high heat, until all sides are browned, about 7-10 minutes. Transfer the ribs to a slow-cooker, pouring off any excess oil from the pan. Deglaze the pan with 3 cups beef stock or broth, scraping all bits from the bottom, transfer to the slow-cooker, pouring over the ribs.

Add carrots, potatoes, honey, red pepper flakes, and onion to the ribs and deglazing broth. Simmer the ribs on high-heat until they are fork-tender and falling off the bone, about 3-1/2 hours.

Discard onion and strain any fat that has accumulated on the surface.

Whisk flour and a 1/2 cup beef stock (broth) together and stir slowly into the slow cooker. If you pour it all at once and do not stir well you will end up with globs of flour balls. Add dried apricots and simmer for another 1/2 hour, until thickened. Stir in lemon juice before serving.

We had the dish last week on one of the really cold days. My husband's only complaint was the ribs, he his not a fan of ribs bc of the bone. :p Anyho, it tasted yummy and is divine on a chilly day. I made rolls to go with it as the stew does make quite a thick gravy that is awesome for bread/roll dipping! I have this on the meal plan for this week and this time I just bought some boneless beef for stews to put in to appease my Husband. :p

American-Italian all'Amatriciana

American-Italian all'Amatriciana
slightly adapted from 30 Minute Meals
Source Blog - Taste and Tell

salt
1 pound whole-wheat penne pasta
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
6-12 slices lean peppered bacon, chopped (amount depends on preference)
1 large red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup chicken stock
1 (28-ounce) can crushed fire roasted tomatoes
black pepper
handful of chopped flat-leaf parsley
shredded sharp white Cheddar cheese

Heat water to boil for pasta, season with salt and cook pasta to al dente.

Heat a deep skillet over medium-high heat with extra-virgin olive oil, a turn of the pan. Add bacon and crisp 4 to 5 minutes then add onions and garlic cook to soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in stock then tomatoes and season with pepper to taste. Simmer sauce 15 minutes. Toss pasta with sauce and parsley. Serve with grated sharp white Cheddar.

Soo yummy! All the recipes I post are ones I've tried but I really enjoyed the sauce for this pasta dish. Super easy and fast to make.

Sweet and Spicy Chicken

Sweet 'n' Spicy Chicken
Adapted from Taste of Home
Source: The Noble Pig

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
3 Tablespoons taco seasoning
1 to 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 jar (11 ounces) chunky salsa
1/2 cup peach preserves

Cut skinless, boneless chicken breasts into 1/2-inch cubes. Place the chicken in a large resealable plastic bag; add taco seasoning and toss to coat.

In a skillet, brown chicken in vegetable oil. Combine chunky salsa and peach preserves; stir into skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 2-3 minutes or until meat juices run clear.

Serve over rice.

Homemade Hummus

This is a really good basic hummus recipe, the lemon and garlic flavours aren't too strong. This recipe could easily be enhanced with more garlic, more lemon, dried red chile flakes, or whatever your heart desires. I added a couple teaspoons of red chili flakes when I made it, and it added just the right amount of spice for it to be interesting. It's also lovely to serve garnished with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley on top.

2 cups chick peas (1 med. can), drained and rinsed
1/3 cup tahini
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic, halved

In a food processor, combine all ingredients and puree for 5 minutes or until smooth. Adjust ingredients to taste, and serve with pitas, vegetables, crackers, etc.

Pasta with smoked salmon vodka sauce

I don't really measure for this recipe, feel free to adjust the ingredients. My family really likes capers, so I usually use more. Next time I make this I plan to add minced garlic with the shallots. Black olives would probably be good too. This makes about 4 servings.

• One box of whole wheat pasta
• 3 shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp butter
• Half of the large pack of Coho salmon from Costco, about 1/4 lb maybe, chopped.
• A shot of vodka
• 2 cups pureed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup whipping cream or half and half, or even whole milk.
• salt, pepper
• 2 tbsp capers
• 1 tsp minced parsley

1. Cook pasta as per directions and drain.
2. While pasta is cooking, in a large pan (that will hold all your sauce and pasta) sautee shallots in butter until they soften.
3. Add salmon and cook a minute or so more, stirring, until it lightens in color
4. Carefully add vodka. It's a good idea to take it off the flame while you do this.
5. Add pureed tomatoes and stir, cook for 2 minutes. If the sauce seems to runny, let it simmer for a few minutes until it's thicker.
6. Add cream and stir, cook for 2 minutes.
7. Add capers and parsley and salt and pepper. Stir, cook for a few minutes more.
8. Add drained pasta and stir it up. Taste and add seasonings.
   
9. Enjoy! Drizzle some olive oil on top of pasta on your individual plates for extra goodness.
   

oob's Greek Style Lemon Potatoes

I made these: http://gastronomicalgals.blogspot.com/2008/11/greek-style-lemon-potatoes.html and they were delicious! Here's a picture:


oob, do you want to add this pic to your post? Then I can delete this one

Greek-Style Lemon Potatoes

These potatoes are a superb accompaniment to any meal! They roast up with a beautiful slightly-crunchy exterior, and the lemon flavour is fresh without being completely overwhelming.

4-5 medium potatoes, peeled
1/3 c lemon juice
1/4 c olive oil
1 Tbsp fresh oregano, finely chopped (1/2 Tbsp dried)
1 Tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (1/2 Tbsp dried)
salt & pepper

Cut potatoes into large chunks (4-6 pieces each). Parboil for about 5 minutes, until they are just beginning to cook and are no longer hard around the edges. Drain and set aside. Preheat oven to 400.

Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, oregano and parsley. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Pour about 3/4 of this mixture over the potatoes and toss to coat. Spread evenly in a pan or baking dish, and roast for 30-40 minutes, shaking every 10 minutes, until tender inside and crispy outside. Just before serving, drizzle with the remaining lemon mixture, and season with a little more salt & pepper.

These potatoes also reheat quite well, if you are making them for a potluck or just want to roast them ahead of time, you can do all but drizzle them with the reserved lemon mixture. Simply reheat at 425 for 10-15 minutes until sizzling hot, season and serve!

Potato Leek Soup

my grandma taught me how to make this soup a few years back. It's a crowd pleaser and great for lunches with friends! There's no formal recipe but this is how it goes.

some potatoes (like 3 or 4 medium)
some leeks (like 1 or maybe 2 depending on size)
some celery (2 or 3 stalks)
some carrots (1 or 2 depending on size)
some onions (1 small)
some chicken stock
1 pound of bacon
some cream (the heavier the better)
fresh dill chopped up
salt and pepper

the steps:

cut up the bacon in small pieces. this works best if the bacon is still slightly frozen. fry the bacon until really crisp...burnt almost.

meanwhile chop up your vegetables. i like to grate the carrots. once the bacon is burnt add it to the bacon. add a little stock and let cook for a while until veggies are the consistency you like them in soups.

cook your cut up potatoes separately. you can drain all the water from the potatoes or add some of it to the soup. it's up to you.

add the rest of the stock. cook for a while...like half an hour.

add your cream and your dill and salt & pepper.

next i usually take my potato masher and just mash some of the soup up. like 3 or 4 good mashes. this makes the soup kinda smooth but kinda lumpy too. just nice for a fall/winter soup.

let cook for another few minutes. i like this soup very thick...but you might not. it's all about experimentation.

Cheers!

Chickpea and Leek Soup

This is a quick, healthy and delicious soup for winter. It is from Jamie Oliver's 'Naked Chef', but adapted for what I actually do. This makes about 5-6 portions.

1 1/2 19 fl oz cans of chickpeas
1 large potato, peeled
5 large leeks
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
salt and fresh ground black pepper
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
grated parmesan cheese (optional)
extra-virgin olive oil (optional)

1. Chop the potato into small-ish chunks and steam the in the micowave or parboil it for 5 minutes.
2. Remove tough outer skin of leeks, slice lengthways and wash carefully. Slice finely.
3. Warm a thick bottomed pan, and add the oil and butter. Add the leeks and garlic to the pan and cook gently with a good pinch of salt until tender and sweet.
4. Add the chickpeas and cooked potato and cook for 1 minute.
5. Add 2 cups of the stock, season to taste and simmer for 15 minutes.
6. Let cool a little. Blend in blender or food processor if desired (the soup can be left as a chunky soup). Add enough remaining stock to acheive the consistency you like.
7. Check seasonings, and add parmesan if desired. Can also be served with a drizzle of olive oil on top too.

If you are freezing the soup it's best to do it before you add the parmesan.

Grilled Salmon with Feta & Cream Dressing

Being from the east coast, I figured there would be no better receipe for a first post than this one. A favourite in my home, it is usually made a least twice a month, if not more.

Feta and Cream Dressing:
1/3 cup (80 mL) Canadian Feta cheese
3/4 cup (180 mL) cucumbers, crudely chopped
2 tbsp (30mL) green shallots, chopped
1 cup (250 mL) plain yogurt
1/3 cup (80 mL) whipping cream (35 %)
1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice
Pepper to taste

Dill and Lemon Butter:
5 tbsp (75 mL) salted butter
1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice
2 tbsp (30 mL) fresh dill, chopped

Salmon:
6 salmon steaks, 6 oz (170 g) each
6 cups (1.5 L) mixed salad greens
1 cup (250 mL) minced radishes
2 tomatoes, sliced
2 green shallots, minced
1/2 cucumber (minced) and a few sprigs of fresh dill (to decorate)

Preparation:

*Feta and Cream Dressing: Puree cucumber and shallot in an electric mixer. Add yogurt, Canadian Feta cheese, cream and a few drops of lemon juice. Season with pepper.

*Dill and Lemon Butter: Blend together butter, dill and lemon juice. Season with pepper.

Brush salmon steaks with dill and lemon butter. Place steaks on preheated barbecue grill and cook for about 3 minutes. Brush steaks again, then turn them over and cook until done. In a bowl, thoroughly toss salad greens, radishes, tomatoes and shallots with Feta and Cream Dressing. Arrange salad on plates and place steaks beside it. Decorate with dill sprigs and minced cucumber, then drizzle with Feta and Cream Dressing.

Nutritional information:
For 1 serving:
Energy: 549 Cal / 2306 kJ Proteins: 40 gCarbohydrates: 13 gFat: 38 gCalcium: 192 mg (17 % Recommended Daily Intake)Total dietary fibre: 2.5 g Sodium: 390 mg

The Famous Cola Roast

No foodie blog is ever complete without the famous slow-cooker cola roast! Bizarre yet deliciously simple, this is the perfect roast to have with garlic mashed potatoes on a cold winter night. The sauce makes a fantastic gravy, too.

1 beef pot roast (the cheapest cut of meat you can find is perfect for this!)
1 can cola (regular, not diet)
1 pkg onion soup mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 Tbsp cornstarch
4 Tbsp cold water

Set roast in the slow cooker. Gently whisk together the cola, onion soup mix and cream of mushroom soup. Pour mixture over top of the roast, and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or high for 4-6. Remove roast from slow-cooker to a cutting board for slicing. To make the gravy, whisk together corn starch and cold water, stir it into the remaining sauce and crank the slow cooker up to high. In a few minutes it should thicken and turn into a delicious bubbling gravy. Add more cornstarch and water if necessary.

Garlicky Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

I was trying to think of a good way to spice up the traditional salt-and-butter method of roasting pumpkin seeds, and this turned out to be far tastier than I expected! It's really hard to stop eating them!

2 tsp butter, melted
1/4 tsp salt
pinch of garlic powder
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 cup pumpkin seeds

Stir together butter, salt, garlic powder and worcestershire sauce. Pour over pumpkin seeds and toss to coat. Spread out the seeds on a foil-lined sheet and bake at 275 for 1 hour.

Mexican Casserole

This is a fantastic casserole that is quick to put together and reheats beautifully. Anyone who likes tacos or burritos will be sure to love this!

1 lb ground beef
1 pkg (or 6 Tbsp) taco seasoning
1 1/2 cups salsa
1 can refried beans
1 can corn niblets
4 tortillas
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or more!)
Sour cream & green onions (to garnish)

Cook ground beef fully, drain excess fat. Stir in taco seasoning, salsa, refried beans and corn, mix well. In a 2.5-3-quart round casserole dish, layer beef mixture, a tortilla, cheese. Repeat the layers three more times, top with what's left of the beef mixture and some more cheese. Bake at 350 for 30-45, until cheese is bubbly and starting to brown. Serve with sour cream and green onions.

Candied Kielbasa

This appy is always a hit at potlucks! Make sure you save some for yourself for midnight-snacking!

2 lbs kielbasa sausage (garlic is best)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup horseradish

Combine sugar, ketchup and horseradish in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Slice kielbasa into rounds, about 1/8-1/4" thick. Place kielbasa in a 9x13 pan, pour sauce over top and stir to coat. Bake at 350 for 45-50 mins, stirring every 10-15. Serve warm with toothpicks!

This makes a lot, so cutting the recipe in half is recommended for small get-togethers!

Queen Elizabeth Cake

This recipe is from my mother-in-law and is always a success. It can be served either as a dessert with ice-cream on the side, or as a cake.

Cake:
1 cup pitted dates
1 cup water
¼ cup margarine
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1½ cups all-purpose flour (sifted)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping:
½ cup margarine
10 tbsp dark brown sugar
5 tbsp 35% cream
1 cup shredded coconut (sweetened is best)
½ cup chopped walnuts

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put the dates and water in a small saucepan. Simmer together for 3-5 minutes then leave to cool until lukewarm.
2. In a food processor, mix the ¼ cup margarine and sugar together well. Add the egg and mix again. Add the sifted flour, baking powder and baking soda, and mix again until all the flour is incorporated.
3. Add the dates, chopped walnuts and vanilla extract and process one final time (Note: if you are using a hand held mixer and not a food processor you should process or blend the dates and nuts separately to ensure they are finely chopped before adding).
4. Pour the mixture into a greased 9 x 12” baking tray and bake for an initial 30-35 minutes.

For the topping:
1. In a medium sized saucepan heat all the topping ingredients over medium-low heat until the margarine is melted. Stir well. Bring the mixture to a boil, and while still hot pour evenly over the cooked cake. Poke holes with a fork through the topping into the cake.
2. Return to the oven for an additional 10 minutes.

Quickie Foccaccia Bread

Super quick, super easy, and really delicious. I am not sure if it freezes well, we didn't have any leftovers to try out! From "Culinary Adventures of a New Wife"

• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 3 tablespoons olive oil (plus additional for drizzling)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon instant yeast
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse garlic salt

1. Lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan, and drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil in the bottom.

2. Combine all of the ingredients, and beat at high speed with an electric mixer for 60 seconds.

3. Scoop the sticky batter into the prepared pan, cover, and let it rise at room temperature for 60 minutes, till it’s become puffy.

4. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 375°F.

5. Gently poke the dough all over with your index finger.

6. Drizzle it lightly with olive oil, and sprinkle with chopped rosemary and garlic salt.

7. Bake the bread till it’s golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes.

8. Remove it from the oven, let rest for 5 minutes, and turn it out of the pan onto a rack.

NOTES: I used 4 teaspoons of active dry yeast, proofed for 10 minutes in 1/2 cup of water, as per the linked recipe, and I doubled the amount of rosemary and garlic salt.

Asian Lettuce Wraps

A slightly modified version of this recipe from Allrecipes.com. A classic Chinese food restaurant makes this in my home town, but I can't find it out here on the "Wet Coast," so I decided to make it myself. It's definitely one of my Top Ten meals, we make it about once a month.

• 4 cups water
• 2 cups uncooked white rice
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 package firm tofu, drained and cubed
• 2 carrots, shredded
• 4 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 1 head iceberg lettuce leaves, separated

Directions:

1. In a saucepan combine the water and rice. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes, until water is absorbed. Set aside and keep warm.

2. While rice is cooking, heat oil in a large wok over medium-high heat. Stir fry the ground chicken, green onions, and garlic for 5 to 7 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the tofu, carrot, hoisin and soy sauce, stirring frequently until heated through. Remove from heat, and stir in the red chili flakes.

3. Add cooked rice to the stir fry mixture in the wok, mix well.

4. To serve: spoon a small amount of the rice and stir fry mixture into a lettuce leaf, wrapping the lettuce leaf (like a tortilla) to enclose the filling.

Notes: some enjoy drizzling extra hoisin sauce or soy sauce onto the mixture before closing the lettuce leaf. MAKES EIGHT SERVINGS.

Wacky Cake ~ No Eggs, No Milk "Ration Cake"

Source: Veterans Affairs Canada

Quick, easy, and delicious. I use this recipe instead of a cake mix, because it uses ingredients that I always have in my pantry.

Preheat oven to 350F and grease an 8 x 8 pan.

In a bowl, mix together:

• ½ cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder

Add in the following, and mix well with a fork:

• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon of white vinegar
• 5 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 1 cup of lukewarm water

Pour into pan and bake for 30 mins. Enjoy!

Vegetarian Bean Soup

4 cans mixed beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups vegetable broth (I really like the PC Organics one)
1 red pepper, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/8 cup vinegar
3 cups salsa
1 can diced tomatoes
pinch of sugar

1. In large stock pot put oil, garlic, red pepper, onion, carrot, and celery. Saute for 5 min.
2. Add broth, corn, pepper, vinegar, salsa, and tomatoes. Med-high heat for 5 min. Bring to boil, reduce and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Add beans. Simmer 5-10 minutes.
4. Season to taste (I add a pinch of sugar).

Rustic Italian Sausage Pasta

Ingredients:
1 12 oz pkg. of whole wheat penne
1 lb bulk italian sausage (I use a combo of sweet and hot, and take the casings off)
1 sm. onion chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 sm. zucchini, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 can diced tomatoes
1 cup tomato sauce
1/4 tsp each dried thyme, basil and oregano
1 cup grated parm. cheese (I just use a sprinkle though)

1. Cook pasta, al dente
2. In large pot brown sausage, remove meat. Cook onions/garlic until soft. Add sausage, stir in peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes, sauce, and spices. Cook until heated through- about 5 min.
4. Combine pasta and sauce. Put in casserole dish, top with parm and bake for 20 min. (or serve immediately).

For Freezing: Omit mushrooms as they get kind of rubbery. Just defrost and heat in the oven for about 30 min.

Pork Medallions with Cider Sauce

Pork Medallions with Cider Sauce
Adapted from Cuisine at Home - Source Blog - Noble Pig

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1-1/2 lb. pork tenderloin, trimmed, cut into 2" - thick medallions
1 cup apple cider
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Salt & Pepper

Cut the pork tenderloin into 2" - thick medallions and season with salt.

Heat vegetable oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Sear the pork for 5 minutes on each side or until brown. The trick to well-seared meat is resisting the urge to move the meat too soon. The meat will "unstick" when a perfect crust is formed.

Add apple cider, wine and apple cider vinegar. This will deglaze the pan and release the brown bits stuck at the bottom. Bring to a boil, cover and cook 5 minutes. Remove lid, reduce heat to medium and simmer 5 minutes more. Turn pork occasionally.

Transfer the pork to a plate and season with pepper. Tent with foil to keep warm.

This part is very important. Simmer the liquids until reduced to 1/2 cup. The sauce should be thick and syrupy and should coat the back of a spoon. This could take 10 to 20 minutes depending on your stove and the size of the pan you are using. Do not over-reduce, it will scorch.

Spoon the cider sauce over the medallions and enjoy!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Sweet and Sour Chicken - Source - My Kitchen Cafe

Chicken:
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

Cut boneless chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry in a little oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients (below) together and pour over chicken.

Sauce:
¾ cup sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup
½ cup vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 15 minutes. If you like extra sauce, make another batch of sauce and bring it to a boil on the stovetop. Stir constantly and let cook over medium heat until thickened and reduced - about 6-8 minutes.

Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd's Pie, based on http://www.foodtv.ca/recipes/recipedetails.aspx?dishid=7189

The roasted potatoes, lamb, and worcestershire sauce make this dish for me. I would try all lamb if it wasn't so expensive.

Ingredients:
Potato Topping

* 8 medium Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed
* Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
* 1/4 cup half and galf cream (60 ml) (You could skip this if you want)
* 1 tbsp butter (15 ml)
* Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
* Salt and pepper

Meat Filling

* 1 tbsp olive oil (15 ml)
* 1 lb. ground beef (454 g)
* 1 lb. ground lamb (454 g)
* 1 large onion, finely chopped
* 4 cloves garlic, chopped
* 2 stalks celery, finely diced
* 2 carrots, finely diced
* 2 tsp dried thyme (10 ml)
* 1 tsp dried oregano (5 ml)
* Pinch ground cloves
* 2 cup beef stock (500 ml)
* 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (45 ml)
* 2 tbsp Dijon mustard (30 ml)
* 1 cup of frozen peas (less or more, up to you)
* 1 cup of frozen corn (less or more, up to you)
* Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper


Directions:
Potato Topping
Tip: This can be done even the day before. If you happen to have the oven on for some other dish, just throw the potatoes in on the side!

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Put potatoes into a roasting pan and bake for about 50 minutes to 1 hour, until easily pierced with a fork.
3. Remove from oven, peel and put into a large bowl.
4. Mash potatoes and add butter, cream, nutmeg, and salt and pepper.
5. Stir with wooden spoon until blended. Adjust seasoning.

Meat Filling

1. Put oil into a large deep skillet over medium heat.
2. Add the onions and sauté until softened.
3. Add garlic and continue to sauté for 3 minutes.
4. Add meat, breaking it apart and stirring until it’s browned.
5. Add the celery, carrots, thyme, oregano and cloves and season with salt and pepper.
6. Continue to cook over high heat until carrots begin to soften.
7. Pour stock into pan and then add the Worcestershire and Dijon.
8. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low.
9. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and simmer covered, until meat is tender and moisture is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
10. Stir in the frozen peas and corn.
11. Put meat mixture into a rectangular baking dish
12. Spread the mashed potatoes over top, sprinkle with a bit of olive oil.
13. Bake at 375 until top is golden and meat filling is bubbling, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Christmas Morning Breakfast

Make the night before and pop it in the oven in the morning. Serves 8.

Ingredients:

16 slices of bread, with crusts removed
Slices bacon or ham
Shredded cheddar cheese
6 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 to 1 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup green pepper, finely chopped
1 to 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 cups whole (homogenized) milk
Dash red pepper sauce (Tabasco)
1/2 cup butter or margarine
Special K or crushed Corn Flakes

Method:

1. In a 9x13 glass baking dish put 8 pieces of bread.
2. Add pieces to cover dish entirely.
3. Cover bread with slices of bacon or ham, sliced thin.
4. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top of bacon (or ham) and then cover with slices of bread to make it like a sandwich.
5. In a bowl, beat eggs, salt and pepper.
6. To the egg mixture add dry mustard, onion, green pepper, Worcestershire sauce, milk and Tabasco.
7. Pour over the sandwiches.
8. Cover and let stand in fridge overnight.
9. In morning, melt butter (or margarine), pour over top.
10. Cover with Special K or crushed Corn Flakes.
11. Bake, uncovered 1 hour (or less, depending on your oven) at 350 degrees.
12. Remove from oven.
13. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Skor Bars

Ingredients:

1 box of plain Ritz Crackers
1 can of condensed Milk
1/2 package of Skor bits
2 Skor bars

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Crush Ritz crackers into small pieces (about 1 cm), mix in bowl with condensed milk and Skor bits.
3. Scoop mixture into 13x9 baking dish.
4. Smash Skor bars and sprinkle over top of mixture.
5. Bake in teh oven for 18 minutes or until golden brown on top and the chocolate from the bars is slightly melted.
6. Cool and cut into bars.

Spiced Pumpkin Bread

This recipe makes two generous loaves. Freeze one, or give it as a gift. The bread is also delicious toasted and topped with baked apples.

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour (about 13 1/2 ounces)
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2/3 cup canola oil
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
1/2 cup dried currants or raisins
Cooking spray


Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.
3. Combine flour and next 7 ingredients (through nutmeg) in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture.
4. Combine canola oil, eggs, and pumpkin in a medium bowl; stir with a whisk until smooth. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.
5. Fold in currants.
6. Spoon batter into 2 (9 x 5-inch) loaf pans coated with cooking spray.
7. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
8. Cool loaves in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans.
9. Cool loaves completely.

Yield: 2 loaves, 16 servings per loaf (serving size: 1 slice)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 150(31% from fat); FAT 5.2g (sat 0.5g,mono 3g,poly 1.5g); PROTEIN 2g; CHOLESTEROL 20mg; CALCIUM 18mg; SODIUM 170mg; FIBER 0.9g; IRON 0.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 24.4g

Aource: Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2005

Nacho Dip

Ingredients:

1 pkg hamburger
1 pkg Old El Paso taco seasoning
1 onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 tomato, diced
1 can tomato soup
1 pkg cream cheese
shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheeses

Method:

1. Fry hamburger with taco seasoning (as directed) in frying pan
   
2. Add onion, green pepper and tomato and continue frying
3. Add can of tomato soup to mixture
   
4. In a square baking pan spread cream cheese (use two packages if using 9"x 13" pan)
5. Pour hamburger mixture over cream cheese
   
6. Add shredded cheeses to top
7. Heat in oven until cheeses melt and cream cheese is "gooey"

Use nacho chips (Scoops work best) and enjoy!
Hint: A party favorite!!!

Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 - 2 lbs. ground beef
• 1 large onion
• 2 large cloves garlic
• 2 cans whole tomatoes
• 2 cans tomato sauce
• 2 tins tomato paste
• 1 carrot, shredded
• 2 sticks celery, chopped
  
• 2 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

Brown the beef with the olive oil, onion and garlic. Drain if necessary.

Dump in everything else and burble (covered) for hours and hours, until reduced to a nice saucy consistency.

This is one of the recipes I use when I'm looking to stock the freezer. Using 2 lbs. ground beef, I get enough sauce for 5 meals. Then when I'm looking for a quick and easy meal, I just thaw a package of sauce and cook some pasta and garlic bread. Easy peasy!

Dad's Seafood Chowder

DAD'S SEAFOOD CHOWDER

2 LBS FISH

4 TBS. BUTER

2 ONIONS

1 CUP CELERY

2 CUPS POTATOES

1 CUP CARROTS

4 CUPS STOCK

1 TSP. SALT AND THYME

PEPPER

SAUTE ONION AND CELERY IN BUTTER.

ADD STOCK.

ADD POTATOES, CARROTS, SALT, THYME AND PEPPER - COOK UNTIL TENDER.

ADD FISH AND COOK.

ADD MILK AND CREAM.

HEAT BUT DO NOT BOIL

Guidelines

Welcome to Bitches in the Kitchen! I just wanted to lay out some guidelines for the blog, they'll be updated as we go and as we all think of things that should be added.

Labels:
Please stick to these labels so we don't have recipes getting lost or not showing up where they should in label searches. We can certainly add more, just try to keep it to these categories if possible. If not, let me know so I can add it to the list!

- Main Dish
- Casseroles
- Chicken
- Beef
- Pork
- Seafood
- Vegetarian
- Breads
- Appetizer
- Cakes
- Candy
- Muffins
- Cupcakes
- Dessert
- Cookies and Squares
- Pies and Tarts
- Pasta
- Salad
- Soups/Stews
- Side Dish
- Vegetables
- Slowcooker
- Ethnic (note: we can expand this category if you guys want?)
- Beverages
- Jams, Jellies and Spreads
- Grilling
- Sauces and Marinades
- Christmas
- Meal plans (if anyone has the whole week planned and wants to share the whole weeks recipes!)
- Breakfast
- Freezer Friendly
- Light (for weight conscious meals, we could potentially add other categories like Low Sodium, Heart Conscious [though i don't really know what that means] or Gluten Free if you guys want?)

To label your post:
At the bottom right of the post creation screen (where you put in your recipe/post) there is a box that says "Labels for this post". Click on the button that says "Show All", then you will see all the available labels! Click on whatever is appropriate for your recipe. This will also ensure that if someone comes to our blog looking for recipes of a specific category that they will be able to find them just by clicking on the category of their choice.

You can certainly use more than one tag for each recipe/post. Photos welcome!! Add any details like if you tweaked the original recipe, how everyone in your house likes the recipe. If you borrowed the recipe from another blog, please provide the link to the original post in case someone else wants to go to their blog and poke around for more recipes.

Grammar/spelling/punctualization
Same rules on Hitched apply here as well, please use proper spelling, grammar and punctualization. I would hope that before your post goes up here that if you are unsure of anything that you would run it through a spell checker first, if there are errors please don't be offended if I correct them! No internet shorthand or text speak please.

And have fun! I can't wait to see what everyone has to share! :D

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