Category: Recipes

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Recipes

Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I was fortunate enough(can you feel the sarcasm here) to ” have” to make chocolate chip cookies per my daughters request for her drawing class end of year party.  The container came back empty so I’m assuming they were a success, or my daughter dropped them on the ground and told me everyone loved them so I wouldn’t feel sad….j/k, of course they loved them…I think.  These have just the right amount of sweetness and chocolate, wonderful with a glass of milk (unless you’re lactose intolerant.)

Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper

Chocolate  Chunk Cookies (makes about 3 dozen, 2″ cookies)

  • 2 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 cup (2 sticks or 16 tbsp) butter at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp salt(optional)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups chocolate chunks (or chips)

Whisk flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.  In a large bowl beat the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 3 mins.  Add in eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract and beat well.  Add in the flour mixture and mix well.  Fold in the chocolate chips.

IMG_0536Use a cookie scoop, or teaspoon to drop the dough on the lined baking sheet about and inch apart.  Bake for 8-10 mins.  Dig in!

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Quick Dinner Rolls

The smell of fresh bread baking in the oven is such a comforting one.  Like a mother’s embrace, you just know all will be well.  Bread has been the staple of human survival for tens of thousands of years.  Wars have been started over bread ( or grains for making bread to be more precise), but bread has also brought many people together.  “To break bread”, a saying as old as times.  I remember growing up in a communist country we would have to wait for hours in line to buy bread.  It was so hot and fresh  we would eat half a loaf by the time we got home ( didn’t go well over with my mom.) This recipe is quick and simple to make, takes about 30 minutes.  If you have any leftovers turn them into breakfast next day by spreading on some butter and jam.  No wars involved here.

Quick Dinner Rolls (makes 16 rolls)

  • 1 cup very warm water
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp yeast
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour

 

Mix water, oil, sugar and yeast in a large bowl and let sit about 10 mins until slightly foamy.  Add salt and the beaten egg and mix well.  Add the flour, one cup at a time mixing with wooden spoon until soft dough forms.  Dump the dough on a floured surface and knead 5 minutes until dough smooth and elastic (when you poke it with your finger it springs back.) Cut the dough in 4 equal parts and each part in 4 strips.

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Roll each strip into a ball and place into a buttered cast iron pan, or regular pan if you don’t have cast iron.

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Cover pan with a tea towel and let rise 10 minutes.  To help the dough rise, I preheat my oven to 175F, or lowest setting you can preheat yours at for 2 minutes then turn off oven.  I then place the pan in the warm oven to facilitate with the rising.  If you have more time you can let dough rise an additional 10 minutes.  After 10 mins(or more) gently brush the tops of the rolls with a beaten egg. Preheat your oven to 425F now.

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Place rolls back in the oven and bake 10 mins if you are using cast iron pan, or approx. 15-20minutes if using a pan other than cast iron.  Cast iron heats quickly, and holds heat for very long time, that is why the cooking time is quicker. Enjoy!

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Pancakes, it’s what’s for (insert meal here)

Ahhh pancakes.  It’s that versatile flat cake that can be either sweet or savory, and eaten anytime you desire.  This version is a basic one and super easy to make. You can add other ingredients to them to make them your own version.  I added a super ripe banana that was about to go bad and made banana pancakes! I make them a day ahead and freeze them in a ziploc bag.  When re-heating  pop no more than 3 pancakes at a time in the microwave for about 1 1/2 minutes or until heated through, and serve with your favorite toppings.

Basic Pancakes (makes about 20, 3in pancakes)

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 3 tbsp. sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 3  tbsp unsalted butter melted+ 2 tbsp extra for cooking the cakes
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Mix flour, sugar, and baking powder in a large bowl and whisk gently until combined.  In a separate bowl gently whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla extract and melted butter.  Add wet ingredients to the dry ones and mix gently until moistened, don’t over mix if you want fluffy cakes.  Turn stove to med heat. Brush your pan with small amount of melted butter and using a small ladle cook 2 to 3 pancakes at once, depending on size of your pan.  I use a 16in pan which can fit 4 pancakes.  Cook pancakes until slightly bubbly around edges, flip and cook the other side about 15 seconds more.

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Place pancakes on a cooling rack if you plan of freezing, or on a plate if you can’t wait to chow.  Just be careful, they are HOT!

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Recipes

Creme Brulee(GF)

Oh Creme Brulee you’re so rich, smooth, sweet  and decadent…wish every man could take an example from you. This French dessert meaning ” burnt cream” dates back to the 1600’s, but it wasn’t until 1980 that it made it’s way back to the French cookbooks, and good thing it did! Served at the fanciest restaurants, you can easily make this at home. Don’t believe me? To be honest with you my 10 year old made this specific one pictured here for Mother’s Day dinner, all by herself ( well she needed help taking the heavy pan out of the oven.) Top with your favorite berries for a little zing!

Creme Brulee ( makes 6, 7-8 oz ramekins)

  • 1 QT heavy cream
  • 1 vanilla bean split and scraped
  • 1 Cup sugar
  • 6 large egg yolks
  • 2 QTS hot water ( I use my electric tea kettle for this, but use wahts best for you)

Preheat oven to 325F. Place cream, vanilla pulp and bean in a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring to a gentle boil. Do not leave this unattended you’ll be crying over spilled cream, not to mention the extra cleaning you’ll have in store. Remove cream from stove and cover. Let rest 15 minutes.  Remove vanilla bean and save for another recipe, they are not cheap.

In a medium bowl, whisk 1/2 C sugar and the egg yolks until well blended and light in color. Add the cream a little at a time while whisking continuously.  Pour the liquid into the 6 ramekins and place in a large cake pan or roasting pan.  Take the pan and place onto rack positioned in the middle of the oven.  Pour the hot water into the pan until it comes halfway up sides of ramekins.  Take great care not to spill any water into the custard cups or it wont set properly.  Bake until set approx 40 minutes.  Remove pan from oven, take out ramekins and refrigirate at least 2 hrs.  Divide remaining sugar among the 6 ramekins and using a torch melt sugar until golden brown and slightly bubbly and crispy.  Dig in friends!

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Recipes

Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread

Banana bread from Wholly-cupcake.com

Feel like baking…..but not really? You want to make something good but don’t feel like spending much time making it.  I know that feeling… plus a few bananas going bad along with it.  So, banana bread came to mind.  It’s sweet and versatile, and the leftovers, if any, can be tomorrows breakfast.  PB+J sandwich? Why not. Maple syrup and whipped cream…umm yes please! Remember you can substitute the chocolate chunks with nuts or dried fruit if you please, or just leave it plain and simple.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread 

  • 1 1/3 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 cup vegetable or coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar + 1 tbsp for top
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 medium bananas mashed
  • 1 cup chocolate chunks
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a loaf pan.

Whisk the flour, baking soda and baking powder in a large bowl.  In a medium bowl add the oil, sugar, sour cream, and eggs.  Mix well until homogenized.  Pour the oil mixture into the flour mixture and gently incorporate.  Mix in the mashed bananas.  Gently fold in the chocolate chunks.  Pour mixture into the loaf pan and sprinkle with the 1tbsp sugar and cinnamon. Bake 50-60 mins.  Remove from oven and gently run a butter knife along all edges of the pan to release the banana bread.  Let cool 20-30 mins, invert onto a cutting board.  Slice gently or… rip apart and enjoy!

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L’eggo the Eggo…..

And all the ingredients you can’t pronounce that come along with them. You know, the eggos from the frozen section at your local grocery store.  Sure they’re an easy breakfast item…..with the texture of cardboard and taste to match.  With a whisk and a waffle iron you can make these delicious, fluffy waffles with ingredients you already have in your pantry and fridge. Cool them on a cooling rack, then freeze them in a ziploc bag or container, and pop them in the toaster in the mornings. This is a basic recipe which you can easily adjust.  Add chocolate chips, blueberries, bananas, etc.to make them your own. Your children and wallet will all live in harmonious balance….ok maybe just the wallet.  Double or triple the recipe, these go fast!

Basic Waffles ( makes 6, 8in waffles, or 24, 3in ones)

  • 1 3/4 Cup flour
  • 2 Tbsp Sugar ( you can add more if you like them sweeter)
  • 1 Tbsp Baking Powder
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/2 Cup  Milk
  • 4 Tbsp Butter Melted
  • 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

Whisk  all  dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.  In a medium bowl gently wisk the eggs, milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and gently whisk just enough to incorporate.  Cook them on your waffle iron according to manufacturer’s directions.

 
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Marinated Roasted Peppers

These evoke the taste of summer! Grilled and marinated, they can be served in whichever way you please.  As a side dish, on sandwiches or straight from the bowl 🙂

Marinated Roasted Peppers ( servings vary)

  • 2 lbs mini bell peppers
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Fire up your grill.  When hot, place the bell peppers on and grill approx. 5 mins. per side until you see  grill marks and the skin starts turning brown.  Remove peppers from grill and place in a bowl.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit for about 15-20 mins.  The steam and heat inside will help the skin from peppers detach, making them easy to peel. The skin on the peppers turns stringy and hard to chew once they’ve been grilled so the skins need to be removed.

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When cool enough to handle, remove plastic wrap from bowl and peel the skin off the bell peppers.  Place peppers in a bowl, drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and add the apple cider vinegar.  Gently toss with a spoon to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.  The longer they sit in the fridge, the better the marinate gets absorbed into the peppers.   Serve with the smoky eggplant dip.

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Smoky Eggplant Dip

eggplant dip

Growing up, this was one of my favorite dishes, and still is.  My mom would usually make it in the summer to early fall months, when eggplants were in season.  Simple to make, yet so full of flavor.  Make it as an appetizer with crusty french bread for dipping or spreading, pita chips, or use as topping for chicken or steak.  It can be adjusted  to become a vegan dish if you omit the mayo.  I use sunflower oil, but if you don’t have any on hand you can substitute your favorite oil instead, I recommend something mild in flavor , you want the eggplant to shine.

        Smoky Eggplant Dip  (makes approx. 2 cups)

  • 3 medium to large eggplants (pick the ones that are darker with shiny skin)
  • 1/4 cup finely diced onion
  • 2 Tbsp Sunflower oil
  • 1 Tsp Mayonnaise
  • Salt to taste

Turn on your grill until hot.  Pierce the eggplants 2-3 times with a fork in the thickest part.  This will prevent them from exploding on the grill.  When grill is very hot, place eggplants on it and close lid.  Grill 15-20 mins on each side until charred and softened.  This will give the dip the smoky flavor.  Remove eggplants from grill and place in a colander to cool and drain.

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While eggplant is cooling, place the finely chopped onions in a small bowl and add a few generous pinches of salt to it and rub with your fingers.  This will release most of the juice from the onions and will prevent the dip from having strong onion flavor/spice.  Leave onions in salt mixture until you finish cleaning the eggplant.

When eggplant is cool enough to handle, remove the skins with your fingers, rinsing your hands under water if necessary to clean char off.  Place flesh in a bowl while removing skins from eggplant, we will then add them back to colander when peeled to finish the draining process which should take about 5 mins. Place eggplant into a medium bowl, squeeze the diced onions until most of the juice is out and they feel dry.  Add them to the eggplant along with the sunflower oil,  salt to taste ( start with 1 tsp and adjust from there depending on taste.)  With handheld mixer turned to high, mix all the ingredients together until homogenized for approx. 2 mins.  Taste and adjust salt as needed.  Mix the mayonnaise into the dip, and chill it for at least one hour.  The longer the dip sits in fridge, the more the flavor develops. Serve with bread, pita chips or fresh veggies.  This also makes a great spread for sandwiches.

Serve with the marinated roasted peppers.

 

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Enjoy and please let me know how you liked it!

 

 

 

 
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Recipes

Coconut Rice Pudding (GF)

Rice pudding….so creamy…so decadent, yet so simple to make.  Either as a dessert, or for breakfast (yes, that’s what my kids had today), this easy to make pudding will have you wondering “Why haven’t I made this more often?”

Coconut Rice Pudding (makes approx. 6, 8 oz servings)

  • 1 cup medium grain rice ( such as Calrose rice)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 can coconut milk (regular or reduced fat, your choice)
  • 4 cups whole milk
  • zest from one lemon (optional but highly recommended)
  • zest from one orange (again optional)

IMG_5483Start by giving your rice a good rinse, about 3-4 times until water is somewhat clear.  That’s to clean rice first of all and rinse some of the starch off. Drain water from the rice and place in a 4-5 QT pot.  To the rice add the remaining ingredients in no particular order, and given them a good whisking.

IMG_5485Those chunks on top is the coconut meat that rises to the top of the coconut water when it’s inside the can.  Don’t worry, it will all melt and blend beautifully by the end.  Now is a good time to grab a spoon and tasted the milk to see if you would like it sweeter, more lemony etc…Set your pot on medium to low heat, again whisking briefly.  Don’t go too far now, because milk does spilith over quite quickly.  When the milk starts getting a little foamy, and the beginning of a low simmer is happening, turn your heat down to the LOWEST setting you have, I’m talking barely a flame in sight.  Let this simmer, whisking occasionally for approx 60 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool.  Rice pudding will thicken as it cools.  Enjoy!

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Rose Jam

  As I was walking through my garden this morning I noticed many roses in bloom.  Some getting ready to shed their petals, and it made me think what a waste of such beautiful, delicate and fragrant flowers.  Lightbulb went off in my head, what better way to use them than to make rose jam.  So sweet and aromatic, spread on toast, pancakes,plain yogurt or whatever else you fancy.

                                                 

                                        Rose Jam       (makes about 2 cups)

  • 10 oz Rose Petals ( pref. those from roses already in bloom they are most fragrant)
  • 2 1/2 Cups Granulated Sugar
  • 600 ml water
  • Juice from one lemon

 

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  Place the petals in a large bowl and fill with as much water as it can hold without petals draining out, they are very light.  Gently swish them around to remove any debris or bugs. Yuck, I know, but when things come from nature, they come with some wildlife attached.  When they are cleaned, place them in a colander to drain.

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Shake the colander gently to get rid of some of that extra water.  Next, place the petals in a bowl, and sprinkle with 3/4 cup of the sugar, and the juice of one lemon.  Now, you want to gently masage the petals in order the release as much aroma as possible, you want that in your jam.  The mixture will wilt down.

IMG_5460 Add the rest of the sugar and water to a pot and bring to a boil.  Gently place your petal mixture ( including the liquid it released) into the pot of boiling  water and reduce to simmering.  Let simmer 30-60 mins.

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 Place in jar, let cool and refrigirate.  Will last approx 2-3 weeks.

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