And then I do the dishes

Veggie Pâté Recipe

2012-01-27T14:05:00.000-05:00

The first time I had veggie pâté, I was still at University, visiting one of my aunts. Come to think of it, that's almost 20 years ago... Man, time does fly, doesn't it?! Anywho, my aunt was on a health kick at the time and she was experimenting with all sorts of vegetarian dishes such as seitan pie, quinoa soup, all sorts of millet recipes and of course, veggie pâté. She didn't make the pâté herself though, she bought a brand that originated in the restaurants Commensal. I mention this because, it is the only brand I actually like but it is quite expensive. At the time, I didn't even think making veggie pâté at home was possible, so I just kept buying the pre-made kind. But once I found recipes for it, I decided to try making some myself. Of course, my recently acquired food processor made the experience a whole lot easier.

The recipe I'm posting here today, is the one that comes closest to the Commensal recipe, in my opinion. The texture, when blended in the food processor, is almost as smooth and the taste is very similar. I think that's because of the sunflower seeds and nutritional yeast. The other recipes I tried didn't contain those ingredients and I always felt like they were missing something. This one... This one is perfect! It's even better than the store bought kind because, really, it's fresher and endlessly adaptable. You can use whatever blend of spices you like, add more or less nutritional yeast, try different veggie combinations, etc. My kids love it with crackers or even in sandwiches. Seriously, my oldest daughter and my son love the stuff! And, I know this makes a large amount of pâté but it keeps in the refrigerator for a week or so and you can freeze some for those times when you just don't feel like taking out the food processor.

Veggie Pâté
Adapted from Végétariens... mais pas légumes!

This recipe is a lot quicker to make if you have a food processor, all that grating and grinding, but you can still make it if you don't have one. The texture of the pâté will be a bit chunkier but the taste will be pretty much the same.

1 large onion, grated*
2 potatoes, grated*
1 large carrot, grated*
1 branch of celery, grated*
2 garlic cloves, grated*
1/2 cup (70g) unsalted sunflower seeds, ground
3/4 cup (100g) whole wheat flour
1/2 cup (25g) nutritional yeast
2 tbsp of olive or canola oil (I used avocado oil)
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup tamari
1 tsp herbes de Provence (you can also use a blend of your favorite herbs - such as basil, oregano, celery seeds, sage, thyme, etc)
Salt and pepper, to taste

*Once grated, you should have about 560g of veggies, total. A little bit more or less won't matter though.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil an 8 x 11.5 inch baking dish and set aside.

At this point, you can just mix all the ingredients together and you will get a chunky pâté, which is fine. But I like it to have a smoother texture, so what I do is, once I've grated all my veggies in the food processor, I place the veggies in a bowl, remove the grating disc and put the all-purpose blade in its place. Then, I put all the ingredients back into the food processor and I let it whir for a good 5 minutes. I like the texture better and I think the flavors all meld together perfectly. It's a question of taste, really.

Once your mixture is ready, pour it into the prepared dish and bake in the center of the oven for about 1 hour. The pâté will be golden and completely set in the middle. Let the pâté cool in the dish before unmolding it; it will be fragile while still warm.

The pâté is best served at room temperature, with crackers and veggies or used as a sandwich base with lettuce, tomatoes, avocados, etc.

Craving Cinnamon (Recipe: Cinnamon Oatmeal Raisin Muffins)

2012-01-20T13:03:00.001-05:00

I have been on a huge cinnamon kick lately and I don't usually over think these things, but I wonder if this craving means anything in particular. Is my diet lacking in some way? Perhaps I'm just missing the warmth of the holiday season and the tastes that go with it? Or maybe I'm feeling cold because of all this snow we've been getting and cinnamon is just my way of getting a little warmth and comfort?

Cassia Sticks

In any case, I decided to give in to the craving because cinnamon, it seems, has many health benefits. There is of course all this debate of true cinnamon vs Cassia. Having never tried true cinnamon (also called Ceylon cinnamon) before a few weeks ago, I had never given it much thought. But after a trip to my local health food store, I came back home with a small packet of true cinnamon and I was really surprised at how much different it was from the cinnamon I had always used.

Ground Cassia on the left, true cinnamon on the right

True cinnamon has a lighter color and is much more subtle in flavor than Cassia. Less spicy, I would say. I've found though that I have to use more of it in baked goods to get that expected cinnamon-y kick. I think true cinnamon would be better for sprinkling over oatmeal after cooking or in a recipe where a subdued spiciness is preferable. I'm thinking rice pudding or maybe warmed milk. I guess I am craving comfort!

What are you craving lately?

Cinnamon Oatmeal Raisin Muffins
Makes 18 small-ish muffins

I used true cinnamon in this recipe so I used 2 teaspoons of it. If you use Cassia and you're not a cinnamon fanatic, reduce it to 1 teaspoon. You can also adapt this recipe by incorporating dried cranberries instead of raisins, adding nuts or other seeds, even chocolate chips if you feel like it!

1 1/2 cups of regular or old fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups of buttermilk*
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup of packed brown sugar
1/4 cup of vegetable oil
1/4 cup of unsweetened apple sauce
2 tsp of vanilla extract
1 cup of whole wheat flour
1/2 cup of all purpose flour
3 tbsp of ground flax seeds
2 tsp of true cinnamon (or 1 to 2 tsp of Cassia cinnamon, to taste)
1 1/2 tsp of baking powder
3/4 tsp of baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup of raisins

Preheat oven to 400 F. Grease a muffin tin or line with paper muffin cups.

In a bowl, soak oats in buttermilk for 15 minutes. Stir in eggs, sugar, oil, applesauce and vanilla extract. In another bowl, combine flours, ground flax seeds, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir into oat mixture just until moistened. Fold in raisins. Fill prepared muffin tin three-fourths full.Bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool in pan 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

* Sometimes, when I don't have buttermilk, I use 1/2 cup of milk mixed with 1 cup of low-fat sour cream or yogurt. Other times, when I don't have buttermilk, sour cream or yogurt, I mix in 1 tbsp of lemon juice with 1 1/2 cups of milk and let it rest for 5 minutes before adding it to the recipe.

Things, they are a-changing…

2012-01-13T10:53:00.001-05:00

This post has been a long time coming and I feel bad for not having taken the time to write it before but I just hadn’t found the words yet. I’m not even sure I have the right words right now but I’ll give it a try.

How cliché of me to do this in January, right? The month of resolutions, of New Year! New You! The month of being bombarded with phrases like: This Year I Will Do It! I Will Be Good! I Will Reach My Goals! I Will Give Up Sweets! Sugar Be Damned! But really, I started this blog in January - 4 years ago -and I guess it is just the best time to reflect, the best time to get things out in the open. Clean slate and all.

I could give you tons of excuses for my lack of presence in this little web space I call mine. But we all have those: kids, homework, holidays, family… Life in general gets in the way. So I won’t bore you with that. I will say however that I really do have a very short attention span and too many things at once, I cannot do. So the blog went on the backburner and I want to apologize for not at least giving you guys a heads up. I am very sorry about that.

I haven’t been around the blogging world because I’ve just been trying to take care of myself. Cheesy? Maybe so, but it’s true. And I know it is said that to be accountable and reach your goals more easily, it is better to share said goals with others, to talk about them openly. But I’m not that kind of person. I like to keep things to myself. Things like how much I weigh. Or what I ate for breakfast. Or how long I exercised today, yesterday or the day before. Which is not to say that I don’t like to read blogs about health and fitness and other people’s goals because, I do. And I have been inspired by them. And I love to get feedback, comments and suggestions, who doesn’t? But I wasn’t about to turn this cooking/baking/all about food blog into a health blog because I’m not an expert at any of that stuff! I’m certainly not an expert at baking either but that just comes a bit easier, you know? And I just felt silly telling anyone about it. I mean, I was just trying to eat a little better, exercise a bit more, no biggie, right? But this lifestyle change/diet/regimen, call it what you will, kept getting a little more serious every day and I kept telling myself I would post something soon, I would take the time to “shoot” this healthy recipe I was making. But I just never found the time. I never made the time. I kept thinking “no one is going to want to read about this, it’s just silly”. But, almost 2 years into this silly lifestyle change, I’ve lost 60 pounds and that is nowhere near silly. That is big. And, although I still have a ways to go, I’m very proud of what I’ve accomplished.

A few months ago, I read this post from Kristen of Dine & Dish and she really got me thinking. (I think I have a blog crush on Kristen, she is just so inspiring!) I have evolved in the last 4 years, I’ve changed, but my blog hasn’t. Why should I keep writing the same way when I am not the same? Change is scary, that’s why. Would you guys keep clicking on over here if I changed my style? Would the posts without recipes attract as much people as the ones with a pic of a luscious [insert name of decadent dessert here]. I know you guys don’t come here to read about how I’m feeling today or what I did this past weekend. And I’m not sure I even want to write about that. I don’t know what I want to write about. But I know I want to write. I miss it. Writing. Sharing my thoughts, my images. I also miss talking about how delicious and sweet and over the top the last recipe I made was! Because, no, I’m not all about healthy and low-fat, I am definitely not going to post only healthy, low-calorie, “diet” foods. I’ve been pinning sweets like crazy over on Pinterest and I sure as heck am going to try a few of ‘em. This recipe is especially driving me nuts. I think what I want to go for is balance. A mix of healthy and decadent. More of a these-things-make-me-happy blog than just a food blog.

Wow. I think this is the longest post I’ve written. Ever. If you’ve made it this long, thank you. I hope I haven’t scared all of you into just unliking this blog on Facebook and running the other way. I would love it if you stick around. There will be recipes, stories and photos, just mixed in with some other stuff. Fun stuff I hope. Life.

Maple Almond Butter - Homemade!

2011-12-14T11:29:00.000-05:00

I am aware that, as it is mid-December, most bloggers have been working overtime, baking and cooking and writing Christmas-y posts galore, giving everyone tips and tricks and fantabulous recipes to make their holidays easier. And here I am, having not blogged in ages, yes I know, ages, and what do I post? A nut butter recipe. But, hear me out! Not an ordinary, run-of-the-mill-butter-your-toast-and-run nut butter, it's more a sit-down-and-enjoy, how-in-the-world-have-I-survived-without-this nut butter!

OK, OK, let me explain a little further how this came about. The fantastic Brilynn of Jumbo Empanadas fame had a giveaway on her blog a few weeks ago, I left a comment and didn't think about it until I got an email, from Brilynn, telling me I had won a 13-cup Kitchenaid food processor!!! So yesterday, I received THE food processor and, of course, all I had time to do was unpack and wash it, set it on the counter and gawk at it as I was already starting on dinner when the doorbell rang. On a side note, that food processor is huge! I've no idea where I'm going to store it.

Luscious!!!

Anyhoo, the first recipe I wanted to make with my new toy was hummus, but, since my cooked chickpeas are still frozen solid, I just had to find something else to do with it. A quick food blog search later, I found this recipe and I just knew I was making this! Maple Almond Butter. Just saying it makes me want to dip a spoon into the jar again! Maple. Almond. Butteeeeeeeeer! It's not just good, it's stellar! I promise, if you have a food processor and have never tried making your own nut butter, take the processor out of it's hiding place, roast some nuts, and get whizzing!

Maple Almond Butter
adapted from Food in Jars

Store bought nut butters are always too sweet for my tastes and although this is maple flavored, and the maple does come through loud and clear, it is not overly sweet. The maple flavor compliments the almonds perfectly. My favorite way to eat this is with slices of apples, delicious for breakfast or as a snack.

1 1/2 cup of almonds
3 tbsp of pure maple syrup
Fleur de sel or sea salt
2 to 3 tsp of canola oil

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the almonds on the baking sheet and drizzle with the maple syrup giving the almonds a toss to coat them well. Roast the nuts in a 325F oven for about 20 minutes, tossing them once or twice, making sure they don't burn. When the nuts are ready, remove the baking sheet from the oven, place it on a cooling rack and let the almonds cool for a good 20 minutes.

Place the almonds in the bowl of your food processor along with a few pinches of fleur de sel and pulse a few times to break up the nuts. Add a teaspoon of oil, scrape the sides of the bowl and pulse again until the nuts break down further. Scrape the bowl and drizzle in some more oil as needed to get a creamy, luscious almond butter. Store in a jar, in the refrigerator.

Smokin' Chicken Soup

2011-09-20T14:35:00.000-04:00

I woke up this morning and it was raining. Not an unusual sight as Fall is right around the corner, and the days are getting cooler and shorter. What came to mind as I was getting the kids ready for school? This is perfect soup weather. The kind of day that doesn't feel quite right if you don't have a pot of something warm simmering on the stove top. So after the kids were off to school, their little umbrellas over their heads, I took out my stock pot, raided the freezer for some chicken bones to boil and made some stock. Cut up a few veggies, cut the kernels off a few ears of corn leftover in the fridge, shredded some boneless, skinless chicken breasts I had cooked earlier, and voilà! Soup! Uncomplicated, comforting and healthy too. Who wouldn't go for that!

Smokin' Chicken Soup

This really is the perfect soup to have simmering on the stove on a cold and rainy Fall day. The kick from the smoked chipotle is just enough to give it a little something different from your usual chicken soup. Please feel free to use this recipe as a guide; add more or less of whatever ingredient you like, change the veggies, add some noodles, use smoked paprika in place of the smoked chipotle powder, etc. Soup is great for experimenting!

1 tbsp olive oil

3 ribs of celery, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp smoked chipotle powder (more if you want it spicier)

1/2 tsp salt

8 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken (I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts)

2 cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen)

In a large pot, heat the olive oil on medium high heat. Add the celery, carrots and onions and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic powder, smoked chipotle and salt, mix well. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, until vegetables are cooked. Add the chicken and corn kernels, and simmer until heated through.

Nutritional Information per Serving:

Calories: 249.2; Total Fat: 7.4g; Cholesterol: 32.4mg; Sodium: 726.1mg;

Carbohydrate: 27.2g; Dietary Fiber: 3.1g; Sugars: 8.2g; Protein: 19.6g

(Please note that the nutritional information will depend greatly on which type of chicken broth you use, if you add more or less olive oil, whether you add white or dark chicken meat and how much salt you add to your soup.)

Oatmeal, Date and Apple Muffins

2011-09-08T15:07:00.000-04:00

Summer has come and gone, vacation time flew by like it never existed and already we're back to school, in full swing, like nothing ever happened. And I know, I should, maybe, perhaps, explain where I've been, why I've neglected this blog, my readers, my friends, for such a long time but, I doubt you'd find any of it interesting. Really, it's been a case of I just don't get excited about food the way I used to... Weird, I know! And I miss getting excited about cooking, baking, finding new recipes, I really do. Summer was just all about the sandwiches and salads and taking the kids to their baseball practices and games, all the time, so everything had to be made quickly and eaten quickly and when we did have time to sit down and eat I just didn't have the energy to make anything ~~complicated~~ ~~interesting~~ blog worthy...

But, lately I've become obsessed with finding the perfect date muffin. One that isn't so sweet it's more like a cupcake, or so moist and fluffy it falls apart. I wanted a muffin worthy of being eaten for breakfast, a sturdy muffin you can feel good about, not guilt ridden afterwards. And, after many tries, I think I've found it!

I tweaked my Buttermilk Oatmeal Muffin recipe and made it into the perfect (imho) Oatmeal, Date and Apple Muffins. Not too sweet, not too moist, full of texture from the dates and pecans, and healthy too! Each muffin has almost 3 g of fiber! Not too shabby, if I do say so myself. Maybe, just maybe, I'm getting excited about this food business again after all...

Oatmeal, Date and Apple Muffins

Makes 18 regular sized muffins

These make a quick, hearty breakfast you can grab on the go any day of the week; add fruit and some yogurt, and you've got yourself a pretty healthy breakfast!

1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3 tbsp of granulated sugar

3/4 cup chopped, pitted dates

1/2 cup chopped, toasted pecans

2 eggs

1/4 cup canola oil

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1 tbsp molasses

2 tsp vanilla

3 small apples, peeled and grated (about 1 cup packed of grated apples)

Preheat your oven to 400F. Line your muffin tins with paper liners and set aside.

In a large bowl mix together the oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, granulated sugar, date and pecans. Make sure to distribute the dates well throughout the dry ingredients to prevent them from sticking together.

In another bowl mix the eggs, canola oil, buttermilk, molasses and vanilla. Fold in the grated apples. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ones and mix just until the dry ingredients are moistened. If you over mix, you'll end up with tough muffins.

Distribute the batter evenly among 18 muffin cups and bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool the muffins completely on a wire rack.

Nutritional information per muffin:

Calories: 165; Total Fat: 6.7g; Cholesterol: 21.2mg; Sodium: 184.3mg; Total Carbohydrate: 27.5g; Dietary Fiber: 2.8g; Sugars: 9.1g; Protein: 3.7g

Snickerdoodles aka Cinnamon Roll Cookies

2011-06-24T11:00:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was the last day of school and let me just say, it's been a looooong year. Not that my kids have trouble in school or anything but Tom was in first grade this year as opposed to Kindergarten and it was something else altogether to have both him and Annabelle doing homework and needing my help with something all the time and also Olivia who felt a little left out at not having any homework (I'll let you know how she feels when she does have some homework in a few years...) and me just trying to keep everything up so that all hell will not break loose. Time for blogging? Not so much.

So, yesterday was the traditional Breakfast at School day and all the parents were invited to bring a little something and have breakfast with the kids and teachers. I decided to make Snickerdoodle Cookies, because you know, when do you get to eat cookies for breakfast other than the last day of school? The night before as I was making them (at about 9pm) Martin commented that they smelled like Cinnamon Rolls. And that's when I had a flash: frosting!!! So the next morning I whipped up a small batch of frosting, made a cute little swirl on each cookie and voilà! Cinnamon Roll Cookies! They were a huge hit, the breakfast was once again a success and finally, summer's here (albeit a little cool still, though I'm not complaining) and hopefully we can relax, relax and, uh, relax some more.

Cinnamon Roll Cookies
adapted from Michael Smith's Snickerdoodle recipe

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp corn syrup
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl with your mixer of choice, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one and then add the vanilla and corn syrup. Mix well.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and mix until smooth.

In a small bowl, whisk remaining 1/4 cup of sugar with the cinnamon. With a tablespoon or a small ice cream scoop, form the dough into balls (about 1 to 1 1/2 inch in size) and roll the balls in the cinnamon sugar to coat. Place them on the parchment lined baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool the cookies completely on a wire rack before icing them.

Cream Cheese Icing
1 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 tbsp cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioner's sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp warm water

In a stand mixer using the whisk attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add the sifted confectioner's sugar slowly, then the vanilla extract and beat well. If needed, add a little warm water until desired consistency. Using a pastry bag with a small round tip, or a ziptop bag with one of the corners cut, make swirls on the cooled cookies. The icing does not completely set so if you want to make them ahead of time and serve them later, I suggest you ice them just before serving.

Makes about 42 1 1/2 to 2 inch cookies.

Making Friends (Eve's Greek Salad Recipe)

2011-04-19T08:44:00.005-04:00

One of the things I find difficult about being a stay at home mom is making friends. No regular workplace to go to and meet people, no work related trips or classes. But sometimes, you do get lucky. Last year, I met Eve. Both our sons were starting Kindergarten and we would go to the school to pick them up, as they finished earlier than the older kids. As we waited in the school yard for the boys to come out, we would strike up conversations about this and that and whatever. We hit it off right away and became fast friends. Now, as other stay at home moms know, you sometimes need to get outside the house in order to stay sane. So when the kids have days off from school, we use that opportunity to get together, make lunch, have coffee and wonderful conversations. Having grown-up conversations, for a stay at home mom, is almost like winning the lottery, seriously.

On one of those no-school days, the kids and I went over to Eve's for lunch and she had made this wonderful salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, onions, feta and a homemade vinaigrette. I was sure my kids would taste but not necessarily like the salad. Boy, was I wrong. They loved it! Tom even requested that I make it again just a few days after our visit! And every time he asks for it he calls it Eve's Salad, so that's what we call it now! So thank you Eve, and here's to new flavors and good friends!

Eve's Greek Salad

1 seedless cucumber, cubed
300g of cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
125g of feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 of a red onion, diced
1/4 cup of sliced, pitted black olives (or more to taste)

for the vinaigrette:
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 small garlic clove, finely minced
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a large bowl, mix all of the salad ingredients together. Set aside while you make the vinaigrette.

In another bowl, mix everything but the olive oil. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle the olive oil into the other ingredients until everything is mixed well.

Mix some of the vinaigrette into the vegetables, to taste. Serve with a baguette or some pita bread.

Note: You might not need to use all of the vinaigrette, it all depends on how you like your salad. You can keep any leftover vinaigrette in the refrigerator for a few days and use it for other salads or simply drizzle it on slices of tomatoes.

Finding More Time (Chocolate Banana Muffins Recipe)

2011-04-05T11:00:00.002-04:00

Is there a way to find more hours in a day? Anyone? Anyone? I'm not trying to make excuses, I'm just wondering if anyone else is feeling overwhelmed by the amount of things to do in a day and how it affects creativity. I try to do everything I should do: get up, get dressed, cook, clean, homework with the kids, exercise, volunteer at the kids' school, smile and wave and say everything's fine and dandy, and even all that isn't easy to fit in a day's worth of hours... But when do I find the time to do what I want to do? Blogging, writing, photography, see friends, read a book... When do these things come into play? Seriously, how does everyone do it? Is it at all possible to get everything done? I'm not down in the dumps or anything, just in a rut I guess, just out of juice maybe, trying to get back in the swing of being creative without letting any of the other stuff get out of hand. Is it possible? Not sure yet...

Let's get started with these muffins. They're quick, they take care of those few overripe bananas on the counter and they're packed full of chocolate, not a bad combo if you ask me. And on a rainy day like today, I sure need a dose of quick, easy and chocolate! A cup of strong coffee doesn't hurt either. ;)

Chocolate Banana Muffins

1/3 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 medium bananas, mashed
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

In a large bowl, mix together first 5 ingredients. In another bowl, mix all the other ingredients; add dry ingredients to wet mixing just until blended. Fill muffin tins lined with jumbo paper liners. Bake in a 375°F preheated oven for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.

Makes 12 jumbo muffins (about 15 smaller ones).

8UNC8YN64TNR

Happy Valentine's Day!!! (Nutella Brownies and Red Velvet Cupcake Recipes)

2011-02-14T16:16:00.003-05:00

I couldn't have had a better surprise this morning than to wake up to a snowstorm and closed schools! I was really happy to have the kids at home, I made an army of tiny Red Velvet Cupcakes, found an Origami Heart pattern on the net then invited a few friends over for sweets and crafts!

It was my first time making Red Velvet anything and I thought Valentine's Day was the ideal day to try these cupcakes. I was pleasantly surprised by their texture, they were soft and fluffy with just a hint of cocoa and the color, wow, very impressive. The cream cheese icing, well, it's just over the top sweet and creamy but I wouldn't have it any other way!

And with all this talk about Nutella lately, combined with a serious craving for brownies, well it was just a matter of time before I gave in and made Nutella Brownies. Armed with a recipe by one of my faves, Ricardo, of course, I knew I couldn't fail! The brownies were just delightful, the hazelnut taste of the Nutella really came through and the texture, oh boy, just dreamy! Perfect for a Valentine's Day weekend!

I hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day!!!

For the Red Velvet Cupcake recipe please visit Brown Eyed Baker. I made the recipe pretty much as is except for using gel food coloring (about 1 tbsp) instead of liquid and baking the cupcakes in mini muffin pans for about 12 minutes.

For the Nutella Brownies recipe please visit Ricardo's website.

Homemade Pretzels with Cheese Sauce

2011-02-11T10:30:00.007-05:00

I know I'm late to the party as talking about Superbowl food and stuff is sooooo last week (Yay Packers, by the way!) but, even though I made these pretzels for the event in question, I want to make sure they don't stay labeled as "party food". No, in fact I think you should make these any time, special event or not.

First, they are really easy to make, just like making bread. Second, they're impressively tasty, think bagels but with a fun shape factor. And third, they are endlessly adaptable: they could be salty, sweet, with sesame or poppy seeds, served with a cheesy sauce or an onion dip, or even, oh my, with a cinnamon coating and served with a cream cheese dip! I just thought of that one, I might have to make some this weekend!

Homemade Pretzels
adapted from Chuck Hughes via Food Network Canada

1 1/2 cups warm water (between 110F and 115F)
1 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tsp active dry yeast
3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp melted butter

10 cups water
2/3 cup baking soda
Egg wash: 1 egg, beaten with 1 tsp water
Coarse salt, sesame seeds, your choice of toppings

Lightly oil a large bowl and set aside.

In a measuring cup, combine warm water, sugar and active dry yeast. Allow to sit 5 minutes so the yeast can start doing its thing. In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt. Once the yeast mixture starts to foam, add the melted butter and pour into the flour mixture. Using a wooden spoon, start mixing the dough until it comes together. Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, adding flour as necessary to obtain a smooth ball of dough. Place the ball of dough in your previously oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave to rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about one hour.

Once your dough has risen, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and oil it lightly. Take the dough out of the bowl and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough into an approximately 20-inch rope. Make a U shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the classic pretzel shape. Proceed that way with each of the 12 pieces of dough and place the pretzels on the baking sheet and refrigerate for one hour. This step allows the surface of the pretzels to dry and makes them easier to handle.

Preheat the oven to 450F.

In the largest pot you have, bring the 10 cups of water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add the baking soda, very carefully, a little bit at a time, as it will cause the water to boil over.

Place the pretzels in the boiling water, one at a time, 30 seconds each. Remove the pretzels from the water with a large spatula and place them back on the parchment lined baking sheet. The boiling step will help the pretzels get that signature brown, crunchy exterior.

Brush the top of each pretzel with the egg wash, sprinkle with your topping of choice and bake in the preheated oven for about 12 minutes, until the pretzels get that dark golden brown we're looking for. Transfer the pretzels to a cooling rack and let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Note: If you're not sure you're going to eat your pretzels all in the same day, may I suggest you omit sprinkling them with salt. The salt will make them soggy the next day.

Cheese Sauce
adapted from Ricardo Magazine

1 tbsp cornstarch
1 (370 ml) can of evaporated milk
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp ground smoked chipotle pepper
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, preferably orange
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a bowl, whisk the cornstarch and evaporated milk together; set aside.

In a saucepan, heat the olive oil and add the onion, bell pepper and garlic. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and smoked chipotle pepper and cook for another minute. Add the evaporated milk mixture and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Simmer for about 2 minutes. Add the grated cheddar and whisk until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve warm with the pretzels.

Note: This sauce is terrific in burgers as well. And if you have any leftovers, you can make a great quickie mac 'n cheese with it the next day.

Nutella Filled Cream Cheese Cookies for World Nutella Day!!!

2011-02-05T07:41:00.005-05:00

Ah, World Nutella Day! A few years ago I made myself a cup of Nutella Hot Chocolate, posted it on my blog and sent the link to Sara of Ms. Adventures in Italy and Michelle of Bleeding Espresso, so I could participate in World Nutella Day. I never thought it would become one of my most popular recipes to date!

So, this year, I prepared a bit better and started thinking of Nutella recipes a little more in advance. I knew I wanted to make something with cream cheese but not a cheesecake. I thought of brownies but I wanted to taste the cream cheese and the Nutella. Then I found this dough recipe that could be easily adapted, added some cream cheese to it, filled the dough with Nutella and tadaaa! I got my Nutella Filled Cream Cheese Cookies! They are moist, not too sweet, you get a hint of cream cheese in each bite and the Nutella, well, that's just the most wonderful surprise to get inside a cookie! And it works so well with the cream cheese, the cookies stay moist and they are even better the next day.

Tell me, are you making Nutella recipes today or are you dipping your spoon into a jar and enjoying Nutella "au naturel"? We'll probably be doing a little of both around here today!

Nutella Filled Cream Cheese Cookies
(dough recipe adapted from Michael Smith via Food Network Canada)

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp.
1 - 250g package of cream cheese, room temp.
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs, room temp.
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp corn syrup
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Nutella, for filling
1/3 cup granulated sugar (for rolling)

Preheat your oven to 375F and line a few baking sheets with parchment paper.

In your mixer of choice, beat the butter, cream cheese and granulated sugar together until well mixed. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one. Add the vanilla and corn syrup and mix until incorporated. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Slowly add to the butter/cream cheese mix and beat until the batter comes together.

Refrigerate the dough for at least an hour, otherwise it will be sticky, very had to work with and the cookies won't keep their shape as well.

Once your dough has been refrigerated, use a cookie scoop or a tablespoon and form little balls of dough. Make an indentation in each one and dollop about 1/2 tsp of Nutella in it. Close the dough around the Nutella as much as you can then use a small piece of dough to close up the hole. Form into a ball shape and roll into the remaining 1/3 cup of granulated sugar. Place on the parchment lined cookie sheet, 6 cookies to a sheet.

Bake (one sheet at a time) in preheated oven for about 12 minutes or until the cookies are slightly golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes about 36 large cookies.

Growing up (One Bowl Chocolate Cake Recipe - Redux)

2011-01-24T14:38:00.004-05:00

My son turned 7 yesterday and as I sit here typing these words, I still can't believe it. How in the world do kids grow up so fast? How did he become this little 7 year old boy who can now read and write, do math problems and figure out a video game way quicker than I can? Can you tell I'm feeling a little old right now? Yep, I am...

When I asked Tom if he wanted cupcakes or a real cake for his birthday party he replied: "A real cake, of course!" as if cupcakes were just for girls! And, of course, he wanted a chocolate cake. So I decided on my usual One Bowl Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Icing. A bunch of little boys eating chocolate cake at a birthday party, sounds fun, right? Can't be afraid of a little sugar high!

The reason I decided to do another post for this cake is that I used buttermilk instead of milk in the recipe. Doesn't sound like much of a change but it makes a great cake even better. Annabelle even told me the cake was just as good, if not better, without the icing. Without icing! OK, so I'm not sure the boys would have been quite as impressed if I had baked this as a bundt instead of a 3 layer cake but I'm sure going to try it when another chocolate craving strikes!

One Bowl Chocolate Cake
adapted from Allrecipes

2 cups white sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two nine inch round pans (or 2 heart-shaped pans).

In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla, mix for 2 minutes on medium speed of mixer. Stir in the boiling water last. Batter will be thin. Pour evenly into the prepared pans.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until the cake tests done with a toothpick. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Note: For the layer cake pictured above, I used three 9-inch round cake pans and baked them for approximately 20 minutes. Check the layers and if a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, they're done!

Chocolate Icing

4 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar
1 cup butter, at room temperature
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 to 2 tbsp milk, depending on the consistency you want
5 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Cream butter, sugar and vanilla. Add a small amount of milk to reach desired spreading consistency. Add cocoa powder and beat well. Spread on cooled cake.

Three Years!!! (Apple Coffe Cake Recipe)

2011-01-14T10:00:00.001-05:00

There are so many things going through my head right now. Has it really been three years since I hit "publish post" for the very first time? Have I really made caramel that many times since? Did we eat all those desserts? Really? And how in the world did three years, three years, go by so freaking fast? Yes, today folks, this little webspace of mine is three years old. Yes, there has been a lot more sweet than savory appearing in these pages. Yes, we ate everything I made, but we did share a lot of it. And yes, there will be more baking, cooking and sharing in the coming years and I wouldn't have it any other way; I've been enjoying myself way too much to quit. I'm hoping you've also enjoyed reading my ramblings and trying some of the recipes I've posted. I've discovered so many new techniques and flavors since starting to blog and I suspect I'm not done learning!

I've made a few changes here and there and I'd like to share them with you. There are some tabs near the top there, under the header and I've finally got that recipe index I've always wanted! It's a work in progress as I'm not sure about the categories I've chosen, but it's there and functional! I've also decided to (finally) write an "About Page". I know, I know, about time, right? This one I've mentioned before, but if you haven't had a chance yet, go on over and visit And then I do the Dishes on Facebook, leave a comment, question, whatever you like! And, last but not least, there's this nifty little "print button" at the bottom of each post and I would not forgive myself if I didn't thank Taylor over at Print Friendly. Best product support ever! Thanks so very much! And thank you guys, readers and friends for your support. For reading and commenting and keeping this little project of mine going. I couldn't do it without you. Thank you!

Now, onto the recipe! If you like coffee cake, this is the recipe you want! As you may already know, I have many, many recipe books and magazines but the best, tried and true recipes often come from those free recipe booklets handed out at grocery stores or stuck to pages of magazines. This recipe comes from such a booklet, Robin Hood Baking Festival 1992. I've long since adapted the recipe to suit my family's tastes but every time I find a little booklet of recipes, I can't help but keep it. You never know what little gem you might find inside.

Apple Coffee Cake
Adapted from Robin Hood

Topping:
3 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp tonka bean, freshly grated (optional)
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 cups peeled and grated apples, lightly packed

Topping:
Combine all ingredients. Mix well and set aside.

Cake:
Preheat your oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 10-inch springform pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves and tonka bean, if using. Mix well. In another bowl, beat eggs, sour cream or yogurt and melted butter. Stir into dry ingredients until just blended. Stir in grated apples. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan and sprinkle topping over the batter.

Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake rest in the pan a few minutes before unmolding and placing it on a baking rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Maple Glaze
adapted from Comfy Belly

I added this glaze as an afterthought because I thought the cake looked plain in the photos. It certainly doesn't need the glaze taste wise, but it does add a little more sweetness, and it looks nice. You could also drizzle some caramel sauce on top, that would be just decadent!

1/2 cup milk (I used 2%)
1/2 cup maple syrup
Pinch of fleur de sel
1 tsp unsalted butter

In a saucepan, pour the milk and maple syrup. Add pinch of fleur de sel and bring to a boil. Whisk constantly until the mixture is thickened and starts to look like caramel. This can take from 5 to 10 minutes. When you're happy with the consistency, whisk in the butter, strain the glaze into a heatproof bowl and let it cool slightly. Now, you can pour the glaze directly onto the hot cake, in which case most of the glaze will be absorbed into the cake, which would be delicious. But, if you're going for the same look as in my photos, wait until the glaze and cake are cooled and drizzle the glaze onto the cake. If the glaze has hardened too much to pour, you can microwave it a few seconds to get it to the right consistency.

Mexican Lasagna

2011-01-07T13:15:00.004-05:00

When Winter rolls around, all I feel like eating is comforting casseroles and warming dishes. Now, I know that after the sweet treats and decadent meals of the Holiday season, many people tend to look for low-fat, healthy salad recipes but with three kids to feed, salad ain't cuttin' it around here! You can serve this fantastic lasagna with a side salad though, you know, to lighten the guilt factor. This dish was such a hit, we all looked forward to having it for lunch the next day, which is saying a lot! I have a feeling this is one of those recipes that will be on permanent rotation on my meal plans!

Mexican Lasagna

1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1-28 oz can of diced tomatoes (don't drain it)
1 packet of taco spices (I use the low salt kind)
1 to 2 tsp Chipotle chili powder
1-12 oz can of corn kernels, drained (or use frozen)
1-19 oz can of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp cornstarch (optional)
9 large flour tortillas
2 cups of sharp cheddar cheese, grated (or TexMex blend, or Monterey Jack)

Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish; set aside.

In a dutch oven, brown ground beef until no longer pink. Drain off all fat and transfer to a heat proof bowl. In the same dutch oven, heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil and sauté bell pepper, onion and garlic until onion is translucent. Put the ground beef back in the pot and also add the tomatoes, taco spices and chili powder. Mix well then add the corn and the red kidney beans and mix again. Let simmer for a few minutes. If you find that your "chili" is a bit watery, make a slurry of a tbsp of cornstarch with some cold water and add it to the pot. Let it simmer a little and it should thicken up enough not to water down your lasagna.

Preheat your oven to 375F.

Ladle a little bit of chili on the bottom of your prepared baking dish. Cover with 3 of the tortillas, overlapping them to fit the dish. Ladle a third of your chili over the tortillas, sprinkle with a third of the cheese and cover with 3 more tortillas. Layer the ingredients that way, ending with the cheese on top of the casserole.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the filling is bubbly and the cheese is nicely browned. To further brown the cheese, broil the casserole for about 1 minute. Let the casserole stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Serve with sour cream, chopped green onions and a salad.

Another Year Over...

2010-12-31T15:25:00.003-05:00

Christmas has come and gone and I can't believe it's New Year's Eve already. As I look back on 2010 all I can think of is how incredibly lucky I am. We are all healthy and happy, all five of us. I had wonderful opportunities this year to showcase my blog and photography, and for a stay at home mom who hasn't worked outside the home for about 10 years, it gave a real boost to my self esteem. I hope to keep the ball rolling in 2011, work on my photography and find new ideas to upgrade and renew this little webspace of mine.

For now I want to share with you another recipe from Kraft's Recipe for Joy program. These Pecan Bars are an absolute perfect choice to end the year on a sweet note. Gooey caramel and crunchy pecans baked on a sweet cream cheese dough. Wonderful by itself or put it over the top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or even whipped cream! And don't forget, you still have a few hours to send some last minute holiday wishes with some free e-cards. Let's all help Kraft reach their goal of a $50,000 donation to Food Banks Canada.

Happy New Year everyone!!! Have fun and be safe!!!

For the recipe, please visit the Kraft Canada Website:

Pecan Bars

Kraft Recipe for Joy

2010-12-20T15:00:00.000-05:00

There is nothing like a good cause to get me in a Holiday mood. Well, that and Christmas is right around the corner! If you're like me and you're being pulled in a hundred different directions with cleaning, baking and gift shopping you'll appreciate the Kraft Recipe for Joy Program. You can send your friends and family some free Holiday e-cards and help fight hunger at the same time! That's right, because for every e-card sent, Kraft will donate 2$ to Food Banks Canada. Now, that is one of the best deals ever! Of course, you get some great recipes with that e-card and having tried a few of them I can tell you, they are easy and delicious. Just what the doctor ordered for this busy season! You can even install a nifty virtual recipe box on your computer's desktop for easy access to the recipes.

So far, our 2 favorite recipes are for Chocolate Raspberry Thumbprints and Crunch "Bars". The Raspberry Thumbprints are almost brownie-like in texture and the cream cheese they contain gives them this slight cheesecake taste, they are quite addictive. And they stay moist and tender for days!

The Crunch Bars were also a big hit here. The caramel soaked Premium Plus crackers take on a wonderful flaky pie dough quality and the thick layer of chocolate and chopped nuts totally take these over the top. And they are easy-peasy! Just be sure to watch the oven and have everything ready because mine baked a lot quicker than I expected.

So can I just recommend you try these during the Holidays, please? Make yourself happy! And make hungry families happy too by helping Kraft reach their goal of a $50,000 donation to Food Banks Canada. Go send some e-cards!

For the recipes please visit the Kraft Canada website:

Chocolate-Raspberry Thumbprints
Crunch "Bars"

Please note: I was sent a gift package from Kraft Foods in exchange for sharing the Kraft Recipe for Joy Program and recipes with my readers. The opinions in this post, about the program and recipes, are my own.

Novica Product Review

2010-12-10T08:30:00.000-05:00

Cue the first of my Holiday posts, complete with photos of twinkling lights and presents to boot! One catch though: there's no food involved. Instead I wish to talk to you about Novica, one of the leading fair trade artisan websites, which I discovered recently. Here is an excerpt of their mission statement:

"We want to give artists and artisans around the world a global platform to express their true artistic talents and to spur their creativity. And, we want to provide you with access to unique, hard-to-find items at great values that only the Internet infrastructure can allow.

At the deepest essence of our philosophy, we want to create a bridge between you and the many talented artisans across the globe.

We want you to know about who you're buying from. We want you to feel that attachment to the product and to the hands that created it."

In association with National Geographic, Novica gives talented artisans around the world a place to express their artistic talents and provide access to the world market. They have thousands of top fair trade corporate gifts and home decor items on their website. Seriously, all kinds of jewelry, bracelets, earrings, gifts for mom, gifts for him, clothing, handbags, I could go on!

I was lucky enough to get an offer to review their products and website, and I absolutely jumped at the chance to do so. What really got me was the uniqueness of each item. I don't know if I've ever mentioned this but I am a sucker for huge, unique rings and, although I had such a hard time choosing among the literally hundreds of gorgeous rings on the website, when I spotted Venus Moon, I knew I had to have it! The ordering process is really easy, you can find out the cost of shipping for any country you would like to have your gift shipped to and if you order right now, until December 13th, they guarantee shipping on many items for December 24th.

Whether you decide to shop for Christmas or any other occasion, shipping is quick and the product packaging is flawless. For us folks living in Canada, some international fees apply and must be paid upon receiving the package, but it's well worth it. My items even came gift wrapped, and very cutely so! And I was totally blown away by the quality craftsmanship of the jewelry I ordered. I recommend Novica to everyone who loves distinctive, fair trade gifts. I mean, come on, who wouldn't want something so unique and thoughtful wrapped up under the tree? I know I still have quite a few items on my wishlist so I think I'll forward it to Santa ASAP!

Please note: The nice folks at Novica sent me a gift code so that I could order a few items of my choice from their website (including shipping but not international fees). The opinions expressed in this post are my own.

Most Ordinary/Extraordinary Banana Bread

2010-12-07T11:01:00.003-05:00

Aaaaah! You guys! I miss my blog so much! I know by now I should be posting Holiday appropriate recipes and photos with backgrounds-full of lit-up Christmas trees and decorations but you know what? I'm not there yet. Soon, very soon, but for now, I will share with you my most ordinary/extraordinary recipe.

Ordinary because, really, does the internet need yet another banana bread recipe? No, probably not. But also extraordinary because it is the only one in my repertoire that I know by heart, that I go to almost every week and also, because we all love it, all 5 of us. So I thought it was time that it got the respect it deserves and a rightful place alongside the other banana bread recipes floating about the web.

Ordinary/Extraordinary Banana Bread

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 egg
1/3 cup canola oil
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 medium bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 350F. Grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan and set aside.

In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda; set aside.

In a large bowl, mix the egg, oil and granulated sugar. Mix the lemon juice with the mashed bananas. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture alternately with the bananas, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan and bake in preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean. Invert onto a wire rack and let cool completely.

November Blues

2010-11-12T10:31:00.003-05:00

I just love Fall, it is my absolute favorite season. But when mid-November rolls around and the trees are bare and you wake up in the morning to a frosty lawn and gray skies, I just feel like packing my suitcase and going on a trip... Anywhere!

Since a trip just isn't in the cards right now, there's nothing like an online shopping spree to cure the old November Blues. The nice folks at CSN Stores suggested I do a review of one of their products. Stay tuned, this should be interesting! And hopefully I'll get into the cooking and baking mood again soon, and be back, better than ever, with new recipes to share with you all.

Happy Halloween!!! (Pumpkin Carrot Cupcake Recipe)

2010-10-31T16:26:00.003-04:00

Happy Halloween everyone! I hope you guys had as much fun as we've been having here. The kids have been costumed twice now, since last week: once for school and once for going door to door. They had a blast and of course, so did I! I just love making their costumes and also, baking up goodies.

I made these Pumpkin Carrot Cupcakes using an Anna Olson recipe from the Food Network and they turned out great. I made a Cream Cheese Frosting to go along and decorated with a pumpkin shaped candy. Aren't they cute! Of course, it's not as if the kids are going to need any extra sugar in their diets any time soon, but the cupcakes might just stop me from digging inside the kids' goody bags for a while. Maybe...

For the cupcake recipe click here. The only changes I made to the recipe was using butternut squash puree instead of pumpkin because that's what I had!

Cream Cheese Frosting

This frosting is perfect if you want to pipe it on thickly onto the cupcakes.

8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup of unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
3-4 cups confectioners sugar, sifted

In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla extract, until well blended. Then, a little at a time, blend in the confectioners sugar, until the frosting is thick, creamy and luscious. Pipe it or spread it onto your cupcakes and dig in!

Roasted Squash with Risotto

2010-10-29T08:15:00.003-04:00

Fall is my very favorite season for so many different reasons. I love the cooler temperatures and being able to wear a warm sweater to go for a walk. I love that the leaves change colors and become these gorgeous reds and oranges and yellows. And, I also love the fresh vegetables that we can get during Fall.

Squash varieties abound and they are all delicious and so easy to prepare. Either baked cubed or halved or even whole, squash can be served as a side dish, its purée can be used in quick breads or muffins, and you can even serve it as a bowl for your main dish. My favorite way is to serve it with risotto. I don't know what it is that makes them go so well together but the creamy, cheesy risotto served inside a halved, baked squash just seems even more comforting. You can't eat this and not feel all comfy and warm, it's just impossible.

Roasted Squash

2 or 3 small, roundish winter squash (such as acorn or carnival), cut in half, seeds removed
Olive oil
Fresh thyme
Salt and pepper

Preheat your oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the squash, cut side up, on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle fresh thyme, salt and pepper on the squash and then flip it over (cut side down). Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the size of your squash. The flesh should be very tender when the squash is done. While the squash is baking, prepare the risotto.

Risotto
Adapted from The Food Network

1 onion, finely chopped
3 tbsp butter
Pancetta, bacon or diced ham, about 2 ounces
5 cups or more of chicken broth
Fresh thyme, a few branches
1 ½ cups Arborio rice
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan or Grana Padano Cheese

Melt the butter in a 4 to 5 quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring regularly. Add the diced pancetta, bacon or ham and let it brown a few minutes. Add the onion, continuing to stir, until it turns soft and translucent. Turn the heat down if the onion starts to brown.

Meanwhile, pour the chicken broth into a separate saucepan, add the fresh thyme and set over medium heat, and bring to a gentle simmer. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain this simmer the whole time you are preparing the risotto.

Once the onion is soft, add the rice and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes. Adjust the heat as necessary -- if the rice is cooked at too high a heat, it will turn brown and take on an undesirable flavor.

Using a ladle, scoop up about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of broth. Pour it in the pan with the rice, stirring constantly with a spoon. After the first addition of broth, the rice mixture will look a bit soupy.

As the rice begins to cook, stir it constantly, making sure that you scrape along the bottom of the pan so that it does not stick. You should see little bubbles popping up on the liquid from time to time. If it bubbles more vigorously than this, turn the heat down to medium-low.

When most of the liquid is absorbed into the rice and the rice begins to look a bit dry, add another ladle of broth to the pan and stir constantly, as before.

Continue to add the broth in 1/2-to-3/4-cup batches and stir the rice until you have used most of the broth (this will probably take about 20 minutes). It is now time to test whether the risotto is cooked. Spoon up a grain of rice and bite into it -- it should be tender without being too mushy. If it is still crunchy and tastes a bit starchy, you will need to continue adding liquid and cooking further.

If it looks as if you will run out of chicken broth and your rice is still not cooked, don't be alarmed. Because of variations in individual stoves and cooking temperatures, you may need more liquid than called for in the recipe. Simply heat up another cup or 2 of chicken broth. If you run out of broth, use hot water.

When the rice is tender and the risotto has a creamy consistency, almost like thick oatmeal, it is done.

Add salt and pepper to the risotto, about 1/4 teaspoon at a time, until it seems well seasoned to you. Stir.

Add the grated Parmesan cheese and stir well.

Serve the risotto immediately in the warm squash "bowls" and have extra grated Parmesan on hand.

CSN Giveaway Winner

2010-10-15T14:16:00.005-04:00

Hi everyone! Thanks so much for all the comments on my giveaway post! I used Random Number Generator to determine the winner amongst the 78 eligible comments and...

Comment number 48 Tabathia! Congratulations, I hope you have fun spending your 125$ from CSN Stores!

Giveaway!!! (and a Savory Muffin Recipe)

2010-10-07T16:30:00.003-04:00

EDIT: Giveaway is now closed! Thanks for your comments, winner will be announced shortly!

Do you guys remember that great website I talked about a few weeks ago? You know, the one with everything from bed sets to wine glasses to coffee grinders? That's right, CSN Stores! Do you also remember I told you I was going to host a giveaway sponsored by CSN Stores? Well, today's the day!!! Aren't you guys lucky you know me?

Alright, so one lucky Canadian or US resident (sorry, dear international readers!) is going to win a 125$, yes you read right, 125$ gift certificate (cannot be used on shipping or international costs) to be used on ANY of CSN's stores! Imagine what you could get with 125$ and all that choice! Too many exclamation marks, I know I'm just too excited. Way too much excitement for me since last week, whew!

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on this post. It's that easy! And for a bonus entry, you can "like" And then I do the Dishes on Facebook! Did I mention I have a Facebook page now? No? Well, look at the right column and you'll see a nice little box where you can "like" And then I do the Dishes. Then, come back and leave another comment telling me the name you use on Facebook so I can check you really "liked" the page. To be fair, I really will have to check. So be nice! You'll have until Thursday October 14th, 2010 at midnight (Daylight Savings Time) to enter the giveaway. Winner will then be chosen at random and will be announced on Friday October 15th, 2010.

Since I didn't include a recipe in my previous post, I just had to share one with you today. It has nothing to do with the giveaway, I just love these little Savory Muffins! I hope you enjoy them too!

Savory Muffins
These can be endlessly adapted with the ingredients of your choice. Change the cheese, use cooked chicken instead of ham, thyme instead of basil; use your favorite ingredients.

1 1/2 cups (215g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (65g) whole wheat flour
1 tbsp (10g) baking powder
1 tsp (5g) kosher salt
1/2 tsp (3g)baking soda
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup (130g) Mamirolle cheese, cubed
1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
2 eggs
3 tbsp olive oil, or the oil the sun-dried tomatoes were packed in
1 cup (300g) fat free sour cream
1/4 cup (40g) oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 cup (75g) Black Forest Ham, chopped small

Preheat your oven to 400F. Butter a 12-cup muffin tin or line with paper cups and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pepper. Add the cubed cheese and chopped fresh basil and toss to coat; set aside.

In another bowl, mix together the eggs, oil and sour cream. Pour over the dry ingredients, mix lightly, then fold in the sun-dried tomatoes and the ham. Don't over mix.
Spoon the batter into your prepared muffin tin and bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffins comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the tin for about 5 minutes then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.

These are wonderful served with a salad or with crudités for a light lunch.

Giveaway Details Recap: Giveaway open to US and Canadian residents only. The prize, consisting of a 125$ gift certificate is provided by CSN Stores and cannot be used to pay for shipping or international charges. Contest is open from Thursday October 7th, 2010 until Thursday October 14th, 2010 (Midnight DST).

Foodies of the World

2010-09-30T20:00:00.002-04:00

I think I must have started-deleted-started this post again at least 10 times. I'm so excited, I feel like a kid on Christmas morning and I just don't know where to start! I feel like using exclamation marks everywhere! in! this! post!!! Breathe in... Breathe out... OK, let me start over, yet again.

In March, I was contacted by the Slattery Media Group, to take part in a project involving food bloggers from all over the world. This seemed like such a wonderful and lucky opportunity, it didn't take me long to reply with a resounding YES!

At first I just couldn't believe that my blog was actually selected as part of this project, I mean how many food blogs are there out there? What makes my blog special, worthy of being part of such a project? Was this some sort of a joke? I had so many questions! When the initial disbelief wore off, I started working on the texts, recipes and photos needed for the book. And then once everything was sent in, laid-out and accepted, I waited. It seemed like such a long time to wait and I told so few people about the project, it just seemed unreal. But now, I just can't believe the book is out already! It's real, and isn't it just gorgeous?

The overview from the Slattery Media Group's website reads like this:

"Foodies of the World is a collection of profiles and recipes from the best blogs around the world.

The publication covers an international spread of cuisines, courses and recipe styles, as well as profiles of the bloggers themselves, who come from all corners of the globe.

Containing stunning photography, styling and images, this is a high-quality cookbook with real food from real people."

Real food, from real people. Yes, that's it exactly, isn't it? That's what's blogging is all about, to me anyways. It's about sharing your best recipes with the widest audience possible. Sharing our successes and sometimes our failures and realizing that we are not alone out there. We all need inspiration and that's what a food blog is to me. Inspiration to try something new for dinner tonight or inspiration to make something from scratch that I would perhaps not have attempted before but if someone like me, another blogger, a mother, a home cook could do it, well, maybe I can too.

If you love food blogs and would like to discover new ones or support the ones you know already, you can purchase Foodies of the World by following this link. Get it as a present for yourself or for the foodie in your life. I'm sure you won't regret it! And now, I'm off to make myself a cup of tea, I'm way too excited for my own good!

Dark Chocolate Cake

2010-09-28T16:14:00.003-04:00

Ever have one of those days when you just feel blue and don't feel like doing anything? I'm having one of those days. And it's raining. I usually love fall but gray and rainy days like today, they just get me down. If anyone knows a more perfect remedy to a gloomy day funk than baking a chocolate cake, please, let me know!

I'm well aware I already have a few chocolate cake recipes around here, but I firmly believe you can never have too many recipes for chocolate cake. Especially when said recipe yields a dark, dense and intensely chocolaty concoction. I think I'm feeling better already!

Dark Chocolate Cake adapted from Baker's Chocolate

4 oz dark chocolate (I use an 80% cocoa dark chocolate)
1/2 cup butter
1 to 2 tsp instant coffee powder
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour
1 cup boiling water
Icing sugar

Preheat your oven to 350F. Butter and flour a 10-inch fluted tube pan; set aside.

Melt chocolate with butter in a double boiler. Add instant coffee powder; cool. Add sugar, vanilla and salt; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine sour cream and baking soda; mix well. Alternately blend in sour cream and flour 1/3 at a time on low speed of mixer. Add boiling water; blend well. Batter will be thin. Pour into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove and finish cooling on wire rack. Dust with icing sugar.

CSN Stores Review (Homemade Ketchup/Tomato Chutney Recipe)

2010-09-24T08:53:00.008-04:00

So, have you guys had a chance to check out the CSN Stores website yet? If you're like me, you have and you're drooling over every single product they offer, and they have quite the selection! As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I got the opportunity to review their products and services. This took a little longer than I expected because I couldn't decide what to order! Is there such a thing as too many choices? In any case, I finally chose a gorgeous Le Creuset casserole. I placed my order and was pleasantly surprised to be offered a free gift! Cool right? Included in my order was a Le Creuset oval dish, in the color of my choice. The ordering process is very easy and all the information is clear and accessible. The shipping on the item I choose was free but being in Canada, I had to pay some international charges. These charges include duty fees so you don't get a surprise payment to make when your purchases are delivered. I received my packages within a week of ordering and I was quite satisfied with the service. And, most of the packing material was recyclable; no packing peanuts here! Bottom line, I would order other products at CSN Stores in a heartbeat. I'm also pretty excited to say that I'm working with CSN Stores again soon for a giveaway, so stay tuned!!!

Of course, the first thing I wanted to do when I got my beautiful new toys was to cook up something to showcase them! I made a humongous beef stew in my casserole dish and it was incredibly delicious. Unfortunately, photogenic, it was not. So I made a small recipe of shepherd's pie and used my cute little gratin dish! I won't bore you with my shepherd's pie recipe, but I will tell you I use both regular potatoes and sweet potatoes in my recipe. It adds color, flavor and vitamins!

The recipe I want to give you today is for Tomato Chutney, or Homemade Ketchup as we call it here in Québec. It is delicious served up with shepherd's pie or any dish that needs a little pizazz. This is a perfect recipe to use up those tomatoes from your garden or farmer's market. And the mix of fruits, veggies and spices makes it colorful and comforting. I made up this recipe to suit my tastes but you can change the ingredients as you wish to make it all your own.

Homemade Ketchup/Tomato Chutney

1 large green bell pepper, diced
1 large red bell pepper, diced
2 medium onions, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
8 to 10 large Roma tomatoes, blanched, peeled and diced
4 peaches, blanched, peeled and diced
4 apples, peeled, cored and diced
3 pears, peeled, cored and diced
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
8 whole allspice berries
1 bay leaf
1 star anise
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp salt

In a large pot, heat a little olive oil and add the bell peppers, onions, celery, garlic cloves and sauté, over medium heat until the onions are translucent. Add the tomatoes, peaches, apples, pears, vinegar, brown sugar and all the spices. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let the chutney simmer for about one hour. By then the juices will have reduced and concentrated and it will smell fantastic! Remove the allspice berries, bay leaf and star anise. Let cool, divide in convenient portions and freeze in ziptop bags.

Please Note: I was offered a 100$ coupon code from CSN Stores in order to do a review of their products and services. Shipping and international charges were not included and I was not paid for my opinions.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Lava Cakes

2010-09-08T07:42:00.001-04:00

I am so completely addicted to food magazines, I even collect the little pamphlets they hand out in grocery stores. These days, they look a lot more like magazines though, as they're full of neatly styled recipes featuring, of course, said store's products. As most of you know, you don't really need to use the product in question and even when the recipe calls for a ready-made product, you can make it even better by using something homemade.

Case in point? These Chocolate Chip Cookie Lava Cakes. I noticed the recipe while I was "sifting" through magazines and stuff I could get rid of. Yes, I have too much stuff, go figure, and I need to get organized. Anyhoo, I was looking through a pile of Kraft's What's Cooking Magazine and when I spotted those cakes I had to make them right away! Well, first I had to make chocolate chip cookies, then I could make the cakes.

I made my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, used a round cookie-cutter to cut 12 cookies to the desired size and then made the cake batter. Easy-peasy! And when they're finally out of the oven, you flip them onto a plate, and you go to chocolate heaven. First you experience the crisp, crunchy and buttery taste of the cookie, then, as you cut into it, you find a rich, molten chocolate cake swimming in melting vanilla ice cream. Did I mention you have to pair this with vanilla ice cream? Well, you do!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Lava Cakes
adapted from kraftcanada.com

OK, first you have to make some chocolate chip cookies. I suggest this recipe; it contains walnuts, which are a nice addition to these little cakes.

12 chocolate chip cookies, cut into circles with a 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter
4 ounces of bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
1 cup confectioners sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel

Preheat your oven to 425F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Place the cookies, upside down, into the muffin liners. Press them into the bottom, they might be a bit big but don't worry about squishing them in, they're like the crust of these tatin-like cakes! OK, now set that aside while you make the batter.

Place the chocolate and the butter in a large microwaveable bowl, then microwave on high for about 2 minutes. At that point the butter should be melted and a little stirring will get the rest of the chocolate melted too. Alternately, you could do this on a double boiler.

In another bowl whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, confectioners sugar, flour and fleur de sel. Slowly add the chocolate mixture, stirring as you go, until well blended.

Pour the batter over the cookies in your prepared muffin tin. Bake in preheated oven for about 8 minutes. The cakes will be slightly firm around the edges but still soft in the middle. Let the cakes stand a minute or 2 before serving. Remove each cake from its tin, invert it onto a plate (just like a tarte tatin!), remove its liner and serve with your favorite vanilla ice cream.

Margherita Burgers Recipe and a Review to Come

2010-08-26T08:41:00.009-04:00

As I mentionned briefly in a previous post, we've been changing things around the apartment lately: cleaning, painting and searching for some new furniture. I've been looking for inspiration pretty much everywhere I can find it. From kitchen tables to window treatments and wall hangings, I've been Googling like crazy!
One site that has it all is CSN Stores and I've been given the opportunity to review their services and products. I'm not kidding when I say they have everything, have a look for yourselves! So, please stay tuned for more in the coming weeks!
While we have been working pretty hard on making our apartment feel a little cozier, we've also been trying to take advantage of what's left of Summer vacation. The kids start school in less than a week now and it seems like just yesterday we were so happy that Summer was finally here! It has been a little cooler lately and I've been trying to use up those herbs I have growing on the porch. My favorite is basil, I could use it in just about anything, and most often I end up putting a big handful in my burgers. A few weeks ago I "invented" this burger recipe and I've made it at least 3 times since! The burgers are juicy and flavorful and yes, they taste like Summer!

Margherita Burgers
You can change the given quantities of pretty much any of the ingredients to suit your tastes.

2 lbs lean ground beef
1 egg
1/3 cup plain bread crumbs
1/4 to 1/3 cup of sun dried tomatoes, in oil, chopped finely
2 tbsp of the oil the tomatoes are packed in
1 small red onion, finely diced
1/2 cup of chopped fresh basil
Salt and pepper to taste

Hamburger buns
Slices of fresh tomatoes, mozzarella and fresh basil leaves, for garnish

In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, sun dried tomatoes, oil, onion, chopped fresh basil and salt and pepper. Mix well and form 8 patties. You can cook the burgers on the BBQ, in a pan or, as I like to cook them in my panini press, it takes half the time as they cook on both sides at the same time! Just cook them from 8 to 10 minutes per side or until the internal temperature of each patty is 160F. Let the burgers rest a few minutes before serving them.

Heat or toast the hamburger buns, place a patty on each bun, then top with mozzarella, tomato slices and fresh basil leaves. Then enjoy what's left of Summer!

Sunday Kind of Breakfast

2010-08-08T12:05:00.007-04:00

I love getting up on Sunday morning and taking my time deciding what to make for breakfast. I'll let the kids play their video games so I'll have time to make myself a cup of coffee, browse through my many, many bookmarks or magazines, and try to find THE recipe I feel like making that morning. Or perhaps I'll settle for a tried and true breakfast favorite like crêpes, scones, muffins or waffles. But some days, I feel like having more of a savory breakfast, something I usually make as "breakfast for dinner". Those most often involve eggs, bacon and some type of bread. We so very rarely have bacon for breakfast that once the bacon aroma started wafting through the house, my son walked into the kitchen with this surprised and happy look on his face and actually said: "Are you making BACON for breakfast?!?" He was one happy kid.

I also had a bunch of gorgeous grape tomatoes from the market which I turned into a nice little salsa to serve alongside some eggs cooked in a bagel nest. The bagels are from Bagels Tradition'L in Québec, where you can get pretty much THE best bagel in town. They're baked in a wood oven which gives them a distinctive taste, and they are very, very hard to resist! All in all, a great Sunday breakfast. Now, what to make for dinner... ;)

Oven Cooked Bacon

Once you start cooking your bacon in the oven you will never go back to making it in a pan. You can use the time the bacon is baking to make the rest of breakfast! Cool, right?

Preheat your oven to 400F. Lay the bacon slices down on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, depending on how thick your slices are and how crisp you like your bacon. Once cooked, place the slices on a piece of paper towel to absorb some of the fat. You can keep the bacon warm in a low oven, if you need to.

Fresh Tomato Salsa

Olive oil
About 20 small grape tomatoes (you could also use cherry tomatoes)
1 small red onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 cup of fresh basil, chopped
Salt and pepper

In a pan, over medium heat, pour a few tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onion and sauté until it starts to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and let them warm up and get soft, again, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, salt and pepper and let it cook for another 5 minutes. Add basil at the very last minute and keep the salsa warm until serving time.

Eggs in a Bagel Nest

Ingredients for each serving:
Butter and olive oil
1/2 a bagel
1 egg
Sliced green onions
Grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper

Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add a little butter and olive oil and heat until the butter is melted and bubbly. Place your bagel half, cut side down, into the pan and let it warm up for a few minutes. Crack the egg into the bagel hole. The white will stream down the side and that's OK. Cover the pan and let the egg cook for a few minutes, depending on how done you want the yolk to be, check on it often. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan, salt, pepper and green onions. Serve with bacon, fresh tomato salsa and make sure you don't forget the coffee!

Maple Semifreddo

2010-08-02T10:24:00.004-04:00

A few days turned into a week filled with family gatherings and reunions, and passed as quickly as a few hours. It seemed as soon as we hugged and kissed "Hello!" to relatives we hadn't seen in ages, too soon we had to say our teary goodbyes. It really is true that time flies when you're having fun and oh, what fun we had! Yes, I wish I was still there... Wouldn't you?

Alas, back to reality it is, back to work and back to the recipe I promised you guys a week ago! Although maple is a flavor I associate with cooler temperatures and comforting, warming desserts, I was inspired by watching Nigella make a Honey Semifreddo to try and adapt it with maple syrup. Let me tell you, It worked fabulously! The maple flavor really shines through and with three ingredients this dessert is as easy as it gets! Creamy and refreshing, perfect for a lazy Summer day.

Maple Semifreddo
adapted from Nigella Lawson

300 ml heavy cream (35%)
100 ml pure maple syrup
1 whole egg
4 egg yolks
Maple syrup and roasted pine nuts, for serving

Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix the maple syrup, egg and egg yolks. Place your bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and whip the mixture constantly until thickened. When it's ready it should coat the back of a wooden spoon. Let it cool for a few minutes while you whip the cream to stiff peaks. Gently fold the egg mixture into the whipped cream.

Pour the mixture into your prepared pan and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the freezer for at least 4 to 6 hours.

To unmold, place the loaf pan in warm water and use the plastic wrap to remove the semifreddo from the pan. Cut into slices, drizzle with maple syrup and sprinkle with roasted pine nuts.

Gone for a few days...

2010-07-25T23:40:00.003-04:00

I really, really wanted to post a dessert I made yesterday before leaving for a short trip. But, being the much organized person that I am, ahem, I put off packing to the very last minute and I'll have to tease you with the idea of a fabulous summery and refreshing dessert recipe coming up in a few days. Hopefully, this little guy will keep you company while you wait...

Have a great week, I'll be back soon, I promise!

Rhubarb Streusel Muffins

2010-07-22T07:22:00.007-04:00

Judging from the heat and humidity we had the last few weeks, I think it's safe to say that summer is definitely here and has conspired against me so that I can't bake. And right when it gets a little cooler and I could stand to preheat the oven, we decided to paint. And not the colorful-artsy-fun kind of painting you hang on a wall. No, more of a the-dining-room-slash-living-room-needs-a-new-coat-of-paint kind of painting. At least we feel like we're in a completely new apartment and once we get those new curtains installed, it's gonna look pretty good too, if I do say so myself.

So, I give you today a treat of a recipe for Rhubarb Streusel Muffins I made a few months ago and never got around to posting. They are not too sweet, not too tart. They get a great crunch from the streusel but stay really moist from all the fruit they contain. And if I can find some fresh rhubarb at the market this weekend, and if the temperature stays a little cooler that 95F in my kitchen, I think I'll be making these again pretty soon!

Rhubarb Streusel Muffins adapted from Marzipan Mom who adapted from epicurious.com

Topping ingredients:
3/4 cup oatmeal
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

Cake batter ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup canola oil (or 1/4 oil plus 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce)
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
3 cups fresh rhubarb stalks, cut into 1/4-inch dice
3 tbsp confectioners sugar

Preheat your oven to 375F and line muffin-tins with paper cups; set aside.

Start by making the topping: In a bowl, mix together oatmeal, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Add the butter and mix well until the mixture forms coarse crumbs; set aside.

And now for the batter: In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, whisk together oil (or applesauce/oil mix), eggs, vanilla, brown sugar and granulated sugar; mix well. Switching to a wooden spoon, add the flour and buttermilk in 2 batches, alternating between the 2, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and mixing just until combined. Add the confectioners sugar to the rhubarb at the last minute and toss to coat the rhubarb well. Add the rhubarb to batter and fold it in.

Now, depending on how big your muffin tins are, you can divide the batter between 12 to 18 muffin cups. Fill the cups about 3/4 of the way full. Crumble the streusel on top of the muffins. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Leave the muffins in the pan to cool a few minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. If the muffins are sticking to the pan, you can use a small knife to loosen them from the pan.

Note: If you don't have quite enough rhubarb to make this recipe, you can use tart apples, peeled and diced, to make up the difference.

Strawberry-Watermelon Yogurt Ice Pops

2010-07-06T10:06:00.007-04:00

I'm having the toughest time finding ice-pop molds. I have shopped at countless stores, looked through I don't know how many websites, I can't find the one I want at an affordable price that wouldn't cost me more in shipping and taxes than the actual price of the mold! It doesn't help that I want the Norpro Popsicle Maker. No other one will do. I love the shape and design of it. There's still one store I want to go see and if I don't find it there, I'm giving up.

Of course, lack of an ice pop mold hasn't stopped me from making some anyway. The latest issue of Ricardo Magazine is chock full of ice pop recipes and ideas on how to shape them. My favorite way is to use a loaf pan and wooden popsicle sticks. I lined my pan with plastic wrap to make sure I could unmold my pops easily and voilà! ice pops! I adapted a recipe from Coup de Pouce Magazine and used the fruit I had on hand to make wonderful yogurt pops. They are delicious! I can't wait to try many other variations. I've even served these for breakfast to the kids, they couldn't believe they were having popsicles for breakfast! Hey, it's no worse than a bowl of yogurt with some fruit, right? ;) Bring on the heat!

EDIT: It was brought to my attention by a commenter that I had omitted to explain how to get the popsicle sticks to stand up straight in the loaf pan. I guess I was so excited to share this recipe with you guys, I forgot about that part! I've edited the recipe with the proper explanations, I'm sorry for any inconvenience this slip-up may have caused.

EDIT #2: For those of you wondering where to get food-safe popsicle sticks, I get mine at a craft store. As long as they're plain and not colored, they should be food safe. Here's a link on the subject.

Strawberry-Watermelon Yogurt Ice Pops
2 cups vanilla yogurt (not non-fat)
2 cups strawberries, sliced (fresh or frozen)
Juice and zest of 1 lime
Watermelon cubes (about 20 cubes, 1/2-inch each)
8 to 10 wooden popsicle sticks

Prepare a loaf pan by lining it with plastic wrap. Have your popsicle sticks on hand.

In a blender combine the yogurt, strawberries, lime juice and zest. Puree until well combined. Pour the yogurt blend into your prepared pan. Drop the watermelon cubes into the mixture, making sure there are a few cubes in each pop. Cover the pan with 2 or 3 layers of plastic wrap, making sure the plastic touches the top of the yogurt mixture. With the tip of a sharp knife, make incisions where you want your popsicle sticks to go, spacing them evenly. Place the popsicle sticks into the holes, standing them up straight. Freeze for about 6 hours, until the pops are completely frozen.

When you want to serve your pops, take the pan and run warm water over it to loosen the edges. Take the plastic wrap and lift the frozen "loaf" out of the pan. Use a sharp knife to cut in between the popsicle sticks. There you have it, Strawberry-Watermelon Yogurt Ice Pops!

Note: If you use a yogurt with a low-fat content the popsicles will be a bit icy and have a tendency to break easily. They're just as good, just a bit fragile.

Long Weekend (Blueberry Buttermilk Scones)

2010-06-24T10:30:00.001-04:00

I woke up this morning more relaxed than I have in ages. School is finally out for the Summer, the kids woke up later than usual and we have a 4 day long weekend ahead of us! Coffee in one hand, Blueberry Buttermilk Scone in the other, I am enjoying watching the rain fall outside and looking forward to a quiet, peaceful day playing with the kids, cooking, baking and lazying around. Happy Summer!

Blueberry Buttermilk Scones
2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
Coarse sugar

In a large bowl mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add blueberries and mix lightly. Add buttermilk, one egg and one egg yolk (reserve the white). Mix carefully until blended. Drop dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead delicately (you don't want to crush the blueberries) to form a ball with the dough. With floured hands, transfer your ball of dough to a parchment paper lined baking sheet and pat down into a 1/2 inch thick circle. With a sharp knife, score dough into 12 slices (as with a pie). Brush top with reserved egg white and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake in preheated 425°F oven for about 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Summer's Here (Broiled Salmon with Fresh Tomato Salsa)

2010-06-21T20:51:00.003-04:00

As I sit here with this cool breeze coming through my kitchen window, I can't believe it's really Summer, which means almost half the year is gone already and I feel like I haven't seen it go by. Always hurrying to do one thing or another, and of course, not being able to do everything I want to do. Is it just me?

If you do have time to sit down and enjoy a meal, as we did this past Sunday, on Father's Day, this would be the dish to prepare. So easy and adaptable, you might just be able to squeeze in a walk to your favorite park, all in the same day!

Broiled Salmon with Fresh Tomato Salsa

This is a great recipe if you're like me and you just can't follow a recipe! Adapt the quantities and spices and herbs as you wish and make this perfect for you.

Salmon fillets, bones removed
Olive oil
Lime juice
Garlic cloves, minced
Coriander powder
Salt and pepper

Tomatoes
Red onions, chopped
Olive oil
Lime juice
Parsley, chopped

Preheat your broiler and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place your salmon fillets, skin side down on the prepared sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and lime juice, then sprinkle with the chopped garlic. Add as much coriander powder, salt and pepper as you like. Broil the fillets for about 10 minutes, until the salmon is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.

While the salmon is broiling, prepare your salsa. Chop up a large tomato, or a few smaller ones, removing some of the seeds so it's not too watery. Add some chopped red onions, a drizzle of olive oil and lime juice and some parsley. When the salmon is cooked, remove it from the oven, scatter the salsa on top of the fillets and put it back under the broiler for a few minutes, just to warm the salsa. Serve with some rice and a crunchy green salad on the side.

Last Minute Inspiration

2010-05-07T09:03:00.006-04:00

Sometimes, I get really wrapped up in what I'm doing like, say, laundry or cleaning or, I don't know, reading a blog maybe... And then I look at the time and I realize, it's time to start supper, like now! And most days, I menu plan, but what if I just don't feel like eating what I have on the menu for that day? That always happens on the days I'm right at the last minute to make supper. So I look in the freezer and the pantry, and the refrigerator and then back to the pantry and then, time flies you know, I have to find something to make, and then, I have a flash.

Let's say I take those thin burger buns and split them in half, that could make a great mini-pizza... And those shrimp in the freezer, I could thaw them out in some chicken broth and sauté them in a little butter, garlic, pepper flakes and that would make a great topping... A creamy bechamel for the sauce, grated mozz on top, a brief trip in the oven, garnish with green onions and, bingo! A quick and easy supper. It's on days like those that I realize the importance of a well stocked kitchen. I love last minute inspiration.

Mini Shrimp Pizzas
The amount of ingredients you need to make the pizzas will depend on how many people you want to serve.

shrimp, thawed if frozen
1 or 2 cloves of garlic, minced
red pepper flakes, to taste
olive oil

Bechamel sauce:
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 cup of milk
salt and pepper, to taste

thin burger buns ( like these)
grated mozzarella cheese
green onions, chopped for garnish

First, make the bechamel sauce. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the milk and whisk until it boils. Let simmer for about 5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

In a skillet, heat some olive oil and add the garlic. Sprinkle in some red pepper flakes, to taste, and cook for about 1 minute. Add the shrimp and cook until they are pink and beautiful. Set aside.

If you have a pizza stone, now is the time to put it in your oven and preheat it to about 500F. If you don't have a pizza stone, preheat your oven to 450F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Split the hamburger buns and spread some of the bechamel on the inside of the buns. Place some shrimp on top of that, and sprinkle with the mozzarella. Place the pizzas on the pizza stone (or the baking sheet) and bake until the cheese is bubbly and golden. Garnish with green onions and serve with a salad (I'm in love with arugula these days).

When in Doubt, use Maple Syrup (Maple Sesame Salmon Fillets)

2010-04-26T12:55:00.000-04:00

I spend so much time trying to create meals that the whole family will enjoy together, I sometimes get a bit discouraged. But then I'll find something the kids will ask seconds of, and at that moment, I know it's all worth it.

To me, the key to a "happy meal" (ha!) is using a main ingredient I know we all like (in this case salmon fillets) and pairing it with flavors that are kid friendly. Maple syrup is always a winner at our house as are Asian flavors. So I mixed and matched and ended up with a recipe I'll be making over and over again.

Maple Sesame Salmon Fillets

Salmon or trout fillets (enough for 4 to 6 people)
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup soy sauce (I use reduced sodium)
2 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp Sriracha sauce (or hot sauce of your choice)

Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

Mix all the ingredients except the salmon and the sesame seeds. You can either use a bowl or a ziptop bag. Place the salmon in the marinade and let rest, in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.

Since the marinade is sweet, I usually line a baking sheet with aluminum paper, it makes clean up much easier. Preheat your broiler and place the oven rack in the middle of the oven. Place the salmon fillets on the baking sheet and broil for about 10 minutes. If you like, you can baste the fish with the marinade once or twice during cooking. To see if the salmon is ready, use a fork to flake the fillets and check if they are cooked through. You'll know that the fish is cooked when its flesh turns opaque. You might need to cook the salmon a little longer, depending on the size of your fillets.

Garnish with sesame seeds and serve with a side of rice and veggies of your choice.

Silken Tofu and Chocolate Mousse

2010-03-24T09:29:00.004-04:00

Have you ever told anyone you like tofu just to have them look at you like you were crazy or from another planet? Well, I used to be that person. I couldn't believe that tofu could be made to taste good. I mean how could anything so bland be useful anyways? It turns out tofu's blandness is what makes it interesting because, lo and behold, it is like a sponge and absorbs whatever flavors are around it. Most of you have probably known this for a while but I've had this epiphany only recently.

I discovered marinated and baked tofu, which, with a fresh, crunchy salad makes a great meal in itself. But what made me REALLY like tofu is this chocolate mousse I made yesterday. Yes, just yesterday! It's that good, I had to tell you guys about it right. this. minute!

I know what you're all thinking: "Tofu, in a dessert, and it's good? She's gone mad for sure!" But no! I'm telling you, it is good! I mean, it's no heavy-cream-with-eggs-and-a-ton-of-sugar chocolate mousse, but the texture is beautifully silky and all you taste is the chocolate. Unless of course you decide to add a little almond, vanilla or peppermint extract, or even some instant espresso powder, then you've got a whole different dessert. You could even use almond flavored silken tofu, which I did, but it was a bit too sweet, next time I'll try it with plain silken tofu and add some flavor to it myself. The true test of this recipe came when I served it to my kiddos and my better half. They all loved it! Even when I finally told them it was tofu! Now, if that isn't a success, I don't know what is!

Silken Tofu and Chocolate Mousse
Adapted from Michael Smith via Food Network Canada
8 oz (about 300g) package of silken tofu
8 oz (about 300g) of bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 tbsp vanilla extract (optional)

Start by melting your chocolate in a double boiler; set aside.

Next, you need to puree the tofu until it is smooth. Now, you can use your food processor for this, but I used my stand mixer with the whip attachment and I'm pretty sure you could use any kind of mixer you like. When the tofu is nice and smooth, add the melted chocolate and mix until the tofu and chocolate are blended very well.

Here's when you can add any kind of flavoring you like: vanilla extract, almond extract, peppermint extract, instant espresso powder, it's all up to you! Divide the mousse into 6 individual serving dishes and set in the refrigerator for a few hours. Garnish with nuts, fruits, a little whipped cream, make it fun and enjoy!

Blurry Days and a Buttermilk Waffle Recipe

2010-03-15T16:00:00.001-04:00

Having just read the date on my last post, all I can say, really, is the past few months went by in a blur consisting of three children, school, homework, house-work, march-break, a few books I read as if I would never have time to read again, a knitting project that finally got to be finished, and a bunch of breakfasts, lunches and dinners not really worth blogging about except for some buttermilk waffles I keep making over and over again.

Yes, folks, I am still cooking and baking although, I must admit, the scales tip way, way over on the cooking side and the baking has been less and less. Not to say that I'm bored with all the chocolate, cakes, cookies, pies and other assorted sweets floating around the blogosphere and tempting my taste buds in various cookbooks and magazines, just that I needed to "healthify" myself a little and not baking has been the way to go. Perhaps with Daylight Savings Time, I will be able to photograph our dinners once in a while.

Sunday breakfasts are still decadent though as it is the only day in the week that we have a little time to sit together as a family and just breathe. Hence the making of the buttermilk waffles. I usually make a huge batch, freeze individual portions and reheat the leftovers in the toaster for the kids during the week. I don't know about you but I have a tough time getting my kids to eat breakfast before going to school and homemade waffles can work wonders for their appetites. Add fresh blueberries, a little maple syrup and watch whole platefuls disappear!

Buttermilk Waffles
adapted from Smitten Kitchen who first adapted the recipe from Mark Bittman

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp sugar
2 1/4 tsp baking soda
2 2/3 cups buttermilk*
3 eggs, separated
6 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract

In a large bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, salt, sugar and baking soda. In another bowl combine the buttermilk, egg yolks, oil and vanilla extract.

Preheat your waffle iron and brush it with a little oil. While it's preheating, beat the egg whites with your mixer choice until they form soft peaks. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, mix well, then fold in the egg whites.

Ladle 1/2 to 3/4 cups of batter into your waffle iron. If you don't use enough batter the waffles won't rise; too much batter and it will spill. You'll need to experiment with quantities and cooking times to get your perfect waffle. It also depends on what kind of waffle iron you have.

Keep making waffles until you have used up all the batter. You can serve them as soon as they are ready or keep them warm in a low oven. Freeze all leftovers in individual portions and reheat in a toaster as needed.

* If you don't happen to have buttermilk around you can substitute 1 cup of milk mixed with 1 tbsp of lemon juice or vinegar for every cup of buttermilk needed. You can also thin out some plain yogurt with a little milk. But, to tell you the truth, between these waffles and the Buttermilk Oatmeal Muffins I make regularly, buttermilk has no time to reach its expiration date in my fridge anymore.

Two Years!!! (Maple Hazelnut ButterTart Squares)

2010-01-14T08:57:00.008-05:00

Since this is my first post of 2010, I guess a Happy New Year is in order! I hope all of you have had a great start to this new year and that you will have the inspiration, energy and passion needed to reach success in all of your goals. How wonderful it is to get a fresh start every new year!

I can hardly believe my blog is 2 years old today! I feel like it was just yesterday that I decided to post a few photos and recipes and see what would come of it. 130 some posts and 122 followers (!) later, I'm still at it, albeit a little inconsistently lately. Balance is hard to achieve between obligations and the things I love to do, choices have to be made. I'll get there though, that's what life is all about!

I want to share one of my family's favorite desserts with you today. When I get a request for pecan pie but I don't have time to make the pie dough, I make these squares. They're so easy to make, almost too easy, I could have them everyday! For a change I used hazelnuts and golden raisins in this batch but you could use walnuts, pecans, currants, dried cranberries or pretty much any combination of dried fruit and nuts you like. As I said, it's all about choices!!! :)

Maple Hazelnut Butter Tart Squares
adapted from here and here

for the base:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup all purpose flour

for the topping:
1 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 tbsp melted butter
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cups golden raisins (or other dried fruit)
1/2 cup toasted hazelnut, skins removed, coarsely chopped (or other nuts)

To make the base:
Line an 8 inch square pan with parchment or aluminum paper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, with your mixer of choice, cream the butter and sugar together well. Add the flour and mix until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into the prepared pan and bake at 350F for 10 to 15 minutes. The base with be golden when ready. Don't over bake it as it will become hard but don't under bake it either or it will be too soft.

To make the topping:
Combine all the ingredients for the topping and mix well.

Spread the mixture over the base and bake at 350F for about 30 minutes. The top will be golden and cracked and beautiful!

Let cool to room temperature in the pan then cut into squares. Top with whipped cream or the ice cream of your choice.

Eat Christmas Cookies - Sesame Snap Wafers

2009-12-20T08:54:00.010-05:00

So, Christmas is in a few days, 2009 is almost over and frankly, I have a hard time believing it. I mean, where did this year go? There were so many things I wanted to do that will just have to wait for next year, and a few will probably have to wait even longer. Maybe it's just the Holiday Season, which always makes me a little weepy, well, OK, weepier than usual, but I just seem to notice that everything is changing around me at the speed of light. The kids are growing up way too fast, and I mean WAY too fast. One minute it was Fall and the next minute there was like 2 feet of snow on the ground. on November 17th, I was stoked when Susan of Food Blogga announced the 3rd season of her Eat Christmas Cookies event and I had a whole month to choose which cookie recipe I could send in. And now, it's December 20th (What?!) and I'm once again at the last minute. How did this happen? Your guess is as good as mine.

In any case, I still love baking cookies and I have baked my fair share since the beginning of December, but they were just my "usual" cookies, cookies that can already be found either here or on other great food blogs so I'll spare you the reruns. The recipe I want to share today is one that I've wanted to try for a long time but it just got to the bottom of the list and I forgot about it. This week, I happened to have all the ingredients handy so I went for it! These are so crispy and crunchy and fragrant, they remind me of Lace Cookies but with a nuttier flavor.

Santa, I hope you like sesame seeds!!! :) Please check out the Eat Christmas Cookies round-up page for more great cookie recipes!

Sesame Snap Wafers
adapted from Robin Hood Baking Festival 1999

2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup sesame seeds*

Start by toasting your sesame seeds. I like to do this in a dry, nonstick pan, over medium heat. Watch them carefully and move them around often as they could burn easily. Toast the seeds until they're fragrant and golden. Be sure to do this a little in advance, you want them to have time to cool before you make the cookie dough.

When your seeds have cooled to room temperature, preheat your oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, combine the flour and baking powder; set aside.

In another bowl, cream the butter with the sugar, egg and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and the sesame seeds and mix well.

Drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, about a teaspoon's worth per cookie, leaving enough space between the cookies as they spread while baking.

Bake the cookies about 6 to 8 minutes, or until golden. You can leave them a little longer if you like them crispier. The cookies will be soft right out of the oven so leave them on the baking sheet a minute or so before you transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

* You can use all sesame seeds or a combination of sesame seeds, black sesame seeds and flax seeds. I used 1 cup of sesame seeds and 1/4 cup of flax seeds.

In Which I meet Ricardo (recipe: Dukka)

2009-12-16T13:24:00.004-05:00

If any of you are at all like me, and I suspect many of you are, there are these personalities, chefs, cookbook authors or food enthusiasts, that you just swear by. To some it's Ina Garten or Bobby Flay, others love Dorie Greenspan, Donna Hay, Jamie Oliver or Curtis Stone. I love every one of those guys. But, as I have mentioned a few times before on these pages, I am always inspired by Ricardo.

Last month, I had the chance to meet Ricardo at a book signing. I did my best not to look like too much of a groupie but I was grinning from ear to ear the entire time I spoke with him! If you've ever watched one of his shows, you know he comes across as this charming, easygoing and all around nice guy. I can now vouch for that, he is genuinely charming and charismatic.

Now, I didn't just want to share this news with you as in "Nanananana, I met Ricardo!", so I decided to share another one of his recipes. Dukka is a mix of fragrant spices and crushed almonds which is typically served as an appetizer with cubes of crusty bread and olive oil in New Zealand restaurants. Since I've never been to New Zealand, I'll take Ricardo's word for it...

I decided to fill small jars with the spice mix, decorate it with ribbons and give it as a gift. This is perfect as a last minute hostess gift or as part of a more elaborate basket of goodies with a bottle of fine olive oil and a crusty baguette. Or you can easily serve this at a party as part of an appetizer tray. Have fun!

Dukka
Adapted from Ricardo Larrivée via Foodnetwork.ca

2/3 cup whole blanched almonds
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
4 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon onion salt
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
cayenne pepper, to taste (1 used 1/8 tsp but will use a bit more next time)

In a food processor, grind the almonds coarsely. You can also do this with a mortar and pestle. Transfer the almonds to a small bowl and add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well and store in an airtight container.

To serve: Transfer the dukka to a serving bowl and serve alongside a small bowl of extra-virgin olive oil and cubes of crusty bread. Dip the bread lightly in the oil, then in the dukka and enjoy!

Testing Holiday Recipes - Maple Brûlée Pie

2009-11-25T14:28:00.001-05:00

Well, it's officially a month to Christmas and boy, is it ever starting to feel like winter! No snow yet, but the days are getting cooler. Hats, mittens and scarves are becoming a must and so is testing holiday recipes! What better excuse to bake a pie than having to test it out?

Let me tell you, this was one successful test. The original recipe didn't call for caramelizing the top but after seeing the baked pie, it just screamed "brûlée"! And what a great dessert to serve for a special occasion. Something like, oh, I don't know, Christmas maybe? Or New Years? Or maybe, just because you wanted to bake something sweet for your sweetie!

Maple Brûlée Pie
adapted from the top of a can of maple syrup, really!

1 cup pure maple syrup
2 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell
Sugar to caramelize the top

Preheat your oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, whisk together the syrup, eggs, milk and brown sugar. Mix well and pour into pie shell.

Bake in preheated oven about 40 minutes, until the crust is golden and the custard is set.

This can be eaten at room temperature, as is. Another option is to put it in the refrigerator to cool completely, cut out portions, sprinkle some sugar onto the slices (the sugar you choose is up to you, works just as well with granulated sugar or coarse sugar) and fire up your brûlée torch! Caramelize the sugar until you get a nice crunchy layer on top of the creamy custard. Serve with fruit, ice cream or slightly sweetened whipped cream. Make sure you have some company, this is a sweet, sweet pie to be shared among friends. :)

Note: For the pie crust, I used a recipe from Karen Barker I found on Serious Eats. The dough came together beautifully and the crust turned out flaky and golden. I think this'll be my go to pie crust, for a little while anyways. Click here for the recipe!

Another Note: I'm thinking this could be spiced up with a grating of nutmeg or tonka bean. Mmmm, I'll let you know when I try.

TWD - Sugar-Topped Molasses Spice Cookies

2009-11-10T12:57:00.004-05:00

Sugar-Topped Molasses Spice Cookies... How can someone say those words and not think that Christmas is just around the corner? How can someone smell the slightly spicy, molasses scented batter and not feel like taking the Christmas decorations out of storage right this minute? I tell ya, I almost did!

These cookies really do smell like Christmas and they are perfect in every way. Just the right amount of spices, just sweet enough and crunchy like a ginger snap. Per-fect. The only thing I did differently is make twice the cookies specified because I like the smaller, crunchier cookies.

Thank you Pamela of Cookies with Boys for choosing this as one of the November recipes for Tuesdays with Dorie. This will also be my last Tuesdays with Dorie recipe, for a while anyways. I have so many cookbooks and magazines I want to bake recipes from and with all the weekly recipes, it's just too many desserts. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, there is such a thing as too much dessert!!! It was so much fun being part of such a great group of baking enthusiasts, I most certainly will miss it. But I'll keep visiting the members' blogs and hope my Tuesdays with Dorie friends will keep visiting me too. I just need a little more time to be creative, and bake what I feel like, when I feel like it. The Holidays are just around the corner, I'll be baking up a storm pretty soon, so stay tuned!

Cheesecake Brownies for the Birthday Girl

2009-11-05T09:06:00.005-05:00

Yesterday was my oldest daughter's birthday. She turned 9 years old and I know I've said this before but, man time sure flies! Since her birthday was in the middle of the week this year we decided to have a party with her friends this coming Saturday. I'll make cake then, most probably cupcakes, so I didn't want to make cake twice in the same week. But, I still wanted her to have a special birthday dessert.

I asked her what she would like and all she said was "Something chocolate!". That's my girl! Brownies came to mind, being an easy dessert and all, and when I searched my favorite sites these Cheesecake Brownies on David Lebovitz' blog caught my eye. Still an easy recipe but with a little something extra that really says "Birthday!".

These are deliciously chocolaty but not too sweet, just perfect for a small birthday dinner, or to perk up any ordinary weekday meal. The birthday girl was quite happy with her special dessert and so was everyone else who had a square, or two! Please visit David's blog for the recipe!

The Knead to Bake

2009-10-23T16:01:00.005-04:00

I know, I know, corny title, but I just couldn't resist. I woke up one morning last week and I just needed to bake bread. I was literally obsessed with it. Am I the only one this happens to? Anyways, I started looking for a recipe that wouldn't be complicated but still good and to which I had all the ingredients.

I found this Buttermilk Honey Bread on Rosa's Yummy Yums, via Food Blog Search (I just love that site) and it was perfect! There is just something so satisfying about bread baking. You start with next to nothing and end up with a fragrant little miracle! The first time around, I made three small braided loaves; one went to a friend and the other two loaves didn't last very long, we devoured them!

The weather has gotten quite cold very quickly around here, we even had snow yesterday. So I decided to make the bread again, I certainly can't think of a better thing to do on a cold day than bake! This time I followed the original recipe and made two braided loaves. We'll have some fresh bread tonight with dinner, whatever that might be...

Visit Rosa for the recipe (she has it in English and in French!) and have a great weekend!

EDIT: I just noticed when I was uploading my pics to Flickr that in the post, the photos look dull compared to what they look like in Flickr. Does this happen to anyone else? Is there a way to remedy this? Thanks for your input!

TWD - Sweet Potato Biscuits

2009-10-20T14:01:00.003-04:00

Alright, we're back! Man, let me tell you, these biscuits, scones, little bread-type-sweet-potato-thingies, whatever you want to call them, are well worth the wait! A little cinnamon, a little nutmeg, a grating of tonka bean just for fun, a cup-a sweet potatoes and a bit of buttermilk to help the process along, a sprinkling of coarse sugar for texture and about 25 minutes later these beauties come out of the oven fluffy, puffy and golden. Just a whiff of their sweet-savory aroma will make you want to put on a warm wool sweater, a comfy pair of boots and go walking in the crunchy fall leaves.

Thank you Erin, aka Prudence Pennywise, what a great choice of recipe! Please visit Erin's blog for the Sweet Potato Biscuits recipe (as a bonus, she also has a Sweet Potato Roll recipe in the same post. Score!). And have a look at the rest of the Tuesdays with Dorie blogroll, you never know what tasty variations you'll find each week!

I'm Late! I'm Late!

2009-10-20T08:41:00.003-04:00

It's Tuesday and yes, I will be posting today's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe, Sweet Potato Biscuits, just as soon as they're done baking and I've taken photos of them...

Can you say "procrastinating"? For now I leave you with a few photos I took recently in gorgeous Bois de Coulonge, in Quebec.

Be back soon!!!

Chocolate and Hazelnut Truffles

2009-10-12T10:27:00.001-04:00

As if I didn't have enough cookbooks and baking books and foodie magazines that I love to bits already, I keep discovering new magazines that are so fabulous I can't help but to buy them on the spot! One of those magazines is Delicious. I think the first one I bought was last January and I promised myself I would stop looking for it in news stands because, well, I just have enough magazines, you know. But it just jumps out at me! The articles, the recipes, the pictures, oh, the pictures!

I do make it a point to write a list of recipes I want to try as soon as I get the magazine, which isn't very hard as all the recipes are mouthwatering! In the most recent one I got there was this recipe for a Chocolate and Hazelnut Slice, which I also found on their website but under the name Chocolate and Hazelnut Truffles. I think these are really more like truffles, considering the amount of chocolate and cream they contain! Perfect for the Holidays, which are just around the corner you know, better start baking!

Chocolate and Hazelnut Truffles
Adapted from Delicious Magazine

50g butter, plus extra for greasing
Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting the pan
150g skinned hazelnuts*
90g plain flour
100g caster sugar
1/2 tsp salt
500g bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
2 large eggs
225ml heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Grease the base and sides of a 20cm square cake pan with a little butter. Dust all over with cocoa powder, knocking out the excess. Or use a springform pan and line the bottom with parchment before buttering and dusting with cocoa powder.

In a food processor, place 100g of hazelnuts, the flour, sugar and salt and process until coarsely ground. Roughly chop the rest of the nuts and stir in. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a low heat, then add 150g of chocolate. Let it melt slightly, then whisk until smooth. Remove from the heat, add the eggs, one at a time, whisking well between each addition. Stir in the nut mixture until well combined. Spoon into your prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Leave to cool in the pan.

To make the ganache, put the rest of the chocolate in a heat proof bowl. Bring the cream just to the boil and pour over the chocolate. Let it sit for a few minutes then gently stir until melted and thickened. Spoon over the cold hazelnut base and spread out. Tap the pan on the counter to smooth the ganache evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours. Cut into squares with a warmed knife, wiping the knife after each cut. If you used a round springform pan, cut the round parts off and then cut the rest into squares. The baker needs a treat too, right?

To assemble as a gift: put in a decorative box or cellophane bag and decorate as you wish. Keeps in the fridge for up to a week.

*To skin the hazelnuts: Put the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and roast in a 350F oven for about 10 minutes. Place the hazelnuts on a clean dish towel and rub them with the towel to remove skins.

TWD - Split Level Pudding

2009-10-06T08:27:00.002-04:00

Pudding is a comforting dessert and with the cooling temperatures and rainy days we've been having lately, this was really a perfect choice for this week's Tuesdays with Dorie. Garett of Flavor of Vanilla chose this for us and what a great pick it was!

Quite a simple recipe (if you forgo the whole food processor thing and just use a good ol' whisk) it can be made in advance as it has to chill for a bit, unless you like warm pudding, whatever floats your boat. I wanted to see the layers of the pudding so I used clear glasses, warmed up some leftover ganache I had from the Chocolate-Crunched Caramel Tart and let it chill before spooning the pudding on top. Then, after the pudding had a little R&R in the fridge, I whipped up a little cream, shaved a little chocolate and voilà! Perfect rainy day dessert.

My fave pudding is still the Real Butterscotch Pudding but this one is very good, especially with the chocolaty surprise at the bottom of the glass. Since the ganache sets, it gets almost truffle-like and it's a great contrast to the silky pudding. Thanks Garett for a fun pick! Visit the other Tuesdays with Dorie members for infinite variations on today's pudding!

TWD - Chocolate-Crunched Caramel Tart

2009-09-29T07:38:00.001-04:00

I remember the day I got Baking from my Home to Yours in the mail. I was so excited to finally flip through its pages and look at all the drool-worthy photos and read the delightful descriptions Dorie writes of every recipe. They were all quite tempting but one caught my eye and it has been known around these parts as the "I-have-to-make-this-tart-now" tart. Since I was just starting Tuesdays with Dorie at the time, I didn't want to try any one recipe just to have it be chosen by someone soon after. I really wanted to make the recipes as they were chosen. So I waited. Why didn't I choose that recipe when my turn came up? Perhaps because of the tart crust (I've always been a wee bit scared of them), or perhaps I was just as intrigued by the Chocolate Armagnac Cake as I was tempted by the Chocolate-Crunched Caramel Tart. In any case, here we are now and I finally had THE perfect excuse to make this tart!

You guys all know how much I loooooove caramel, right? And chocolate, well that goes without saying. But peanuts, eh, they're not my thing. Since the recipe calls for honey roasted peanuts I always thought I might use pecans, almonds or cashews in the tart, but then on one trip to the grocery store, I came across a bag of honey roasted cashews. Honey Roasted Cashews! I couldn't believe my luck! This was going to be one great tart.

I had really, really high expectations of this tart and it lived up to them and then some! The silky ganache, the perfectly sweet and salty caramel, the crunchy contrast of the honey roasted cashews and the crispy cookie-like crust, all come together into one perfect dessert! It couldn't even be wrecked by the fact that I forgot to buy some unsalted butter last weekend and had only half of what was needed for the ganache. Even if it really was worth the wait, I would recommend you not to wait as long as I did to make this tart. If you don't have THE book (and you should!) visit Carla over at Chocolate Moosey and get thee that recipe right now! You will not regret it! And be sure to pay a visit to the rest of the Tuesdays with Dorie bakers for a massive dose of baking inspiration!

Orange Almond Cream Whoopie Pies

2009-09-25T14:25:00.009-04:00

Have you ever become so obsessed with getting something right that you just can't rest until you do? Well, that happened to me with Whoopie Pies. A few months back (yes, months) my cousin,LP ,invited me over to her place for an afternoon cooking/baking session. We decided to make a Chicken Tetrazzini for dinner and Whoopie Pies for dessert.

The Whoopie Pies were to be of the traditional chocolate with marshmallow filling variety. The cookies came out really well, but the filling, not so much. They were quite tasty but a little too sticky and gooey, so to speak. So, LP and I each set out to find the perfect filling recipe for Whoopie Pies. I went the homemade Fluff route, which was a great success, but sadly, since I have no photos as proof of that, you'll have to take my word for it until I decide to make some again. LP went the cream cheese frosting route and, I have to say, she won the Whoopie Pie filling challenge hands down. She came up with this Orange Almond Cream variation and I just had to steal it from her. I'm sure she won't mind, right LP?

Orange Almond Cream Whoopie Pies

For the cookies:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg

1/3 cup vegetable oil

Zest of 1 to 2 oranges (depending on their size and how orangey you want the cookies)

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup buttermilk

For the Almond Cream filling:

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature

5 tbsp butter, room temperature

3 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar

1/2 to 3/4 tsp almond extract

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

In a bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside. In another bowl, mix the egg, oil, orange zest, and sugar. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, alternating with the buttermilk, until all the ingredients are well combined.

Drop the dough, a teaspoonful at a time, onto the prepared baking sheet, taking care to leave enough space between the cookies as they expand a little while baking, but not too much. Also try to keep the shape as round and even as possible, it makes it easier to match the cookies after they are baked. Bake the cookies about 8 minutes, until they are slightly golden around the edges, but do not over bake them, you want them to be tender, not hard. Once the cookies are done baking, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

While the cookies are cooling, prepare the filling. In the bowl of your mixer of choice, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese and the butter until light and well blended. Add the sifted powdered sugar, in batches, until the filling is perfectly smooth. Add the almond extract, mix well.

To fill the cookies, you can use a spoon or a pastry bag to spread some of the filling onto one of the cookies and then sandwich another cookie on top. Fill and sandwich cookies until all the cookies are matched. You might have some filling leftover, it makes a nice frosting on cupcakes or muffins.

Buttermilk Oatmeal Muffins

2009-09-18T17:19:00.004-04:00

OK, so I was telling my better half how uninspired I've been feeling lately and how I miss blogging and how I wish I had more time to bake and take pictures and all that. And do you know what he said to me? "Don't feel bad, statistically speaking, people who start a blog usually lose interest after about 18 months." Whaaah? Seriously? Is that what me and my little blog are? Just another statistic in a sea of abandoned blogs? Um, no. No, not in a long shot. I'm too stubborn for that.

With that, I decided I would not be too hard on myself, always trying to come up with original and never before seen recipes and photos. I will blog for fun again and enjoy myself in the process. Because frankly, I haven't been doing nearly enough fun stuff since the kids started school. Routine has hit me harder than ever and I don't like it.

So in the spirit of blogging for fun, here is the recipe for the muffins I made this morning, just because it was an off day from school and it was raining and I just felt like it. These are my go-to buttermilk muffins. I found it on a day I was looking for a recipe to use up the buttermilk I had in the fridge that was about to go bad. They were so tender and comforting that now, I buy buttermilk just to make these muffins.

I'm not promising a post a day, but I'll do my best to update regularly, and I will remember to make it fun. Oh, and thanks Darling for the unintended swift kick in the a**. I needed it. :)

Buttermilk Oatmeal Muffins (adapted from Sweet Savory Southern)

Makes 16 muffins

1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

2 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Handful of chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 F. Grease a muffin tin or line with paper muffin cups.

In a bowl, soak oats in buttermilk for 15 minutes. Stir in eggs, sugar, oil, applesauce and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir into oat mixture just until moistened. Fill prepared muffin tin three-fourths full. Sprinkle with chocolate chips, if using. Bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool in pan 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

TWD - Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

2009-07-28T19:04:00.004-04:00

Vanilla, to some, is synonymous with boring, plain and ordinary. To me, it is often what brings flavors together. Very rarely does a recipe let vanilla shine as the star ingredient. In the Vanilla Bean Ice Cream that Lynne of Cafe Lynnylu chose for this week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe, it shines, shines, shines!

I haven't been blogging a lot lately (summer + 3 kids = no time for mommy) but I couldn't let this week go by without taking my ice cream maker out of the freezer. I had to wait until the last minute to make the ice cream, but I am so glad I did make it! It is THE best vanilla ice cream EVER. Period.

Don't take my word for it though, go check out Lynne's blog and get the recipe. You can also visit the ever growing number of blogs on the Tuesdays with Dorie blogroll for more inspiration. I'm pretty sure a few of them might have added a few things to make vanilla even more interesting, to them. Then give your ice cream maker a workout. And when you finally get to taste THE best vanilla ice cream EVER, you won't be able to get that smile off your face. Trust me.

Local Strawberries, Finally! (Strawberry Scones Recipe)

2009-07-11T09:22:00.006-04:00

For me, Summer doesn't officially start with the last day of school, or the day the municipal pools open, not even when the sun has shined for one whole week in a row. No, for me, Summer officially starts when we go to the farmer's market and half the stalls there are filled with baskets full of the plumpest, juiciest, reddest local strawberries. Ah, Québec strawberries, how I love those little jewels!

We usually eat most of them strait out of the basket, unadulterated, no sugar, nothing. But, the few that are left will most likely end up in baked goods. I like making strawberry muffins, but one morning I felt like trying scones. I was concerned that the berries would make the scone dough too wet, but the scones ended up being just temptingly moist. So tempting the whole batch was gone in a flash. Looks like it's time for a trip to the market!

Strawberry Scones
2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup fresh strawberries, diced
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
Coarse or granulated sugar, for sprinkling

In a large bowl mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add strawberries, and mix carefully to coat them in flour.

Add buttermilk, one egg and one egg yolk (reserve the white). Mix until blended, trying not to crush the berries. Drop dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead delicately, just until the dough comes together.

With floured hands pat dough into a 1/2 inch thick circle. Transfer to a parchment paper lined baking sheet and with a sharp knife, score dough into 12 slices (as with a pie).

Brush top with reserved egg white and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake in preheated 425°F oven for about 20 minutes. Serve warm.

I'm still here...

2009-06-28T21:37:00.003-04:00

Yes, I am still here and I have been neglecting this poor little blog of mine and my dear readers (if I have any left)... It's not that I haven't been cooking, baking or taking any pictures, it's just that I never seem to get around to posting anything. Something always seems to get in the way. That's life for ya!

I hope to get around to posting some of the fantastic stuff I have waiting on my hard disk. Whoopie Pies, a delicious Pad Thai, preserved lemons, Pioneer Woman's Prune Cake, a variation on these Mango Muffins, Osso Bucco, Strawberry Scones and blue potato chips are all waiting for me to write up a post and give them their 15 minutes of fame. So, if you could, please let me know which of these you'd like to hear about first. That might just give me the incentive I need to get writing.

In the mean time, I leave you with a rerun and a few pics I took with my new lens, the 50mm f1.8 from Canon, also known as the Nifty Fifty. And as of now, I think I'm in love. :)

TWD - Maple-Peach Ice Cream

2009-06-16T08:47:00.002-04:00

Actually, it was Honey-Peach Ice Cream that Tommi of Brown Interior chose for us this week for Tuesdays with Dorie. But, I only like honey in small doses. So I went with maple syrup. It's very subtle in the ice cream and the peaches really stand out.

This ice cream is a treat, that's for sure! Check out Tommi's blog for the recipe and the rest of the Tuesdays with Dorie gang for more tempting, summery treats.

TWD - Parisian Apple Tartlet

2009-06-09T13:51:00.003-04:00

This week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe has to be the simplest one to be chosen, at least since I joined in the fun! Puff pastry, apples, a little sugar and butter and you're done! I was a little bit disappointed in the puff pastry I bought. I got it at a local bakery but I think it had been in the freezer a bit too long because it didn't puff up quite as much as I had expected. And I must not have used enough sugar, my tarts turned out a bit bland. Oh, well, nothing a gigantic scoop of vanilla ice cream can't fix!

Visit Jessica's blog, My Baking Heart for this week's recipe and the rest of the Tuesdays with Dorie gang for tartlets galore!

TWD - Cinnamon Bundt Cake

2009-06-02T15:17:00.003-04:00

Chocolate, cinnamon and espresso powder combined in a beautiful, moist and delicious cake. That's what Tracey chose for us this week for Tuesdays with Dorie, and to think I almost didn't make it! It was supposed to be square, but I made it as a bundt. Just for fun. :)

Don't make the same mistake I did, trust Dorie. Get the recipe from Tracey's blog, Tracey's Culinary Adventures, and make this cake! Now!

TWD - Chipster-Topped Brownies

2009-05-26T09:13:00.003-04:00

I wanted to love these, I really did. I was so excited to see that Beth of Supplicious had chosen the Chipster-Topped Brownies as this week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe. I mean, a brownie topped with a chocolate chip cookie dough... Where does Dorie come up with these ideas?!

But in the end, I was underwhelmed. The brownie, which contains soooo much chocolate, was just meh, and the cookie crust sort of detached from the brownie, so it was like eating a chocolate chip cookie on top of a brownie, literally. Maybe I just had too high expectations for this recipe, I haven't had any feedback yet as Martin took the rest of the brownie to work today. We'll see what his taste-testers have to say. Check out Beth's blog for the recipe and the Tuesdays with Dorie website to see how the other bakers fared this week!

TWD - Fresh Mango Muffins

2009-05-19T08:43:00.001-04:00

I have a weird relationship with mangoes. I want to like them but they always seem to have this funny aftertaste that I just can't get used to. So, when I saw that Kelly of Baking with the Boys had chosen Fresh Mango Bread for this week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe, what I first tried to do was make the bread with another kind of fruit. I made lemon Raspberry bread, which was very good, but not photogenic at all! Then, when we went grocery shopping last weekend, there were mangoes on sale so I thought: "What the heck!" and threw caution to the wind.

I did cut the recipe in half though and make muffins, just in case the lime zest, cinnamon and ginger didn't hide the taste of the mango quite enough and I used slivered almonds instead of raisins for an added crunch. And now, I'm sort of sad I didn't make the entire recipe. What a great muffin! Very moist and tender from the mango, even more so the day after they're baked, and the spices and zest really make it interesting. And, I guess the mango loses its funny aftertaste after it's baked... Or, I just got mangoes without aftertaste, who knows?

I can see making this muffin with raspberries or blueberries or even pineapple chunks. Different every time but still delicious, I'm sure. So go check out Kelly's blog for the recipe and visit the other Tuesdays with Dorie members for further inspiration!

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

2009-05-07T10:46:00.004-04:00

Sometimes I get frustrated that I don't have a designated space for taking the photos I use on this blog. I wish I could have a place where all my bowls and spoons and plates and cups were right there when I need them and all my place mats and napkins and table cloths were always nicely ironed and ready to use. I wish I didn't have to clear the kitchen table of the crayons and papers and sippy cups and crumbs from breakfast or lunch.

But, other times, I just roll with it. I am, after all, a mom of three with the youngest, a soon to be 2 year old, getting way ahead of herself with the "terrible twos". So I just pop the cooling muffin tray on the table with the doodles and the crayons and I take the photos that I need. And sometimes, it doesn't turn out half bad. You have to go with what life gives you, right?

So if life gave you a few lemons, buttermilk you need to use up and poppy seeds you got for some dish ages ago and you have no idea what to do with, try these muffins, won't you? They're moist and fragrant and the perfect thing to wake up to on a cold and rainy morning.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (Adapted from Tammy’s Recipes)

2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 egg
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons lemon zest (the zest from about two large lemons)
1/4 cup melted butter
1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.

In a smaller bowl combine the sugar and lemon zest. Rub them together until the sugar is slightly moist and fragrant. Add the egg, the butter, the buttermilk and the vanilla. Mix well.

Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, and stir just until moistened. Do not over mix. The batter will be fairly thick.

Divide batter evenly into 12 paper-lined or greased muffin cups. Bake muffins on rack in the middle of the oven for 20-25 minutes, until muffins test done.

Allow muffins to cool in pan for about 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.

TWD - Tiramisu Cake

2009-05-05T13:17:00.005-04:00

I went back and forth a lot on this one as I've never had Tiramisu but the concept has always intrigued me. To me it's sort of a cross between a cake and a cheesecake with coffee flavor thrown in the mix. Megan of My Baking Adventures chose this recipe for us Tuesdays with Dorie bakers to try this week and I'm glad I finally decided to make it.

It's not a very difficult cake to make, it just has a few different components and once everything is put together it needs time to rest a little so you need to think ahead if you want to make this for your next dinner party. The cake part is a straight forward vanilla flavored cake that, once baked and cooled, you soak with a coffee flavored syrup. Next time I make this, I'll make more syrup as I thought the finished product was a bit dry. I was expecting a much moister cake. Then, you make a filling and frosting consisting of mascarpone cheese, whipped cream, sugar and espresso extract. That's the cheesecake part. I was supposed to finely chop some chocolate to sandwich in between the two cakes but it was late when I put the cake together and I totally forgot. Oh, well, next time, right?

By the way, that little hand there in the background of the second picture? That's Olivia, "helping" me. Maybe she'll be a food stylist when she grows up... In any case, the cake went over well with the tasters at my house. Martin even said that it reminded him of a Tiramisu he'd had at a restaurant a long time ago. Isn't that sweet? He took half the cake in to work to share with his co-workers. Thank goodness! I don't even want to know how many calories are in a slice of that cake. Maybe it's just as well I forgot the chocolate, huh? I'll let you know how the cake went over with his co-workers, as soon as I find out... In the mean time, check out Megan's blog for the recipe and take a look at what the rest of the Tuesdays with Dorie gang came up with. There's bound to be a few creative Tiramisu Cakes out there today!

EDIT: It seems Martin's co-workers enjoyed the cake! Yay! I think I might send more goodies their way very, very soon... :)

TWD - Chocolate Ice Cream

2009-04-28T06:46:00.002-04:00

So this week's Tuesdays with Dorie was supposed to be a Chocolate Cream Tart as chosen by Kim of Scrumptious Photography. But, as I read the P&Q section, Katya of Second Dinner suggested that the pastry cream used in the pie made excellent ice cream. And, as my ice cream maker was feeling a bit left out lately, I decided it was time to let it shine! It didn't hurt that I was saving myself the calories from the pie crust and whipped cream topping either...

Well, in any case, Katya was right! This makes the most fantastic chocolate ice cream I've ever tasted. A little caramel drizzled in at the last minutes of churning also adds a little "je ne sais quoi"... Really makes this a special treat! So if you're in the mood for something easy, chocolaty, creamy and cold, go for the ice cream. If you're looking for something a little more dressed up and classy, check out the other Tuesdays with Dorie bakers for Chocolate Cream Tarts galore. Have fun today!

California Rolls or Beginner Sushi

2009-04-24T10:00:00.000-04:00

One very good thing about having friends who love to bake/cook/eat as much as I do is that sometimes they make me discover something that I might not have tried out for myself. Take sushi, for example. Martin loves sushi, but when he had it for the first time, at a party at work, I was pregnant and raw fish just wasn't something that was very appetizing, at the time.

Fast forward almost 2 years and a friend invites the kids and I for dinner as both our guys would be working late and wouldn't that be a good excuse to get together, have a glass of wine and just talk each others' ears off. She had recently tried making sushi and she was so excited to make some for us and show me how easy it was. I was very intrigued and let me tell you, it is easy and really, really delicious! She made a few variations of California rolls, no raw fish, and I was hooked! I didn't think you could make so many different kinds of rolls; there was imitation crab, spicy shrimp, smoked salmon and vegetarian. Needless to say, I couldn't wait to try making some myself so, the next weekend, I got everything I needed and set up shop!

These days you don't really need to go to a specialty store to get ingredients for your sushi. Most supermarkets even have little sushi shops where you can buy the rolls already made or ask the sushi chef for tips and tricks. I've found that they're always happy to help, even if they do seem to find it a little odd that you'd want to make sushi yourself when you can buy it right then and there. Imagine if I had tried to bring my camera and take pictures in the supermarket, that would have gotten me a few weird looks!

Please remember that I am by no means an expert, and there are a lot of more experienced sushi makers out there with how-to posts you can check out too. But I had fun making these and I'll try to show you how I made my sushi and maybe you'll be intrigued and try to make some too. If I could do it, anyone can!

What you'll need for each roll:
1 sheet of nori
1 cup of cooked sushi rice*
Black sesame seeds, or regular sesame seeds, roasted
Grated carrots
Cucumber, sliced lengthwise into thin strips
Avocado, sliced thinly
Your choice of smoked salmon, shrimp or imitation crab
Cream cheese, if you're using smoked salmon
Fried egg roll wrappers, crushed (adds a little crunch)

You can make things easier on yourself by having all of your ingredients ready and close-by, because once you start you don't want to have to run around looking for this and that. Also, a good trick is to wrap your bamboo rolling mat with plastic wrap before you start, it'll make it a lot easier to clean. Oh, and have a bowl of water near by so you can wet your hands from time to time, otherwise you'll end up with sticky rice everywhere.

Place a sheet of nori on your bamboo mat (shiny side down) and spread 1 cup of rice on top of it, leaving a 1 inch space at the end. Sprinkle some black sesame seeds onto the rice. Arrange your choice of ingredients into a strip and start rolling at the edge closest to you. Use the bamboo mat to roll the sushi firmly. You can use a few drops of water at the seem to help the seaweed to stick at the end of the roll.

Use a sharp knife to cut the roll into about 8 pieces. It's easier if you cut the roll in half and then cut the ends into equal pieces. Serve the sushi with soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger.

The variations for the rolls are endless. You can make a shrimp salad using a little bit of hot sauce and mayonnaise and adding it to chopped shrimp. You can spread a little cream cheese onto the rice before adding the smoked salmon. You can do all veggies and use red bell pepper for even more color and crunch. Use your imagination and have fun!

* For the sushi rice:
You absolutely have to use short grained rice. Use specialty sushi (or Japanese) rice. It's a lot like Arborio rice, the kind used for risotto. In a saucepan, add 1 1/4 cup of water and 1 cup of sushi rice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes, without stirring, until rice is tender and still shiny. Now here's where it gets interesting. To the cooked rice you can add 3 tablespoons of rice vinegar and 1 teaspoon of sifted confectioner's sugar. I didn't add the vinegar or the sugar as I wasn't sure I would like it but I might try it next time. You can then place the rice in a bowl or spread it on a baking sheet and let it cool to room temperature.

TWD - Four Star Chocolate Bread Pudding

2009-04-21T09:00:00.000-04:00

I've always thought of bread pudding as one of the most perfect of comfort foods but I'd never have thought to pair it with chocolate. It's usually cinnamon, raisins, cranberries, pecans and such for me. But thanks to Lauren of Upper East Side Chronicle (A Baking Blog), and Dorie, of course, I now know the joys of Chocolate Bread Pudding.

As I usually do for bread pudding, I didn't just use stale bread, I used stale cinnamon rolls from this little coffee shop we go to sometimes. The hint of cinnamon went really well with the chocolate, it gave it even more depth. And the richness of the cinnamon rolls made this even more sinful than it already was! Just as last week's Chocolate Amaretti Torte though, this recipe is for the serious chocolate lover. I paired it with a light fruit salad, for color and contrast.

I'm sure all the other Tuesdays with Dorie bakers have many surprises in store for us this week in the way of fantastic bread pudding variations. So with that, please check out Lauren's blog for the Chocolate Bread Pudding recipe and may you all have a fabulously chocolaty day!

TWD - 15 Minute Magic: Chocolate Amaretti Torte

2009-04-14T06:35:00.001-04:00

Chocolate lovers, listen up! This torte is not only chocolaty, it is chocolate overload. But, in a good way. The fabulous Holly of Phe.Mom.enon chose 15 Minute Magic: Chocolate Amaretti Torte for us as this week's installment of Tuesdays with Dorie and all I can say is: Thank you, Holly! Hints of amaretto from pulverized amaretti cookies which, along with ground almonds, take the place of flour in this pleasantly dense and moist cake.

I was really happy to have my mom over this weekend and she was one of the lucky taste testers. She loved it, no, she raved about it, as did everyone else! Even the kids, and we all know that they already are in chocolate overload after being gifted an impressive amount of chocolate by the Easter Bunny. Not enough, it seems... The torte is, as its name implies, quite easy to pull together, even without the use of a food processor. Add almond scented whipped cream and a few crushed amaretti cookies for effect, and you end up with an impressive dessert for remarkably little work. Score!

Please visit Holly's blog Phe.Mom.enon for the recipe (and other fun stuff!) and don't forget to visit the rest of the Tuesdays with Dorie bakers for further inspiration!

Happy Easter with See's Candies!

2009-04-12T07:05:00.000-04:00

If your life has been as hectic as mine has lately, chances are you're enjoying a very well deserved long weekend with friends and family. I've been looking forward to this weekend for quite a while now, and it got even more interesting when I was contacted by See's Candies a few weeks ago and asked to sample their product. I had never heard about this company but after one look at their website I knew I had to say yes!

On the rainiest, coldest, most gray and dreary day last week, like a little ray of sunshine came a one pound (one pound!) custom mix box of See's Famous Old Time Candies. It took all the will power that I had to stop myself from tasting the candies right away, but I have to set an example for the kids, right? So, after dinner, we tasted what turned out to be some of the best chocolates we've ever had. Toffees, chocolate and coffee butter creams, nuts, caramels and marshmallows... You name it, it was in there. Seriously fantastic candy.

Now, I know there's no time for you to order anything for Easter, but, really, any occasion deserves a great box of chocolates. You could even order See's Candies for your next candy fundraiser. So go on and have a look at See's website and then enjoy a fabulous Easter day!

TWD - Raspberry-Lime Crumb Cake

2009-03-24T08:43:00.000-04:00

This is the kind of cake you want to wake up to on a Sunday morning. You want to slice off a piece and eat it right then and there, still warm, straight out of the pan, picking off chunks with your fingers, crumbs falling all over the place. And it's OK. Pair it with a steaming cup of coffee and you're ready to start your day.

This is the kind of cake that you don't mind eating leftovers of, warmed up slightly, with a huge scoop of your favorite vanilla ice cream, melting into the sweet, crunchy crumb. Sharing it makes it even tastier.

This is the kind of cake that you can't wait to make again with every kind of sweet, ripe, summer berry under the sun. Combined with orange, lemon or lime zest, you could have a different taste combination for just about any occasion.

Sihan of Befuddlement chose this versatile cake as this week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe. Please visit her blog! And check out the rest of the TWD gang for further crumb cake inspiration. Then grab your mixer and bake a crumb cake!

TWD - French Yogurt Cake

2009-03-17T08:27:00.004-04:00

The first time I tasted Yogurt Cake was at a friend's house. I was amazed at how moist and delicious it was. She was almost apologetic when she told me what kind of cake it was. "C'est juste un gâteau au yaourt"... It's just a yogurt cake...

The beauty of this cake is in its simplicity. You could do so many flavor variations. I made the lemon version, but used Ground Cherry and Vanilla Compote for the glaze. It was fantastic! I also made an orange version, using half the oil called for in the recipe and substituting unsweetened apple sauce for the rest. I made a simple syrup using orange juice and a little sugar in place of the glaze. It was just as moist and tender as the lemon version. We were almost fighting over the last slices! You could also add fresh or dried fruit, nuts, different jams or preserves for the glaze, endless possibilities!

The real secret to the wonderful citrus scent of the cake is in Dorie's special technique. The lemon (or orange) zest is rubbed into the sugar until the sugar is moist and fragrant. The oil from the zest permeates the sugar and its essence is then diffused throughout the cake, giving it a truly fantastic aroma.

So if you're looking for a last minute dessert or a sweet little afternoon snack to accompany your coffee or tea, I highly recommend that you visit Liliana over at My Cookbook Addiction for the recipe. Might I also suggest that you check out the rest of the Tuesdays with Dorie bakers? A little something tells me there might be a few interesting variations of Yogurt Cake floating about the web today.

TWD - Lemon Cup Custard

2009-03-10T08:47:00.000-04:00

This week, Bridget of The Way the Cookie Crumbles chose Lemon Cup Custard as our Tuesdays with Dorie recipe. A simple recipe which, according to many of the bakers chiming in on the P&Q page, needed a little boost of flavor. The custard was seemingly lacking in the lemony flavor department. I decided to split the recipe in half and do one half lemon and one half orange. I added a good dose of Organic Essential Oils (from Aliksir) to the custard base, both orange and lemon, and doubled the amount of zest, but the citrusy taste was still very understated.

I decided this dessert needed a little dressing up, so I used Megan's idea and bruléed the top of a few of the custards. It was very good, but didn't add the pucker inducing citrus flavor the custards needed. So I made a little orange and lemon flavored gelatin (sorry I can't give you quantities, I totally eyeballed this part) and poured it on top of two of the custards, which I had baked in cute little, oven-proof cups.

The lemon flavor was perfect. The gelatin added just the perfect amount of sour-sweet to the silky, creamy custard. The orange was very good too, but didn't have anything really special about it, it was just, orangy.

In the end, the custard was very good all by itself, just don't go expecting anything too citrusy. Just a very good, creamy, satisfying dessert. I'll be making this again for sure, the custard base is so easy, it can be used for different flavor combinations and I can't wait to try a few. Please visit Bridget's blog for the recipe and the rest of the Tuesdays with Dorie gang for many a variation on the custard theme.