Coconut Popsicles

So my friend Sara is a bit of a health freak (in a good way) and sent me this recipe.
I haven't had a chance to try it yet, but I thought sharing it would still work right?
She has always steered me in the right direction and she says they're great! If
you get to them before me let me know what you think!

Coconut Pops

1 cup coconut milk
1 tbsp Baileys Irish Cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp shredded coconut

Pore into Popsicle molds, insert stick, put in freezer.

Enjoy!

Meat Loaf

I know, a lot of you think it's gross (I know I for sure did growing up) but if you're not much for veggies, this is a great way to get them and not even notice!

3/4 cup Oats
1/2 cup Milk

1/2 cup Beef Broth

1 cup Carrots (graded)

1 cup Zucchini (graded)

1/4 cup Celery (graded)
2 1/2 lbs. Ground Beef
1/4 cup Onion (chopped)
1 eggs

Salt

Pepper

1/2 tsp Sage

1/2 tsp Thyme

Mix all the wet ingredients. Add veggies; mix. Add beef; mix well. Press into loaf pans, cover with tin foil and cook at 350 for 45 minutes. Uncover and put back in the oven for 10 minutes to brown.

Enjoy!

Vegan Red Velvet Cake

I wasn't aware that vegan baking could be or look so good until I found this blog! The Gluttonous Vegan has some amazing recipes and great step-by-steps on how to do it all.

You'll need:

1 cup soy milk

1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp red food colouring (look out for the one where the colour is made from Red #40 (coal derivative) not cochineal/carmine (bug derivative)

For the frosting:

1/2 cup vegan margarine

1/4 cup soy milk

2 1/2 - 3 cups icing sugar

1 tiny drop of the red food colouring

Here's the ingredients, but to know how to make it you're just going to have to go to her site!

Simply Yummy, Simple Cheese Ball

I love cheese balls! And for me the simpler the better!

• 
  
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 (1 ounce) package ranch dressing mix
• 2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans (or almonds)

Directions

In a medium size bowl, mash cream cheese. Mix dressing mix and Cheddar cheese into the cream cheese. Shape the mixture into a ball. Roll the ball in the chopped nuts. Refrigerate covered until ready to serve. Yum!

Coffee Jell-o?!

I follow a blog called the Food Librarian and I found this great recipe the other day and just had to share it! I'll go on record that I hate coffee but my husband loves it and I'm for sure going to make this as a treat for him sometime!

Coffee Jello / Coffee Gelatin
1/2 c cold water
2 cups strong coffee, hot.
I used two packages of Starbucks Via. The coffee needs to be strong. This isn't the time for Sanka instant. :) 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
3 packages of Knox unflavored gelatin


1. Place 1/2 c cold water in a bowl.
2. Sprinkle 3 unflavored gelatin packets over the water. Let sit until the gelatin blooms, about 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the hot coffee and mix until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
4. Stir in the can of sweetened condensed milk.
5. Pour into glass pan. Thickness of finished jello depends on the size of the pan. I used a 7 x 11 pan but a 9 x 13 pan will give you thinner pieces and an 8 x 8 pan will give you thicker pieces.

Note: The combo of coffee and sweetened condensed milk is inspired by Vietnamese coffee. You can probably adapt this to use coffee or espresso, cream and sugar (be sure to dissolve the sugar in the hot coffee and gelatin). I find that 1 packet of unflavored gelatin will firm up 1 1/2 cups of liquid to finger jello "strength" (according to David Lebovitz's "How to Use Gelatin" post you can mold 2 cups with one envelope - but I feel finger jello needs to be stronger).

Pineapple Tarts

Don't these look great? I would likely eat them all!! At East Meets West there are so many more super tasty looking recipes to chose from.

The Pineapple Jam :

700g Pineapple slices (I used canned Indonesian pineapples)
180g Sugar

1 small Cinnamon bark

4-5 whole Cloves

1/2 Tsp Vanilla extract

Juice of half a Lemon

2-3 Pandan leaves

The Pastry Base :

400g Flour (sifted)
250g Butter (cold, cubed)

Pinch of Salt

4 Tbsp Sugar

3 Egg yolks (one for glazing - optional - I didn't bother)

Less than 1/4 cup Cold Water

For the how to's you're going to have to check out the post yourself : )

All the Recipes You Need to Have a Crepes Breaky

A little while ago we had some friends over for a crepes brunch and, well I hadn’t made crepes too often, so I had to do a little searching for a recipe for the events, and in turn I found some other really great things to go along with it. Writing this post is making me want the meal all over again! Yum!

CREPES

3 lg. eggs, beaten

2 tbsp. melted butter

2/3 c. milk

1/3 c. water

1 c. flour

1/4 tsp. Salt

Mix well. Let stand in refrigerator 1 hour. Lightly grease large skillet with butter. Pour 2 or 3 tablespoons of batter into pan, quickly tilt. Cook until golden. Remove to warm platter or preheated 250 degree oven.

CUSTARD SAUCE

2 egg yolks, beaten

1 c. milk, scalded

2 tbsp. sugar

2 tbsp. Brandy

Beat egg yolks with the sugar and add a little of the hot milk. Combine with remaining milk and cook over hot water (not boiling), stirring occasionally, until mixture coats a metal spoon in an even layer. Cool and flavor with the brandy. Pour over fruit.

RASPBERRY SAUCE

7 (12 oz.) pkgs. frozen raspberries, thawed

1/2 c. sugar (or to taste)

Framboise or raspberry flavored liqueur to taste

Puree the raspberries in food mill; blender or food processor. Pass the puree through a sieve to remove the seeds. Stir in the sugar and the Framboise or liqueur. Yield: 7 cups.

Tip: Sucre Crème would be Amazing with this too!!

An Attempt at Lamb Chops with a Wine White Glaze

The other day I was grocery shopping and I bought lamb. I didn’t really have a plan other than seeing it and being “oh, yum, lamb!” When I unpacked everything at home I realized I didn’t really know how to cook it.

A day or so later I decided it was time and that I needed to cook it up for lunch. I looked through my cooking book and found a recipe that I thought I could likely do, but then I realized I didn’t have most of the ingredients and that I didn’t know what a couple of them even were!

I racked my brain for a little while and tried to still make it work (it was -35 and I really didn’t want to go out to get different ingredients). I was worried but it turned out amazingly and it was one of the best lamb I have ever had!

I’ve been told that cooking lamb is tricky but it was so easy, tasted so so good and the sauce was wonderfully flavourful.

So I thought for those of you that have always wanted to try this but were maybe intimidated, I would post the actual recipe, and then the way I did it, with my make-shift substitutions.

Original Recipe
¼ cup dry White Wine
2 tbsp. Cold Butter
4 tbsp. Meat Glaze
2 tsp. Marjoram or Oregano
Salt
Pepper
2 tbsp. Olive Oil
Lamb Chops

My Alternative
¼ cup White Wine from Santorini (It was the only dry white I had)
2 tbsp. Cold Butter
4 tbsp. Beef Broth (Just the powder stuff, in 4 tbsp boiling water)
2 tsp. Summer Savoury (I was all out of Oregano)
Salt
Pepper
2 tbsp. Olive Oil
6 small Lamb Chops
Salt and pepper both sides of lamb chops. Heat sauce pan; add olive oil. When oil starts to smock put in the chops. If the chops are thicker cook for up to 5 minutes (on each side). If they are thinner cook for up to 2 minutes (on each side).

When they are done put aside on a covered plate to keep warm. Whip out the pan to take out any burnt fat. Add the wine and boil for 30 seconds or until it reduces 3/4. Add the beef broth (or meat glaze) and let simmer and reduce to half.

Wisk in the butter, summer savoury (or marjoram or oregano), salt and pepper. Let simmer for 3-5 minutes.

Dish out the chops, spread a couple of spoonfuls of the glaze on the lamb and enjoy!

Mile High Mocha Mud Pie

I love mocha mud pie! When I was little after church we would always go to the Morden motor inn and I would convince my dad (almost every time) to let me have it for desert. I haven’t found a place that can do it as well, but this recipe seems to be pretty close!


□ 4 c. Vanilla Ice Cream (slightly softened)

□ 1 (9") ready-made Chocolate Pie Crust

□ 1/2 c. creamy Peanut Butter

□ 4 c. Mocha Almond Ice Cream (slightly softened)

□ 1 c. Chocolate Fudge Sauce (armed)

□ Whipped cream

□ 1/2 c. slivered Almonds

Spread vanilla ice cream evenly in pie crust, smoothing top; freeze 30 minutes.

In glass container in microwave or in small saucepan over low heat, melt peanut butter until smooth and spreadable; spread over vanilla ice cream. Freeze 30 minutes or until hardened.

Spread mocha-almond ice cream over peanut butter, mounding high toward center of pie; smooth surface. Freeze 6 hours or overnight.

To serve: Cut pie into 8 pieces. Top each piece with 2 tablespoons fudge sauce, whipped cream to taste, 1 tablespoon slivered Almonds.

Enjoy!

Carmel Corn Flake Bars

We were at some friends for New Year's Eve and they had these bars, and they are amazing!!

1 pkg (170grams) Mckintosh Candies

2 tbsp Butter

2 tsp Milk

3/4 cup Aliced Almonds

3/4 cup Corn Flakes

1/3 cup Flaked Coconut

1/2 Chocolate Chips

Step 1: Over med heat cook toffee, butter, and milk stirring often for about 10 min until meted and smooth. Immediately add almonds, corn flakes, coconut, peanuts.

Step 2: Press mixture into buttered square pan

Step 3: Melt chocolate chips and drizzle over the bar.

Marshall’s Birthday: Up-cycled Carrot Cake Trifle

So on Friday for Marshall’s 25th birthday party I tried to make him a two layer cake covered in fondant. I worked on it for an hour, and well, it turned out horribly. He loved it (because it tasted great!) but it was not at all presentable.

Having used up most of my time, and baking skills for the day I asked him if it was ok if I made a carrot cake trifle. (He said “sure, go for it!” I think he was just pumped he got two “cakes”)

I had taken almost a full carrot cake home from a party and put it in the freezer. It was going to get thrown out otherwise and I hate seeing food wasted. I wasn’t too sure when we would eat it, and I knew the icing wouldn’t be to pretty anymore when I took it out next, but I came up with a use for it in the end!

So if you have a left over birthday cake, or carrot cake, or any other sort of cake, but don’t want to through it out freeze it and try this the next time you have a party.


1 carrot cake (or left over cake of your chose)
1 pack of vanilla pudding
1 tub or whipped cream (or whip your own cream)

Mix your pudding and put in the fridge to set. Make your whipped cream and set aside.

Cut up your (frozen) cake into cubs and put in a bowl.
Get out a serving bowl and start layering: cake, pudding, cake, whip cream etc.

Finish with a little whip cream on the top.

If you’re wanting to do this trifle from scratch here’s a great carrot cake recipe!

Carrot Cake

I love carrot cake! I don’t make it very often but I think that’s for a lack of recipe. But now I have no excuse because I found this! I hope you like it as much as I do!

CAKE:
□ 2 eggs

□ 2/3 cups Vegetable Oil

□ 1 cups Sugar

□ 1 cups Flour

□ 1 tsp. Baking Soda

□ 1/2 tsp. Salt

□ 1 tsp. Cinnamon

□ 1 tsp. vanilla (optional)

□ 1 1/2 cups Carrots (grated)

□ 1/4 cups Pecans (chopped)

Beat eggs, mix with oil, then sugar. Combine dry ingredients then mix all together. Add grated carrots and pecans.

Bake at 350°F for about 25-30 minutes (depends on pan used) or until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out nearly clean.

Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
□ 1 lb. Icing Sugar (sifted)

□ 2 tbsp. Butter (softened)

□ 1 8-oz. pkg. Cream Cheese (softened)

□ 2 tsps. Vanilla

Combine butter and cream cheese. Stir in sugar and vanilla. And all that’s left is to ice the cake!

Enjoy!

If you want to make a trifle out of it check out this recipe.

Cucumber Sandwiches

To go along with our English tea here is a recipe to help you do your own!

Ingredients:

1 Cucumber

8 oz Cream cheese, softened

3 Green onion tops, chopped

1/2 Cup mayonnaise

2 Slices of bread

Dash garlic salt

Dash pepper

Tabasco to taste

How to make Cucumber Sandwich:

•Wash and grate the cucumber properly.
•Allow to drain over a paper towel.
•Mix cheese, mayonnaise, onion, Tabasco, salt and pepper.
•Add cucumber and mix well.
•Spread on a bread slice.
•Cover with another slice.
•Cucumber Sandwich is ready.

Taco Soup

At one of our family gatherings this year we didn’t do the usual turkey, stuffing, potatoes thing but rather soups!! At first I was a little sceptical of the idea; I mean it’s Christmas, Soup? Really? But it was great!! I think there were 10 different types and my favourite was the taco soup. I’m still working on my Aunt-in-law (is that how you say it?) to get her exact recipe but in the mean time here are a couple to temp you!


Hamburger Taco Soup:

1 to 1 1/2 lbs Hamburger
1 Onion (Small)
2 tins Diced Tomatoes
2 tins Water (from the tomato can)
2 tins Corn
Salt & Pepper (to taste)
1 1/2 packages Taco Seasoning
2 Tbsp Chili Powder
2 TBSP Sugar
3/4 Tsp Cumin (optional).
Brown the hamburger and onion (chopped). Set aside.

In a soup pot, add the rest of the ingredients; mix together. Add the hamburger and onion.

Simmer in pot and if needed, add more water OR a can of tomato soup AND water.

Serve with sour cream, and top it off with tortilla chips and grated cheese.......yyyuuuumm!!



Chicken Taco Soup:

This one seems to be the closest I can find to what was served at the gathering.


3 large chicken breasts
1 can chicken broth
1 package taco seasoning
1/2 block Velveeta (cubed)
1 can Salsa
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup (or cream of chicken)
4 cups of Water
1 bag chips of your choice (Doritos, or any tortilla)

Boil or simmer chicken, taco seasoning, and broth in water, until chicken is tender. Remove chicken for broth and set aside (to cool).

Add remaining ingredients to broth, and simmer. Take chicken out of broth and cut into cubes. Add back chicken and simmer on low for around 10 minutes.


Serve hot over chips of your choice with cheese on top. Enjoy!

Marshall’s Birthday: French Toast

I decided last night that everything I planned wasn’t quite enough so I thought I would make Marshall’s lunch and make him breakfast in bed. I wasn’t too sure how I was going to surprise him with this but thankfully he’s pretty out of it in the mornings when he first wakes up so me getting out of bed before him (and not hitting my snooze button 5 times) didn’t really make him wonder. If I would have through this through a little more I would have used a recipe like below (instead I just did 2 eggs beaten and the bead soaked in it..oh and I cooked them too!) and they would have looked like the picture posted, but I still make my man’s morning, and that’s what counts!

1/4 Flour
1 cup Milk
1 pinch Salt
3 Eggs
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Vanilla
1 tbsp Sugar
12 thick slices Bread

Measure flour into a large mixing bowl. Slowly whisk in the milk. Whisk in the salt, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla extract and sugar until smooth.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium heat.

Soak bread slices in mixture until saturated. Cook bread on each side until golden brown. Serve hot.

Marshall’s Birthday: The Asparagus Show Down

I got an overwhelming response when I asked my friends on facebook what was the best way to cook asparagus. Seeing as Marshall is not the hugest fan (cause he hasn’t had it done right very often) I had to make sure I picked a way that he would really like. I am leaning toward option two (what man doesn’t look bacon?) but we’ll see who wins in the end.


Option #1: Asparagus - Roasted

1 ½ Ib Aasparagus
2 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt

Preheat oven to 450.

Toss asparagus with olive oil. Lay asparagus in one layer on baking sheet. Roast 12-15 minutes, shaking twice during roasting.

Remove from oven and place on platter. Sprinkle with salt and serve.



Option #2: Asparagus Grilled Wrapped in Bacon

1 Ib Asparagus, ends trimmed
3Oz Bacon
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Lemon Juice
Salt & Pepper


Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and set aside.

Cut bacon slices lengthwise into 2 thin strips. Gather 2 to 3 asparagus spears and carefully tie bacon into a knot around asparagus bundle. Continue until all ingredients are used. Place asparagus bundles on prepared baking sheet.

In small bowl, whisk together olive oil and lemon juice. Drizzle over asparagus. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Roast in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes.

Marshall’s Birthday: Herbed Gourmet Potatoes

What better to go with steak then potatoes?

2lb Small Potatoes

4 tbsp Butter

1 tbsp Lemon Juice

1/2 tsp Salt

1 tbsp Rosemary

1 tbsp Parsley

Wash potatoes. Cut potatoes in half. Cook potatoes in boiling water 20 minutes or until just tender. Remove from heat, drain, and put in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.

Combine butter, lemon juice, salt, rosemary, and parsley; toss in with the cooked potatoes.

Place lid on the pan and let stand 3 to 4 minutes to release the flavor from the herbs. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Marshall's Birthday: Rib Eye Steak With Butter & Rosemary

Ok, so I watched this video, and I’m going to attempt it. I hope Marshall appreciates the effort (he will!) even if it doesn’t taste as good as I want it to.


I need:

Olive Oil
Garlic
Pepper
Salt
Butter
Rib Eye Steak
Fresh Rosemary


I’ll let you know how it goes! I’ve never been that great at steak, but maybe this will be the turning point? (I hope so!)

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

As usual when I have bananas that I just didn’t get to in time I make banana chocolate chip muffins. I know, it’s one of the simplest things to make but for some reason I often have trouble with them being too flat. I’ll be honest I’ve resorted to the package cakes mix from time to time to get the muffins the way I want...I know, shame on me. BUT this recipe has worked well for me every time! No more cake mix for my muffins, which of course is way healthier, and I’m all about that!



1 ½ cup Flour
1 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 cup Chocolate Chips
2 Eggs
2/3 cup Brown Sugar
1/3 cup Butter (soft)
5 Bananas

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin tips, set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine flours, baking powder, baking soda and chocolate chips; mix well.

In a large bowl, beat eggs lightly. Stir in brown sugar, butter and bananas. Blend well. Add flour mixture and gently fold together until dry ingredients are moistened.

Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.


Tip: I like to use the big chocolate chips; put a little less in but use the large ones. It makes it more like a cookie, and you can taste the difference between the banana and chocolate then.

Marshall’s Birthday: Oreo Cheesecake

My husband’s birthday is coming up, and I want to make it special. It’s his first birthday since we’ve been married, and it’s his 25th, so those two facts make it special already. I’m all about birthdays and really celebrating the person, so to start I’ll get to his heart, of course, through food!

I’m going to post all the things I plan to make for him for his birthday and the great thing about it is he’s not online very often so if he checked out my blog it will be way after the fact anyway!

So I thought I’d start backwards with desert!


Crust: Filling:
2 ½ cups Cookie Crumbles
4 tbsp. Butter

Filling:
4 (8 oz.) Cream Cheese

1 ½ cups Sugar

2 tbsp. Flour

4 Eggs, room temperature

3 lg. Egg Yolks, room temperature

1/3 cup Whipping Cream

2 tsp. Vanilla

1 ¾ cup Oreos, chopped
2 cup Sour Cream


Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Crust: Butter the spring form pan. Mix the crumbled cookies and the butter together and press into the bottom of the pan and 2/3 sides of pan. Refrigerate while mixing the filling.

Filling: Beat cream cheese with mixer until still smooth. Add 1 1/4 cups sugar and beat well for 3 minutes. Mix in flour while beating continuously add eggs and yolks mix until smooth. Beat in whipping cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Pour half the batter into the prepared crust. Sprinkle with chopped Oreos. Pour the remaining batter over that, some of the cookies may rise to the top. Place the pan on baking sheet.

Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, reduce heat to 225 degrees for 50 minutes. Remove cake from oven increase oven to 350 degrees. Stir together sour cream, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla. Spread over the cake and bake for 7 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool overnight. Can be refrigerated up to 3 days.

Tip: If you want a little more variety add some crushed up peanut butter cups!