Wine Jelly

Wine Jelly

•2 cups wine
•3 cups granulated sugar
•3 ounces liquid pectin

Directions
1.Stir sugar into the wine and warm in a stainless steel pan until sugar is dissolved.
2.Remove from heat and stir in pectin being very careful to dissolve pectin completely.
3.Pour into small jars and keep refrigerated.

So yummy!! I got wine jelly from a girlfriend for my birthday last year (great gift idea by the way!!) and it was just amazing!

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.

Baking Blitz: Chocolate Chip Cookies All The Way From Oz

When I lived in Australia a friend of mine there gave me this recipe. I don’t know why but I’ve always had a hard time getting the basic chocolate chip cookie right- not to soft, not too hard, but oh so good.

With this recipe I never have trouble and I end up with some soft (if I want them that way) oh so tasty cookies!

1 cup Butter
¾ cup Sugar
¾ cup Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp Baking Soda (dissolved in 1 tsp Hot Water)
1 tsp Salt
Vanilla
1 cup Oats
2 ½ cup Flour
1 cup Chocolate Chips

Heat oven to 350. Cream together butter and both sugars. Add eggs, baking soda, and vanilla. Add the flour, mix until smooth. Add the oat and chocolate chips.

Tip: I usually add cinnamon to my cookie mix; it adds a nice subtle flavour.

Have any good ideas, or substitutes for this....share them, leave a comment, I’d love to hear from you!!

Baking Blitz: Marshmallow Fondant

When I was prepping for my wedding I wanted to make cupcakes for my social with fondent icing! I looked it up a few times and only found really complicated recipes. I was starting to lose hope (and I wasn’t going to cave and use the readymade stuff! ick!) but then I found this recipe! Its super easy, take some strength, and literally getting your hands dirty but it’s so worth it in the end! The fondant was a huge hit, and my cupcakes with pink heart cut outs were some of the best I’ve made yet!

16 ounces white mini-marshmallows (use a good quality brand)
2 to 5 tbsp Water
2 pounds Icing Sugar 1/2 cup Crisco Shortening

Melt marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of water in a microwave or double boiler: Put the bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds, open microwave and stir, back in microwave for 30 seconds more, open microwave and stir again, and continue doing this until melted. It usually takes about 2 1/2 minutes total. Place 3/4 of the powdered sugar on the top of the melted marshmallow mix; mix in gently.

Now grease your hands GENEROUSLY (palms, backs, and in between fingers), then heavily grease the counter you will be using and dump the bowl of marshmallow/sugar mixture in the middle.

Start kneading like you would bread dough. Keep kneading (it is really sticky at this stage!) Add the rest of the powdered sugar and knead some more. Re-grease your hands and counter when the fondant starts sticking. If the mix is tearing easily, it is too dry, so add water (about 1/2 tablespoon at a time and then knead it in).
Add food coloring if you would like it a different color other than white.
When the fondant is all mixed well roll out to do cut outs for cupcakes or for covering a whole cake.

Tip: This fondant does great in the fridge. If you find it’s a little hard or dry add a little water until it’s the desired workability. (I still have some left!)

Have any good ideas, or substitutes for this....share them, leave a comment, I’d love to hear from you!!

Baking Blitz: Cookie fudge

I tried this one out and wow, yum!! I added sour cream to mine and ended up with a fudge that did set (ops!) but I put it in the freezer and add it to the top of ice cream and it’s so delicious! It’s one of the easiest fudge recipes I have tried, and it’s super chocolaty.

1 pkg. (8 squares) Semi-Sweet Chocolate (or use chocolate chips)
1 can (300 ML) Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 tsp Vanilla
10 Oreo Cookies, chopped (Fudgios also are great!)

Microwave chocolate and condensed milk in large bowl for 2 to 3 minutes or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring after each minute. Add vanilla; mix well. Stir in chopped cookies.

Line 8-inch square pan with foil or wax paper, with ends of foil extending over sides. Spread chocolate mixture into pan.

Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. Use foil handles to lift fudge from pan before cutting into 1-inch squares.

Have any good ideas, or substitutes for this....share them, leave a comment, I’d love to hear from you!!

Baking Blitz: Skor Bars

A friend of mine in high school used to make these all the time, and oh so well and finally I decided it was my turn (after, what, 6 years?). I think I remember trying it once and I messed it up (don’t ask me how!) so I hadn’t tried again.

I don’t know what happened the first time, but this is such an easy and amazing recipe and probably a lot healthier (but still not healthy) for you then what’s in a real Skor bar.

35 Soda Crackers
1 cup Brown Sugar
2 cup Butter
2 tsp Vanilla
1 ½ cups Chocolate Chips

Heat over to 350
Line cookie sheet with foil (I prefer wax paper). Place a single layer of soda crackers, salted side up, on the cookie sheet, trimming if necessary.

In a saucepan, bring to a boil: brown sugar and butter. Boil for about 3 minutes; stir constantly. Remove from heat, add vanilla. Pour over crackers, covering completely. Bake for 5 minutes or until very bubbly. While still hot cover with chocolate chips. Let stand for about 5 minutes, or until chips are melted; spread to cover surface. Refrigerate or freeze until hard; cut into pieces.

Baking Blitz: Waffles!

When Marshall and I were in Europe they had the most amazing waffles! They were smaller then what we usually see out here, but rectangular and usually served with whip cream and Galati! We had them when ever we had the chance and wow I want one right now! (The best city for them was Florence right by the gold smith area of town, neat the main cannel)

Since we’ve been home I’ve tried as few times to replicate them but I haven’t done it yet. I’ve gotten close but not perfected it yet! If I do get to the perfect European waffle I’ll post again about it, but for now here’s a really great recipe for waffles.

1 ¾ cup Flour
1 tbsp Baking Powder
1 tbsp Sugar
½ tsp Salt
3 (large) Eggs
¼ cup Butter
1 ½ Milk

Whisk together milk, butter, and eggs. Put all dry ingredients into a bowl and mix together with a fork. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add milk mix; beat together.

Tip: Take out some of the wet ingredients to make a thicker mix: easier to work with and it often tastes a little better too.

Tip: When you’ve completed the mix add some chunks of brown sugar and mix throughout. When you cook the waffles they melt into a nice sugary glaze.

Have any good ideas, or substitutes for this....share them, leave a comment, I’d love to hear from you!!

Baking Blitz: Rum Balls

I got home Friday night and had had a frustrating time getting home and getting a few things done on the way (couldn’t get my SIN card name change done for the three time, and I was 20 minutes late for a chiropractor appointment because of traffic and construction) so I decided to bake to take my mind off of it. I picked two recipes and got started. Instead of using the mix master I used my whisk to take out some of the anger on the mix (it helped!).

1 cup Graham Wafer Crumbs
1 ½ cups Chopped Nuts
1 cup Icing Sugar
2 tbsp. Cocoa (or not to taste)
3 tbsp. milk or cream (soya or rice milk works too)
2 ½ tbsp. Light Corn Syrup (or just normal syrup if you don’t have light)
1 tbsp. rum flavoring (or rum to taste)
Chocolate Sprinkles, Flaked Coconut or Sugar

Combine wafer crumbs, walnuts, sugar and cocoa. Stir well. Add cream, syrup, and rum flavoring. Mix well. Shape into 1inch balls. Roll in chocolate sprinkles, coconut or sugar. Store in fridge or freezer. Makes 2 ½ dozen.

Tip: If you don’t want rum flavored balls, try coconut, milk, or peanut flavoring.

Have any good ideas, or substitutes for this....share them, leave a comment, I’d love to hear from you!!

Baking Blitz: Raisin Bran Flaxseed Muffins

For some reason I have a lot of trouble with my digestion. I tried so many different things and it didn`t seem to get much better (unless I was taking so many vitamins that I didn`t have enough money to get groceries!) One of my good friends Sara told me I needed a lot more bran and flaxseed (she’s very smart with that sort of stuff! She gives great health advice). I searched for a good recipe that really gave me what I needed and ended up modifying one that I found and wow, does it work! They muffins are full of fibre and super healthy for you! I have one every morning for breakfast and they take me (energy wise) all the way till lunch!


1/2 cup Quick Oatmeal
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
2 cup Oat Bran Flakes (you can find these in the baking section)
1/2 cup Honey
1 Egg
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 cup Flax Seeds
1 tsp. Baking Soda (dissolved in milk)
1 cup Milk
1 cup Raisins
1 cup Water

Boil raisins in water with honey for approximately 5 minutes; mix all other ingredients together. Add raisins and water to mixture, stir well and pour into greased muffin tin bake for 30 minutes at 350°F.
Makes 12 muffins.

Have any good ideas, or substitutes for this....share them, leave a comment, I’d love to hear from you!!

Baking Blitz: Caramel Crispy Marshmallows

My mom used to always do this one with us over Christmas break when we were little, it was one of my favourites! I think I am going to do it with my husband this year when we have time off work over Christmas!

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c. butter
1 bag (8 oz.) caramels
1 bag (10 1/2 oz.) large marshmallows
5 c. Rice Krispies
Melt caramels, butter and sweetened condensed milk in top of double boiler. Dip large marshmallows into mixture and roll in Rice Krispies.

Tip: Great frozen too!
Tip 2: Try mixing it all together to make a bar!

Have any good ideas, or substitutes for this....share them, leave a comment, I’d love to hear from you!!

Baking Blitz: Marshmallow Peanut Butter Square

I couldn't find this recipe in any of my books, or online under any name I tried. Finally I in listed facebook, asked on my “What’s on your mind?” area and sure enough 4 of my friends knew a recipe! (I love facebook for that; if I don’t know something all I have to do is ask and someone out there can help me, it’s great!) So in case you were in the same spot I was and couldn’t find a recipe, or you’ve never tried it before (you have to now, it’s amazing!) here you go! Enjoy!


2 pkg. butterscotch chips, or peanut butter chips
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter or margarine
4 cups miniature marshmallows (the colored ones are the best)

Place the first 3 ingredients into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 1-1/2 minutes, then stir. Microwave for an additional 1-1/2 minutes. Continue at 30 second intervals until melted. Stirring in between each setting. Let cool a couple of minutes and add 4 cups marshmallows and stir well. Pour into a 9 x 13 inch pan and spread evenly. Let cool completely, then cut into squares.

Option: you could also do the melting in a double boiler, or just a pot if you don’t like doing things in a microwave

Have any good ideas, or substitutes for this....share them, leave a comment, I’d love to hear from you!!

Baking Blitz Starts Now

So lately I have been on this baking and cooking kick (I think it has something to do with getting married and doing the nesting thing). I’ve always really liked baking and the fun things you can come up with.

When I was little, every chance I got I took to be in the kitchen with my mom helping create something and I’ve learned a lot of my skills from her (including using your eye instead of cups and spoons for measuring!). Throughout high school I took all the cooking courses I could as well (where they didn’t like it too much when I didn’t follow the recipes to a t).

With that said, I thought I would post some of my favourite recipes from the past, new ones I’ve discovered lately, and any other fun I have in the kitchen. November and December to me are months of great baking, Christmas and the like, and I figured I’d get on that too! This year my goal is to make all sorts of different holiday treats and fill my freezer with them as I go (and to not gain weight in all of it, which be the harder goal!).

So keep reading, there will be lots of sweet things to come!