hello dear friends and happy friYAY! These apple pies look so good, and I looked high and low for an apple recipe from my Mom but sadly, I cannot find one =( however, I did find a yummy apple squares recipe for you and hope you will try it and enjoy. take care and i hope you have a wonderful weekend. hugs, Nadia ♥

Apple Squares

3 eggs room temp

1 3/4 cup sugar

1 cup vege oil

2 cups sifted flour

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

(sift together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt)

1 cup chopped walnuts

5-7 apples sliced and each slice cut in 1/2

Beat eggs and sugar until thick and creamy, add oil, mix and add sifted dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly and add apples and nuts.

Bake at 350 degrees for one hour

Grease & floured pan 13x9x2

Cool, cut in squares

Enjoy with a nice cup of tea ♥

nigel slater's lemon & orange parfait www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/mar/07/nigel-slater...

a dessert with oodles of calories but delicious :)

500ml double cream whisked until soft and thick

8 tbsp lemon curd (homemade) www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/lemon_curd_68499

180g meringue (homemade) broken into pieces of various sizes flic.kr/p/2oapKrK

orange and lemon zest

all ingredients gently mixed together being careful not to overmix

spooned into a lined container

placed in freezer for minimum of four hours (can be kept in freezer for much longer)

finally, 30 minutes before serving, frozen lemon & orange parfait removed from the freezer

in the freezer, made from the same batch of ingredients, is another lemon & orange parfait the same size as above. maybe i should have halved the ingredients never mind it won't last long :)

notes

next time i'll try making it with natural yoghurt 10% cream www.aytacfood.co.uk/product/aytac-strained-yoghurt-1-kg/

once both lemon & orange parfaits are frozen, cut into slices, box and return to the freezer, each slice to be eaten as and when

lemon & orange parfait displayed on a large dinner plate

ps i'm not recommending any of these cookery adventures. they suit my taste. photographing to encourage myself to eat more healthily

www.flickr.com/groups/cooking_is_my_hobby/ helps to gather ideas and encourages me to continue with healthy eating by learning from others if you're interested in cooking, sometimes or a lot, or enjoy the cooking of others, you're always welcome ...

Boiled Raisin Cake

1, 15oz box raisins

1 cup sugar

1 1/3 cups water

1/2 cup margarine

In a saucepan, combine raisins, sugar, 1 1/3 cups water and 1/2 cup margarine.

Bring to a boil.

Remove from heat and let cool half an hour.

Mix together the following dry ingredients:

3 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cloves

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. allspice

2 tsp. nutmeg

When cool, add raisin mixture to the dry ingredients, then add:

Walnuts: 1 cup, chopped

1 tsp. vanilla or 1 tbsp. rum extract

2 eggs, beaten

Oven: 350 F

Transfer batter to two greased and floured 8x41/2-inch pan and bake about 55 minutes, until a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean and cake springs back when lightly touched in center.

I promised Brandi I would post photos and the recipe. :) Adapted from a Cooking Light recipe.

EASY CHICKEN ALFREDO LASAGNA.

1 box whole wheat lasagna (I used Gia Russa Egg Lasagna... really good-tasting whole wheat lasagna with NO BOILING necessary)

3 cups chopped cooked chicken breast

10 oz box of chopped spinach, defrosted and drained well

1 cup jarred roasted red sweet peppers, drained and chopped

1 cup fresh mushrooms, chopped

3 Tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

20 oz reduced-fat Alfredo sauce (they recommend refrigerated but my store didn't have it, so I ended up with some "light" Ragu alfredo... not toooo bad)

3/4 cup italian cheese blend (I used Kraft 2% variety)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

1. If you're using regular lasagna noodles, you will want to cook them as the package directs. Set aside.

2. Saute about 2 lbs of chicken breasts in a tablespoon of olive oil, seasoning with some salt and pepper and whatever other herbs inspire you. Let cool and then chop into chunks.

2. (optional) Saute mushrooms and spinach and red peppers on medium high until mushrooms look less raw. You can even brown them a little if you want. (I just don't like the raw mushroom texture, but you can omit this step or leave out mushrooms entirely.)

3. In a large bowl mix spinach, red peppers, mushrooms, chicken, alfredo sauce, black pepper and lemon juice.

4. In a 13" X 9" glass or ceramic baking dish lay out the lasagna noodles 3 or 4 at a time to form the bottom layer. Spread a third of the chicken mixture on top of these noodles. Layer 3-4 more noodles, then more chicken mixture, repeating until your noodles and filling are gone. My top layer was noodle, so I took some of the leftover Alfredo sauce and spread on top before baking.

5. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 45-55 minutes. Remove foil and cover with cheese, spray with cooking spray (preferably the olive oil kind), and bake 5 more minutes, or until cheese is melted, browned and pretty like the picture. Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes, or it'll be impossible to cut.

Makes about 9 servings.

THANKS FOR YOUR VISIT AND FAVES

ON THE REACTIONS I WILL TRY TO RESPOND BACK

Biefstukzwam (Fistulina hepatica) is een eetbare paddenstoel maar niet iedereen is even enthousiast

Recept !!!

Geroosterde biefstukzwam met visbotersaus

400 g biefstukzwam

2 sjalotten

220 g boter

20 cl witte wijn

20 cl witte port

40 cl visfond

1 el slagroom

olijfolie

Borstel de biefstukzwam goed af en snijd hem in plakken. Snijd 200 g boter in blokjes en zet die in de koelkast. Fruit de fijngesneden sjalot in 20 g boter en blus af met de port en wijn. Laat inkoken tot een vijfde. Voeg de visfond toe en laat inkoken tot de helft. Voeg de slagroom toe. Temper het vuur. Klop de blokjes boter door de saus met een staafmixer tot ze zijn gesmolten en de saus is gebonden. Warm op, maar laat niet meer koken. Breng op smaak met peper en zout. Bestrijk de plakken biefstukzwam met olijfolie en strooi er wat zout en peper over. Rooster ze circa 3 minuten aan elke zijde. Dien op met de saus.

De biefstukzwam is een vaak geziene paddenstoel aan de voet van eiken of in holten van stronken dicht bij de grond. De zwam groeit in de herfst.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Beefsteak mushroom (Fistulina hepatica) is an edible mushroom but not everyone is equally enthusiastic

Recipes !!!

Roasted beef mushroom with fish butter sauce

400 g beef mushroom

2 shallots

220 g butter

20 cl white wine

20 cl white port

40 cl fish stock

1 tbsp whipped cream

olive oil

Brush the beef mushroom well and cut it into slices. Cut 200 g butter into cubes and put it in the fridge. Fry the finely chopped shallot in 20 g butter and deglaze with the port and wine. Reduce to a fifth. Add the fish stock and reduce by half. Add the whipped cream. Temper the fire. Beat the cubes of butter through the sauce with a hand blender until melted and the sauce is thickened. Warm up, but do not let it boil anymore. Season with salt and pepper. Brush the slices of beef mushroom with olive oil and sprinkle some salt and pepper on top. Roast them for about 3 minutes on each side. Serve with the sauce

The beefsteak mushroom is a mushroom often seen at the base of oak trees or in hollows of stumps close to the ground. The fungus grows in the fall.

Dit is een vegetarische burger, die je gemakkelijk zelf kan maken. Bijgaand het recept

This is a picture of a vegetarian hamburger you can make yourself

English follows:

Nodig: (voor 2 burgers)

200 gram gekookte aardappel, 50 gram fijngehakte noten (niet fijngemalen), 1 ei, 2 el havermout (voor extra stevigheid), 1 fijngesneden uitje, 1 tl sumak, kruiden naar smaak, bijvoorbeeld (gerookte) paprika, kerrie, peper en zout.

Maken:

Prak de gekookte aardappels met een vork, voeg overige ingrediënten toe en meng alles. Vorm met een lepel en vork een burger van het mengsel, eventueel met behulp van een ring als je ze mooi rond wil.

Verwarm twee lepels olie of margarine in een koekenpan op middelmatig vuur. Als het vet heet is bak je de burgers langzaam bruin aan beide kanten.

You will need: (for 2 burgers)

200 grams of boiled potato, 50 grams of finely chopped nuts (not finely ground), 1 egg, 2 tbsp oatmeal (for extra firmness), 1 finely chopped onion, 1 tsp sumac, herbs to taste, for example (smoked) paprika , curry, pepper and salt.

To make:

Mash the boiled potatoes with a fork, add other ingredients and mix everything. Use a spoon and fork to form a burger from the mixture, possibly with the help of a ring if you want them to be nice and round.

Heat two spoons of oil or margarine in a frying pan over medium heat. When the fat is hot, slowly brown the burgers on both sides.

3 tbsp olive oil

1/2 red onion fine dice

3 scallions (white part) 1 inch sliced

3 small jalapeño peppers diced

4 cloves garlic minced

1 lbs collard greens Chiffonade cut

1/4 cup Shaoxing wine

2 large king oyster mushrooms sliced lengthwise

1 tsp Creole seasoning

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp ground white pepper

1 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar

Heat oil in wok over high heat. Stir fry the onions, jalapeños, and garlic until softened. Add collard greens to the wok and mix in. Add cooking wine. Cover the wok for 2 minutes then remove lid and stir fry as greens wilt. Add mushrooms and remaining seasonings and continue to stir fry until the mushrooms have softened and released their liquid. Serve right away while piping hot.

Frozen tart shells from the grocery store - I meant to make some mincemeat tarts at Christmas... 8 tart shells - defrosted while I mixed up 3 eggs, one Tbsp whipping cream, 1 tsp fish sauce and some thyme. Put some goat cheese in each shell, topped with crabmeat then filled with egg mixture. Baked at 350 for 20 minutes, let rest for 10 minutes and served with a green salad. There's four left in the fridge 😀 #yummy #tasty #easy Yellow

Frosty:

[fros-tee]

adjective

1. characterized by or producing frost; freezing; very cold

2. consisting of or covered with a frost

3. lacking warmth of feeling; unfriendly

4. resembling frost; white or gray

5. of or characteristic of old age

-------

It's been another hot weekend so turning on the oven just was not an option.

Found this recipe online and thought to myself, 'could be good, or could be disgusting', so I figured I'd try it.

In the end, it's alright. Not my favourite, but not absolutely awful so I won't complain!

Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 Large avocado, pitted and peeled

1 (14oz.) can of sweetened condensed milk

1 package of instant pistachio pudding mix

2 tbsp of lemon juice

2 cups of heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup of shelled salted pistachios, roughly chopped

Directions:

01. Combine the avocado, sweetened condensed milk, pudding mix and lemon juice in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.

02. While that's blending beat the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form.

03. Fold in the pistachio mixture until fully combined, then stir in the chopped pistachios.

04. Pour the mixture into a freezable container. Freeze for at least 4 to 6 hours, or overnight.

Enjoy!

Hope everyone has had a good day.

Click "L" for a larger view.

Baked Chicken

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 Tbsp mustard

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/4 lbs.)

2 Tbsp seasoned matzo meal or breadcrumbs

2 Tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 425°.

In medium bowl, combine mayonnaise with mustard. Dip chicken halves in this mixture, then dredge in seasoned matzo meal or breadcrumbs.

Arrange chicken on baking sheet, then, sprinkle with olive oil.

Bake until chicken is thoroughly cooked, about 25 minutes.

Served with mashed potatoes and eggplant salad.

Eggplant and Red Pepper Salad

2 medium red bell peppers

1 medium tomato, peeled and seeded

3 tablespoons no-salt-added tomato paste

2 tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

Dash of ground red pepper

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/4 cup olive oil

1 pound eggplant, cut into (1-inch) cubes

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 12 minutes or until blackened. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 10 minutes. Peel and dice.

3. Place tomato in a blender; process until smooth. Combine tomato puree, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons water, 1/4 teaspoon salt, ground red pepper, and garlic in a blender; process until smooth.

4. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add eggplant; cook 30 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in bell pepper and tomato mixture. Cook 5 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper.

ME: "Well, maybe you could sit a bit further away to "just look" at it Radcliffe"...

RADCLIFFE: "But, I like to sit close to your food"...

ME: "Sigh...................... how well I know it"...............

RADCLIFFE: "If a 'fur' gets on it will you still eat it?"....

ME: "If a "fur" gets on it, you are in big trouble, buddy".....

~~late for Happy Teddy Bear Tuesday...~~

```here is the recipe if anybody wants to give it a try. I'll put Geoff's site on here too...he has some good things...``

geoffsbakingblog.com

~~~Geoff’s Pumpkin Streusel Muffins~~~

250g (1 2/3 cups, based on scooping packed flour into a 250ml cup) plain flour

425g (1 15 oz can) pumpkin puree

170g (1 1/2 sticks) softened unsalted butter

300g (1 1/2 cups) caster sugar (I used less)

2 medium eggs (large in USA)

6g(2 1/2 tsp) pumpkin spice (or speculaas spice), or a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves

3g(1/2 tsp) salt

2 g(1/2 tsp) baking powder

6g(1 tsp) baking soda/bicarbonate of soda

```Streusel Topping```

40g (5 tbsp) plain flour

70g (5 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted

62g (5 tbsp) Demerara sugar (granulated sugar will be ok, but not quite as good) (I used Golden Brown sugar)

90g (3/4 cup) roughly chopped pecans (or walnuts)

Place ingredients for the streusel topping into a bowl; mix to thoroughly combine then set aside.

Mix the flour, spice, salt, baking powder and baking soda together and set aside.

In a large bowl or in a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until fully combined.

Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat again until light and fluffy.

Empty the can of pumpkin puree into the mixture and beat again until combined.

Add the flour and stir in until everything is just combined; do not overmix.

Spoon the mixture, in equal quantities, into the 12 holes of the muffin pan and level off a little.

Spoon the streusel topping, breaking it up if it has hardened, over the top of the muffin batter.

Bake the muffins at 350F (180C) for about 35 minutes or until skewer poked into the centre comes out clean.

I love Italian food. This is a new recipe (for me), and one of the best things I've ever made. I never cook with things like heavy cream (or salt- I hate salt!), but I wanted to follow this to a "t" - and I have to say, it turned out incredible. The only thing I would change: it calls for one red pepper. I encourage two peppers. I'll include mushrooms next time, as well.. Also, I doubled the garlic. Because of vampires this time of year. And because you can never have enough garlic.

Tuscan Garlic Chicken:

Ingredients

4 each (4 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 1/2 cups flour, plus 1 tablespoon

1 Tbsp salt

2 tsp black pepper

2 tsp Italian seasoning

1 lb fettuccine pasta, cooked according to package directions

5 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp garlic, chopped

1 red pepper, julienne cut

1/2 cup white wine (I used a cheap bottle of Sutter Home Chenin Blanc)

1/2 lb whole leaf spinach, stemmed

2 cups heavy cream

1 cups Parmesan cheese, grated

Procedures

Pre-heat oven to 350ºF.

1. MIX 1½ cups flour, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken in the mixture, shaking off any excess.

2. HEAT 3 Tbsp oil in a large skillet. Cook chicken breasts 2 at a time over medium-high heat until golden brown and crisp (2-3 min). Add more oil for each batch as necessary.

3. PLACE cooked chicken breasts on a baking sheet and transfer to preheated oven. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.

4. HEAT 2 Tbsp oil in a sauce pan. Add garlic and red pepper and cook for approximately 1 minute. Stir in 1 Tbsp flour, wine, spinach and cream and bring to a boil. Sauce is done when spinach becomes wilted. Complete by stirring in parmesan cheese.

5. COAT cooked, drained pasta with sauce, then top with chicken and remaining sauce. Garnish with extra Parmesan cheese.

in my opinion, the best grits in the U.S. but maybe a bit overpriced:

getmesome.carolinacreole.com/luquire-family-foods-sofi-aw...

and my collard greens recipe:

16 oz of fresh collard greens, washed well

3 strips of thick-cut bourbon bacon cut in 1” slices

1/4 cup sweet onion finely minced

1 tbsp crushed garlic

2 cups turkey stock

2 tsp smoked sea salt

2 tbsp brown sugar

1-2 tsp red pepper flakes

In a Dutch oven cook the bacon until almost crisp over medium heat. Pour off all but about 3 tablespoons of the fat. Add the diced onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Deglaze the bottom of the pot with some stock. Put all of the greens in the pot, pour in the stock, and cover continuing to cook over medium heat. In about 5-10 minutes the volume of the greens will decrease. Using a sturdy wooden spoon carefully turn over the greens so that the bacon and onions get mixed well all over the greens. Add the sugar, salt, and pepper flakes, stir again. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for two hours and serve.

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup all-purpose flour (for dredging)

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 cups breadcrumbs or matzo meal

About 1/4 cup canola oil

Chopped parsley

Lemon wedges

Place chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound chicken breasts to uniform thickness.

Place flour on a plate and mix in salt and pepper.

Beat eggs and Dijon mustard in a shallow dish.

Place bread crumbs on another plate.

Working with 1 chicken breast at a time, dredge in flour, then dip into egg mixture, turning to coat evenly; carefully coat with crumbs.

−Heat about 4 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add chicken breasts to skillet and cook until golden brown on both sides, 8-10 minutes per side (flip only once, it keeps the schnitzel moist.)

Transfer chicken breasts to a paper towel-lined plate.

Add more oil to skillet and repeat with remaining chicken breasts.

Transfer chicken breasts to plates and garnish with lemon wedges.

Drop by Tablespoonful...

Thanks very much for Explore! Much appreciated :-)

Lunch

Hummus made with stick blender

Can of chick peas

3 tbsp tahini

3 cloves garlic

1 tsp cayenne pepper

Ground pepper

Sea salt

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp water

Throw it all into a big jar

Blend in place on low to start

Finish on high

Eat some now

Put the lid on the jar and chill

Faff about with garnish if you must... Parsley, more oil, pretty red things like pomegranate seeds or chili flakes if feeling macho

Takes about 10 mins including washing up

The cayenne is a nice afterglow and my lips are still tingling.

Fruity coffee pancakes

To make the crepes, mix the flour and salt then gradually beat in the eggs then the milk/water until you have a smooth batter. Mix in the melted butter and teaspoon of coffee granules.

Melt a little butter in the bottom of a frying pan - just enough to grease it. Wait until the pan is really hot before pouring in a little of the batter and waiting for the underside to cook before flipping and cooking the other side. If you want to attempt to toss the pancakes, use a frying pan with a curved side rather than one with sides that meet the base in a sharp corner.

You can keep pancakes warm by putting them on a plate balanced on another pan full of hot water, with the pan lid on top of the pancakes.

Meanwhile, to make the filling, remove the rind from the oranges with a zester. Cut off as much of the remaining pith as possible then slice in between each segment to cut the orange flesh into a bowl. Mix the orange mush, cornflour and honey and heat in a pan until thickened. Add the bananas.

Fold the pancakes into triangles and fill with the fruit.

Mmmmmmmmmmm :-P

© Susannah Relf All Rights Reserved

Unauthorized use or reproduction for any reason is prohibited

Tuna Salad

1 can of tuna drained

1/2 can of chick peas rinsed and drained

1/4 cup minced red onion

3 dill pickles chopped

1 carrot grated

1 tbsp mayonnaise

1 tbsp of yogurt (or yesterday I used Renne's yogurt/dill dressing.. yum!!)

1/2 juice of 1 lemon

Mix together and serve over spinach leaves, with rice crackers, with pasta or even on bread!

See you tomorrow for dinner :)

CREAMY CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

3 chicken cutlets, rotisserie chicken seasoning

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 onion diced

2 carrots diced

3 ribs celery sliced

1 tsp oregano

1 quart chick stock (homemade is best but not required)

1 cup fine egg noodles

1cup milk (room temp)

2 tbsp parsley

salt and pepper to taste

Season the chicken cutlets with rotisserie chicken seasoning. Roast the cutlets in the oven at 350º (I actually used the air-fryer) until the chicken has started to brown. Remove the cutlets when they reach about 160º and cut into small bite-sized pieces; set aside.

Melt the butter in a medium Dutch oven over medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter and whisk constantly making a roux. Cook the roux until it just starts to show some light tan color. Add onion, carrots, and celery to the hot roux and increase the heat slightly. Stir in the aromatics well and cook until the mirepoix has softened (about 7-19 minutes), stir frequently to keep from scorching. Add oregano. Add the chicken stock to the pot 1 cup at a time, stirring well to blend allowing the heat to recover. Bring the pot to a boil, add the chicken and reduce heat to simmer for 20 minutes.

Bring the pot back to a boil and add the egg noodles. Cook for 3 minutes then slowly stir in the milk and return to a boil. Add the parsley and now simmer and taste the soup for salt and pepper. Make sure to scrape to bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon frequently to avoid scorching the starches.

EXPLORE, #69 June 17, 2007

A little ice & water

Kalojam, also known as Black Plum, is an evergreen tropical tree native to Bangladesh, India and Indonesia region. This fruit is available only during Aashar month (আষাঢ়). They might look similar to Blackberry but their taste varies a lot!!

We, Bengali, usually eat them making 'Bhorta' by smashing some with salt, sugar, green chilies. It's quite funny to eat since you have to throw the seeds away on every bite!!!

You can make some sweet n' sour squash out of it too! Here's the recipe for you--->

- Take 1kg of Kalojam on a deep bottom pan. Add water just to submerge the berries. Boil them for 10 mins or so, just to soften the berries enough to make pulp. Turn off the flame & let it cool down a little bit.

- While it's still warm, use your washed hand to crush them well to separate the seeds.

- Take a cheese-cloth, with the help of a spoon, put few of this pulp and squeeze them very well & let the juice pour into a new clean deep bottom pan. This way all the juice will be out leaving the pulp & seeds out (thus making a clear squash).

-Now measure the juice. For 4 cups of Kalojam Juice, add 3 cups of sugar. (Remember this measurement & calculate yours)

-Bring it to boil till the sugar melts. Some foam might create while boiling. Don't discard them as they will dissolve while cooling down.

- Add 1 Tsp of Citric acid. Boil for 1 more minute & turn off the flame.

-Let the squash cool down completely. Pour them into clean dry bottles & you can keep them in refrigerators for up to 1 month.

- Add few Tbsp of this squash in a glass, add some ice & water. You can add some rock salt & ground cumin if you want to make it taste more fancy Bengali flavor!!!

©All rights are reserved 2020.

Lime Chicken

Grill boneless, skinless chicken thighs over medium heat, keeping away from direct flame.

Combine red pepper flakes, Serrano pepper (1/2 pepper), onion (chopped/minced), garlic (1 clove), olive oil (2 tbsp), juice of 1/2 lime).

Pour mixture over chicken during cooking, making sure to cover evenly.

Cook till juices run clear.

Salsa:

2 whole tomatoes

1/4 cup onion (chopped)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp oregano

1 tsp lime juice

2 tbsp jalapeno

1/2 red pepper (chopped)

2 tsp Habanero pepper

1 1/2 tsp cilantro (chopped)

Mix all ingredients together, let stand ~ 30 min, serve.

EDIT: I also sprinkled a bit of dill on top.

As always, your thoughts, critiques and comments are welcome.

Thanks for viewing!

I made this a while back.. oh, it is yummy. Well, I should say was instead of is....it WAS yummy ... because, of course, it was gone in a few days...

It is very easy no knead bread and tastes amazing.

Geoff's Focaccia

If you are like me and want to watch it being made..go to Geoff's site and watch his video.. if you're good with just a recipe...here it is..from his site.

I use traditional dry yeast..so let that proof for 10 mins and then add the other liquids to it and then..the dry. I use my stand mixer instead of doing it by hand.

I add some grated cheese to the mixing dough as well as on top... add whatever you please. On the top this one has sautéed onions, sun dried tomatoes, also, crushed garlic and tiny sprigs of fresh Rosemary in olive oil and some cheddar grated on at the end. Oh, YUM! (and...have lots of paper towels on hand ..it is greasy to do..even though I use a small rubber bristled brush to brush on the oil... you still have to make indents with fingers)

Ingredients:

428g(2 3/4 cups + 1 1/2 tbsp, based on scooping packed flour into a 250ml cup) bread flour

340ml( 1 1/2 cups) lukewarm water

30ml(2 tbsp) olive oil, for the dough

30mll(2 tbsp) olive oil, for the pan

15ml(1 tbsp) olive oil to drizzle on top of the dough

8g(1 1/4 tsp) salt

2 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp mixed herbs

10g(3 tsp) instant yeast

28g(1/3 cup) cheddar cheese powder)or grated cheese

parmesan cheese for grating on the top of the dough, to taste

Method:

Place the flour, salt, cheese powder and Italian seasoning into a large bowl.

Mix around to combine.

Add the yeast into the warm water an stir around.

Add 2 tbsp olive oil into the water.

Add the water to the dry ingredients and used a dough whisk or a spoon to mix for two minutes until all is combined and a stretchy dough has formed(you can do this in a mixer too)

Place 2 tbsp oil into a 9×13 inch(24×33 cm) pan that has about 2 inch sides.

Brush the oil over the base and up the sides of the pan.

Place the dough into the pan and use oiled hands to press it levelly over the base.

Cover the pan with plastic wrap and leave to rise for an hour.

Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/ 3575 F.

Drizzle some oil over the dough and use a hand to gently wipe it all over the surface.

Use the tips of the finger on one hand to make indentations all over the surface of the dough.

Sprinkle mixed herbs over the top.

Grate parmesan over the top too.

Bake in the over for 35 to 40 minutes until the focaccia is baked through and is nicely browned on top.

Remove from the oven and leave for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

I dont try much non-indian cooking but this turned out really delicious. The chorizo was firm and fiery but well balanced by the mushroom .

Soak 200gm mushrooms in boiling water for 10 minutes and drain. Chop the mushrooms. Add 1 tbsp butter + 1 tbsp olive oil to a pan and add 2 cloves chopped garlic and fry for 20 seconds. Add the mushrooms and stir. Fry for 3 minutes. Add 2 sliced salsa peppers and 25gm sliced chorizo sausage and fry for 5 minutes.

Thanks to the haven of gorgeous wonders that is Doves Farm, here we have a gluten-free, brown bread flour that is at once easy to handle and completely delicious. For those of you who like to prepare and blend (even grind) your own flours - and I will join you, eventually - I have listed the flour ingredients in order of largest amount first but for now I must allow your experience (or intuition if you're new to blending) to be your guide when it comes to relative proportions. It is my intention to contact Doves Farm, organic farmers and cultivators of home baking, regarding the reverse engineering of product components for home use. In my mind I group such things as knowledge of organic farming, recipes and ingredients with the free software movement but who knows which of my favourite gluten-free-product-producing companies share... well, anything. A topic for a post to the upcoming blog, perhaps.

Currently, I'm making this for one (I miss you, BooBoo) so...

Handmade, gluten-free, brown bread pitta

Ingredients:

about 100g Doves Farm Brown Bread Flour

(components: rice, tapioca, potato, maize, sarrasin & carob flours, sugar beet fibre, xanthan gum)

generous pinch of salt

2 tbsp oil (olive, vegetable and sunflower all work well) + a few drops for the pan

between 60ml and 90ml semi-skimmed milk

Utensils:

a 1lt glass mixing bowl

a metal fork

a metal tablespoon

a small wooden spoon, about 1½" x 2" (~4x5cm) at the bowl part

a shallow dinner plate, preferably glass without raised rim,

though any portable, flat, glass or marble surface will do

a large (at least 9" (23cm) diameter) shallow frying pan or skillet

flat metal spatula or pizza slice

a bread knife

(no scoffing at utensil specification, please. It's important!)

Method:

1. put the flour in the mixing bowl

2. add the pinch of salt, then a tiny bit more for luck ;-)

3. mix lightly but quite thoroughly with a metal fork

4. give the bowl a little tap to level the flour

5. measure each tablespoon of oil and drizzle over the flour

6. mix the flour and oil with the fork until small spheres of various sizes are formed

7. using the metal tablespoon, scrape any residual flour+oil from the fork into the bowl

8. add a little of the milk and with the back of the wooden spoon begin gathering the mixture together with circular movements, first around the inside wall of the bowl, then through the centre of the mixture. When it looks a bit dry and starts to separate, add a little more milk and repeat, making sure that with each sweep of the spoon you transfer sticky mixture from the bowl surface to the dough

9. mix and gather the dough quite loosely into a sticky ball. It should only take about four or five tablespoons of milk (about 2-2½fl oz (60-75ml)) to achieve the correct consistency

10. dust a big pinch of flour over the top of the dough and another into the bowl around its base

11. roll the ball around in the flour with the back of the wooden spoon until the dough is covered with flour. At this point you can form the dough into more of a sphere by pulling it in various directions up the sides of the bowl with the back of the wooden spoon but don't press too hard into the dough as this will expose the sticky part and cause the sphere to split

12. pick up the ball and form it gently with your hands. Doesn't it feel nice? 8-)

13. dust the plate or flat surface with flour and place the ball in the centre

14. with the flat palm of your least dexterous hand, begin flattening the ball, little by little in the following way: press with the palm, then with your hand still on the dough, pinch the edge with the thumb of the same hand to help keep the edges of the emerging circle from splitting. Rotate the plate or surface a little with your dexterous hand and repeat. When the circle is about 5" (12cm) diameter, carefully lift the dough and dust more flour underneath. Replace the dough, dust a little flour over the top and continue, now working from the centre outwards to carefully expand the circle, keeping the surface as even as you can. Continue until the dough is roughly 3/16" (4mm) thick (thin!) and about 8" (20cm) in diameter

15. oil the surface of the pan. I do this by adding a few drops and spreading it all over the surface with my hand. Well it works! Place over a medium (or just below medium) heat

16. while the pan heats up for about a minute, carefully slide the pizza slice under the dough, bit by bit, rotating the plate as before to ensure no part of the circle is sticking

17. slide the dough circle into the pan, give it a bit of a shake to centre and cook for about four minutes each side

After three minutes or so air pockets will start to form and expand. It is at this point you know you did your mixing correctly and will ultimately have somewhere to stuff the filling of your choice. A little scorchin' is desirable so don't worry if your pitta has a few dark marks on it; they taste good!

Let your finished pitta cool a little before cutting it across the middle, then carefully open up each half with a bread knife.

Voi - là!

English follows

Sesam-mie met courgette/Thaise roerbakmix en tempeh

Nodig voor 4 personen:

1 pak pittige tofublokjes, 75 ml woksaus sweet & sour, 1 teentje knoflook, 1 pak eiermie, 2 el olie, 1 zak Thaise roerbakamix (400 gram) of 2 courgettes in blokjes, 3 el sesamzaad

Bereid de mie volgens de aanwijzingen op de verpakking. Verhit de olie en roerbak de Thaise mix of courgette vijf minuten. Schep de tofublokjes, de woksaus erbij en roerbak nog vijf minuten. Verhit een droge koekenpan en strooi het sesamzaad erin en rooster het al omschuddend goudbruin. Giet de eiermie af en schep het sesamzaad erdoor. Serveer met het tofu-groentemengsel.

Sesame noodles with zucchini / Thai stir-fry mix and tempeh

Necessary for 4 persons:

1 pack of spicy tofu cubes, 75 ml wok sauce sweet & sour, 1 clove of garlic, 1 pack of egg noodles, 2 tbsp oil, 1 bag of Thai stir-fry mix (400 grams) or 2 zucchini in cubes, 3 tbsp sesame seeds

Prepare the noodles according to the instructions on the package. Heat the oil and stir-fry the Thai mix or zucchini for five minutes. Spoon in the tofu cubes, the wok sauce and stir-fry 5 minutes more. Heat a dry frying pan and sprinkle the sesame seeds in it and roast until golden brown while shaking. Drain the egg noodles and add the sesame seeds. Serve with the tofu vegetable mixture.

Dinner last night. Basically a throw-together dish of a gratuitous amount of random vegetables and garlic, dressed in a light sauce of tamari, rice vinegar, sugar and pepper flakes.

These are the amounts I used (for one serving... I'm a pig :-) ):

•Pinch red pepper flakes

•1/2 tbsp soy sauce

•1/2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

•1 tsp brown sugar substitute

•1/4 white onion, diced

•2 cloves garlic, minced

•1 medium carrot, julienned

•4 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced

•2 oz snowpeas, halved

•6 oz parboiled cauliflower florets

•1/2 medium zucchini, julienned

•3 oz beansprouts

•8 oz baby bok choy, halved

yummysmells.blogspot.com/2009/05/greening-up.html

It is a dish made by cooking the cabbage leaves of a medium savoy cabbage in salty water with 5-6 cloves of garlic, 2 pieces of bay and 1 tbsp caraway seeds, layering them with 2 cups of cooked rice and 800 g ground meat flavored with 1 medium onion, 1 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika and 1 tsp marjoram pouring 3 cups sour cream on top and baking it in the oven. Cooked by my husband, Feri. I scattered it with fresh minced dill and served it with sour cream.

My photo presents a big portion for a very hungry man!

I served it on my great grandma's antique parsley patterned Herend plate.

November 27, 2016

Soliloquize:

[suh-lil-uh-kwahyz]

verb (used without object)

1. to utter a soliloquy; talk to oneself.

verb (used with object)

2. to utter in a soliloquy; say to oneself.

-----

After breakfast this morning, I got to baking while Sylvia sat around and relaxed. I thought these had nice look to them so I thought I'd give them a shot.

They actually have an interesting taste to them too, almost like a brownie cookie and really, who can resist that?

Recipe for those interested:

Ingredients:

- 2 cups of all-purpose flour

- 1 cup of Unsweetened Cocoa powder

- 1/2 tsp of baking soda

- 2 tsp of baking powder

- 1 tsp of salt

- 8 tbsp of unsalted butter

- 8 oz. of Chocolate Baking Chips Unsweetened

- 3 cups packed of brown sugar

- 6 eggs

- 2 tsp of Vanilla Extract

- 8 tsp of instant Espresso Powder

- 1 cup of granulated sugar

- 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar

Directions:

01. Preheat oven to 325F degrees with the rack in the middle.

02. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

03. In a bowl whisk or sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

04. In a separate bowl microwave chocolate chips and butter in short intervals, stirring in between until the chocolate is mostly melted. Continue stirring until all chocolate is melted.

05. In a bowl whisk sugar, eggs, espresso powder and vanilla extract together.

06. Add melted chocolate to the mixture and whisk until combined.

07. Add the flour-cocoa mixture and fold until no streaks of flour are seen.

08. Let sit for 10-15 minutes for the mixture to cool down and harden slightly.

09. Set two bowls with granulated sugar in one and confectioners sugar in another.

10. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of batter and drop it into the granulated sugar mixture first. Roll around in the sugar, then roll into a ball with hands. Next drop into the confectioners’ sugar until coated.

11. Place coated cookie balls onto a baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.

12. Bake for 6 minutes, rotate the sheet, and baking for another 4-6 minutes, 10-12 minutes total. Cookies should be set around the edges and still soft in the middle.

13. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before serving.

Hope everyone has had a good day.

Click "L" for a larger view.

Orange Beef with Noodles

by Weight Watchers Magazine

Course: light meals

PointsPlus™ Value: 6

Servings: 4

Preparation Time: 9 min

Cooking Time: 11 min

Level of Difficulty: Easy

We use flank steak, but you can also use boneless top round steak.

Ingredients

4 oz packaged rice noodles

2/3 cup(s) fresh orange juice

2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

2 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp dark sesame oil

1 tsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp chili sauce, (chili paste)

1/2 pound(s) raw lean flank steak, trimmed of all visible fat and sliced thin across the grain

6 medium scallion(s), cut into 2-inch slices

2 clove(s) garlic clove(s), minced (medium)

2 tsp ginger root, minced, peeled, fresh

Instructions

Prepare the noodles according to package directions; drain and set aside.

Combine the orange juice, soy sauce, sugar, oil, cornstarch, and chili paste in a bowl until blended and smooth; set aside.

Spray a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and set over high heat. Add the steak and cook in batches, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the scallions, garlic, and ginger. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in the orange juice mixture and cook until the sauce boils and thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Stir in the noodles; heat through. Serve at once.

Notes

When browning meat, make sure it is cooked over high heat in a single layer. If your pan is not big enough to accommodate all the meat at one time, cook it in batches, otherwise the meat will steam instead of brown.

Shell dough made with cinnamon knots recipe. Half recipe yields 5 shells. Dough rolled out thinly and layered with dough strips colored by cocoa powder. Dough strips is ¼ of dough. Rolled tightly to form shell and create layers (though i had rolled a couple of them too tightly).

Perfect (smallest) size is 1in width and 3in length. Texture is crisp on the outside perimeter (¼ in thick) and soft at center which is ½ of width like equal parts soft and crunchy. Thinner than 1in has too much crunchy than soft, and thicker shells have more bread-y and soft center. I'll make them thicker next time.

Chocolate sauce made with 1 cup coconut milk, 5 tablets Malagos chocolate, 50g brown sugar, 1½ tbsp cornstarch, 1 egg.

LOBSTER BISQUE

Seafood stock:

4 cold water lobster tail shells

shells from 1 pound of shrimp

2 tbsp olive oil

2 carrots rough chop

1 onion rough chop, skin on

2 celery stalks rough chop

1 leek rough chop

1/2 fennel bulb rough chop

4 cloves of garlic smashed

2 tomatoes rough chop

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 bay leaves

1 cup dry white wine

3 quarts water or chicken stock

pinch salt

pinch white pepper

pinch cayenne

Bisque preparation:

1 onion fine dice

2 carrots fine dice

2 celery stalks fine dice

1/2 fennel bulb fine dice

1 leek fine sliced

4 clove garlic minced

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp fresh thyme

1 tsp fresh tarragon

6 tbsp butter

6 tbsp all purpose flour

1 cup dry sherry

seafood stock from above

1 cup heavy cream

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 tsp grated nutmeg

1 tsp cayenne

2 tsp paprika

Lobster:

Meat from 4 lobster tails cut into bite sized sections

1 shallot fine dice

2 tbsp butter

1/2 cup dry white wine

Garnish:

Fresh chives, tarragon, fennel fronds, crème fraîche

Equipment:

Stock pot, soup pot, medium stainless skillet, fine mesh strainer/chinois, blender (or immersion blender)

A good idea to do all of your mise en place at the beginning. Split the lobster tails with a large chef’s knife or kitchen shears. Remove the lobster meat and discard the ‘vein’. Slice the tail meat into spoon sized sections along their natural creases. Reserve the meat and refrigerate until later.

Add olive oil to stock pot and over medium high heat, sauté the shells, breaking them up with a mallet or potato masher. Sauté until shells are bright red. Add shrimp shells, carrots, celery, onion, leeks, fennel, tomatoes, bay leaves and garlic; continue to cook over medium high heat. Add tomato paste and cook to caramelization. Deglaze the pot with the white wine. Add chicken stock or water enough to cover ingredients. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Bring to a boil and reduce to a medium simmer. Simmer partially covered for 1 1/2 hours. At the end of cooking, strain the stock through the chinois removing all the solids. Set aside the stock in a separate container and cover. This stock can actually be portioned and frozen for later use if desired.

Melt 6 tbsp butter in your soup pot, medium high heat. Add the mirepoix, leek, and fennel and cook until vegetables have softened, about 10-12 minutes. You do not want heavy caramelization here. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add flour to create a roux and cook until a light fond starts to form on the bottom of the pot. Deglaze pot with dry sherry. Add thyme and tarragon. To the pot add lobster stock gradually, stirring in to mix well and develop the consistency you desire, thinner than gravy but not watery. Simmer the pot for about 45 minutes to meld the flavors. At this point you are going to blend the soup. An immersion blender can work but my upright blender is faster. Only fill blender jar 1/2 full and remove the center filler cap on the lid. Cover the hole with a kitchen towel. Blend on low at first and then gradually increase speed all the way to high. (if you do not follow this precisely, your blender will explode and you will paint your kitchen walls Lobster Orange). Blend in batches if necessary.

Blend for about a minute and a half depending on the power of your blender. You are looking for silky smoothness. If using an immersion blender, turn off the heat on the stove and carefully blend for about three to four minutes, again depending on the power if your blender.

Once blended, return soup to the pot and simmer. Add heavy cream and stir in completely. Add lemon juice, nutmeg, cayenne, and paprika. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary. You can add an ounce of cognac for extra depth; I did not think it needed it. Keep warm at a low simmer; do not let it boil.

Melt 2 tbsp butter in a medium stainless steel skillet. Sauté shallot until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add wine and reduce but 1/2. Once wine has reduced, all lobster pieces and cook until just firm and white (~5-7 minutes / internal temp 140º). Remove from heat.

Serve bisque in warmed bowls garnishing with lobster meat, chives, tarragon, and crème fraîche.

bon appétit!

PointsPlus Value: 6

CORE

Servings: 8

Preparation Time: 5 min

Cooking Time: 30 min

Level of Difficulty: Moderate

Course: main meals

Ingredients

2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 Tbsp fat-free sour cream

1 tsp paprika

1 Tbsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp table salt

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium carrot(s), peeled and chopped

1 medium onion(s), chopped

1/2 cup frozen green peas

1 Tbsp cornstarch

1 3/4 pound raw extra lean ground beef

1 cup fat-free beef broth

1/2 cup fat-free chicken broth

2 pound whole uncooked white potato, peeled and cubed

Instructions

Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain potatoes and pour them into a bowl. Combine sour cream and 1/2 c. chicken broth. Add the cream mixture into potatoes and mash until potatoes are almost smooth.

While potatoes boil, preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil to hot pan with beef or lamb. Season meat with salt and pepper. Brown and crumble meat for 3 or 4 minutes. Add chopped carrot and onion to the meat. Cook veggies with meat 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

In a second small skillet over medium heat whisk together cornstarch, 1 c. beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce. Thicken gravy 1 minute.

Add gravy to meat and vegetables. Stir in peas. Preheat broiler to high. Fill a small rectangular casserole with meat and vegetable mixture. Spoon potatoes over meat evenly. Top potatoes with paprika and broil 6 to 8 inches from the heat until potatoes are evenly browned. Top casserole dish with chopped parsley and serve.

PointsPlus value: 7

Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp olive oil

4 Tbsp fresh lime juice, juice from one lime

1 large carrot(s), peeled and grated

3 clove garlic clove(s), minced

1 medium onion(s), chopped

4 bell pepper(s), remove tops, ribs and seeds

1/2 cup cilantro, fresh, chopped

2 cup cooked brown rice

15 oz canned diced tomatoes, 1 can, drained

7 oz canned black beans, 1/2 can, drained and rinsed

1/2 pound uncooked ground turkey breast

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Brown meat in oil with carrots and onions. Add garlic. Add tomatoes and beans.

Mix with brown rice. Add lime juice and herbs and salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.

Boil peppers for a few minutes so they're soft. Drain on paper towel. Place each pepper in a baking dish and fill with rice mixture.

Bake for 20 mins.

Adapted from Eat Clean Diet Cookbook.

Cake:

2 cups sifted cake flour

1 1/4 cups sugar, divided

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

7 tbsp canola or light olive oil

1/3 cup fresh lime juice (about 3)

3 tbsps water

finely grated rind of 2 limes

3 egg yolks

8 egg whites

1 tsp cream of tarttar

Lime curd:

8 large egg yolks

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (3-4 limes)

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 -2 lemons)

1 cup sugar

1/8 tsp salt

1 stick (113 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces

Frosting:

2 cups heavy cream

2 tbsp sugar

2 tsp gelatin

1/4 cup water

~ 900 ml blueberries

To prepare cake, line bottoms of the 3 (8-inch) cake pans with parchment paper, coat with cooking spray.

Combine 2 cups cake flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk, until well combined.Combine oil, 1/3 cup juice, 3 tbsp water, rind and egg yolks in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add oil mixture to flour mixture, beat with a mixer at medium speed just until smooth.

Place egg whites in a large bowl, beat with with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar, beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Gently stir one-fourthof egg mixture into flour mixture, gently fold in remaining egg white mixture.

Divide cake batter equally among prepared pans. Bake at 325F for 20 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, remove from pans. remove wax paper from cake layers. Cool completely on wire rack.

Lime curd:

Beat egg yolks and sugar until light in colour and sugar almost dissolves. Add lime juice and lemon juice, half of the zest, and salt to the egg yolk mixture. Cook in a heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon ( be sure to scrape the sides of the pan) until mixture is thick enough to coat back of the spoon ~8-10 minutes. Remove saucepan from the heat. Add butter, stirring until smooth and the remaining zest.Refrigerate until chilled and set, at least 1 hour.

For stabilized whipped cream, combine gelatin and water, allw to soften for 5 minutes, then, dissolve gelatin overlow heat. Gelatin must be liquid , but not warm.

In the chilled bowl beat the cream and sugar just until traces of beater marks begin to show distinctly. Add the gelatin mixture in a teady stream, beating constantly and beat just until stiff peaks form when beater is raised.

To assemble cake, place 1 cake layer on a plate, spread ~ 1/3 of lime curd over cake layer, scatter blueberries. Top with secon layer, 1/3 of lime curd, and blueberries and third layer. Combine the ramining lime curd with whipped cream and spread frosting over top and sides of cake. Garnish with blueberries.

Baked some of these using my Mum's Coffee and Walnut Cake recipe :)

6oz Sugar

6oz Butter

3 Eggs

6oz Self Raising Flour

1 Tbsp Instant Coffee mixed with 1 Tbsp of Water or 1 1/2 Tbsp of strong coffee

1/4 Cup of Walnuts, chopped fine

Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs and flour and mix well. Add in coffee flavour, mix well.

Fold in walnuts.

Pour mixture into greased cupcake tins (or use the paper liners) or a greased cake tin.

Cook at 350 for 20-25 minutes (cupcakes) or a little longer for large cake- or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool.

Frost with coffee flavoured buttercream:

1 stick (4oz) butter

2 Cups Icing Sugar (Confectioner's Sugar)

1 Tbsp of Instant Coffee mixed with 1 Tbsp of water or 1.5 Tbsp of strong coffee.

Put ingredients into mixer bowl and mix until a spreadable consistency is reached.

They taste delicious ;)

"At the touch of love everyone becomes a poet." - Plato

-----

I took a few weeks off from baking after going overboard during December, and I tell you, the break felt good.

But today as I was looking through the kitchen for a snack, I realized snackage was seriously depleted.

Since I didn't feel like going to the grocery store, I started looking for ingredients, and had just the right amount of stuff to make cheddar scones!

Done, and now I have snacks for the week! Delaying groceries for a while longer! Win-win!

Recipe for those interested:

Ingredients:

- 2 cups all-purpose flour

- 1 tbsp baking powder

- 3/4 tsp salt

- 1/4 cup cold butter, cut into cubes

- 1 cup grated old cheddar

- 1 cup cold milk

Directions:

01. Place rack above centre of oven. Preheat oven to 450F (230C). Line a baking sheet with parchement paper.

02. Using a fork, stir flour with baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Work in cold butter until mixture is crumbly. Stir in cheese.

03. Make a well in centre. Pour in milk and stir just until moistened.

04. Turn out onto a floured cutting board. Divide in half and pat each portion into a 6 inch circle about 3/4 inch thick.

05. Cut each into 8 wedges.

06. Lift wedges onto baking sheet, placing about 1 inch apart for crusty-sided scones or 1/2 inch apart for soft-sided scones.

07. Bake above oven centre until golden, from 10 to 12 minutes.

Enjoy!

Hope everyone has had a good idea.

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I made two quarts of pickled purple cabbage today. It will last at least a month in the refrigerator. This stuff is really good on salads or just by itself.

Ingredients

Mix all ingredients thoroughly in a large mixing bowl on high speed for 30 seconds. (Should make enough pie filling for three 9" pie crusts.) Fill unbaked 9" pie crust with filling up to edge of pan. Place on a cookie sheet and bake @ 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then reduce heat and bake for another 45-60 minutes or until it does not stick to an inserted knife.

Servings: 8

Serving Size: about 1-1/2 cups

Points: 4 pts

Calories: 234.4 • Fat: 2.6 g • Protein: 13.6 g • Carb: 10.1 g • Fiber: 19.6 g

For the beans:

• 1 lb dry black beans

• 1 small bell red pepper

• 1 small onion, quartered

• 2 cloves garlic

• 3 bay leaves

For the soup:

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 large onion, minced

• 1/2 cup chopped parsley

• 1 red pepper, minced

• 2 medium carrots, shredded

• 5 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

• 1/4 (2 oz) cup white wine

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp oregano

• 1 chicken bullion (vegans use vegetable bullion)

• salt and black pepper

Rinse beans and place in a large pot with about 8 cups of water. Cover and bring to a boil, then remove from heat and let the beans sit, covered for one hour. (Or you can let them soak overnight in cold water)

Drain the water, then add 8-10 cups of cold water when ready to cook.

Add bell pepper, garlic, onion and bay leaves to the beans. Bring to a boil andreduce heat to low. Simmer for about an hour, or until tender, stirring occasionally. (Add water if necessary)

Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, heat oil on low. Add chopped vegetables (onion, parsley, carrots, pepper, garlic) season with salt and pepper and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until soft.

Add the vegetables to the soup, then add wine, vinegar, cumin, oregano, bullion, salt and pepper and adjust water if too needed. Cover and simmer on low about 15 - 20 minutes. Remove bay leaves, then using an immersion blender, partially blend the soup for about 10 seconds to thicken. If you don't have an immersion blender, put about 3 cups of the soup in a blender, then add it back to the pot. Adjust salt, pepper and cumin to taste.

POINTS® Value: 6

CORE

Servings: 4

Preparation Time: 30 min

Cooking Time: 30 min

Level of Difficulty: Moderate

Course: main meals

Ingredients

4 medium sweet red pepper(s)

1/4 cup onion(s), chopped

1 Tbsp parsley

2 tsp ginger root, grated (or ginger paste)

1 pound cooked lean ground turkey

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 cup cooked brown rice

15 oz canned tomato sauce, divided

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut stem ends from peppers, remove seeds. Cook covered in boiling water 1 minute. Drain upside down on paper towels.

2. In skillet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, cook ground turkey and onion until turkey is browned and no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Drain fat.

3. Combine turkey onion mixture, 2 tablespoons of the tomato sauce, ginger, Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce in a large bowl. Stir in rice, 1 cup of the tomato sauce, parsley and salt and pepper to taste.

4. Stuff peppers, place upright in a 2-quart casserole sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon remaining tomato sauce over stuffed peppers. Cover and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through.

Neese's comments:

This is actually from a recipe card that they had in the *gasp* WALMART produce area. DH picked out tons of recipes, when we got home I told him to pick a fave for me to make. He picked this great OP friendly recipe that's core. It appears I have taught the man something!

I learned to make tzatziki while living in Greece and it is so simple but so good.

2 cups greek yogurt

1/2 cucumber, shredded

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tbsp minced from a jar)

salt and pepper to taste

fresh dill (didn't have any today and it's fine w/out)

-sprinkle the shredded cucumber w/salt and let sit for an hour, then drain well in a colander. mix everything else together and add cucumber, salt and pepper to taste.

followed smitten kitchen's pita recipe, except I used my bread machine on the dough setting instead of following the slow rise directions. I also used half whole wheat pastry and half multi grain all purpose, so these have a more nutty flavor.

Here it is Philip....

It toasts up perfectly... and, it even fits (just barely) into the toaster without having to slice it in half. I sliced it after I slathered it with butter.... oh, yeh...... it was Yummy!!

There is a whole cup of raisins in the recipe ... so ... plenty in every slice.

here's the recipe:

435 g bread flour ( I always just use all purpose...ours has 13% ) ....

240 ml milk. (I use a full cup)

1 cup raisins or sultanas

1 egg

20 g sugar

20 g melted butter

13 g yeast (which is 3 tsp... seemed too much so I only used a scant 2 tsp. which is less than 8 g. ) ...

1 TBSP milk powder (didn't use it)

salt.

It doesn't say how much salt, but she says "to taste" in her video. I used less than a tsp. but may use a slight bit more next time.

Add yeast and sugar to warm milk and leave to activate.

Add flour, butter, milk powder, salt and egg and mix well. (I do it other way round...and add the dry mix to the liquid... after adding the eggs and butter to the yeast and milk)

Add the activated yeast little by little to the flour and knead 10 - 15 min. until it forms a nice smooth dough.

Add the fruit. Mix and put on floured bench top and knead another 3 min.

Leave to prove in greased mixing bowl.

Once doubled put back on bench and roll to a log and fold (as instructed in video) ..

Bake 180 C or 350 F about 30 -40 min.

(for the rolling ...

Roll or pat out out into rectangle - fold into thirds as in a letter fold.

Roll again - fold into thirds again and then, roll into log

Put into loaf pan and pat down gently. Leave to rise 30 min.

Brush with egg yolk - don't get it on the pan ...it makes the dough stick to pan!!!

Use large 9 x 5 pan.

The dough weighed in at a whopping 934 g by the time it was ready to go into the pan. I'm thinking next time I may divvy it up and bake it in two small pans.

I had to tent with foil after only about 25 minutes...so keep an eye on it...... the sugar and milk make it brown quite quickly.

www.be-ro.co.uk/recipe/showrec44.html?rec=44

INGREDIENTS

PASTRY CASE

175 g (6 oz) Be-Ro Short Pastry

www.be-ro.co.uk/recipe/showrec34.html

FILLING:

2 x 15 ml spoon (2 tbsp) jam or lemon curd

75 g (3 oz) margarine

75 g (3 oz) caster sugar

100 g (4 oz) ground almonds

50 g (2 oz) ground rice (I couldn't find this so I used plain flour)

1 medium egg, beaten

few drops almond essence (optional)

blanched almonds

METHOD

Heat oven to 190ºC, 375ºF, Gas Mark 5. Line an 18 cm (7 inch) flan tin with of the pastry, reserving remainder for the top. Spread the base with jam or lemon curd.

Cream margarine and sugar.

Mix together the ground almonds and ground rice, add to the creamed mixture alternately with the beaten egg.

Spread the mixture over the jam, then decorate with a lattice of pastry strips and blanched almonds. Bake for about 35-40 minutes.

from KraftFoods.com

Taco Salad Makeover

PointsPlus Value: 9

Servings: 4

Preparation Time: 10 min

Cooking Time: 18 min

Level of Difficulty: Easy

Course: main meals

Ingredients

4 medium flour tortilla(s), 6-inch

16 oz 95% lean/5% fat raw ground beef

1 Tbsp chili powder

1/2 cup salsa

1 cup canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed

4 cup lettuce

1/2 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese

1 cup tomato(es), chopped

8 Tbsp fat-free sour cream

Instructions

PREHEAT oven to 425F. Crumple four large sheets of foil to make four 3-inch balls; place on baking sheet. Place 1 tortilla on top of each ball; spray tortilla with cooking spray. Bake 6 to 8 min. or until tortillas are golden brown. (Tortillas will drape over balls as they bake.)

MEANWHILE, brown meat with chili powder in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Add salsa and beans; cook until heated through, stirring occasionally.

PLACE 1 tortilla shell on each of four serving plates. Fill evenly with lettuce, meat mixture, cheese and tomatoes. Top with 2 Tbsp of sour cream.

I made it with whole wheat spaghetti to be healthier, but any long pasta works. Melt a tbsp or two of butter and 3 or so tbsp of olive oil. Saute 4 or 5 cloves of garlic (minced or pressed). Add about 1/2 cup dry white wine, salt, pepper, a little dried oregano and red pepper flakes. Meanwhile, cook pasta (about 3/4 box for four servings) according to package directions. Cook garlic/wine mixture over medium about 5 minutes, then add chopped up zucchini (about 1 zucchini) and cook until almost tender. Then add shrimp with the shells off (about 1 lb), and 1 cup stewed tomatoes (if you are lazy you can also dump some canned spag sauce in there, but if you do that, don't add too much oregano). Cook until the shrimp is just opaque. Then add drained pasta and toss to coat. Top with fresh parsley & parmesan.

Try this delicious recipe: Cream of Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:

1 pumpkin, weight about 1.4 kg , peeled, seeded and chopped

2 small onions, skinned and sliced

1/2 stick 50 g butter

1 pt (600 ml) white stock

3 tbsp (45 ml) plain flour

1 pt (600 ml) milk

salt and pepper

3 tbsp (45 ml) cream

little grated cheese

chopped parsley to garnish

Method:

1. Lightly fry the onions and pumpkin in the butter for about 5 minutes, do not colour. Add the stock, cover and simmer for about 1 hour, or until the vegetables are soft.

2. Sieve or puree the soup in an electric blender and return it to the pan.

3. Blend the flour with a little of the milk to a smooth cream. Add the rest of the milk to the soup and re­heat.

4. Stir a little of the soup into the blended flour and milk and return this mixture to the pan, bring to the boil, stirring until it thickens, and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.

5. Season, stir in the cheese and cream and sprinkle with parsley before serving.

Black Olive Tapenade

▶ Vegetarian recipe adapted from Sundays at Moosewood.

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▶ Ingredients

1 cup Niçoise olives, pitted

2 TBSP capers

3 garlic cloves, pressed

1 cup pine nuts

1 TBSP olive oil

1 TBSP lemon juice

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

2 cups stemmed parsley

▶ Procedure

Process/blend until reaching coarse patè-like consistency. (Don't over-pulse!)

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