Orangesicle Cookies

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Recipe adapted from White Chocolate & Lime Cookies

Perfect for a summer treat, these cookies are light, refreshing and tasty! We love eating these refrigerated or even frozen.

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
• zest from 1 orange
• 2 1/2 cups AP Flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1- 12oz bag white chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper
3. In a large bowl mix sugar and butter until just combined (but not fluffy)
4. Add eggs one at a time, then add vanilla, lime juice and lime zest. Mix just to combine.
5. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl.
6. Mix into created mixture until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
7. Shape dough into 1" balls and place 2" apart on baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes until the edges are golden and the centres are just set.
8. Allow to sit on pan for 5 minutes before moving to cooling racks.

Granola Bars

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Granola Bars

Adapted from SmittenKitchen

 

I wanted some granola bars that didn't taste like chocolate bars, and I'm so happy I found this recipe on SmittenKitchen. It tastes like hearty breakfast in a bar, and they leave me feeling much better about my morning snack! I pull them out of the freezer in the morning, and they're thawed by my 10am morning coffee/snack break.

• 2 cups old fashioned oats
• 1 cup sliced raw almonds
• 1 cup shredded coconut, loosely packed
• 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/3 cup agave nectar (if you can't find, use more honey)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cup dried fruit, I used chopped apricots, cranberries and raisins
• 1/3 cup small chocolate chips (chipettes)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine oatmeal, coconut, almonds and wheat germ and pour onto baking sheet. Toast in oven, stirring periodically for 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove and place in large bowl. Reduce oven to 300 degrees.
3. While mixture is warm, stir in honey, agave nectar, vanilla bean paste and salt. Stir until well coated and then stir in dried fruit and chocolate chips.
4. Pour mixture into a 9x13" pan, greased and lined with parchment paper and press down as hard as you can, all over. I used a rubber spatula on its side to push with my fist. 
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Cool for 2-3 hours before removing from pan and cutting. I cut into bars and freeze in snack size bags!

Spinach Ravioli with Brown Butter & Sage Sauce

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Spinach Ravioli with Brown Butter & Sage Sauce

Made by Guest Cook (My Dad)

 

My parents came over for dinner the other night, and brought with them about 30 of these little guys, ready to cook. He provided me with his ravioli recipe and then we whipped up this impossibly delicious brown butter sauce together (read: I helped with my taste testing skills).

Raviolis

• 1 package frozen spinach, thawed
• 5 gloves minced garlic, sauteed
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 500 grams ricotta cheese
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 eggs
• a scape (or pinch) of nutmeg
• 3 egg pasta
• 2 1/4 cups AP flour
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lukewarm water

Butter Sauce

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves, chopped
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Directions: 

1. Make a well of measured flour and crack eggs into center. Break the yolks without disturbing the sides and add salt, olive oil and water.Whisk the eggs gently and incorporate some of the flour little by little. With your hands bring the flour from the outside of the well to the center and form a ball. If the ball is sticky, pick up with hands and mix further. Once dough feels soft and no longer sticky, knead for about 8-9 minutes until dough is smooth and shiny. Cover with tea towel and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
2. You can now roll out and create your raviolis. You may want to use a pasta machine to roll out your dough, or if you don't have one, use a rolling pin to roll out quite thin (1/8"). My dad used a press (which is why these look so annoyingly perfect) but since I don't have one, I general roll dough into long strips, lay one strip down, place tablespoons of filling(recipe to follow) about 2" apart, brush with an egg wash in a circle around filling and then top with second strip, trim and pinch to seal.
3. To create filling combine thawed frozen spinach, garlic, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs and nutmeg in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
4. Once raviolis are made (alternatively, you may decide to buy fresh raviolis- You can find them in the refrigerated pasta section of the grocery store) it's time to make the Brown Butter Sauce. Start by heating the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium high heat.
5. Meanwhile bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add raviolis and cook for 6-7 minutes if fresh, or according to the package if store-bought.
6. Watch & stir the butter carefully as it starts to foam and then subsides. At this point it should start browning. Add your sage now and continue to stir. Once the butter reaches a caramel color you want to remove from heat. You want it to be browned not burnt. Drizzle over raviolis and top with toasted pine nuts.
7. It seems like a lot of work, but you can make the raviolis in advance and freeze, allowing you to create this meal in about 10 minutes!

Cheddar & Dill Scones

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Cheddar & Dill Scones

Adapted from The Barefoot Contessa

 

Desperate to use some of my out-of-control Aerogarden dill, I sought out any recipe which would use it up and came across this little ditty. These are wonderful directly out of the oven with some butter, and the co-workers munched them up the next day with much praise!

• 4 cups plus 1 tablespoon AP flour, divided
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 pound cold butter, diced
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup cold heavy cream
• 1/2 pound extra-sharp old Cheddar, diced in small cubes
• 3/4 cup fresh chopped dill
• 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk, for egg wash

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Combine 4 cups of flour, salt and baking powder in a large bowl and cut in butter until pieces are pea-sized.
3. Mix the cream and eggs and add to the flour/butter mixture. Combine until just blended.
4. Toss together cheese cubes, dill and 1 tablespoon of flour and add to dough. Toss until almost incorporated.
5. Turn out dough on floured surface and knead for 1 minute, until dill and cheese are incorporated. Roll out dough 3/4" thick, cut into 4x4" squares and cut diagonally into triangles.
6. Brush tops with egg wash and bake on parchment paper lined baking sheets for 20-25 minutes until outside is crispy and inside is fully baked.

Fannie Farmer's Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese

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Fannie Farmer's Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese

This recipe is from a cookbook from 1946. Usually I ignore the old adage "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" but in this case i'm inclined to agree. This recipe is as perfect today as it was in 1946 (not that I would know), causing CK to declare it, rather conclusively as "The One".

• 1 cup macaroni
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• fresh cracked black pepper to taste
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, good quality
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, buttered

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cook and drain macaroni according to package. Set aside.
3. In a large saucepan, melt butter.
4. Add flour once butter is bubbling. Watch closely while stirring constantly for the colour to change to a light nut colour.
5. Add milk and cream in small increments, until completely incorporated and smooth. There should be no lumps. Add salt and pepper.
6. Bring to a boiling point and boil for two minutes (stirring constantly). Reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes or until thickened, stirring often.
7. Add cheddar cheese little by little stirring well until it's all melted.
8. Turn off flame. Add macaroni noodles and stir to combine.
9. Transfer to buttered baking dish.
10. Top with buttered breadcrumbs (I pull little pieces off a bun or slice of bread and then toss in 1 tablespoon melted butter)
11. Bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes (or until top is golden brown and is bubbling).

Cajun Chicken Dip

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Cajun Chicken Dip

The legendary fight night appetizer. This is the easiest dip to make, and I have literally never had someone try it who didn't scream with happiness.  I have made it here in individual ramekins, but if you're into sharing, it cooks great in an 8x8 pyrex as well. 

You can really use any cheese for this recipe, but
we've found that a better quality cheese yields a better
(read: less heavy) result.

• 1 package Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup Helman's mayonnaise 
• 1 cup aged white cheddar, grated
• 1/2 cup marble or cheddar, grated
• 3 chicken breasts
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely diced
• Cajun seasoning
• Tortilla chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Boil chicken breasts in large saucepan filled with water (my dad likes to add a bit of lemon to the water-- CK does NOT)
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl beat cream cheese and mayo until well combined. Add cheese and jalapenos. 
4. When chicken is completely cooked (no longer pink inside) shred with two forks and add to bowl. Mix well.
5. Spread into Pyrex baking dish (or individual ramekins) and liberally sprinkle with cajun spice.
6. Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until dip is bubbling on all sides.

Hearty Chilli

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Hearty Chili 

After scouring the internet for the perfect chili, I came across this "award winner". It is perfectly hearty, has a ton of beans and big chunks of ground beef and sausage. This recipe is magic in a bowl. For all my Vegetarian friends-- I think subbing out the ground beef for veggie ground-round and omitting the sausage, bacon and bouillon would make for a tasty dish as well! Pair with a delicious French Loaf for added delight.

• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 1 pound italian sausage (sweet or spicy)
• 4 cans red kidney beans
• 2 (28oz) cans diced tomatos
• 1 (6oz) can tomato paste
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 green chile peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 tablespoon bacon bits
• 4 cubes beef bouillon
• 1/2 cup Guinness (or other beer)
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce (Franks, Tabasco etc.)
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon white sugar

Directions:

1. Heat a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Crumble the ground beef and sausage into the hot pan, and cook until evenly browned. Drain off excess grease.
2. Pour in the chili beans, diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Add the onion, celery, green and red bell peppers, chile peppers, bacon bits, bouillon, and beer. Season with chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, oregano, cumin, hot pepper sauce, basil, salt, pepper, cayenne, paprika, and sugar. Stir to blend, then cover and simmer over low heat for at least 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
3. After 3 hours, taste, and adjust salt, pepper, and chili powder if necessary. The longer the chili simmers, the better it will taste. Remove from heat and serve, or refrigerate, and serve the next day (good luck).

French Loaf

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French Loaf

This is the best loaf of bread I have ever made. It looked and tasted like I bought it from a bakery (which is my general meter-stick of success). I made this while I was simmering my Hearty Chilli. It was a match made in heaven! 

• 3 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F)
• 2 cups water
• 6 cups AP flour
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons cornmeal
• 1 egg white, beaten
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Directions:

1. In a small bowl dissolve yeast in warm water. Allow to proof for 10 minutes.
2. In a large bowl combine the yeast mixture with two cups water, 3 cups flour, salt, sugar, and vegetable oil; stir well to combine. Stir in remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Once the dough has pulled together, turn out on a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes). Lightly oil a large bowl and place dough inside, turning once to coat. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 1 hour).
3. Divide dough in half with a knife or pastry cutter. Roll each half into 9x12 rectangle and roll up jelly roll style, starting on the long side. Seal the edges and turn seam side down. Place loaves on baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. 
4. Using a sharp knife, make three slashes diagonally. Brush with beaten egg white and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Cover and allow to rise for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until golden brown.
6. Drink immediately.

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

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Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

Borrowed from The BrownEyedBaker

Happy belated St. Paddy's day to everyone. It has taken a few days to regain my composure and post these beauties that I served to the bar on Saturday. They are inspired by the Irish Car Bomb shooter-- which involves a shot glass of either Baileys or Irish Whiskey dropped into a cup of Guinness. These are much easier to swallow.

For the Cupcakes:

• 1 cup Guinness stout
• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 Dutch process cocoa powder, sifted
• 2 cups AP flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup sour cream

For the Whiskey Ganache Filling:

• 1 bag semisweet chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons Irish Whiskey (I used Jamesons)

For the Baileys Frosting

• 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
• 5 cups powdered sugar
• 6 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream

Directions: 

1. To Make the Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 cupcakes with liners. Bring the Guinness and butter to simmer in a heavy, medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.
2. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl to combine. Using the electric mixer, beat the eggs and sour cream on medium speed until combined. Add the Guinness-chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and beat just to combine. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour mixture and beat briefly. Using a rubber spatula, fold the batter until completely combined. Divide the batter among the cupcake liners. Bake until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean (about 17 minutes). Cool cupcakes on rack.
3. To Make Whiskey Ganache Filing: Place chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream until it is simmering and pour over the chocolate. Let sit for one minute and then stir until combined. Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to pipe.
4. To Fill the Cupcakes: Using the large end of a decorating tip (or a 1" round cookie cutter) cut the centres out of the cupcakes, going about 2/3rds of the way down. Transfer the ganache to a piping bag with a wide tip, and fill the holes in each cupcake to the top.
5. To Make the Bailey's Frosting: Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer (Or your can do this by hand, but get ready to build some biceps), whip the butter on medium high speed for 5 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Reduce speed to medium-low and gradually add the powdered sugar until all of it has been incorporated. Add the Baileys, increase the speed to medium-high and whip for another 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
6. Using whatever decorating tip you'd like, or an offset spatula, frost the cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles (if desired). Store the cupcakes in an airtight container.

Super Green Juice

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Super Green Juice

Detox juice! This juice has tons of antioxidants and will leave you feeling healthy, cleansed and happy-- seriously. Make sure to drink it right away, as this ensures you are getting the max benefit from the fruits and veggies!

• 4 stalks celery
• 2 Bosc pears, cored and quartered
• 1 lemon, zest and pith removed
• 1" hunk of ginger root
• 2 cups baby spinach

Directions:

1. Juice ingredients in layers.
2. Tightly ball up baby spinach and push through with celery stalks.
3. Drink immediately.

Tea Biscuits

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Tea Biscuits

I made these biscuits a bit too small miniature sized.. but generally speaking, a normal sized glass is the perfect tool to cut these into rounds. These are delicious for a brunch, with dinner or any time with tea. 

• 2 cups flour
• 4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons shortening
• 7/8 cup milk (a little less than a cup), warmed

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Combine all dry ingredients and cut in shortening. Warm milk and add last. Stir to combine.
3. Roll out dough to approximately 1/4" thick.
4. Using a glass, cut out rounds and place on baking sheet, touching each other.
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Move promptly to cooling rack.

Sweet Basil Pasta

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Sweet Basil Pasta

My favourite dish to make when CK surprises me with guests and I don't have any groceries in the house! Easy to make as little or as much as you need-- its a unique flavour profile, the sugar cuts the tomatoes well and the dried basil packs a delicious punch. If you're ambitious try with homemade farfalle. 

• 1 can diced tomatoes 
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups farfalle (bowtie) pasta
• Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add farfalle pasta and cook until al dente (approximately 10 minutes) 
2. In the meantime, in a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add diced tomatoes, dried basil and brown sugar and simmer to reduce (10-15 minutes)
3. Drain pasta and toss with tomato mixture, top with freshly grated parmesan. 

Chicken Fried Rice

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Chicken Fried Rice

Enjoy this homemade version of a chinese takeout favourite. This recipe is easily adaptable-- try omitting chicken for a vegetarian version, trade out the white for brown rice or add shrimp or any type of seafood! 

• 5 ribs of celery, chopped
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 6 or 7 mushrooms, chopped
• 2 chicken breasts, sliced into 1/2" long slices
• 2 cups of white rice, cooked, cooled
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

1. Cook two cups of white rice according to directions. Transfer to bowl and chill.
2. Heat olive oil in wok on high and add garlic. Cook until fragrant. Add chicken. Cook 4-5 minutes until all sides are mostly white. Add celery, onions and mushrooms and continue cooking until softened (5-8 minutes)
3. Add rice and incorporate. Add soy sauce and stir to combine and heat through.
4. In a separate saucepan, scramble eggs and add to wok. Serve.