Adobo-Peach Salsa

Adobo-Peach Salsa

I love the peach and adobo mix of flavours in this salsa - sweet and spicy! 

I usually make this with fresh from the garden red peppers but occasionally use roasted peppers. I prefer the raw, fresh ones as it gives a better bite and fresh taste. I also sometimes add part of a chipotle that comes with the adobo sauce but this time all I had was the sauce. I think the sauce added lots of flavour and just enough heat but I know there are readers out there that love a higher heat level!

Ingredients

2 peaches
4 medium tomatoes
1 red or yellow peppers
1-2 tbsp adobo sauce with or without chipotle
1/2 red onion
1 lime, juiced
salt
pepper
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped (optional)

Instructions

You have two ways of putting this together:

1. Skin the peaches as per below. Chop everything by hand, throw it in a bowl, add the juice and spice and stir it all together.

or

2. Skin the peaches by placing them in boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove the peaches and carefully remove the skin. Cut into sections and throw away the pit. Quarter the tomatoes. Throw the peaches, and tomatoes in a food processor and pulse them until they are the desired size. Place them in a large bowl. Then reuse the processor bowl and do the same thing for the peppers and onions. Throw them into the tomato bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and combine. Season with salt and pepper.

I find the food processor method easier but it does make for more dish washing. The reason I don't throw everything into the processor at once is that the harder veggies will take longer to chop to the desired size. By that time the tomatoes and peaches will be pulp and not recognizable.

Place in refrigerator for up to 12 hours so flavors can come together. Also, good as soon as it is mixed!

No-Bake Chocolate Muesli "Cookie" Drops

These are not really cookies they are more like a confectionery or candy. They are quite sweet so I like to keep them in the freezer for times when I really NEED a hit of sugar. I use a muesli with lots of nuts, raisins and cranberries so I kinda think that helps add a little bit of "good stuff" to this occasional treat - yes I know I'm kidding myself but just go with it! The key to making this recipe is making sugar the butter mixture boils long enough - if it doesn't it will not set properly!

No-Bake Chocolate Muesli "Cookie" Drops

Ingredients

3/4 cup crunchy cookie butter or peanut butter or nutella
1 cup butter
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups muesli

Instructions

Melt the cookie butter, butter and sugar in a medium size saucepan over medium heat stirring constantly. Once it has come to a rolling boil let it continue to boil for another for 90 seconds. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining ingredients. Let sit in the pot for another 3 minutes.

Grease parchment paper or use a silpat (I prefer this method) and place it on a cookie sheet. Drop mixture by the tablespoon onto the pan.  Refrigerate until mixture sets, at least 3-4 hours. (It will set without refrigerating unless it is really hot out but the fridge is easier.)

Fruit and yogurt muesli parfaits

My kids love breakfast! Their go to requests are cereal and yogurt for my son and yogurt and fruit for my daughter. When I combined both in a 'fancy' wine glass they thought I had created 'the best thing ever'. Lol. Yes, they are easy to impress! Now they both want parfaits or 'parfets' as my daughter calls them every morning! The best thing about it is when I use muesli (my son is loving Dorset Cereals 'super cranberry, cherry, and almond' muesli right now), I can make them the night before and leave them in the fridge for them to grab when they wake up (and possibly grab a few more minutes of sleep for me)!

How to make them is pretty obvious, just layer your favorite yogurt, muesli or granola, and fruit in a bowl or fancy glass. I recommend eating granola parfaits right away or the granola will get soggy. Go the muesli route is you want to make them the night before. Also, you can use frozen fruit if you make them ahead of time so they can thaw a bit before eating.

If you REALLY need a recipe...

Makes 2.

Ingredients

2 cups yogourt
2/3 cup muesli or granola
1 cup fruit

Instructions

Place 1/3 c yogurt on bottom of glass/bowl, sprinkle 1/3 cup muesli/granola over yogurt, spread 1/3 cup yogurt over muesli/granola, place 1/4 cup of fruit on top, layer another 1/3 c of yogurt, add 1/4 cup fruit.

Repeat in second glass/bowl.

Easy Strawberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam

Freezer jam is so easy and so delicious. Since you either don't cook the fruit or, as in the case of rhubarb, cook it only slightly, the fruit really is the star of the show. I also LOVE that it uses less sugar than cooked jam. My first freezer jam recipe is my most viewed page on this blog so I think other people have been enjoying freezer jam too!

Since I've been seeing rhubarb at our local fruit stands this week, this is the perfect time to share another freezer jam recipe. This strawberry rhubarb jam is sweet but still just a little tart thanks to the rhubarb. You do have to stew the rhubarb for about 10 minutes to soften it but the strawberries don't need to be cooked. I also added a little bit of cardamom. Although it's optional, try it if you have it on hand as it goes really well with both fruits. This jam is great on toast but also amazing on ice cream!

Ingredients

1 -1/2 cups (375 ml) berry sugar 
1 lb strawberries

1 pouch (45 g) Freezer Jam Pectin (I use BERNARDIN®)

2 lbs rhubarb
1 tsp cardamon
zest of one lemon

Instructions

1. Wash and hull strawberries. Place in a large bowl and mash. If they are not soft you could pulse them in a food processor until they are coarsely chopped.
2. Wash rhubarb and leave wet. Trim the ends of the rhubarb and chop. Place in a stainless steel saucepan, cover and  bring to a slow boil. Boil gently for about 10 minutes to stew. Remove from heat and let cool 5 minutes. Measure 3 cups. 
3. Mix two fruits together in the strawberry bowl. Add lemon zest and cardamon. Stir. (You should have about 4 cups of prepared prepared fruit in total.)
4. In another large mixing bowl, whisk together Freezer Jam Pectin and sugar. Stir fruit mixture into pectin-sugar mixture for 3 minutes.
5. Ladle jam into containers, leaving approximately 1/2 inch (1 cm) headspace. Wipe the jar rims. Close with your lids. Let stand until thickened, about 30 minutes.Jam can be stored for up to 3 weeks in the fridge or in the freezer for up to 1 year.

Makes about 5 x 250 ml jars.

Try my raspberry lime freezer jam too- it's one of my favorites!

Strawberry Muesli Smoothie

Ever since I bought a Nutriblender, the entire family is on a smoothie kick. The kids want them every morning. We usually keep it to just fruit and milk but when it's more of a meal on the run vs a snack we've been adding muesli and yogourt to "beef" them up. Our muesli brand of choice is Dorset Cereals. In this smoothie we used "simply nutty" but this morning we opened their "super cranberry, cherry and almond" muesli - yet another delicious box! We made some no bake chocolate muesli "cookies" (they are more like a confection) with it - a future blog post!

This is the smoothie we had today.

Ingredients

1/2 cup greek yogourt
1 cup milk
1/2 cup muesli (I used Dorset Cereal's Simply Nutty)
6 fresh strawberries
1/2 cup frozen peaches
1 small orange (peeled of course)

Instructions

Blend until desired consistency is reached.
Makes two smoothies.

Honey Oat Muffins

My kids love these muffins! I thought the cardamom might be a little overwhelming but it isn't. The cardamom flavour is definitely stronger in the batter than in the baked muffin but it still adds a nice little "something-something" to this snack. The honey shines through in this recipe and can be tasted in every bite. You can also use maple syrup instead of honey. Of course, if you want to use less the sugar leave out the chocolate chips.

I've also occasionally used one pack of individual instant oats (any flavour) when I've been out of regular oats. I use whole wheat pastry flour but you can use all-purpose flour though it might make a slightly more dense final product (not that there is anything wrong with that).


Makes 12 muffins.

Ingredients

3/4 cup quick or instant oats
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar or turbinado sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour (all purpose can be substituted)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup plain yogourt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cardamom
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

On medium low heat combine honey, oats, cinnamon, cardamom and vanillla. Heat until honey is warm. Remove from heat.

In large mixing bowl beat together sugar, eggs and oil on medium high speed for 3 minutes.

In small bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Add half the flour mixture to the egg bowl and stir on low speed until just combined. Add the yogourt and mix again. Add the oat mixture and stir. Add the last of the flour and chips. Stir just until combined.

Evenly divide amongst muffins tins and bake for 15-17 minutes until golden and tooth pick test comes out clean.

Cool for ten minutes in tins and then remove muffins from tin and cool completely on wire rack.

Purple Yam Swiss Roll

I've seen purple yams/sweet potatoes used in many Filipino desserts here in Vancouver but I had never tried one myself. A vegetable as a dessert? Hmmm not sure about that ;) 

The thing that stands out the most is obviously the colour! I've never seen such a beautiful purple from a natural source before! Once steamed it is very sweet - more so than a traditional yam/sweet potato, I think - so it really does work well in desserts. The texture was certainly different than what I am used to in a dessert and at room temperature it wasn't my favorite BUT once refrigerated for a couple of hours it was great AND after our first night I froze the left overs and the next day it was heaven! It was very much like an ice cream cake! YUM.

Love the colour!

Roll the cake from the short end and leave half an inch of no filling at the
far side so it doesn't squish out.

Cut off the ends if you want a cleaner presentation.

I brushed some purple food gel onto my silpat
thinking it would  blend into the batter - it didn't!
But I  still like it!

So pretty!

I liked the texture best when frozen for a few hours.

Swiss Roll Cake (based on a recipe by Rose Levy Beranbaum)

1/4 cup (33 grams) whole wheat pastry flour
2-1/2 tbsp cornstarch
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup sugar + 1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
icing sugar for dusting

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Using a half-sheet pan (17-1/4 x 12-1/4) coat with non stick spray then place a silpat or nonstick liner on the pan. Spray the silpat with baking spray the contains flour.
3. Separate 2 eggs, and place the yolks in a mixer stand bowl and the whites in another bowl and set aside.
4. To the yolks add the two whole eggs, 1/2 c sugar and one more egg yolk. Beat this at high speed for 5 minutes. Add vanilla and mix in at medium speed. 
5. You need the mixing bowl again so place the yolk mixture into another bowl. Clean the original mixer bowl really well as any fat left in the bowl will affect the beating of the egg whites.
6. In a small bowl, whisk the flour and the cornstarch.
7. Sift half the flour mixture over the egg yolk mixture. Fold it in very gently. Repeat with the remaining half of the flour.
8. In the large, cleaned stand mixer bowl add the egg whites. Using the whisk attachment beat the whites on medium speed until they are foamy. Add the cream of tartar. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until the whites form soft peaks. Add 1 tbsp sugar and beat until stiff peaks form when whisk attachment is lifted. Fold the whites into the yolk mixture. 
9. Pour the batter onto the baking sheet and smooth with an offset spatula. 
10. Bake for 7-8 minutes until golden brown.
11. Immediately loosen the sides of the cake from the sides of the pan. Gently slide the liner and cake out of the pan and on to a work surface. Sift the icing sugar over the cake. While hot, roll the cake from the short end making sure you include the liner as you roll. 
12. Set the cake on a wire rack to cool for 45 minutes.

Purple Yam Mixture

1-1/2 cups purple sweet potatoes, peeled cut and steamed (they need to be hot)
3 tbsp butter
1/3 cup icing sugar
2 tbsp cream cheese
1/2 c whipping cream

Instructions

Using food processor with the steel blade attached, add all the ingredients. Process until smooth. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Putting it all together

Unroll the cake and carefully detach the cake form the liner and them lay it back on the liner again. 

Spread the potato mixture evenly over the cake leaving 1/2 inch of no icing on one short end. Starting at the other end, tightly and firmly roll the cake. Place on a serving plate with seam side down. Refrigerate or freeze for at least an hour before serving.

Olive oil banana bread with molasses

This banana bread came about one day when I had a bunch of overripe, fruit fly calling bananas on my kitchen counter but no room temperature butter. I know I could have zapped the cold butter in the microwave but I always seem to melt it too much and make a mess. And being the impatient baker I am, I did not want to wait to let it warm up naturally. Instead, I used a light tasting extra virgin olive oil.

In case you didn’t know, you don’t substitute olive oil and butter amounts tbsp by tbsp. In this case, the original recipe calls for ¼ cup of butter but I only needed 3 tbsp of oil (healthier already!). I also didn’t cream the oil and sugars as I would have if I had used butter since the oil is in a liquid state.

Olive oil works in many baked goods but especially well here with the fruity bananas and deep tasting molasses and oats. It also adds a great depth of flavour that goes well with the cinnamon.

This banana bread is amazing toasted especially with … a little pat of butter! LOL…so much for “health” improvements. Oh well, I’m sure you’ll love it anyway you eat it! 

Ingredients

1 c white flour
1/2 c whole wheat flour
1/2 c large flake oats
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 c sugar
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 c molasses
2 large eggs
1 c mashed bananas
1/3 c low fat sour cream
1 tsp vanilla

What to do

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Whisk, in a large bowl, flours, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and sugar.
3. In another bowl, whisk together eggs, molasses, olive oil, bananas, sour cream and vanilla.
4. Add wet to dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
5. Place batter into a 8 x 4 pan that has been coated in non-stick spray.
6. Bake for about an hour or until toothpick comes out clean.
7. Let cool for 15 minutes and then remove from pan to cool completely.

Daring Bakers August - Pate a Choux Swans and Stabilized Whipped Cream

Kat of The Bobwhites was our August 2012 Daring Baker hostess who inspired us to have fun in creating pate a choux shapes, filled with crème patisserie or Chantilly cream. We were encouraged to create swans or any shape we wanted and to go crazy with filling flavors allowing our creativity to go wild! 

I've made choux pastry before and went from being very intimidated by the thought of this dough to realizing it's quite easy to make and work with! My previous and only use of the dough was used in creating a delicious Croquembouche so I was looking forward to using it again in making a bevy of swans. My only concern was that the final result might look more like ugly ducklings than beautiful swans!  

I'll let you be the judge as to whether or not I succeeded!  

I kept it simple and used stabilized whipped cream as my filling.

Click here for a pdf of all the recommended recipes and look below for my stabilized whipped cream recipe.

Stabilized Whipped Cream

Using stabilized whipped cream will prevent it from separating - especially useful on warm days!

Ingredients

1/4 c water
1 tsp unflavoured gelatin
1 c heavy or whipping cream
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla

What to do

• Chill your bowl and beaters in the freezer for 20 minutes.
• Place water in a deep microwave safe bowl and sprinkle gelatin over the water.
• Let sit for 5 minutes.
• Microwave the the gelatin mixture for three minutes making sure you you stir every 30 seconds or so or it might bubble over and make a mess!
• Let it sit for about 10 minutes so that the mixture is liquid but not warm.
• Remove your cold beaters and bowl from freezer and pour in cream. Beat until soft peaks form.Add vanilla and sugar and whip for 10 seconds more.
• Add gelatin mixture and whip until stiff peaks form.

Five seed cracker recipe

Are they all they’re “cracked” up to be?

Homemade crackers are easy and pretty impressive…after all how many times have you been served homemade crackers…not many I bet.

Generally, ingredients are minimal, simple and quick to come to together so if you are just beginning to make your way around a kitchen or want an easy recipe to make with the kids this is the way to (google homemade goldfish crackers for kids!).

This recipe is stuffed with nutritional goodness thanks to five varieties of seeds – pumpkin, poppy, sunflower,flax and sesame!

They are great topped with flavoured cream cheese and also go well with bits of fresh bococcini and basil leaves. But really the sky is the limit... of course, they are also good on their own.

Tip: If you don't need to make all the crackers at once, just freeze any unbaked dough. It will last at least a couple of months in the freezer.

adapted from LA Times recipe

Ingredients

¼ c hulled sunflower seeds

¼ c hulled pumpkin seeds, unsalted

¼ c ground flax seeds

¼ c sesame seeds – the tan coloured ones + more for garnishing – about an extra 2 tbsp

¼ c poppy seeds + more for garnishing – about an extra 2 tbsp

2 c whole wheat flour

¾ tsp salt

2 tbsp honey

2-1/2 tbsp vegetable oil

¾ c water

Egg Wash

1 egg

½ c water

What to do

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Using a coffee grinder or blender, grind the sunflower, pumpkin seeds into a fine powder (but not so much it turns to nut butter).
3. Using a stand mixer, combine all of the seeds (except for garnish), flour, salt, honey and oil on low speed to combine.
4. Add the water and mix on low until the dough turns into a firm ball.
5. Lightly flour your work surface and knead the dough for about 30 seconds to make sure everything is combined. The dough will be tacky but definitely not sticky. If it is, add more flour.
6. Line three baking sheets with parchment.
7. Divide the dough into three portions.
8. Roll out one portion at a time so it is paper thin i.e. less than 1/8 of an inch! The smaller  the cracker, the crispier it will be.
9. Tip: Keep moving the dough a little as you roll it out. If needed dust work surface with more flour to prevent sticking.
10. Cut rolled dough into squares or diamonds… or any other shape you want!
11. Move the cut dough onto the baking sheets.
12. Tip: these crackers don’t spread so they can be placed very close together.
13. Repeat with each portion of dough.
14. Mix the egg with ½ c of water and brush over the tops of dough.
15. Sprinkle lightly with sesame and poppy seeds.
16. Bake crackers (you can bake each pan separately if needed) for 10 minutes.
17. Rotate sheets and bake another 10 minutes.
18. Rotate again and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes.
19. The crackers should be golden brown, looking dry and crispy.
20. Cool the crackers on their pans.
21. They can be stored at room temperature for a week.

Honey Cookies

This recipe is adapted from an old Purity cookbook that was given to me by my Mom many years ago.  I still use many of the recipes including this one for simple honey cookies. The original recipe added a tablespoon of orange rind to the dough - too much work for me :) but you may want to add it to yours. These cookies also hold up well should you want to sandwich them with your favorite buttercream!

Honey Cookies

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Ingredients
2 c flour
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
¾ c butter, unsalted, at room temperature
1/3 c sugar
½ c honey
1 egg

Chocolate decorations (if desired)
1/2 c melted white chocolate chips
1/2 c melted milk chocolate chips

What to do

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line cookie sheet with parchment or silpat.
3. Sift together flour baking powder, baking soda and salt.
4. In another bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and honey until light and fluffy – about 4 minutes.
5. Mix in the egg and beat for an additional 30 seconds or so.
6. Gently mix in dry ingredients.
7. Refrigerate dough for 2 hours.
8. Once chilled, lightly flour your work surface and roll out dough until it is ¼ inch thick.
9. Cut into desired shapes with your favorite cookie cutter(s).
10. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. If your cookies are less than 2 ½ inches in diameter start checking for doneness at 8 minutes.
11. Cool completely. If desired drizzle with chocolate.

Daring Baker's Challenge Part I - Armenian Nutmeg Cake

The Daring Bakers’ April 2012 challenge, hosted by Jason at Daily Candor, were two Armenian standards: nazook and nutmeg cake. Nazook is a layered yeasted dough pastry with a sweet filling, and nutmeg cake is a fragrant, nutty coffee-style cake.

Until this challenge, I had never heard of Armenian Nutmeg Cake. Little did I know my life was poorer for it. First off, this cake tastes amazing. The spices make something that your tastes buds will recognize as comfort food even if, like me, you have never bit into this peace of heaven before. Second, even though kids will love it, the flavours are quite sophisticated and filled with depth. Third, this cake is super easy to make!

This dessert is perfect for a tea party, a dinner party or a pity party! Try it. You're gonna like it!

Armenian Nutmeg Cake


Makes one 9”/23cm cake which yields 12 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup (240 ml) milk
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups all-purpose (plain) flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
• 3/4 cup (1½ sticks) butter, preferably unsalted, cubed
• 1/2 cup walnut pieces or pumpkin seeds, may need a little more
• 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg (try to grate it fresh yourself)
• 4 pods of green cardamom, seeds removed and crushed (discard pods) or ½ tsp ground cardamom
• 1 large egg



What to do
(using food processor, and a 9-inch spring form pan)

1. Preheat your oven to moderate 350°F

2. Mix the baking soda (not baking powder) into the milk. Set aside.

3. Put the flour, baking powder, and the brown sugar into your food processor. Pulse until uniformly mixed.

4. Toss in the cubed butter. Pulse until uniformly mixed into tan-colored small crumbs.

5. Pour HALF of the crumbs into your spring form (9”/23cm) pan. Press out a crust using your fingers and knuckles.

6. Crack the egg into the food processor with the rest of the crumbs still in it.

7. Toss nutmeg and cardamom into the food processor, too. Pulse until well-incorporated.

8. Pour in the milk and baking soda mixture. Continue to mix until a slightly lumpy tan batter is formed.

9. Pour the batter over the crust in the spring form pan.

10. Gently sprinkle the walnut or pumpkin pieces over the batter.

11. Bake in a preheated oven for 35-40 minutes. It's ready when the top is golden brown, and when it passes the toothpick test (comes out clean).

12. Cool the cake in the pan, and then dig in. Yum yum!

Freezing/Storage Instructions/Tips: Armenian nutmeg cake will keep (covered) at room temperature for 2-3 days. Taste better still warm from the oven.

Allow to cool completely before attempting to freeze. Armenian Nutmeg Cake will freeze fairly well if completely sealed. Can be frozen for up to 3 months.

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The Daring Baker's Part II - Nazook

The Daring Bakers’ April 2012 challenge, hosted by Jason at Daily Candor, were two Armenian standards: nazook and nutmeg cake. Nazook is a layered yeasted dough pastry with a sweet filling, and nutmeg cake is a fragrant, nutty coffee-style cake.

These little bites are not only buttery, flaky, and slightly sweet but they are also easy to make and bake. To one batch I made as directed and to the other I added a sprinkle of cinnamon. My personal fave is the original version - there is the perfect hint of vanilla which blends so well with the buttery pastry.

Ingredients
Pastry dough

• 3 cups (720 ml) (420 gm/15 oz) all-purpose (plain) flour, sifted
• 2½ teaspoons (12½ ml) (7 gm) (¼ oz) (1 packet) active dry yeast
• 1 cup (240 ml) (225 gm/8 oz) sour cream
• 1 cup (2 sticks) (240 ml) (225 gm/8 oz) softened butter (room temperature)

Filling

• 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) (210 gm) (7½ oz) all-purpose (plain) flour, sifted
• 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) (340 gm/12 oz) sugar
• 3/4 cup (1½ sticks) (180 ml) (170 gm/6 oz) softened butter (room temperature)
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
• 1 vanilla pod, scraped for the seeds

Wash

• 1-2 egg yolks (for the wash; alternatively, some yogurt, egg whites, or a whole egg)

What to do

Make the Pastry Dough

1. Place the sifted flour into a large bowl.

2. Add the dry yeast, and mix it in.

3. Add the sour cream, and the softened butter.

4. Use your hands, or a standing mixer with a paddle attachment, to work it into a dough.

5. If using a standing mixer, switch to a dough hook. If making manually, continue to knead for about 10 minutes, or until the dough no longer sticks to the bowl or your hands. If it remains very sticky, add some flour, a little at a time.

6. Cover the dough and refrigerate for 3-5 hours, or overnight if you like.

Make the filling
7. Mix the flour, sugar, vanilla seeds and the softened butter in a medium bowl.

8. Add the vanilla extract.

9. Mix the filling until it looks like clumpy, damp sand. It should not take long. Set aside.

Make the nazook
10. Preheat the oven to moderate 350°F/175°C/gas mark 4.

11. Cut the refrigerated dough into quarters.

12. Form one of the quarters into a ball. Dust your working surface with a little flour.

13. Roll out the dough into a large rectangle or oval. The dough should be thin, but not transparent.

14. Spread 1/4 of the filling mixture across the rolled-out dough in an even layer. Try to spread the filling as close as possible to the edges on the short sides, but keep some of pastry dough uncovered (1 inch/2.5 cm) along the long edges.

15. From one of the long sides, start slowly rolling the dough across. Be careful to make sure the filling stays evenly distributed. Roll all the way across until you have a long, thin loaf.

16. Pat down the loaf with your palm and fingers so that it flattens out a bit.

17. Apply your egg yolk wash with a pastry brush.

18. Use your crinkle cutter (or knife) to cut the loaf into 10 equally-sized pieces. Put onto an non-greased cookie sheet.

19. Place in a preheated moderate oven for about 30 minutes, until the tops are a rich, golden brown.

20. Allow to cool and enjoy!




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Decorated Easter Sugar Cookies

Black sheep of the family?

Decorated with pre-made cookie icing and a few sprinkles.
Twirly lines easily made with a tooth pick run through the icing.

These Easter cookies are made from a super easy recipe a friend gave me from Cook's Illustrated. The dough stands up well to rolling and tastes delicious. Try it and I'm guessing it will become your favorite go to cookie recipe!

Carrot outlined in black icing and dried before filling in the colours.

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Ingredients
2-1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup berry (or super fine) sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup butter, unsalted,room temperature and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp cream cheese, room temperature

What to do

• Using a mixer, combine flour, sugar, salt - on low speed to avoid flour going everywhere!
• Keep mixing on low and add the butter one piece at a time and mix until it is crumbly.
• Add vanilla and cream cheese and continue to mix until dough forms large clumps. This won't take long - maybe a minute or so.
• Using your hands knead the dough a few times so in forms one big ball.
• Divide in half and wrap each piece in plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate for 1/2 hour or longer.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Rollout dough so it is about 1/8 inch thick.
• Cut into shapes, place on cookie sheet and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• Bake for 10 minutes until golden brown.
• Cool on sheet for 5 minutes and transfer to cooling racks.
• Repeat with remaining dough.
• Makes about 36 cookies.



Happy Easter!



Brownie Cake Pops - Valentine Hearts

Cake pops are everywhere these days but let's face it - they are sooo cute! I especially like brownie cake pops because the denser cake makes for a better taste and feel in your mouth. And my biggest tip is to go light on the icing - too much just turns it all to mush - you want it to taste more like a brownie!

Ingredients
1-1/2 c butter, unsalted
2-1/4 c sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 c flour
1 c cocoa
1/2 tsp salt


1-1/2 c prepared icing
1 package candy melts or similar
30, 5 or 6 inch lollipop sticks


What to do

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
• Over low heat, melt butter in a saucepan.
• Add sugar and stir until well combined and some sugar dissolves. It will still be thick and 'sugary' looking.
• Cool the mixture to room temperature.
• Place in large mixing bowl.
• Add eggs one at a time and beat until well combined- about 4 minutes.
• In another bowl, sift together.
• Add dry ingredients to butter mixture and stir until just combined.
• Pour batter into pan and smooth with spatula.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes.
• Don't over bake!
• Cool completely before moving on.

• Once cool, crumble brownie into large chunks and place in food processor. You may want to do this in batches.
• Pulse brownies until it has consistency of grainy sand.
• Place in large bowl.
• Add 3/4 c of icing and mix until well combined. You may have to add a bit more. You need the mixture to hold together when rolled into a ball. But try not to add too much or pops become too sweet.
• Refrigerate mixture preferably overnight but at least 2 hours.
• To make a heart shape I used one half of a boiled egg shaper for bento boxes. But you could also use a small cookie cutter or shape them by hand. They shouldn't be more than a couple of inches in size.
• Place hearts on a cookie sheet and refrigerate again for a few hours or overnight.

• Melt your candy melts according to directions.
• Dip one end of lollipop stick into melted candy.
• Place dipped stick into bottom of heart...about 2 cm deep.
• Dip heart while holding onto stick into melted candy to cover heart completely.
• Place cake pop stick end into styrofoam or place in a heavy glass so they can dry.
• Once candy is dried, use a food writer pen or icing in a decorating bag with a thin tip to write your messages.
• Dry as in previous method or place on cookie sheets until ready to eat.

Makes approximately 30 cakes pops.

Sugar Rimmed Sugar Cookies Recipe

To me, these cookies are in between a sugar and a shortbread cookie - very buttery but a bit chewier than a regular shortbread.

I love this recipe because:

• few ingredients are needed
• can make the dough and then refrigerate overnight so time commitment is minimal
• the decoration is quick and easy
• no rolling of the dough!
• taste amazing
• flavour gets even better if you can let them sit a day or two
• sanding sugar easily goes with any theme - orange and black for Halloween, red and green for Christmas, pastels for Easter, blue and green for the Canucks!

Adapted from a recipe by the beyond talented Regan Daley

Ingredients
1/2 c unsalted butter
1 c sugar
2 c flour
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg yolk for adhering sprinkles
various sanding sugars - 1/3 c per colour


What to do

• Cream butter and sugar for 4 minutes until light, and creamy.
• Add vanilla.
• Gently mix in flour. Less is more here - you don't want tough cookies.
• Divide the dough in half and wrap in plastic wrap so they form a long cylinder of dough (like a soup can shape) that is about 2 inches in diameter. 
• Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silpats.Work quickly with one portion of dough at a time, leaving the other in the refrigerator.
• Brush the first cylinder with the lightly beaten egg yolk.
• Roll the dough into rainbow sprinkles. If you want many coloured sprinkles then cut dough in smaller pieces and then roll in chosen colours. Rotate the log every few slices to avoid flattening the roll on any one side.
• With a sharp knife slice the dough into 3/8-inch wide slices.
• Place on baking sheets about 3/4 inch apart.
• Repeat the procedure with second log.
• Bake the cookies for 15 minutes, or until the bottoms begin to colour. Watch carefully every oven is different!
• Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes.
• Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Chocolate oatmeal flax cookie recipe

If I put flax and oatmeal in a cookie along with some dark chocolate that makes them a health food, right?.....right??? Come on work with me here, people!

Ok, ok maybe they are not a health food but they are delicious!

Makes 20 large or 48 small cookies

Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp milled flax
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups large flake rolled oats
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (or the whole bag...whichever ever is easier!)
1/2 c toffee bits
1/2 c premade icing, totally optional

What to do

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy...about 4 minutes.
• Add egg one at a time, mixing in the first before adding the second. 
• Add the vanilla.
• In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, flax and salt.
• Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter bowl until just incorporated - don't over mix.
• Add the oats and chocolate chips. Stir until just mixed in.  
• For large cookies drop dough in 1/4 c mounds on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or silpat.
• Bake for 14 -16minutes or until just starting to turn golden brown around the edges. For small cookies, use a tbsp or 1-1/2 inch cookie scooper and bake for 8-10 minutes.
• Cool for five minutes on cookie sheet before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
• If desired, drizzle a little premade icing on them!

Thumb Print Cookie Recipe

Thumbprint cookies are so simple and easy to make. They are also the perfect recipe when the kids want to help in the kitchen. Their little thumbs are the perfect size for making the needed jam holder!




Makes about 20 delicious cookies.


Ingredients
1-1/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs yolks
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups  flour
3/4 cup jam (any flavor)


What to do

• Preheat oven to 350 F.
• Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silpat.
• In a large mixing  bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
• Beat in egg yolks, vanilla and salt.
• In another bowl whisk flour and salt. 
• Gently combine flour and salt into creamed ingredient bowl.
• Form dough into 1-inch diameter balls.
• Place 2 inch apart on prepared cookie sheets.
• Press down center of each with your thumb or back of spoon.
• Fill centers with about 1 teaspoon of your jam.
• Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges.
• Cool on baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.