Roasted Garlic Tzatziki

From tzatziki

I love tzatziki - as a dip with vegetables, fresh pita triangles or homemade baked pita chips, or as an accompaniment to meat dishes or even as a sandwich spread. The only down side to tzatziki is the sometimes overpowering garlic aftertaste. This recipe frees you from breathmints! I use roasted garlic instead or raw which cuts down on the garlic bite but also brings a new subtle take on the flavour of this dip. Even the kids like it.


I use Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt differs from regular North American yogurt in that Greek yogurt is a blend of cream and milk and it is strained longer than regular yogourt. You will find Greek yogurt creamier and firmer than most yogurts you have tried. It also has a much higher percentage of milk fat compared to regular whole milk yogurts. This results in more calories per serving than the yogourt most of us have on a daily basis but this dip is a treat, not a daily pleasure, so I never feel guilty about indulging in it every now and then.


Click here for Printable Recipe.


Ingredients
2 cups Oikos Plain Greek Yogurt
1 english cucumber, peeled and grated
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
2 bulbs of garlic, roasted
salt
extra oil to roast garlic


Roast garlic and strain cucumbers ahead of time:

From tzatziki

Roast Garlic
Cut 1 cm off the tops off garlic bulbs, removing enough so that the top of each garlic clove is seen.


Place the bulb (cut side up) on a piece of aluminium foil and lightly coat the top with vegetable oil.


Fold the sides of the foil up to prevent the oil from running over, but don’t seal it–leave the top wide open to prevent steaming of the garlic.


Place in a heated oven (375°) for anywhere from 45 to 60 minutes. When done, the heads will be carmelized and soft enough to squish out. The results will be a paste like consistency. Once cooled, squish the contents of the bulbs out into a small bowl.


Note: Cut off any hard bits (too carmelized) on the tops of the roasted garlic.
Cucumbers

From tzatziki

1. Place grated cucumbers loosely in strainer and sprinkle with salt.
2. Place in fridge for at least 2 hours.
3. Place strained cucumbers on paper towel and pat dry.
Note: If you don't strain them the final dip will end up quite watery.


The Dip
1. Combine lemon juice, garlic and oil in small dish.
2. In large bowl gently combine juice/oil mix, yogourt, and strained cucumbers.
3. If desired you can also add dill or mint.


Serve with veggies and pita. Enjoy!

From tzatziki

Pretty-in-Pink Purse Cake

Pretty-in-Pink Purse Cake

From Purse Cake

I made this cake for a friend's birthday. She has more handbags than anyone I know!

It's really simple to make. Bake your favorite 8 or 9 inch 2-layer cake and mix up a batch of your favorite icing. Cut off a couple of inches of one end of both cakes so that you can stand up the cakes. Spread a layer of icing between the cakes and stand them up. Icing the outside of the cakes and smooth.

If you are using fondant, colour as desired. Roll out fondant and cut one inch strips to cover cake as in picture. Also roll out bag trimming. Cut another piece for the handle. I also cut out, with small cookie cutters, a few fondant pieces to decorate the purse.

Hope you like it, as much as I do!

From Purse Cake

From Purse Cake

From Purse Cake

Pine Nut Gateau Breton

From gateau breton

Have you ever craved something moist, buttery, not too sweet, something with a distinct texture and something that feels good to bite into? Then you have come to the right place. This Gateau Breton is the answer to your craving. This version uses toasted pine nuts which adds another rich discernable layer of flavour to this dessert. It pairs perfectly with a coffee at the end of a meal. PS it is also makes a great breakfast :) This recipe is adapted from Heavenly Cakes by Rose Levy Beranbaum. (This book should be in your kitchen.)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
3/4 cup berry sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup + 2 tbsp unsalted butter
4 large egg yolks
1.5 tbsp rum
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups + 3 tbsp flour sifted before measuring
1 egg, lightly beaten for egg wash

What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
2. Grease and flour a 9 inch spring form pan (mine was 3 inch high but Rose says you can also use a tart pan or 9 x 2 cake pan)
3. |In food processer, pulse the pine nuts, salt and 1/4 cup of the sugar until nuts are finely chopped.
4. Beat the remaining sugar and butter in stand mixer for 1 minute.
5. Add the yolks one at a time. Mix each for 20-30 seconds.
6. Add the nut mixture, rum, vanilla and beat until smooth.
7. Add the flour in 4 additions. Beat until just incorporated at each addition (15 seconds or so).
8. Make sure the all the flour is incorporated (including the bits that get stuck at the bottom of the bowl).
9. Transfer batter into prepared pan and smooth top.
10. Brush top of cake with beaten egg.
11. Using fork or tip of knife draw cross hatchlines across cake.
12. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a deep golden brown.
13. Cool for 10 minutes before removing sides of pan or inverting.
14. Cool completely.

From gateau breton

Cheesy Pasta Casserole

OK, as much as we all like from time-to-time to feel the satisfaction of lovingly crafting a time consuming, complicated 4- star meal, most days all I want to accomplish is a quick, nutritious, and delicious meal that my kids will eat without complaining!

This dish fits the bill - very quick, very easy, very delicious. And yes, it passes the kid taste test.

Any pasta will do though in this case I used Cavatappi  or “Corkscrew” pasta - it's like macaroni but different enough for the kids to take notice. The tight spiral locks-in the flavor allowing the shape to pair with both simple and sophisticated sauces. In this case, it was a simple meat sauce. And since my kids love cheese and creamy foods I added preshredded, extra stringy cheese to the pasta and sauce and then a bit of sharper cheddar to the top. Of course, you can spice it up if you or your kids like some heat. Chopped onions or other veggies like carrots also work well in this dish.

Ingredients
1 lb of lean ground beef
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp Old Bay seasoning (optional)

1 - 2 jars Newman's Own Marinara Sauce (depends on how saucy you like it)
1 cup pregrated cheese
1/2 cup grated cheese for top

500 g package of corkscrew pasta

What to do

1. Mix salt pepper and Old Bay seasoning with beef.
2. Brown beef over medium heat until cooked through.
3. In large casserole dish add beef and sauce.
4. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to directions on package.
5. Add pasta to casserole dish.
6. Add 1 cup cheese.
7. Stir well.
8. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
9. Place in preheated 350 degree oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes until heated through, bubbling at the sides and cheese in melted.

Note: If you don't have 30 minutes to spare throw it all in a big sauce pan and, over medium heat, warm until cheese is nicely melted and creamy.

 

From cheesy

Spring Coconut Cake

From coconut cake

This is one of my Mom's many amazing loaf recipes. I love eating a slice of this when it's still warm and with a little butter spread on it. mmmm, I'm hungry already!

Traditionally, my mom serves this plain or with butter. In this version, I have added a bit of "spring" to it by dividing the batter into 4 equal bowls and mixed each with a different colour food colouring. I then put the 2 coloured batters on two layers as in the picture. Enjoy!

From coconut cake

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1.5 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup fine ground unsweetened coconut

 What to do:

 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1. Grease and flour a 9 x 5 loaf pan.
2. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs one at a time until well mixed.
4. Add milk and vanilla.
5. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
6. Add coconut.
7. Add dry to the wet ingredients and stir until just blended.
8. Put batter into loaf pan.
9. Bake 60 -70 minutes until it passes the toothpick test.
10. Cool 10 minutes.
11. Remove from pan and let cooling finish on cake rack.

 

Don't Sing the Blues... make Blueberry Bran Muffins instead

My kids and husband love blueberries muffins and I love bran muffins – to satisfy everyone I baked up a batch of these delectable bites. Good for snacks or breakfast these are quick to mix up and throw in the oven. The recipe is based on one I found on epicurious. I used a combo of sour cream and yogurt but either works. I also added an egg yolk because I like a denser muffin. For a lighter version leave out the extra egg yolk. Enjoy!

From blueberry muffins

Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 2/3 cup yogurt – plain or fruit flavoured
• 1/4 cup molasses
• ¾ cup fresh blueberries
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup wheat bran

What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. In a large bowl cream together the butter and the brown sugar until light and fluffy, beat in the egg and yolk, the sour cream, yogourt and the molasses.

3. In a bowl whisk together the flour, the baking soda, the salt, and the bran.

4. Add the flour mixture to the sour cream mixture bowl.

5. Mix the batter until it is just combined. (The batter will be lumpy.)

6. Fold in blueberries.

7. Spoon the batter into 12 greased standard muffin tins or tin lined with muffin paper cups.

8. Bake the muffins in the middle of a preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they are golden brown or inserted tooth pick comes out clean.

9. Cool 10 minutes and turn out onto a rack and let them cool completely.

Click here for a printable verison of this recipe.

From blueberry muffins

Toy Box Baby Shower Cake

From shower cake

About seven or so years ago, I completed Wilton’s cake decorating courses. I have to confess that I didn’t put the lessons to very good use. In fact, it wasn’t until I had kids that I found a desire to make beautifully decorated cakes.

My first attempt was not very good. However, by the time my daughter turned four and wanted a “Barbie” princess cake, I was more proficient. Last year was a princess castle and my son was happy with his jungle themed cake.

I’m still not perfect and have to say I use my Wilton lessons as a stepping stone to try new things but don’t use their exact ways. And I certainly don’t think I could make a decent rose to save my life.

Anyways, a couple of weekends ago I made a baby shower cake for a friend who recently had a beautiful baby boy. It was a Wilton inspired cake called a Tot Toy Box. Of course, I put my own personality into it. For example, I used butter cream vs. covering it in fondant (I don’t like the taste of fondant). The cakes were Rose Levy Barenbaum’s recipes. I had a hard time figuring out a recipe for a 12 inch square pan, In the end I used a recipe for a 13 inch round pan – it worked beautifully.

The icings were also Rose’s – chocolate sour cream ganache and neoclassical butter cream. I did make the toy box and baby out of fondant…it was a bit labour intensive but so much fun to see the end product.

The letters on the toy box are made out of melted chocolate. The decorative baby bottles and bears are sugar candies that were purchased from a local cake-decorating store. The instructions for Wilton’s cake can be found here.

It doesn’t say on Wilton’s site, but I would make the toy box a week ahead of time if possible. For the baby, if you are making it out of fondant here’s what I did:

• Colour 1 cup of ready-made fondant (I used copper tone).
• Roll fondant out to about ¼ of an inch in thickness.
• Cut two circles out of rolled fondant – I used the open side of a drinking glass to cutout the circles.
• Roll two pieces about three inches long each and form into arms.
• With a small ball of leftovers, color fondant black or other hair colour and thinly roll a piece of hair, and eyes (I used blue but again use whatever you like).
• Colour another small piece pink or rose for cheeks.
• Attach the pieces with a bit of water.
• Sprinkle some cornstarch on a pan and place “baby” on top to dry.

Also, instead of attaching the baby to a wall of the toy box, I cut an extra long side of the toy box and then used it as an extra prop to ensure the toy box lid stayed in place and I leaned the baby on it.

From shower cake

From shower cake

From shower cake

From shower cake

From shower cake

From shower cake

From shower cake

From shower cake