All posts by Sonte

About, Cookies

Copy Cat Lofthouse Sugar Cookies

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Another Hayley and Michael fave! Gotta admit, I love ’em too!

Copy Cat Lofthouse Cookies

1/2 c (1 c) Butter, softened
1/2 c (1c) Sour Cream
12 oz (6 oz) Granulated Sugar
     [1 3/4 c  is 12 oz , I just don’t like messing around halving it, 6 oz is                easier)
1 (2) Eggs
1 (2) teaspoons Vanilla
1/4 (1/2) teaspoon Almond extract
3 c (6 c) Flour
3/4 (1 1/2)  teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 (1 ) teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 (1/2) teaspoon Salt

Frosting
1/2c (1c) Butter
1/2 (1) teaspoon Vanilla
2c (4c) Powdered Sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp (5 TBSP) Milk
Food Colouring and Sprinkles, if desired

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F.
Line baking trays with parchment paper, set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl combine dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt; set aside.
In stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, cream together the butter and sour cream until smooth and light in colour.
Add in the sugar, egg(s), vanilla and almond extract. Mix until just combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring well after each addition.
To form drop cookies: using damp hands, roll dough into 2″ balls and place 2″ apart  on the prepared cookie sheet. Using a flat-bottomed glass dipped in sugar, press the cookie balls flat.
If preferred, you can roll out the dough after chilling the dough for 30 minutes.. Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface until 1/4″ thick. Using a biscuit cutter, cut cookies and place 2″ apart on the prepared cookie sheets.
Bake cookies in preheated 400F oven for 5 -7 minutes, The rolled cookies will take a lil longer, 8 – 10 minutes, baking just until the cookies being to set up and the bottoms are lightly brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet and let cool completely on a cooling rack before frosting.

Frosting
In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl, using a hand mixer, cream together the butter and extract until smooth.
Add in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing until smooth after each addition. Add in the milk and food colouring, and beat until fluffy and smooth. Spread onto cooled cookies and immediately sprinkle on the sprinkles, if using.

Just a note: Watch them carefully when they are baking! The minute you see them turning golden brown on the bottom, remove them from the oven and let sit for 5 – 10minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Copy Cat Lofthouse Sugar Cookies!

Casseroles, Pasta

Hayley’s Fave Mac&Cheese

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Just about every time I go to stay with Michael and Hayley I get a request to make Mac&Chz! I wrote the recipe out on a bit of paper and tucked it under something I knew would not likely be used before I got back…there was the recipe! But now, for safe keeping, I am going to add it here!

Hayley’s Mac&Chz
12 oz (24oz) Pasta of your choice: elbow, penne, cavatappi
1/2c (1c)  cButter
2/3c (1 1/3c) Flour
1 1/2 (3) litres Milk
400 g (800g) Cheddar Cheese, grated
170g (340g) Strong Cheese, grated – Gruyere, Swiss, Asiago, Parmesan
1 tsp (2tsp) Salt
1/2 tsp (1 tsp) Chili Powder
1 Tbsp (2Tbsp) Djon Mustard
1/2 tsp (1tsp) Garlic Powder

S&P, to taste

Topping
2oz (4oz) Grated Cheddar Cheese
1tsp (2 tsp) Chili Powder

Preheat oven to 350F
Lightly spray 9×13 casserole(s) with Veg oil spray; set aside.
12 oz (24 oz) Pasta noodles of your choice

Cook pasta according to package directions.
When cooked to desired doneness, drain and set aside.

In pot used to cook pasta, melt butter over med-low heat, whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute.
Add a bit of the milk and whisk until no lumps remain; add a bit more milk, whisking until no lumps remain; add  a bit more milk, whisking in until no lumps remain and heat bubbles begin to form before adding more milk, whisking until no lumps remain and cook until those little heat bubbles appear on the surface of the mixture.
Add remaining milk, and stir frequently until mixture thickens and starts to bubble on top.
(you are going to want to stir quite a bit ensuring the mixture does not stick or start to burn)
Remove from heat and season with djon mustard, garlic powder, salt and pepper, chili powder stirring until well combined.
Begin to add cheeses, a handful at a time,  whisking until completely melted before adding more. Continue until all of the cheese has been melted into the sauce. If the sauce becomes too cold to melt the cheese, place it over low heat but only briefly, to continue melting the cheese.
Overheating the sauce can cause it to break and become grainy.
Add cooked and drained pasta to the pot with the cheese sauce and stir to combine.
Pour into prepared casserole(s), top with second amount of grated cheese and season with a sprinkle of chili powder, salt and pepper.
Bake in preheated 350F oven for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.

Serves 8 (16)

About, Squares and Bars

“Starbucks” Oat Fudge Bars

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So back in 2012 my mother was diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer. She went into hospital at the beginning of Summer and never came home again. One of her fave things, while she could still chew and swallow was the Oat Fudge Bars from Starbucks downstairs!
I started making them in 2016. Four years after her passing.

Now my husband quite enjoys them! Can’t say I blame him, they are super delish!

Photo to Follow

 Oat Layers
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Butter
2 Eggs
2 cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
3 cups Rolled Oats – I use Quick Oats
Fudgy Layer
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 cups Chocolate Chips – I use a combination of Semi-Sweet, Milk Choc0late and Dark Chocolate
1/2 cup Butter
1 teaspoon Vanilla

Fudgy Layer
In a small saucepan, gently heat together butter and sweetened condensed milk; stir in chocolate chips and vanilla;  stir until chocolate chips have melted. Remove from heat and let cool slightly while you make the oat mixture.

Oat Mixture
In a large bowl cream together butter, sugar and eggs.
Mix flour, soda and oats; add slowly to creamed mixture.
Spread 3/4 of the oat mixture into a 9×13 lined with parchment paper.
Spread fudge layer over the pressed down oat mixture.
Crumble the remaining oat mixture over the fudgy layer.

Bake in preheated 350F oven for 25 minutes.

About, Coffee Cakes

Fluffy Vegan Pancakes

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Sometimes you find yourself without eggs, and milk, and vanilla, and vinegar, and well, a whole lot of ingredients but you need to pull together a breakfast!
I have found myself in this exact position not once but twice in the past two weeks. Seriously, NOTE TO SELF: BRING VANILLA, VINEGARS, EMERGENCY POWDERED EGGS, POWDERED MILK

In the meantime, I pulled these Vegan Pancakes off and they were actually really good! I would suggest letting the batter sit for about 15 minutes before cooking. I used my electric griddle which made them turn out beautifully! I just can’t seem to get the hang of cooking pancakes in a cast iron frying pan…nor a cast iron griddle! All good, the sun was shining when I wanted to make these for breakfast AND the wind was ripping through here so the wind turbine was generating extra power too!

Without further ado….

Fluffy Vegan Pancakes

2 cups Flour
4 Tbsp Coconut Sugar
2 Tbsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
2 cups Almond Milk
1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
2 tsp Vanilla

Maple Syrup, to serve
Whipped Cream, to serve

In medium mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
In small mixing bowl, combine almond milk, apple cider vinegar and vanilla, stirring well.
Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients and whisk just until combined. Do not over mix to avoid rubbery pancakes.
Let batter rest for about 15 minutes.
Preheat your electric griddle or non-stick pan, or cast iron pan on stovetop; pour about 1/3 cup of batter for each pancake –  my griddle accommodates cooking six at a time.
When the top begins to bubble, flip the pancake and cook second side until lovely and golden.
Serve warm with Maple Syrup, Fresh Fruit and Whipped Cream.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days: reheat in the toaster or enjoy cold with a nut butter and jam, jelly or honey.

No eggs? No worries! Delicious egg free, dairy free pancakes. 

Gluten Free

Levain Bakery Gluten Free Sugar Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

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1 cup (8 oz) cold Butter, cut into cubes
1/2 c + 1Tbsp (4 oz) [Truvia]Brown Sugar Blend
1/4 c (1 oz) Monk Fruit Sweetener
2 Eggs, large
2 1/2  cups (11.8oz) Gluten Free Flour Blend
1 1/2 cups (4.76 oz) Gluten Free Rolled Oats
1 teaspoon Cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 1/2 cups (8.4 oz) Raisins
1 cup (4.1 oz) Walnuts, chopped

And you know I am going to add a splash of Vanilla and prolly a splash of Rum!

Preheat oven to 410F (210C)
In a large bowl, cream together cold butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Add flour, oats, cornstarch, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; stir until combined.
Stir in raisins and chopped walnuts.
Chill dough for 15 minutes.
Portion dough into 4.5 oz – 6 oz balls, depending on your preference but keeping all cookie dough portions as close to equal as you can, and place on parchment lined cookie sheet; about 4 – 6 cookies per sheet, giving them room to spread
Bake for 9 – 11 minutes or until golden brown on the top.
Let them rest for at least 15minutes to set on cookie sheet before moving to wire cooling rack to cool completely