Category Archives: About

Date Bran Muffins

September 3, 2011 Sonte Leave a comment

These bring back memories of the Bran Muffins we used to get at Smitty’s Pancake house back in the 70s. My brother Bill and I worked together at Smitty’s and the favourite coffee break snack was a Bran Muffin fresh out of the oven with a portion of whippped butter and a dollop of honey. Yummers!

1 1/2 cups Raw Bran
1 cup Buttermilk
1/3 cup Vegetable Oil
1 large Egg
2/3 cup Brown Sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla

1 cup Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1teaspoon Cinnamon
pinch of ground Cloves
1/2 teaspoon Salt

3/4 cup Chopped Dates

Preheat oven to 375F (190C)
Line muffin tin with paper liners.

In small mixing bowl combine bran and buttermilk and let sit for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ground cloves, salt and chopped dates; make a well in the center.

In small mixing bowl, lightly beat the egg, add vanilla and vegetable oil.
Stir brown sugar into buttermilk soaked bran then add egg mixture and continue stirring.

Pour the combined wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until all the flour is moistened. The batter will be lumpy.

Using a 5 ounce Pampered Chef scoop, or a heaping tablespoon, portion batter into prepared muffin tin.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, rotate and continue baking for another 7 – 10 minutes.
Remove from oven when pick inserted comes out clean and let rest, in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
Turn out of muffin tin to cool completely.

Yield: 12 muffins

About, Loaves

Banana Bread

September 3, 2011 Sonte Leave a comment

Everyone has a banana bread recipe in their repertoire. I have been making this one for the past 28 years and have always gotten rave reviews.

2 1/2 cups Flour
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
3 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Salt

3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1/3 cup Milk (Soy Milk)
1 1/4 cup Bananas, mashed (2 – 4 bananas)
1 large Egg, slightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla

1 cup chopped Walnuts
1 cup Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350F.
Lightly spray bottom only of 9X5X3 inch loaf pan with vegetable oil spray.

In large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In small mixing bowl combine mashed bananas, vegetable oil, milk, egg and vanilla.
Pour liquid ingredients all at once into dry ingredients and stir just until all the flour is moistened.
Fold in chopped nuts and chocolate chips.

Spoon into prepared loaf tin and bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 55 – 60 minutes.
Cool in baking pan on wire rack for 10 minutes before turning out to cool completely.

Wrap and refrigerate for no longer than one week or store in Tupperware Bread Keeper.

About, Cakes

Farmhand Cake

September 1, 2011 Sonte Leave a comment

I have been making Farmhand Cake for years! I started making it for Girl Guide camps and soon it was accompanying us on all our family camping trips and picnics!

1 cup Butter
2 cups Sugar
4 – 6 Eggs (depending on size of eggs)
1 1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract
1 teaspoon Vanilla
2 cups Flour
pinch of Salt
2 – 3 cup Fruit Pie Filling

– Apple Pie Filling, Cherry Pie Filling, Blueberry Pie Filling, 6 Passion Fruit, Lemon Curd

Preheat oven to 350F.
No need to grease Jelly Roll pan, but get it out now and have it ready.

In large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add well beaten eggs, one at a time and continue beating.
Stir in flavourings.
Stir in flour and salt; beat well, until smooth and creamy looking.

Spread 1/2 to 2/3 of batter over the bottom of an ungreased jelly roll pan.

Top with Fruit Filling – Apple Pie Filling, Cherry Pie Filling, Blueberry Pie Filling, 6 Passion Fruit, Lemon Curd or fruit filling of your choice, being careful not to mix the two together.

Spoon dollops of remaining batter on top and spread out as evenly as possible.

Bake in 350F oven for 30 to 40 minutes (start checking it at 25 mins) or until the top feels dry to the touch and springy.

While still warm, sift a little icing sugar over top of cake OR mis a small amount of milk and icing sugar into a thin glaze and drizzle over top.

To store – Do NOT cover – Just leave in pantry, will keep for one week. <—NOT, it will be well and truly gone before a week is up!

About, Quick Breads

Bannock – Fried Bread

August 23, 2011 Sonte Leave a comment

2 cups Flour (sometimes I use half whole wheat flour, half white flour)

4 teaspoons Baking Powder

1 teaspoon Salt

1 Tablespoon Sugar

Enough warm water to make a soft dough

1 cup Vegetable Oil, for frying

In medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.

Using a fork, stir in enough warm water to make a soft dough; start with about a 1/2 cup of water, stir, add a bit of water, stir.

Continue adding water a little at a time until you achieve the right consistency.

Heat about 1 cup of vegetable oil over high heat; drop a bit of dough in the hot oil, if it sizzles and floats to the top of the oil, it is ready to go.

While the oil is heating you can start forming your bannock; you can cook up to four bannock in the pan at one time.

Using a fork, scoop out about 1/4 cup of dough and drop it into a mound of flour.

With lightly floured hands, pick it up and gently toss it between your hands to lightly coat with flour and start shaping.

Place the dough on a very lightly floured surface and gently flatten to about 1/4inch thick.

Carefully place in hot oil, cook until golden.

Flip and cook for another minute.

Remove from oil to paper towel lined platter.

Continue this procedure with the remaining dough.

When you are first starting to make Bannock, I recommend you have a partner in crime to give you a hand; one person can form the bannock and the other person can cook it. Heaps less stressful!

Enjoy your bannock!

Oh, and there are a gazillion and nine Bannock recipes and methods of cooking bannock…this is just how I was taught to make it.

PS…making Bannock is messy work! But well worth it!

About, Pasta

Macaroni and Cheese

August 18, 2011 Sonte Leave a comment

There is nothing quite so comforting as Home Made Macaroni and Cheese. Everyone has there own twist on the recipe. Sometimes I will add things, use different cheeses, sometimes add a breadcrumb topping, sometimes not…create your own heartwarming, soul soothing Mac and Cheese.

Mac and Cheese - Creamy Delicious Cheesy Delight

Just a note, I often double the amounts so that I can have leftovers for lunches.

6 ounces Pasta (Cavatappi is my new fave! Sea Shells are great, Bow Ties and sometimes you just have to go with good ol’ fashioned Elbow)
1/4 cup Butter (Margarine)
1 small Onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon minced Garlic
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
1/4 cup Flour
1 3/4 cups Milk (Soy Milk)
8 ounces Shredded Old Cheddar or a combination of cheeses: a bit of parmesan, cheddar, mozza.
1 – 3 teaspoons Mustard
1/4 teaspoon Paprika

Bread Crumb Topping:
2 slices Multigrain Bread
1 Tablespoon Butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon “The Mix” <- my blend of spices that I use for a lot of things

Put bread slices in processor and pulse until no chunks of bread remain.
Add melted butter, pulse for a few seconds to coat bread with butter; set aside.

Preheat oven to 375F.
Lightly butter or spray a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish; set aside.

In a large pot cook pasta according to directions on package.
Pour into colander to drain; leave sitting in colander.
In the same pot, melt butter; add onion, garlic, salt and pepper and cook until onion is soft.
Blend in flour.
Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat.
Stir in milk.
Heat to boiling over medium high heat, stirring constantly; maintain boil for about a minute, and keep on stirring.
Remove from heat; stir in mustard, paprika and cheese. Stir until all the cheese is melted.

Pour macaroni into the cheese mixture and stir to coat all the pasta.
Pour macaroni and cheese into prepared casserole dish.
Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top.
Bake uncovered in 375F oven for 30 minutes.

Aysontespli's Kitchen