Category Archives: About

About, Poultry

Chicken Pot Pie

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Such an easy meal to prepare and this one can easily be made Vegetarian by subbing in  Yves “Chicken Tenders”.

Chicken Pot Pie

 

1/3 cup Butter
1/3 cup Flour
1/3 cup Chopped Onion
1 teaspoon minced Garlic
1/3 cup Chopped Celery
2 medium Potatoes, scrubbed and cut into small cubes
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
1 3/4 cup Chicken Broth (Vegetable Broth)
2/3 cup Milk (Soy Milk)
2 cups cooked cut up Chicken
1 (10 ounce) pkg Frozen Peas and Corn
1/2 teaspoon each Sage, Thyme and Parsely

Heat butter over low heat until melted.
Sautee onion until softened and translucent; add garlic and continue sauteing.
Stir in flour, salt and pepper; cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mixute is smooth and bubbly.
Remove from heat.
Stir in broth and milk.
Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.
Boil and stir 1 minute.
Stir in cut up chicken,  frozen peas and carrots and herbs.
Set aside.
In a microwaveable casserole dish combine chopped celery and diced potatoes. Add about an inch of water and cook on High for 5 minutes.
Drain and stir into chicken mixture.

Preheat oven to 425F.

Prepare Celery Seed Pastry.
Roll 2/3 of the pastry into a 13″ circle on lightly floured cloth-covered board.
Ease pastry into a 9″ deep dish pie plate.
Pour Chicken Filling into pastry lined plate.
Roll remaining dough into  10″ circle; place over filling.
Roll edges under; flute.
Cut slits in center to allow steam to escape.
Bake uncovered in 425F degree oven until crust in golden brown, about 30 – 35 minutes.
*If you like you can brush the chicken pot pie with an egg wash before baking – 1 egg, lightly beaten stirred together with 1 Tablespoon water.

Celery Seed Pastry

2/3 cup Lard or
2/3 cup plus 2 Tablespoons Shortening
2 cups Flour
2 teaspoons Celery Seed
1 teaspoon Salt
4 – 5 Tablespoons Ice Cold Water

Cut shortening into flour, salt and celery seed until particles are the size of small peas.
Sprinkle in water, 1 Tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl. (1 to 2 teaspoons water can be added if necessary)
Gather pastry into a ball.
Use as directed in Chicken Pot Pie recipe.

About

Reeses Bars

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Reece Bars

 

 

 

 

 

When I first started making these I would make them in a 9X13 pan because I was a very busy mum of four kids. Now I have more time on my hands and I like to make them in a mini muffin tin to make lil peanut butter cups!


1/2 cup Butter
3/4 cup Peanut Butter
1 3/4 cup Icing Sugar
3/4 cup Graham Wafer Crumbs
1 teaspoon Vanilla
6 oz pkg Chocolate Chips
Milk, to right consistency, about 1 Tablespoon

Skor bits, garnish (optional)

If using a 9X13 inch pan, just set it out now, no need to spray with vegetable oil spray or line with paper liner.
If making the peanut butter cups, prepare a mini muffin tin by lining 24 – 30 cups with paper liners.

Melt butter and peanut butter in large saucepan over medium heat.
Stir in icing sugar.
Add graham wafer crumbs and vanilla and stir well, ensuring there are no lumpy bits of graham wafer crumbs remaining.
Using a 2 ounce Pampered Chef scoop, scoop out 2 ounces into each prepared cup.
Firmly press down and even out each cup.
In a small clean saucepan, melt 6 ounces of chocolate; I use whatever I have on hand which is sometimes a combination of milk chocolate, white chocolate and dark chocolate.
You will probably have to add about a Tablespoon of milk to get that spread/pour consistency that you are looking for.
Using a small teaspoon, put a dollop of melted chocolate on each cup and spread over the top.
If using, garnish with Skor bits.

Once set, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator if it is hot and melty out. Otherwise, just in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

About, Cupcakes

Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting and Chocolate Sprinkles

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Yes, the name is long, but this recipe begs to have all of its wonderful flavours announced to get you salivating and scampering off to the kitchen to make ’em! Granted one needs to be a Peanut Butter Lover to truly appreciate them…

Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting and Chocolate Sprinkles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1/2 cup Butter
1 cup mashed ripe Banana (I used 3 medium sized ‘nanas)
1 1/2 cups Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 teaspoon Banana Flavouring (optional)
3 large Eggs

2 1/2 cups Flour
1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt

3/4 cup Buttermilk*

*If you don’t have Buttermilk on hand, don’t despair! Pour 1 1/2 teaspoons Lemon Juice or Vinegar into a Liquid one cup measure; add enough milk to make 3/4 cup and set aside for 10 minutes. Do this before you prepare your pans and gather your ingredients and the “Buttermilk” will be ready to use by the time you get to that step!

Preheat oven to 350F.
Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.

In small mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In large mixing bowl cream together the butter and sugar.
Add eggs, one at a time,  stirring well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl before adding the next egg.
Stir in mashed banana, vanilla and banana flavouring, if using.
Scrape down sides of bowl.
Mix on medium speed for 1 minute.

Add half the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until combined; on medium speed, continue beating for another 30 seconds.
Scrape down sides of bowl; with mixer on low speed add the milk and gradually increase speed to medium, beat for 30 seconds.
Scrape down sides of bowl.
Add remaining flour, mix on low speed until combined then increase speed to medium-high and beat for two minutes.

Using a 5 ounce scoop fill the prepared muffin cups.
Bake in preheated 350F oven for 13 minutes, rotate pans and continue baking for another 10 to 13 minutes or until a light golden brown and pick inserted comes out clean.

Cool in pans for about 10 minutes then turn out onto wire cooling rack and cool completely.
Frost with Peanut Butter Frosting.

Peanut Butter Frosting

1/2 cup Butter, softened
1/4 cup Shortening, softened
3/4 cup Peanut Butter
1 teaspoon Vanilla

3 cups Icing Sugar
2 – 3 Tablespoons Milk

In large mixing bowl cream together butter, shortening and peanut butter for about 2 minutes.
Scrape down sides of bowl and add 1 cup of icing sugar and the vanilla; beat for 30 seconds.
Scrape down sides of bowl and add another cup of icing sugar; beat for 30 seconds.
Stir in 2 Tablespoons of milk and beat for 30 seconds; scrape down sides of bowl. (you have to use your judgement here and decide whether or not the icing will be the right consistency with or without the extra Tablespoon of milk; in all honesty, I add it and if the resulting Frosting is to thin I add a bit more icing sugar, one Tablespoon at a time until I get the consistency I am after)
Add remaining cup of icing sugar, mix on low speed until combined and gradually increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy.

Spread on completely cooled Banana Cupcakes and sprinkle each with Chocolate Sprinkles.

 

 

About, Soup

Potato Soup

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A bowl of Potato Soup on a rainy day is incredibly satisfying!

 
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Onion, chopped
4 cloves Garlic, crushed
2 large stalks of Celery, diced
3 litres Vegetable Broth
12 medium Potatoes, White or Red, a combination of the two
1 Tablespoon Parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons Oregano
1 teaspoon ground Sage
1 teaspoon ground Thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons Salt

Freshly ground Pepper, to taste
Shredded Cheddar Cheese, about 1/8 cup per serve
1 Tablespoon crumbled Bacon Bits for each serve

Sautee onion over medium high heat for a few minutes.
Add garlic and continue cooking for a few more minutes.
Add diced celery, cook for another 4 – 5 minutes, stirring often.
Add vegetable broth and slowly bring to a boil.

While bringing the broth to a boil, peel and cube potatoes; carefully add to liquid. (If you prefer, you can leave the skins on and just give them a good scrub)

Add the spices in the order given, stir and bring the whole to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Using a potato masher, mash some of the potatoes before serving.

Top each serving with Shredded Cheddar and Bacon Bits, serve with warmed Crusty Bread.

About, Indian Cuisine

Dal

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2 cups Red Lentils, rinsed well; drained well

3 Tablespoons Ghee or Olive Oil
1 Onion, diced
2 cloves Garlic, chopped
1+ teaspoon Chili Flakes (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon Tumeric
3 Bay Leaves
3 Tablespoons Curry Powder
3 cups McCormick’s Veg Bouillion Stock or your favourite Vegetable Stock
15 oz (400ml) can unsweetened Coconut Milk
Salt
1 teaspoon Mustard Seed
1/4 teaspoon chili flakes (or to taste)
4 Green Onions, sliced
Preparation

Thoroughly wash and drain Red Lentils. Set aside.
In Medium size saucepan, heat 2 Tablespoons Ghee over Med/High heat and saute onion, garlic and chili for a minute.
Add Lentils, Tumeric, Bay Leaves, Curry Powder and Water; bring to a boil then lower heat, cover and simmer until Lentils are soft, about 30 minutes.
Stir in Coconut Milk ( I use Lite Coconut Milk) to Lentil mixture and simmer, stirring occasionally.
Add Salt to taste.
Heat remaining Ghee over High heat; add Mustard Seed, additional Chili Flakes and Green Onions and saute for about 1 minute.
Stir into Lentils and serve with Basmati or Jasmine Rice.