Category Archives: About

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.

 

 

About, Poultry

Tomato Basil Chicken Breasts

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Tomato Basil Chicken Breasts
Baked Tomato Basil Chicken Breasts

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you live in the Fraser Valley, British Columbia start by getting your Tomato Basil Chicken Breasts at Fraser Valley Meats

4 Tomato Basil Chicken Breasts
350 ml Greek Style Yogurt
2 cups Seasoned Bread Crumbs
1 cup Tomato Basil Sauce
8 small slices  Kraft Havarti Cheese

Coat chicken breasts in yogurt, place in shallow casserole dish, cover and let sit in the fridge for a few hours.

Preheat oven to 400F.
Lightly spray a casserole dish with vegetable oil spray.
Put seasoned bread crumbs on a plate.
Remove chicken breasts from yogurt, brushing some off, but leave a bit on.
Dip in seasoned bread crumbs to coat well, roll over and continue coating until all sides are completely coated.
Place in prepared casserole dish; repeat with remaining chicken breasts.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 -25 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted reads 165F.
Once chicken is cooked through, spoon 1/4 cup tomato basil on each chicken breast, gently spreading over the surface.
Top with Kraft Havarti Cheese slices and return to oven just until the sauce is heated and the cheese is melted, about 5 -7 minutes.

Remove from oven, serve with Roasted Potatoes, Steamed Asparagus and Garden Salad.

 

About, Cakes

Cocoa Fudgey Cake

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Without a doubt one of the best home made chocolate cake recipes I have come across.

Fudgey Chocolatey Goodness
Topped with Chocolate Butter Frosting, Guaranteed to Satisfy your Chocolate Craving!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preheat oven to 350F.
Lightly spray a 9×13 baking pan with Vegetable Oil spray and dust lightly with flour.
2 x 8in Round pans
12 cup Bundt cake pan
Line 24 Muffin Cups with paper liners

In small mixing bowl, combine and set aside:
1 2/3 cups Flour
2/3 cup sifted Cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Salt

In large mixing bowl, cream together:
1/2 cup Shortening
1 1/2 cups Sugar
Beat until light and fluffy then add:
2 eggs, one at a time and beating well after each addition
Stir in:
1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla
Continue beating for another minute.

Gradually stir in dry ingredients alternating with:
1 1/2 cups Buttermilk
Beginning and ending with Dry Ingredients.
Beat for 2 minutes on Medium speed, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.
Pour batter into prepared pan(s).
Bake until wooden pick inserted comes out clean: 35 minutes for 9×13 or 8″Rd, 40 – 45 for Bundt, 18 – 20 for Cupcakes.
Remove from oven, cool in pan for a few minutes before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely.

Frost with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.