The only thing I am not too keen on is the washing up area. When I cook I tend to use a lot of equipment and sure, I clean as I go, but I need more counter space by the sink so I can a) Stack dishes to be done and b) have a draining board area where they can drip dry while I am busy doing other stuff
For more Kitchen Eye Candy:
Good old fashioned Gingerbread cookie dough perfect for making Gingerbread Men, Gingerbread Houses or delightful Ginger Snaps. When the kids were little we used to have Gingerbread House Parties every year. The kids are grown and have left home now but I still use this recipe to the delight of my students at Christmas!
1 cup packed Brown Sugar
1/3 cup Shortening
1 1/2 cups Dark Molasses
2/3 cup Cold Water
7 cups Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
2 teaspoons Ground Ginger
1 teaspoon Ground Allspice
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Ground Cloves
1/2 teaspoon Salt
Frosting and Decorations
4 cups Icing Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
4 – 5 Tablespoons Milk
Food Colouring Paste, if desired
Combine icing sugar, vanilla and milk to right consistency in a large mixing bowl and stir until smooth and glossy.
Divide into smaller bowls and add food colouring, if desired.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Lightly spray baking sheet with vegetable oil spray.
In medium mixing bowl combine flour, spices and salt.
In large bowl, beat brown sugar, shortening, molasses and water with electric mixer, on medium speed.
With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture a cup at a time, mixing well after the first 3 additions.
Switch out paddle attachment for dough hook and add remaining flour mixture.
Stir on low speed until the dough comes together.
I scoop out about 1/3 of the dough, onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead it, form it into a disc then roll dough out to 1/4″ (6mm) thick.
Cut with floured gingerbread cutter or other shapes.
Place cookies on prepared baking sheet, 2″ (5cm) apart.
Bake 8 – 10 minutes or until no indentation remains when touched.
Immediately remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.
Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Frost or pipe borders around Gingerbread Men and decorate with raisins, chocolate chips and candies.
Yield: About 36 Cookies
2 Carrots, diced
3 stalks Celery, chopped
1 head Cabbage, chopped
1 Green Pepper, chopped
2 Onions, chopped
1 (420g) can Chopped Tomatoes
1 500ml jar Tomato Sauce
Vegetable Broth
Bay Leaves
Sage
Thyme
Chili Flakes
Salt
PepperChop, grate, shred…do what you will with your veggies!
Throw them all into the Crock Pot.Throw in your liquid ingredients.
Stir stuff around a bit to evenly distribute the liquid.
Add your herbs and spices, to taste, and stir around some more.Put the lid on, turn the Slow Cooker on HIGH and walk away for 6 – 8 hours. If you are compulsive, like me, you will give it a stir from time to time throughout the day, but you don’t have to.And that is it! Now, while this is cooking itself you have heaps of time to make some Baking Powder Biscuits, Bannock or Dinner Rolls!
I love that Canadian Living posts dinner ideas. I often click on their suggestion and think “Ah, yea, that would be good!” But invariably I am missing some ingredient or another but tonight I had everything, and more, to come up with this version of Gardener’s Pie. ( http://www.canadianliving.com/food/quick_and_easy/gardeners_pie.php)
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Onion, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 Carrot, grated
6 medium Mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 cups frozen Mixed Vegetables
1 Tablespoon dried Basil
1 pkg Yves Ground Round Original
2 Tablespoons Flour
1 cup Water
1 McCormick’s Vegetable Stock cube
2 Tablespoon Catalina Dressing (or 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste)
Potato Topping
8 Potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1/4 cup Milk
1 1/2 Tablespoons Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/4 cup Light Cream Cheese
2 Tablespoons Butter
Preheat oven to 400F.
Lightly spray a 9X13 casserole dish with vegetable oil spray; set aside.
In medium saucepan cook the potatoes until tender; about 10 – 15 minutes depending on how small or large you cut your potatoes.
Drain potatoes and return to pot.
Mash with milk and butter.
Stir in parmesan cheese and cream cheese.
While the potatoes are cooking, heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet.
Cook onion for about 3 minutes; add garlic and continue cooking for another minute or so.
Add grated carrot, basil, frozen mixed veggies and mushrooms.
Sprinkle with flour and cook, stirring for 1 minute.
Add water, Catalina Dressing and vegetable stock cube.
Bring to a boil, stirring, for about 2 minutes.
Reduce heat and continue simmering until the potatoes are ready.
Once potatoes are ready to go, pour the “meat” mixture into prepared pan.
Spread mashed potatoes over top.
Dot with scant dollops of butter.
Bake in 400F oven until hot through, about 20 minutes.
Serve with Salad and Crusty Rolls.
Serves 6
Spaghetti Sauce was the first Main Meal I ever cooked. I was 10 years old, home alone, starving and knew my mother would be tired when she got home from work. I thought I would surprise her and make dinner! Oh, what a disaster! I did everything right except, and it is big EXCEPT, instead of using canned tomatoes or tomato sauce I used 3 cans of tomato paste!!!! It was rather rich! Despite my rather large error, it was game over after that; I was hooked on cooking.
2-3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Onion, diced
3 -4 cloves Garlic, minced
3 ribs Celery, chopped
1 – 2 Carrots, grated
1 each, chopped: Green Pepper, Red Pepper, Yellow or Orange Pepper
1 Zucchini, grated
4 – 6 Mushrooms, sliced
1 (800gm) can Dice Tomatoes
1 (800gm) can Crushed Tomatoes
1 can Tomato Paste
1 Tablespoon each: Basil, Oregano, Parsley
1/2 teaspoon Chili Flakes
1/2 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons Brown Sugar
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan; add diced onion and saute for 3 minutes.
Add garlic and continue cooking for a couple of minutes.
Stir in celery, carrot, chopped peppers, mushrooms and zucchini.
Cook until vegetables are slightly softened.
Add diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes and tomato paste; stir well.
Reduce heat to minimum to simmer for about an hour ( I like to put a pot of Spag sauce on the stove around 1pm and have it simmering until ready to serve at 5pm)
Stir in brown sugar, herbs and spices and let the simmering begin.
Give it a stir every now and again while it simmers away on the stove, making your house smell like an Italian Restaurante!
Serve over hot spaghetti noodles.
Serves 6
