Monthly Archives: April 2011

Muffins and Scones

Hot Cross Muffins

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These yummy muffins borrow their flavour from Hot Cross Buns and are infinitely easier to make!

Hot Cross Muffins
Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
3/4 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon Cloves
1/4 teaspoon Ginger
1/2 cup Currants
1/2 cup Glazed Mixed Fruit

1/2 cup Butter, softened
1/2 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 Egg
1 cup Buttermilk
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons Bundaberg Rum (or Captain Morgan’s Spicy Rum) (optional)

Preheat oven to 400F.
Line 12 cup Muffin tin with paper liners.

In large mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger; make a well in the centre.
Stir in glazed mixed fruit and currants; set aside.
In small mixing bowl, beat butter until smooth; add sugar and brown sugar  and stir until well blended.
Add egg, vanilla. Add rum if using.
Stir in buttermilk; pour liquid ingredients all at once into dry ingredients.
Stir just until combined, batter will be lumpy.
Use a 5 ounce Pampered Chef scoop to fill muffin cups.

Hot Cross Muffins in the Making
Use a 5 ounce scoop for no fuss, no muss muffin cup filling

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bake in preheated oven for 20 – 25 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool in muffin tin on wire rack for 10 minutes.
Turn out muffins to cool completely on wire rack.
When cool, drizzle with Glaze.

Glaze
1 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
1/2 teaspoon Bundaberg Rum
1 + Tablespoon Milk

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and stir until smooth adding enough milk to get consistency desired.

 

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.

 

Coffee Cakes

Cranberry Orange Coffee Cake

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This recipe is adapted from an Orange Raisin muffin recipe given to me years ago by Daniella.

Cranberry Orange Coffee Cake
A yummy citrus delight - Cranberry Orange Coffee Cake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3 Oranges, peeled and quartered
1 cup Strong Orange Juice made from Concentrate
1 cup Butter, melted
2 Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla

3 cups Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
3/4 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Sugar
1/2 Brown Sugar
1 cup Dried Cranberries

Preheat oven to 350F
Lightly spray a 12 cup Bundt pan with vegetable oil spray and  dust with flour.

Puree quartered oranges in blender.
Add orange juice, melted butter, vanilla and eggs, pulse a few times to combine.

In large mixing bowl sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Stir in sugars and cranberries.

Add liquid ingredients all at once and stir just until combined.
Spoon into prepared Bundt pan and bake in preheated oven for 50 – 60 minutes.
Remove from oven and immediately run a small metal spatula around the edges; cool in the pan for 5 – 10 minutes.
Turn out onto wire rack and cool completely.

Frost with Orange Glaze

2 Tablespoons Butter, softened
2 cups Powdered Sugar
1 – 2 Tablespoons Orange Juice

In small mixing bowl, stir butter until smooth; add 1 cup of powdered sugar and stir well.
Add a Tablespoon of orange juice, continue stirring.
Add another 3/4 cup of powdered sugar and another Tablespoon of orange juice, stir well.
Add the last bit of powdered sugar, stirring until smooth.
Spread on cooled coffee cake.

 

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.

 

 

Vegetarian

Vegetarian Roll

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Vegetarian Roll
Vegetarian Roll, Spanish Rice and Mexi Fries

 

 

 

 

 

*2 sheets puff pastry
1 (420 g) can red kidney beans, drained, washed and mashed
1(420g) can Black Beans, drained, rinsed well
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 medium carrot, grated
1/4 red pepper,diced
1/2 an onion, diced
3 Tbsp tomato paste
1 package Taco Seasoning
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
Sunflower seeds
Sesame seeds
1/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350F (180C)
Prepare baking tray: line with Aluminum Foil and lightly spray with Vegetable Oil Spray.
On a dinner plate mix together 1/4 cup sunflower seeds and a few tablespoons of sesame seeds; set aside.

Microwave grated carrot, onion and red pepper for 2 minutes.
Stir Corn into the Vegetable mixture to assist final thawing.
Mash kidney beans in medium size mixing bowl.
Add vegetable mixture to the mashed kidney beans and mix well.
Add black beans, tomato paste, taco seasoning and cheeses, stir well.

Place puff pastry sheet on work surface and put half of the kidney bean mixture in the center of the puff pastry and spread a little to make a rectangular shape.
Fold bottom edge up, then bring in sides, to form an open envelope shape. Finally, fold down the top section, sealing as you go.Using your hands, gently shape the envelope into a puffy rectangular shape.

Brush the top side with a bit of milk and dip into Sunflower/Sesame seed mixture.
Place on prepared baking tray. 

Make the second roll, place it a few inches away from the first roll.
Bake in preheated 350F oven for 35 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve with Salsa and Guacamole.

* The puff pastry will be thawed enough to work with if you take it out of the freezer before you begin making the bean mixture and just leave it on the counter. Same with the frozen corn.