Rum Balls

I only make these at Christmas time…the only trouble is? I can never make enough!

Rum Balls
Family Tradition - Rum Balls

 

1 cup Milk
2 cups Sugar
2/3 cup Butter (125g…coz I usually measure third cups on the scale…no convenient third                                  cup line markings on the pounds of butter!)

6 Tablespoons Cocoa
2 Teaspoons Vanilla
Some Rum! I never measure, I just pour in the Bundy Rum!
6 cups Quick Rolled Oats
2 cups Fine Coconut
1/2 cup chopped Raisins
1/2 ground Walnuts <—I rarely add these coz my kids won’t let me use them

2 cups Fine Coconut for coating Rum Balls.

In medium mixing bowl combine rolled oats, coconut, chopped raisins and ground walnuts; set aside.
In large saucepan melt the butter; stir in sugar, cocoa and milk.
Stir constantly until bubbly.
Remove from heat and stir in Rum and combined dry ingredients.
Shape generous teaspoonfuls of mixture into balls; roll in coconut.
Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Yield: 4 Dozen Rum Balls

Slow Cooker Chana Masala

 

This is a version of a recipe I found somewhere, quite a few years ago. The original recipe called for a whole chicken…the kind that goes “Cluck, Cluck”. I adapted the recipe to suit my Vegetarian ways using either Chick Peas or Yves Chicken Tenders. Most often I make it with the Yves product because I am the only one that loves Chick Peas around here and truth be told? I think my husband would prefer the chicken that goes “Cluck, Cluck”!

Chana Masala
Intensely Bright Spicy Chana Masala 

2 -4  large Onions, sliced
4 – 5 cloves of Garlic, crushed
1 1/2 teaspoons shredded fresh Ginger root
1/2 teaspoon Tumeric

1 (800g) can Diced Tomatoes
1 (800g) can Crushed Tomatoes
1 – 1 1/2 (800g) can(s) Water
1 (420g) can Chick Peas, drained and rinsed well

6 Cardamom pods
6 whole Cloves
2 Bay Leaves

2 – 3 Tablespoons curry
1 teaspoon Chili Flakes
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne
1 teaspoon ground Cumin
1 teaspoon ground Coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
pinch of Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

Garnish with:
Chopped Cilantro, Chopped Green Onions

Optional: Yves Chicken Tenders, chopped

Preparation:

Place onions, garlic, gingeroot, tumeric, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes in Slow Cooker and stir to combine.

In a Tea Strainer,


Place Cardamom pods which you have slightly crushed with the back of your knife, Whole Cloves, and Bay Leaves. Securely close Tea Strainer and drop into tomato mixture.

Add Curry to taste, ground Cumin, ground Coriander,  Chili Flakes, Cayenne, Salt, Brown Sugar and Lemon Juice. Stir to combine all.

Turn Slow Cooker on High and cook for 3 – 4 hours. If heading out for the day, you can turn the Slow Cooker to the Slow Setting and leave it go for 6 – 8 hours.

If using the High setting, add drained, well rinsed Chick Peas 1 1/2 hours before you plan to serve. You may also want to add a bit more curry, chili or salt at this stage.

If using, add Chopped Yves Veggie Tenders and continue cooking for 1 1/2 hours.

French Onion Soup

I am not sure which I love more? The Onion Soup or the Crisp Toasted Cheese Bread? Together they are just amazing! If you have a busy day ahead of you, make this in your slow cooker!

4 – 5 Onions, sliced

2 Tablespoons Butter
1 Tablespoon minced Garlic
1 Tablespoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Flour
6 1/2 cups Vegetable Broth
Thyme
Sage
Vegan Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 White Wine
4 – 6 slices Crusty Bread
4 – 6 slice Swiss Cheese
In large saucepan, saute onions and garlic for about 20 minutes, until onions are soften and golden brown, stirring almost constantly.
Stir in flour and stir for a minute.
Gradually add Vegetable Broth and water; bring to a boil.
Add wine, herbs and W-Sauce to taste.
Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
When getting ready to serve,preheat oven to 425F.
Gather soup, crusty bread and swiss cheese to complete French Onion Soup.
Toast crusty bread slices; top each piece of toasted crusty bread with a slice of swiss cheese.
Place cheese topped, toasted crusty bread slices on top of soup.
Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and melted.
Transfer French Onion Soup to heat proof placemat and enjoy!

Slow Cooker Method:
Put butter and sliced onions into Slow Cooker cover and cook for 30 minutes on High setting.
Stir in flour and salt.
Add vegetable broth, thyme, sage, W-Sauce and wine.
Put lid on, leave on High Setting, cook for 7 – 8 hours.
When ready to serve soup:
Preheat oven to 425F.
Slice a loaf of French Bread and place slices on a baking tray.
Top each bread slice with a piece of Swiss Cheese (Havarti or even Cheddar will do in a pinch)
Toast in preheated oven for about 5 – 7  minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and bread is lightly toasted.
Remove from oven and place a slice of toasted cheese bread in each bowl of soup.
If you are using oven proof bowls:
Preheat oven to 425F.
Toast slices of french bread.
Top each slice of toasted french bread with swiss cheese  (Havarti or even Cheddar will do in a pinch)
Put cheese topped bread on top of each serving of soup.
Bake in preheated oven for about 10 minutes, until cheese is bubbly.

Black Forest Cupcakes

Cupcakes are just so much easier to serve and every bit as good as the original Black Forest Cake

A wonderful combination of Dark Chocolate and Cherries

1   2-layer Chocolate Cake Mix (I used Devil’s Food Cake)

1 (540ml can) Cherry Pie Filling

1/3 cup Kirch (Cherry Brandy)

500 ml Whipping Cream
3 Tablespoons
1 teaspoon Vanilla

1/3 cup Chocolate Shavings ( I buy a 200gm Dark Chocolate bar and pare shavings with a clean vegetable peeler)

Preheat oven to 350F.
Line muffin tins with paper liners; set aside.

Prepare Chocolate Cake mix as directed on package.
*I subbed in 2 Tablespoons Black Coffee for some of the water
Divide evenly into prepared muffin tins.
Bake for 18 – 23 minutes or until pick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Remove from oven and cool in tins on wire rack for 10 minutes before turning out and cooling completely.

Pour whipping cream into a  very clean mixing bowl; beat on a lower speed for a few minutes until cream starts to thicken.
Increase speed to med-high, add icing sugar,  a Tablespoon at a time followed by the vanilla.
Increase to high speed and beat until thick and peaks form when the beater is lifted.

Using a serrated knife, cut a cone of cake from the top of each cupcake; reserve the cupcake cone for later. (I cut the tip off each cone so I could it more filling in the cupcake)
Sprinkle a bit of kirsch into the cupcake hole.
Spoon in about a Tablespoon of cherry pie filling.
Place cupcake top back on top and press slightly to fit.
Spoon prepared Whipped Cream into a large, clean piping bag fitted with a large open star tip.
Pipe a large rosette of whipped cream on each cupcake.
Top each cupcake with a cherry.
Sprinkle with chocolate shavings.
Serve immediately.

These will store well in a FridgeSmart® Medium Long container (both vents closed)

Sugar Cookies

sugar cookies
Sugar Cookies with a Cafe Glaze and Chocolate Sprinkles

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking powder
3 cup flour
1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 400F
In small mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

Cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy.
Add egg and vanilla and continue beating until well blended.

Add in flour mixture a cup at a time, stirring well after each addition.

Do not chill dough. Divide dough into 2 balls. On a floured surface, roll each ball into a circle approximately 12 in. wide and 1/8 in. thick. Dip desired cookie cutter in flour before each use. ( I like those nesting Tupperware ones!)

Sprinkle tops with raw sugar or sprinkles.

Bake cookies on ungreased cookie sheet 6-7 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned.

Scrape cookie sheet before next batch in order to clear off melted sugar bits.

Cool cookies completely on a wire rack.

sugar cookies
Sugar Cookies with Lemon Glaze and Pastel Sprinkles

For an interesting twist:
Add 2 Tablespoons Epicure Summer Fruit Dip Mix to the Flour mixture
Add 1 Tablespoon Pink Lemonade Concentrate when you stir in the Egg.

Flavour your Simple Glaze with
2 Tablespoons Raspberry Juice (just squish a enough raspberries to give you 2 Tbsp.)
1 Tablespoon Pink Lemonade Concentrate

summer fruit sugar cookies
Summer Fruit Sugar Cookies

Welcome to my Kitchen where the most important ingredient is Love.