All posts by Sonte

French Toast stuffed with Peaches

Peaches are in season! One of my favourite Summer fruits!

Delicious French Toast stuffed with Peaches

4 Eggs
2/3 cup Milk
1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla
2 Tablespoons Sugar
Pinch of Salt

2 Fresh Peaches
1 Loaf of French Bread

Powdered Sugar to garnish

In medium mixing bowl whisk together eggs, milk and vanilla.
Add sugar and salt; set aside.

Preheat griddle to 350F.

Use a serrated knife to cut thick slices of French bread after removing end pieces.
Using a small serrated knife, cut a slice into the bottom of each slice of bread.
Wash and peel two ripe peaches; cut into thin wedges.
Stuff three slices of peach into each slice of bread.
Dip each slice of peach stuffed bread into egg mixture and place on griddle lightly sprayed with vegetable oil.
Cook for about 4 minutes, turn over and continue cooking for another four minutes.
Stand each piece of French toast on its bottom and cook for about a minute before turning it onto the top of the slice and cooking for another minute.
Remove to serving platter.
Dust with powdered sugar.
Serve with warmed Maple Syrup or Fresh Fruit and Whipped Cream.
Makes 8 slices of French Toast

Blueberry Surprise Streusel Muffins

Nothing better than fresh out of the oven Blueberry Surprise Streusel Muffins when blueberries are in season! These muffins are great plain too. I often make them without the streusel topping and give them a light dusting of icing sugar instead.

blueberry muffins
Blueberry Surprise Muffins

2 cups Flour
3 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/3 cup Sugar

1 Egg, lightly beaten (or Egg Replacer)
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
3/4 cup Milk (or Soy Milk)
1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla

1 cup Fresh Blueberries (or frozen, do not thaw: toss with 1 Tablespoon Flour in a small mixing bowl)
1/4 cup Blueberry Danish Filling or Blueberry Jam

Optional
Streusel Topping

1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Flour
2 Tablespoons Butter, cold

Preheat oven to 375F.
Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners; set aside.

If using, prepare Streusel Topping:
In small mixing bowl combine brown sugar and flour. Rub in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.

In large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; make a well in the centre.

In a small mixing bowl beat egg lightly; stir in oil, milk and vanilla.

Pour liquid ingredients all at once into flour mixture and stir just until combined.

Use a 3-ounce scoop to partially fill each muffin cup.
Carefully spoon 1/4 teaspoon blueberry danish filling into each cup.
Fold fresh blueberries into remaining muffin mixture then cover filling with remaining batter; top each muffin with (if using) a 1/2 teaspoon of streusel topping.

Bake in 375F preheated oven for 10 minutes.
Rotate pan and continue baking for another 10 minutes or until pick inserted in centre comes out clean.
Remove from oven and cool on wire rack for 10 minutes before turning out to cool completely.

 

 

 

Chicken Pot Pie

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.

Oatmeal Cookies

These remind of Dad’s Cookies we used to get in our lunch boxes when we were kids. They were neatly folded in wax paper and the smell of cinnamon would engulf you when you opened up the package.

Heart warming Oatmeal Cookies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1/2 cup Butter, softened
1 cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1/3 cup Molasses
1 teaspoon Vanilla

1 3/4 cup Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 cup Coconut
2 cups Rolled Oats

Preheat oven to  360F.
Lightly spray baking trays with vegetable oil spray.

In medium mixing bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, coconut and rolled oats; set aside.

In large mixing bowl cream together butter and sugar.
Beat in eggs, on at a time; add molasses and vanilla and beat until for another minute.
Gradually stir dry ingredients into the creamed mixture and mix well.

Use a 2 ounce scoop to drop out onto prepared baking trays.
Bake in 360F oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Coffee Cake Muffins

A cinnamon bun in a muffin!

Cinnamon Bun flavours in a Muffin!

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 1/2 cups Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Coconut

1/4 cup Butter, softened
1/2 cup Sugar
1 Egg, slightly beaten
3/4 cup Milk
Splash of Vanilla

Spice Mix

1/2 cup Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Flour
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
2 Tablespoons Butter

Preheat oven to 400F
Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners or spray lightly with vegetable oil spray.

In large bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt and coconut; make a well in the centre and set aside.

In another mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together.
Add egg and continue beating until light and fluffy.
Stir in milk and vanilla.

In small bowl combine all of the Spice Mix ingredients, rubbing the butter into the dry ingredients forming a coarse crumb mixture.

Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.

Spoon part of the batter into the prepared muffin cups to 1/3 full.
Sprinkle each muffin with a scant teaspoon the Spice Mix.
Spoon the remaining batter over top of the filling to 2/3 full.
Sprinkle with remaining Spice Mix.

Bake in 400F oven for 20 – 25 minutes.
Remove from oven to wire rack, letting muffins stand for 10 minutes before turning out directly onto wire rack to cool completely.