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April 8, 2011

Lemon Sugar Cookies

I kind of feel that this is probably true of all my fellow bloggers, but I’ll say it anyway. When I’m down in the dumps, I just can’t bring myself to bake, or post, or, for that matter, get out of my pyjamas. So, as you might have guessed from my two week hiatus, I haven’t been feeling very cheery – and I do like to be a cheery blogger.  Yesterday, with the sun finally shinning and a hankering for something sweet, I made these scrumptious lemon sugar cookies (from the equally scrumptious My Baking Addiction), and while I nearly had a dramatic meltdown over my faulty oven and lack of counter space – picture me covered in baby drool and flour – my husband arrived home in the nick of time and oh so cleverly calmed me down (he’s really getting good at that).

Be warned, these cookies are so light and fluffy that you’ll eat half a dozen before realizing that maybe you should stop.

Makes approximately 24-30 cookies depending on size.

Ingredients:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of one large lemon, finely minced
4 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Directions:
Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Using a mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until smooth and very fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla extract, lemon juice and lemon zest. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Place on lined cookie sheets about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

Glaze (From Giada De Laurentiis)
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon

Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours.

3 Comments
March 24, 2011

Blackberry Pear Custard Pie

‘More pie please!’ That’s what I said after my second helping. Gulp. Then I got a grip. It would have been completely possible to eat this entire pie myself and had it not been for the inevitable guilt that would be sure to follow (not to mention what my husband would say…’what, you ate the whole pie!’), I probably would have. I adapted this from a Chatelaine rhubarb custard pie recipe and had planned to use peaches instead of pears, but found them an unappealing yucky brown upon slicing them open. Why can’t I find some good peaches? What really makes this pie is the crust. I know. I know. You’re thinking, ‘who cares about the crust?’. You do. And after you try Donna Hay’s vanilla pie pastry you will never use another.

Pie Filling
4 cups fresh blackberries (washed and dried)
3 ripe bartlett pears (pealed and roughly chopped)
2 egg yolks
2 tbsp melted butter
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp four

*Donna Hay’s Vanilla Pie Pastry
1 2/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp sugar
3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/3 cup ice water
1 tsp vanilla

Combine flour, sugar and baking powder in a bowl. Using a food processor (or your hands), cut in cold butter until crumbly. Combine cold water and vanilla and gradually add into the dough (continually mixing). Mix until the dough comes together and is smooth. Using plastic wrap, cover and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes before using. * I doubled this recipe.

Preheat oven to 425. Roll out half of pastry on a lightly floured surface and line bottom of a 9 inch pie plate. Do not prick. Set pastry shell aside. In a medium-size bowl, whisk egg yolks with butter. Stir sugar with flour. Then, stir into egg yolk mixture to form a paste. Stir in blackberries and pears until well mixed. Turn mixture into pie shell. Roll out remaining dough and cut into strips 1/2 inch wide. Weave strips over filling to form a lattice top. Check out this how-to video to see how it’s done! Bake at 425 on the bottom rack for 10 minutes, just until edges start to brown. Then, reduce oven temperature to 350 and continue baking for another 40 minutes. Let cool for at least an hour…I know it’s tempting to grab a spoon and dig right in, but try to have some self restraint. Enjoy!

9 Comments
March 18, 2011

Chocolate Banana Muffins

Oh Nigella, you’re so witty and entertaining and lovely and your recipes are divine. You really are a domestic goddess. Even my husband is infatuated with you. For my birthday, I was lucky to receive a copy of Nigella Lawson’s Kitchen: Recipes From the Heart of the Home and I’m in love with this cookbook. I don’t say this lightly. I have a lot of cookbooks. And while I like many of them, I only love a few. Here’s what I read when I first flipped open the book, haphazardly, to page 38 (Nigella’s Chicken Teriyaki recipe):

(For the full effect, read with a British accent)

I know the world is full of good parents who never give their children food with salt or sugar, and this recipe (among others) proves conclusively that I am not one of them. Oh, and on top of these dietary failings, the following also contains alcohol.

Now tell me, aren’t you smitten too? So now that I’ve brought you all up to speed on my fondness for Nigella, let me tell you that I just made her chocolate banana muffins and oh my they are something else. I’ve never had a muffin so yummy and moist.

Ingredients:
3 very ripe bananas
2 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 3/4 cup flour
3 tbsp coco powder
1 tsp baking soda

In a large bowl, mash bananas. Beat in oil and eggs, followed by sugar. In a another medium bowl, sift together flour, coco powder and baking soda. Mix flour mixture into the banana mixture. Spoon batter into muffin tins (makes 12 muffins). Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes. Enjoy!

8 Comments
March 16, 2011

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Sometimes a song gets stuck in your head and no amount of trying can get it out. Well, this happened to me the other day, with the C is for Cookie song. You know, the Cookie Monster song? It’s actually pretty catchy. So, with cookies on the brain, I whipped up these scrumptious oatmeal raisin cookies adapted from Ina Garten’s Back to Basics. And just in case you’re unfamiliar with the C is for Cookie song…

Ingredients:
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 cup sugar
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups of flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
3 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
2 cups raisins
*Ina also used 1 1/2 cups of coarsely chopped toasted pecans, but I didn’t have any on hand

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Slowly add in dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Add in the oats and raisins and mix until just combined. Drop tablespoon sized mounds onto parchment paper lined cookie sheets and bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden. Let cool on a baking rack. Enjoy!

4 Comments
March 4, 2011

Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie

Is it really March already? The changing seasons make me happy and sad all at the same time. I’m so looking forward to warmer weather, but it also reminds me how quickly life flies by. While I’m beyond excited for every new milestone my son reaches, they make me realize he won’t be a baby forever and I get all silly and emotional. Hormones. I guess they’re still not back to normal. Actually I’m pretty sure they’ve been altered for good. And I still can’t read this baby book without weeping hysterically. I’ve tried a few times. Really.

But back to food talk. I wanted to post this heavenly pie recipe earlier in the week, but Monday night I was struck down with a case of food poisoning – that or some nasty 24 hour stomach flu. Either way, it wasn’t pretty – especially while trying to nurse my son every 3 hours. So here it is. Probably one of the simplest pie recipes out there. I spent last weekend in the country with my parents and my mom whipped this up in about 5 minutes. Hope you all have a lovely weekend!

Ingredients:
1 litre vanilla ice cream (or vanilla frozen yogurt for a healthier alternative)
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup crushed peanuts
As much chocolate sauce to top as you’d like!

Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup melted butter
1/3 cup sugar
Combine all ingredients; press over bottom and up sides of 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes. Or, just buy the pre-made ones at the market (that’s what we did!).

Buster loves peanut butter

Prepare your crust and set aside. With an electric beater, combine ice cream and peanut butter until smooth. Spread half of the crushed peanuts over the graham cracker crust. Swirl some chocolate sauce over the peanuts if you’d like and then top with the ice cream mixture. Sprinkle the remaining nuts on top and drizzle with chocolate sauce. Freeze over night or at least for a few hours before serving. Enjoy!


3 Comments
February 23, 2011

Blueberry & White Chocolate Loaf

Hey folks! Not only do I want to share this yummy loaf recipe with you, but I also want to share some happy news – I’m an aunty again! My sister just had a baby girl (which totally justifies my excessive use of exclaimation marks, right?!)! I can’t wait to meet her (and to hold her and hug her and shop for her!). Ok, about this loaf. It’s sweet, best served warm and oh so good paired with my morning latte.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup rolled oats
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 beaten egg
1 cup milk
1/4 cup cooking oil
Pint of fresh blueberries (rinsed and lightly tossed in flour to coat)

In a medium sized bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and chocolate chips. Make a well in the center and set aside.

In another medium bowl, combine the egg, milk, and oil. Add the egg mixture all at once to the flour mixture and stir until just wet. Fold in blueberries. The batter will be lumpy. Pour the batter into a buttered loaf pan (8x4x2) and bake at 350 for 55 – 60 minutes until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Enjoy!

4 Comments
February 16, 2011

Guinness Beef Stew

A little while ago, we had the most delicious dinner with our dear friends (and uber-talented people) Erin and Justin. Not only can Justin cook – and cook really well (he made this amazing stew), he is also a talented Montreal artist. Oh, and my friend Erin, well she’s in a band called Nightwood. She sings and plays guitar. Need I say more? By association alone, I feel just a little bit cooler. You should check them both out. And you should make this stew. It’s divine. Comfort food at it’s very best. Did I mention the two sticks of butter?

Nightwood…give em a listen

Ingredients:
1-1.5 pounds stewing beef. Fat trimmed cut into 1 inch cubes.
1 pound bacon
6 cloves minced garlic.
6 cups beef stock.
16 oz. can of Guinness beer.
2 tablespoons tomato paste.
1 tablespoon sugar.
1 tablespoon dried thyme.
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce.
2 bay leaves.
2 pounds russet potatoes peeled cut into half inch pieces.
1 pound turnip peeled cut into half inch pieces.
1 large onion chopped.
2 cups peeled carrots cut into half inch pieces.
2 sticks butter.
1 cup flour.
Olive oil.
Salt and pepper.

Mix flour, salt and pepper together in a bowl. Coat all pieces of beef in flour. Heat olive oil in heavy pot over medium high heat. Add beef and saute until brown on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and saute 1 minute more. Add beef stock, beer, tomato paste, sugar, thyme, Worcestershire and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Briing mixture to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, then cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, melt half a stick of butter in another large pot over medium heat. Add potatoes, turnips, onion, and carrots. Saute vegetables until golden, about 20 minutes. Add vegetables to beef stew. Simmer uncovered until beef and vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes.

Cut bacon into small pieces and crisp in another pan. Add crisp bacon to stew mixture.

In small pan melt one stick of butter and whisk in some of the flour mixture from the beginning, until a nice thick rue is formed. Add rue to stew and stir to thicken. Discard bay leaves and enjoy!

8 Comments
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