HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Whether you’re hosting a Halloween party, attending a potluck, or simply craving something sweet, Halloween rice krispie treats are a classic choice. Loved for their crispy texture, chewy marshmallow consistency, and endless decorating possibilities.
Rice Krispie treats have been around for about 85 years. Snap, crackle, pop! These three words have become synonymous with Rice Krispies, the breakfast cereal made from pieces of crisped rice that, when combined with milk, emit a noise that you can probably imagine while reading this. Regardless of the last time you enjoyed a bowl of Rice Krispies in the morning, it’s clear that the beloved brand exudes childhood nostalgia. The iconic mascot trio, memory-stimulating sound, shape, and aroma are embedded into many memories.
Rice Krispies Treats are a legendary confection with an undemanding recipe that has graced several generations. Not only are the possibilities endless with these delicious treats that kids and grown-ups can enjoy but they can bring a challenging cake shape to life while making the process so much more manageable. Intricately sculpted cakes often have a surprise inside: rice cereal treats. Swapping traditional batter for these crispy treats provides structure and strength to modeled cakes that you just can’t get with fondant and modeling chocolate alone. And the best part is, the method you use to sculpt the cake afterward isn’t that different than when you sculpt a traditional batter-filled cake.
For some tasty little Halloween treats this year, I’m making some cinnamon bun rice krispie rolls with a cream cheese frosting. I can think of a few kids & adults who will enjoy these!
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Cinnamon Bun Rice Krispie Rolls w/ Cream Cheese Frosting
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Instructions
Rice Krispies
Line a 10 x 15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Spray well with cooking spray. Set aside
In a large pot, melt marshmallows, butter, vanilla & cinnamon over low heat. Stir until melted & smooth. Remove from heat & stir in rice krispies. Scrape rice krispie mixture onto prepared pan. Using well buttered hands, press out evenly into pan. Let cool to room temperature.
Filling
In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar, butter, cinnamon & flour until creamy.
Assembly
Carefully spread filling onto the rice krispies. Sprinkle with pepita seeds. Roll up from the long side like a jelly roll while rice krispies are still flexible. Press firmly as you roll.
Place in fridge for 15-20 minutes. When it feels FIRM, cut into 1/2-inch slices using a serrated blade & sawing motion. You should get approximately 24 slices.
Frosting
Beat together cream cheese, vanilla & powdered sugar until smooth. Place in a piping bag & pipe a swirl onto each slice. Sprinkle with extra cinnamon if you wish. Keep in refrigerator.
In the beginning, there was kale. From it arose the others, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, collard greens, mustard, kohlrabi, rutabaga, turnips and Bok choy.
Kale is an ancient vegetable that has been enjoyed by humans for centuries. It is thought to have originated in Asia Minor and was brought to Europe by traders and travelers. Kale was a popular crop in medieval times and was often grown in monastery gardens.
In the 18th century, kale became even more popular after it was introduced to North America. There are several different types of kale, each with its own unique flavor and texture. Curly kale is the most common type, and it has a slightly bitter taste. Tuscan kale is a bit sweeter and more tender than curly kale, while Russian kale is the most robust and flavorful of all the varieties.
Kale holds its texture well when cooked, and it can be steamed, stir-fried, roasted, or eaten raw. You can blend it into smoothies, roast it to make kale chips, wilt it into soup, mash it with potatoes or turn it into pesto. You may want to remove the middle rib by hand or with kitchen shears because it can be tough, fibrous and taste bitter.
North Americans know kale well, along with being eaten it is often used to adorn the self-service salad bars across the land, displacing other green adornments because of its resistance to wilting.
Brion & I enjoyed this cheesy kale and mushroom strata with some roasted sausage.
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Cheesy Kale & Mushroom Strata
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Ingredients
- 370 gm (about 7 cups) sourdough or country style bread cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 250 gm cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 2 Tbsp butter, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- salt & pepper
- 3 leeks, white & pale green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced crosswise 1/4-inch thick
- 1 bunch curly kale, ribs & stems removed: leaves torn into 2-inch pieces
- 8 large eggs
- 2 Tbsp Dijon whole grain mustard
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 160 gm Gruyere or Comte cheese, coarsely grated, divided
- 60 gm Parmesan, finely grated, divided
Ingredients
- 370 gm (about 7 cups) sourdough or country style bread cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 250 gm cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 2 Tbsp butter, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- salt & pepper
- 3 leeks, white & pale green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced crosswise 1/4-inch thick
- 1 bunch curly kale, ribs & stems removed: leaves torn into 2-inch pieces
- 8 large eggs
- 2 Tbsp Dijon whole grain mustard
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 160 gm Gruyere or Comte cheese, coarsely grated, divided
- 60 gm Parmesan, finely grated, divided
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Instructions
The day before, prepare the strata so it can refrigerate over night. Preheat the oven to 300ºF. Tear the bread into 1 1/2-inch pieces and spread them out over a large baking sheet. Bake the bread chunks in the oven for 8-10 minutes, stirring once half-way through, to partially dry the bread.
Meanwhile, slice the mushrooms, then add them to a large skillet with the butter, minced garlic, some salt and pepper. Sauté the mushrooms over medium heat until they release all their moisture and begin to brown (about 5-7 minutes).
Remove the cooked mushrooms from the skillet and add the kale & leeks along with a couple tablespoons of water (this helps the kale wilt). Sauté the leeks & kale with some salt & pepper (2-3 minutes).
Coat the inside of a 12 cup (10 x 10-inch) casserole dish with butter or non-stick spray. Layer half of the dry bread chunks in the bottom of the dish, then top with half of the mushrooms, half of the kale, and half of the Gruyere. Wiggle the ingredients down between the bread chunks a bit, then repeat all the layers a second time.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, Dijon and 1/4 tsp each salt & pepper. Pour the egg mixture over the prepared strata, making sure to drizzle over every surface of the strata, rather than just pouring in one spot. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Cover the strata and refrigerate for 8-24 hours.
The next day, allow the strata to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Bake the casserole for 50 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 F. and the top is deeply golden brown.
Let the strata rest for 10 minutes, then slice into six pieces and serve!
Fall is here and its pumpkin season! It’s like a pumpkin explosion in the stores this time of year with pumpkin spice latte, pumpkin spice candles, pumpkin spice Oreos, pumpkin spice M&Ms, pumpkin spice Ramen noodles, Doritos and so many others.
Unlike pumpkins, however, blueberries have a flavor that knows no season or food type. They pair well with just about anything, and pumpkins are no exception. Blueberries have just enough sweetness to complement pumpkin-y flavors and stay juicy during the baking process.
These pumpkin blueberry muffins make for an ideal autumn indulgence.
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Pumpkin Blueberry Muffins
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Instructions
Muffins
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line an 8 cup large muffin tin with parchment papers/cups
In a large bowl, whisk together 1 2/3 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon & allspice. In a small bowl, combine pumpkin puree with milk.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter & brown sugar until creamy. Add egg; beat until fluffy.
Alternately add flour & pumpkin mixtures to butter mixture, stirring just until blended. Combine blueberries with 1 Tbsp flour in a small dish. Fold gently into mixture. Spoon batter carefully into prepared muffin cups.
Topping
In a small bowl, combine oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon & salt. Using a fork, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Add pepitas & combine. Divide evenly over muffin batter.
Baking
Bake for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven, cool in pan for a few minutes then remove to a rack to finish cooling. Store muffins in a covered container.
Recipe Notes
- If you would prefer smaller muffins, divide batter between 12 paper lined standard muffin cups. Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY!
The second Monday of October has been the day Canada has celebrated Thanksgiving since 1957. You might say it is synonymous with autumn & the harvest season. For us, it’s a time to be thankful for having the privilege of being Canadian and able to live in such a wonderful country.
I, for one, have always loved the changing seasons. That’s not to say that I like freezing cold and slippery roads but that I have come to understand the important role each one plays in the ‘big picture’. When Brion and I initially landscaped our property, careful consideration was given to what plants were planted. Over the years it has developed into a beautiful tapestry of color through our growing season.
Growing up on the farm, Fall was an especially busy time with the grain crops being harvested, garden vegetables being canned, frozen or just stored for use over the coming months. So much needed to be done before winter would set in. As a teenager it all just seemed like a lot of work. Even as hard as my parents worked at making a living from farming, I think they felt a real sense of satisfaction in what they were able to achieve. Now I realize that even without being aware of it the visual beauty of the farmland at harvest was imprinted on me forever.
Our Thanksgiving meal today was inspired by the traditional Italian pork classic ‘porchetta’, a savory and moist boneless pork roast.
Porchetta is one of Italy’s most famous pork dishes. The term ‘porchetta’ traditionally refers to a whole boned and roasted young pig, specifically one which has been flavored with herbs, garlic and seasoning and cooked until the skin turns to golden crackling. The name of the dish stems from the word ‘porco’, meaning pork. It is a staple of numerous village festivals, fairs, markets, and concerts, when the streets of Rome are packed with food trucks selling this flavorful dish that is usually served on its own or as a filling for sandwiches. Italian immigrants brought the dish to North America in the early 20th century, where it is often referred to as Italian pulled pork.
The key elements of the finished dish are juicy meat, soft fat and crispy crust. In modern Umbrian kitchens, porchetta has expanded beyond pork, so that ‘porchetta-style’ has simply come to mean boneless meat, rolled round garlic and herbs, and roasted.
This ‘turchetta’ or roast turkey breast stuffed and rolled in the style of Tuscan porchetta makes a delicious alternative to ‘the same old Thanksgiving bird‘.
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Roasted Turkey Breast 'Porchetta Style
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Instructions
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In a large skillet, cook chopped bacon until golden & starting to crisp. Add butter, onion, celery & garlic. Sauté in bacon drippings until tender & golden.
Toss sautéed veggies with crispy bacon, bread cubes, sage, thyme, rosemary, salt, pepper & chicken broth. Set aside while you prepare chicken breast.
On a cutting board, place butterflied turkey breast & pound with a mallet so that the turkey is of even thickness throughout. Season with salt & pepper. Fill with stuffing, leaving a 1-inch border along the sides.
Starting at the end closest to you, roll the turkey into a tight log shape & tie with twine. Season with salt & pepper & drizzle with a touch of olive oil.
Roast for about 40-45 minutes until skin begins to crisp. On a piece of saran weave together a bacon 'mat'. Remove turkey from oven, cut twine & place turkey breast on the bacon mat. Using saran, turn roast over & tuck ends underneath the turkey breast. If necessary, use toothpicks to keep ends in place. Place in a roasting pan with a wire rack on the bottom to help drain away some of the drippings.
Raise oven temperature to 350 F.
Return turkey breast to oven & roast until turkey reaches an internal temperature of 160 F. & the bacon is crispy.
Allow turkey to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing & serving.
Wine is not just a beverage with dinner, but can also be a key ingredient in dinner. Madeira wines are known for their versatility. Madeira perfectly complements all sorts of ingredients because of its vast range of wines. It not only adds flavors, but also dimension to the dishes. From soups to stews to desserts, it packs quite a punch and has an intense impact on the final product.
Madeira wine evolved on the island of the same name on the coast of Portugal. It presents different characteristics to all other types of fortified wine due to its specific winemaking process, since it is obtained by intentional heating, and characterized by a distinct ‘baked’ bouquet.
Madeira is classified according to several designations, including vintage, grapes used, and sweetness. There are a few variations on the production method, but Madeira must be oxidized and heated (a process called “maderization,” named after the wine). This makes for a fortified wine that can last for centuries.
Madeira has several taste profiles, but most will have flavors of caramel, walnut oil, peach, hazelnut, orange peel, and burnt sugar.
The first thing to check before cooking a Madeira based dish is what kind of wine does the dish require? It is always safe to use an average blended Madeira. Choose the safest- Finest or Rainwater type. These are packed with flavors and aromas and are typically inexpensive.
A good example is Sandeman Madeira Rainwater. It is light in body but full of flavor. It has a light amber color with golden highlights, as well as clean, nutty aromas. Its flavor is nutty and lightly complex, with a clean finish. This Madeira makes a wonderful accompaniment to a variety of foods and is also a fabulous cooking wine that can be used in various traditional dishes. ‘Rainwater Madeira’ was so named in the 18th century because it is as soft as rainwater and the color of straw, glistening after a shower of rain.
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Chicken Madeira
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Instructions
In a large saucepan melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add 1 tablespoon of oil then add the mushrooms to the pan. Cook the mushrooms for about 5 minutes until they become soft.
Add the onions to the pan & cook them along with the mushrooms for about 2-3 minutes. Add garlic & parsley to the pan & sauté them for a minute or two. Then, transfer this mixture to a plate.
Slice the chicken breast in lengthwise strips. Season with garlic powder, Italian seasonings, paprika, salt & pepper.
In the saucepan, melt a tablespoon of butter. Add a tablespoon of oil as well & let the butter foam. Add the chicken breast to the pan & cook it on both sides for 3-4 minutes each until golden brown. When it is cooked, transfer it to the plate with the mushrooms.
In the same pan, pour in the Madeira wine & bring it to a boil. When it has reduced to almost half its volume, add the beef stock & boil it for about 10 minutes until only ¼ of the original volume remains.
Add the heavy cream to the pan & simmer it for 2-3 minutes until it thickens. Sprinkle a pinch of salt & pepper into the pan to add flavor & stir.
Return the cooked chicken to the pan along with the mushrooms. Top it with the shredded mozzarella cheese. Place the pan in the oven broiler and broil it for 2-3 minutes until the cheese has completely melted.
Remove the pan from the oven. Place chicken on a serving platter & garnish with some parsley. Nice served with mashed potatoes.
Nothing tastes more like fall than fresh baked pumpkin goods. I love just about anything with pumpkin in it. It definitely wasn’t always that way but it’s amazing how your taste buds change as time passes.
My original thoughts were to make some German pumpkin plachinda. It was one of those wonderful things my mother used to make that got pushed into the back of my memory.
It seems most recipes you find on the internet make plachinda as individual pastry turnovers with a pumpkin filling. I think I recall my mother making it in a rectangle casserole dish with the pastry on the bottom and up the sides and the filling showing.
I decided to do some ‘recipe development’ and try making some German streuseltaler and top it with a sweet pumpkin (plachinda) filling.
Streuseltaler was inspired by the round shape of the taler, a silver coin used throughout Europe for almost four hundred years. Its name lives on in the currency called dollar.
Taler is a German word for coin, so the name of the dessert literally translates to streusel coin. Basically, a free form tart made with a yeast dough topped with a huge amount of streusel, sometimes filled with custard and often with a sugar glaze.
A traditional German streusel (streusel meaning something ‘strewn or scattered’ in German) bakes up into shortbread balls. It makes a crunchy, cookie-like top but is soft on the bottom where it meets the bread or fruit compote.
Streusel was first popularized in Germany. In its simplest form, it consists of flour, sugar and butter but gets even better with the addition of oatmeal, cinnamon and nuts …. just my opinion of course!
In the history of cooking, one could find recipes that have constantly changed and could be seen as a connecting link between modern times and our past. I guess this is my contribution to the evolution of plachinda.
For all of you who love pumpkin, here’s a treat you don’t want to miss!
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Pumpkin Streuseltaler
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Instructions
Dough
In a small bowl, add yeast, lukewarm water & 1 tsp sugar. Allow to sit about 10 minutes until frothy.
In a large bowl, combine yeast mixture, butter, salt, cinnamon, eggs & pumpkin puree. Mix well. Add flour, one cup at a time, until well combined. Knead dough for about 8-10 minutes or until smooth & soft. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a tea towel & allow to rise for about 1 hour or until double in size.
Filling
In a small dish, combine the filling ingredients, set aside.
Streusel Topping
In a small bowl, combine flour, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon & salt. With a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
Assembly & Baking
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place dough on a lightly floured work surface & divide into 12 pieces. Form each piece into a ball & allow it to rest for about 5 minutes.
Space out the balls on parchment lined baking sheet. With fingertips or the back of a Tbsp., press out center of each ball to about 4-inch diameter. Add about a Tbsp of pumpkin filling to each dough piece & spread leaving a border around the outside.
Divide streusel topping evenly between the pastries. Allow to rise for about 15-20 minutes.
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Bake for about 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack. In the meantime, you can prepare the glaze.
Glaze
In a small dish, whisk powdered sugar & lemon juice to a thick glaze. When streuseltaler are cooled, drizzle with glaze.
Recipe Notes
- The picture at the bottom of the recipe is MY version of my mother's plachinda. I had posted it on a blog in October 2016. She used to serve this wonderful pastry when she made a white bean soup. At the time I thought it was an odd combination but it works! Another one of those 'taste of a memory' kind of comfort foods.
The Bedfordshire Clanger is a very unique and little-known meat pie recipe from England, specifically (not surprisingly) from the county of Bedfordshire, a small, low-lying and predominantly agricultural county nestled in the east of England.
In centuries past many of the working husbands of the area used to toil in the fields there. Their wives, knowing their husbands would need lots of protein and carbohydrate sustenance, came up with the brilliant idea of a doubled, loaf-shaped pie. One end contained a savory filling that used the famed pork of the area while the other end was filled with stewed apples (made from the famed local apples) as dessert. So, the two fillings didn’t combine, there was a ‘pastry wall’ in between blocking any flavors from mixing. A ‘secret code’ denoted which end was meat and which was dessert: two knife slits on one end of the pastry top means meat, three small holes on the other shows the sweet. This was brilliant, an entire meal for the hard-working man – handheld, portable and delicious
I guess you could say, the Bedfordshire clanger is not only a tasty treat but also a piece of culinary history that has stood the test of time!
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Pork & Apple Bedfordshire Clanger w/ Cheddar-Sage Pastry
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Instructions
Pastry
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sage & salt. Sprinkle the butter cubes over the flour mixture & use your fingers to work them in. Alternately you could use a pastry cutter to do this.
When the mixture resembles cornmeal with pea-sized bits of butter remaining, stir in cheese with a fork until evenly distributed. Sprinkle 6 Tbsp ice water over mixture & stir with a fork until dough begins to come together. If needed, add an additional Tbsp or two of ice water.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface & knead for about three times. Gather the dough into a disk & wrap in plastic wrap. refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Pork Filling
Bake potato in microwave, peel & cut into small cubes. Set aside.
Heat oil in a skillet & sauté celery, onion, garlic & bacon together on medium heat until veggies are soft & bacon is cooked. Add ground pork, breaking it up well. Stir in dried herbs & spices. Cover & simmer for about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat & stir in cooked potato & cheese. Set aside to cool.
Apple Filling
In a small saucepan, combine butter, water, cinnamon & brown sugar. Bring to a simmer then add diced apples, raisins, lemon zest & juice. Gently simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat & allow to cool.
Assembly/Baking
Divide pastry into 5 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface (or dry wax paper) roll out each piece of pastry into 7 x 7 1/2-inches. The excess trimmed from the sides will be used for little pastry ‘walls’ dividing the sweet & savory fillings. Roll the excess into a 3-inch length.
From the top of each piece, LIGHTLY make a line across your pastry 4-inches from outside edge. This will help to place your fillings properly.
On the 3-inch wide section of the pastry, place savory filling to cover 2/3 of the area. Place one of the rolled strips after that then place sweet filling on the remaining 1/3 to complete the 'clanger'. The little rolled piece of pastry divides the savory & sweet filling.
On the sweet side make 3 holes for vents & on the savory side make 2 slashes. This is the 'code' to let the person eating the clanger which was savory or sweet.
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Brush the edges of each pastry with egg wash. Lift the pastry from the opposite side over the fillings & seal the edges with a fork.
Brush clangers with remaining egg wash & bake for about 30-35 minutes or until golden.