Ingredient: hot water

Thai Turkey Pot Stickers

Legend has it that pot stickers were invented by a chef in China’s Imperial Court, who accidentally burnt a batch of dumplings after leaving them on the stove for too long. The overcooked dumplings were burnt on the bottom only, and not on top. With no time to prepare a new batch, the chef served the dumplings with the burnt side on top, announcing that they were his own special creation. To his disbelief, the guests at the court relished these dumplings to the core and enjoyed the combination of a rich filling with a crusty top. After that, chefs started to make their dumplings that way intentionally, and it’s a technique that has persisted in China and everywhere that pot stickers continue to be eaten today.

The term ‘pot sticker’ is an English translation of the Mandarin word ‘guotie,’ which means ‘pot stick’ or ‘pot stickies.’ It is believed that the name originated from the cooking method. When the dumplings are pan-fried, the bottom becomes crispy and sticks to the pan. This method of cooking gives the dumplings a deliciously crispy texture on one side while keeping the filling moist and tender inside.

Although I have made many kinds of dumplings over the years, I have never really given pot stickers to much thought. For some reason today I decided to give them a try and this is what developed. Of course, you might guess, I couldn’t just stick to a tried and true recipe. The end result actually came out not to bad and Brion & I quite enjoyed them.

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 Thai Turkey Pot Stickers
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Course Main Dish
Keyword Thai turkey pot stickers
Servings
POT STICKERS
Ingredients
Turkey Filling
Dough
Sauce/Broth
Course Main Dish
Keyword Thai turkey pot stickers
Servings
POT STICKERS
Ingredients
Turkey Filling
Dough
Sauce/Broth
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Turkey Filling
  1. In a food processor place cabbage, water chestnuts, cilantro & garlic. Process for a couple of seconds until finely chopped. Place in a bowl with ground turkey thighs, shredded carrots, apricot preserves, soy sauce, ginger & red pepper flakes. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Dough
  1. Place flour & salt in a mixing bowl. Slowly pour in hot water. Stir with a wooden spoon until mixture forms a shaggy dough.
  2. Flour your hands and transfer dough to a work surface. Knead dough until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 3 to 5 minutes. If dough seems too sticky, sprinkle with a bit more flour, up to an additional 1/2 cup, and continue to knead. Wrap dough ball in plastic, and let it rest for about 30 minutes.
  3. When dough has rested, divide into 4 equal pieces. Cover 3 pieces with a dish cloth while you work the first piece. Roll into a small log about the thickness of a thumb, about 3/4 inch. Divide each log into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a thin 3 1/2-inch circle on a lightly floured surface to form the pot sticker wrappers. Repeat with the remaining dough pieces.
  4. Lightly moisten the edges of a wrapper with your wet finger. Place a small scoop of the ground turkey mixture onto the center of a wrapper. Fold up the 2 sides and pinch together in the center. Pinch together the remaining edges, forming ‘pleats’ along one side. Tap the pot sticker on the work surface to slightly flatten the bottom; form a slight curve in it so it stands upright in the pan. Transfer to a well-floured plate. Loosely cover with plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Place pot stickers in refrigerator while you are making the sauce/broth.
Sauce/Broth
  1. In a small pot, combine sauce/broth ingredients & simmer for 5 minutes. Add a little bit of the sliced onion & simmer a few more minutes. Remove from heat & set aside.
Frying/Steaming
  1. In a skillet, heat a small amount of oil. Place about 6 or 7 pot stickers in the hot oil, flat side down. Cook until the bottoms are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Drizzle in some of the sauce/broth and quickly cover the pan; steam for about 6-8 minutes. Uncover; reduce heat to medium. Continue cooking until water evaporates and bottoms are browned and crunchy, 1 or 2 minutes. Transfer to a warm serving dish. Repeat with remaining pot stickers. Serve with remaining sauce.
Recipe Notes
  • I used about 2 teaspoons of filling per pot sticker. This is probably more than a traditional one would have but for us it is a better filling/dough ratio. Do what works for you.

1950’s Tart Cherry/Lemon Jell-O Dessert

As popular as it was, I know that Jell-O is not everyone’s ‘cup of tea’. Jell-O was synonymous with most, if not all, of the major holiday’s years ago but not so much anymore. It seems there are certain culinary traditions that accompany each holiday. Some are near universally enjoyed amongst those who celebrate those special days, others are more along the lines of a specific family tradition and some fall squarely into the middle.

When my siblings and I were growing up, a lime Jell-O salad with crushed pineapple, marshmallows and cottage cheese was always made to complement our Christmas dinner. One year, family friends that had been invited to dinner, asked if this salad had something to do with our German heritage because it always appeared on special occasions. To me this salad was like having a little dish of ice cream as it tasted so good.

Jell-O brand powder might seem as commonplace as sliced bread and pasteurized milk nowadays, but when it first emerged on the scene in 1897, it was a truly revolutionary food.

Gelatin itself had been around for many centuries, but the act of making it – a process done by extracting the gelatin protein produced when animal bones, connective tissues and other similar products are boiled and then using that product as a setting agent/ingredient in a sweet or savory dish – was a very labor intensive one and something that many home cooks saved for only the most special of occasions/fanciest dinner parties, if they even bothered at all. The French were the first to use gelatin in cooking. 

Jell-O became available in Canada in 1904.The first Canadian Jell-O factory was located in Bridgeburg (now Fort Erie). As part of an advertising campaign, recipe booklets were sent to households across North America. These contained suggestions for how to use Jell-O in desserts, salads and main courses. 


Initially jellied salads rose to fame in the 1950s and 60s. This recipe came from a magazine years ago. It is somewhere between a Jell-O salad and a dessert.


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 1950's Tart Cherry/Lemon Jell-O Dessert
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Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword 1950's tart cherry/lemon Jell-O dessert
Servings
Ingredients
Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword 1950's tart cherry/lemon Jell-O dessert
Servings
Ingredients
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
  1. In a small saucepan, bring cherries with juice & sugar to a boil then add the package of cherry Jell-O powder. Stir to dissolve then pour into serving dishes. Refrigerate until firm. After cherry mixture has had time to start setting up begin the next step.
  2. Rinse saucepan & add 3/4 cup water. Bring to a boil then stir in lemon Jell-O powder until it is dissolved. Refrigerate until slightly setting up.
  3. While lemon Jell-O sets up, whip cream until stiff & fluffy. Beat in cream cheese & whip together. Add lemon Jell-O which is just starting to become firm. Whip the mixture to combine.
  4. Pour lemon Jell-O mixture over the cherry Jell-O in the serving dishes. Refrigerate until firm. Serve with a dollop of whip cream if desired.
Recipe Notes
  • Its so nice to be able to use cherries from our own tree in the back yard. 

Krispy Chocolate ‘Eyeballs’/ Halloween Brownie Bites

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

While trick-or-treating has been a tried and true modern Halloween tradition, historians say the origins of kids begging their neighbors for food may date back to ancient Celtic celebrations or even a long-lost Christmas custom. Halloween customs, such as wearing disguises to ward off ghosts and offering food to appease malevolent spirits, were brought to Canada in the mid-to-late 1800s by Irish and Scottish immigrants. North America’s first recorded instance of dressing in disguise on Halloween was in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1898, while the first recorded use of the term trick or treat was in Lethbridge, Alberta, in 1927.

Every Halloween, children on the hunt for candy dress up in costumes, knock on doors and ask homeowners the infamous question: ‘Trick or Treat?’

Lethbridge historian Belinda Crowson said research has confirmed the term ‘Trick or Treat’ was first documented in the Lethbridge Herald on Nov. 4. 1927.

Hallowe’en provided an opportunity for real strenuous fun. No real damage was done except to the temper of some who had to hunt for wagon wheels, gates, wagons, barrels, etc., much of which decorated the front street. The youthful tormentors were at back door and front demanding edible plunder by the word ‘trick or treat’ to which the homeowners gladly responded and sent the robbers away rejoicing.

Crowson says Oct. 31 in Lethbridge used to be a big night of pranks, saying kids would take part in ‘gate night’ where they’d remove gates from yards and hide them around the city. The occasional outhouse was also moved on Halloween night, sometimes onto a streetcar track for it to be pushed down the route by the unknowing driver.

Alberta’s known for many things: the Rocky Mountains, the oil industry, the Calgary Stampede. But you wouldn’t think that it’s also home to one of the most beloved Halloween traditions, that is, trick-or-treating.

Having lived in Lethbridge years ago, for about 25 years, I was not aware that the term trick or treat had originated there until I stumbled on it when I was doing some research … who knew!!

Nevertheless, Halloween has rolled around again so here’s a few treats to enjoy.

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 Krispy Chocolate 'Eyeballs'/ Halloween Brownie Bites
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Course dessert
Keyword krispy chocolate 'eyeballs'/ Halloween brownie bites
Servings
Ingredients
Shortbread Crumbs for 'Eyeballs'
Caramel / Chocolate & Rice Crispies
Halloween Brownie Bites
Cheesecake Layer
Course dessert
Keyword krispy chocolate 'eyeballs'/ Halloween brownie bites
Servings
Ingredients
Shortbread Crumbs for 'Eyeballs'
Caramel / Chocolate & Rice Crispies
Halloween Brownie Bites
Cheesecake Layer
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Instructions
Shortbread Crumbs
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a bowl, cream together the butter & sugar until light and fluffy. Add the flour; using your fingers, work together to a crumbly but moist dough. Place mixture in baking pan and press down with the back of a spoon until firm and smooth. Bake shortbread until cooked but not browned, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven, lift out of pan with parchment paper & cool. When cooled, break into pieces & place in a food processor. Pulse to create shortbread crumbs. Set aside.
Caramel / Chocolate
  1. Place a heavy bottomed, non-stick pot, over a larger pot of boiling water. To the top pot add condensed milk, butter & brown sugar. Stir until combined, bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring continuously for a full 5 minutes. Add the milk & white chocolate & continue stirring until melted.
  2. Turn off heat under the boiling water. To the caramel/chocolate add shortbread crumbs & rice crispy cereal. With a rubber spatula, combine mixture.
  3. Keeping the pot over the hot water so the mixture doesn't harden to fast, scoop into small balls to form 'eyeballs. Place on a parchment paper lined tray. The scoop I used made about 44 balls. Press candy eyeballs into chocolate balls. If they aren't sticking well, dip them into a bit of white corn syrup first.
Halloween Brownie Bites
  1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Line 30 mini cupcake tins with paper liners.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch & salt. Set aside.
  3. Using a mixer, beat sugar & eggs on high speed for 5 minutes, until it becomes light & pale in color. Melt the butter & add it along with oil & vanilla. Mix on low until combined. Slowly add dry ingredients, continuing to mix on low speed until combined. Put aside about a 1/4 of a cup of the brownie batter to use for decorating. Place a small scoop of brownie batter in each of the mini muffin cups.
Cheesecake Layer
  1. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar & vanilla extract on high speed for 1 minute. Add the orange food gel & mix until desired color. Then add the egg & mix on low speed. Place a Tbsp of cheesecake batter on top of the brownie batter. Add the 1 1/2 Tbsp HOT water to the remaining 1/4 cup of brownie batter & whisk until combined.
  2. Drizzle the brownie batter over the cheesecake batter in 2 circles (per brownie). With a toothpick draw lines from the center to the outside edge, creating a spider web effect.
  3. Bake for about 20 minutes or until not a lot of batter remains on a toothpick when tested. Cool on a cooling rack completely. Decorate with Halloween spiders, cats, ladybugs etc. These are nice when wrapped in foil & chilled overnight.

Carrot Pudding Cake

Recently we purchased a bag of apples that turned out to be a bit too mealy to eat fresh. Making them into applesauce seemed like the best solution to the problem. One thing for sure, there’s no shortage of ways to make use it it, from an oatmeal stir-in to a pork meat accompaniment.

Baking with applesauce to replace some or all of the fat adds fiber and reduces calories in cakes, muffins and breads. Because of its water content, it will also help keep baked goods moist and fresh longer. Applesauce acts like the fat because it keeps the flour protein from mixing completely with the wet ingredients and forming a rubbery texture. I’ve noticed that sometimes you need to lengthen your baking time a bit when using applesauce.

Over the years there have been countless recipes for various pudding cakes. While baking, the cake portion rises to the top and a creamy pudding-like sauce forms on the bottom. This fall version does not disappoint.

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 Carrot Pudding Cake
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Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword carrot pudding cake
Servings
Ingredients
Pudding/Cake
Topping
Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword carrot pudding cake
Servings
Ingredients
Pudding/Cake
Topping
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 9 x 9-inch baking dish with baking spray.
  2. Using a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar & spices.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together applesauce, milk, melted butter, vanilla & grated carrots. Gradually whisk the wet ingredients into dry ingredients; scrape batter into baking dish.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together white & brown sugar & either chopped walnuts or whole pepita seeds. Sprinkle over batter. Carefully pour the hot water over the top.
  5. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until middle is set. After removing from oven, allow to cool for 10 before serving with ice cream or whipped cream.

Cardamom Roasted Persimmons

Persimmons are in season between November and February. Mildly sweet and juicy with a slight crunch reminiscent of a cross between a peach and a pear. Since there is only a short window in which you can enjoy this exotic fruit, persimmons make up for it by working well in both sweet and savory recipes.

The two most commonly available varieties are Fuyu and Hachiyas. Some recipes prefer one over the other. Treat them like you would an apple and turn them into jams, puree, tarts and cakes. Paired with pork adds a nice fruity and caramelizing sweetness.

Fuyus are squat and round whereas Hachiyas are acorn shaped and have a pointed bottom. When buying persimmons, look for the unblemished skin with the green leaves and top still attached. The texture should be like a tomato-firm but a bit of give without being to soft. Persimmons are usually sold unripe, so leave them on the counter for a day or two until the skin deepens to a rich sunset orange.

Cardamom is a complex flavor that can be used in any of the usual autumn and winter recipes. There is nothing subtle about cardamom, so when used in all but sparing amounts, it will dominate whatever its paired with. Cardamom has been used in Christmas baking in Germany since the middle ages.

You can eat roasted persimmons hot or cold. For a quick breakfast, make a batch ahead of time, then just reheat in the microwave or eat cold.

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 Cardamom Roasted Persimmons
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Course Brunch, dessert
Cuisine American, European, German, Middle Eastern
Servings
Ingredients
Course Brunch, dessert
Cuisine American, European, German, Middle Eastern
Servings
Ingredients
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 F. In a small bowl, combine hot water with 3 Tbsp honey; stir until honey is dissolved. With a sharp knife, split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise & scrape half of the seeds into the bowl. Reserve excess seeds for yogurt.
  2. Peel the persimmons, cut them in half lengthwise & then slice into 1-inch thick wedges. Arrange the slices in a baking dish, drizzle with lime juice & sprinkle with the honey mixture, cardamom & butter.
  3. Roast persimmons for about 45-60 minutes spooning the pan juices over top occasionally. When done they should be tender & easily pierced with a knife.
  4. In a small bowl, combine 1 1/2 Tbsp honey & yogurt. Add the remainder of the vanilla bean seeds; whisk until yogurt is smooth & well blended.
  5. To serve, divide yogurt between 4 serving dishes, top with a quarter of the persimmons, drizzle with any extra syrup & sprinkle the pistachios on top.
Recipe Notes
  • When using extract in place of vanilla bean in a recipe, use 1 teaspoon for every one inch of vanilla bean. Be sure to replace vanilla bean with vanilla extract and not vanilla flavoring or imitation vanilla, which are both a far cry from real vanilla.

Halloween Treats

Well here we are, the end of October already, and Halloween has arrived. A number of years ago, Brion and I decided to take a different approach to this occasion. Rather than spending the evening running to the door to hand out treats, I would make some special goodies for our immediate neighbor’s ‘kids’. We have been lucky to have had the same neighbors for many years. Since food is my passion, its always fun to ‘create’ something that I think our four ‘young’ people will enjoy.

My choice of treats this year are brownie ghosts, krispie candy corn and some bite size pizzas. Most kids love chocolate so I think brownies will cover that and I swapped out the ‘waxy’ candy for rice krispies in the candy corn treats. Pizza bites aren’t exactly following the Halloween theme but the kids are getting older and I’m sure they will love them anyway.

Just an interesting little side note on the actual candy corn ‘candy’ since they seem to be synonymous with Halloween. Originally they were never tied to any time of year. Many candies of the day were molded into what was recognizable to regular folks. At the time, that was vegetables, fruits and other simple, earthy things.

When the Goelitz Confectionery Company first produced candy corn, it was called ‘chicken feed’. The boxes were illustrated with a colorful rooster logo and a tag line that read: ‘Something Worth Crowing For’. The multi-colored design was ground-breaking in the candy industry at the time it was invented. One of candy corn’s least favored qualities is that waxy texture. Strangely enough, even after more than 120 years, it still has a huge following as well as many other candy corn related and/or flavored recipes on the market.

ENJOY YOUR HALLOWEEN IN WHATEVER WAY WORKS FOR YOU!

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 Brownie Ghosts - 'Krispie' Candy Corn - Pizza Pinwheels
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Course dessert
Cuisine American
Servings
Ingredients
BOTTOM Layer of Brownies
MIDDLE Layer of Brownies
Fudge Frosting
White Chocolate Ghosts
Chocolate Dipped Candy Corn Treats
Mini Pizza Pinwheels
Course dessert
Cuisine American
Servings
Ingredients
BOTTOM Layer of Brownies
MIDDLE Layer of Brownies
Fudge Frosting
White Chocolate Ghosts
Chocolate Dipped Candy Corn Treats
Mini Pizza Pinwheels
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Bottom Layer of Brownies
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 9 X 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Combine all bottom layer ingredients until crumbly. Pat into pan & bake for 10 minutes.
Middle Layer of Brownies
  1. In the microwave, very carefully melt chocolate (do NOT overheat) & add butter. Stir until combined & slightly cool; add beaten egg & sugar. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder & salt. Add to chocolate mixture alternately with combined milk & vanilla. Fold in walnuts. Carefully spread batter over bottom layer. Bake for 20-25 minutes; do not OVER BAKE. Remove from oven & cool. Slice into 20 squares.
Fudge Frosting
  1. If you prefer to make your chocolate ghosts BEFORE the frosting, it will give them ample time to set before needed. TO MAKE FROSTING: Carefully melt chocolate & butter in microwave. Cool slightly; stir in powdered sugar & vanilla. Blend in hot water & beat until a smooth consistency. Spread icing evenly over brownies & decorate with a white chocolate ghosts.
White Chocolate Ghosts
  1. Carefully melt white chocolate wafers in microwave. Pour melted chocolate into a piping bag fitted with a small hole tip. Place a large piece of waxed paper on a flat surface with a printout of ghost shapes underneath. Trace outline, then fill in the center. Allow to set completely, then peel ghosts from waxed paper & press lightly on top of brownies.
Chocolate Dipped Candy Corn Treats
  1. Butter 2 round 5-inch baking pans. In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add marshmallows & stir constantly until they are melted. Stir in a few drops of orange coloring & remove the pot from heat. Add rice krispies, being sure to stir until well coated. Press into prepared pans to set. Once treats have set, cut them into triangles & use your hand to gently round the corners for a more realistic look.
  2. Melt candy coatings in separate dishes. Lay out a sheet of parchment paper. Dip the base of each triangle into the yellow chocolate, shaking off excess, then dip the tips into the white chocolate. Place them onto the parchment paper. Once the chocolate has set, you can store the treats at room temperature in an airtight container for up to three days. Yield 30 treats.
Mini Pizza Pinwheels
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. set aside.
  2. Grate cheeses & combine in a small dish. Remove dough from packaging but DO NOT unroll. Slice each roll into 12 disks & space out on parchment paper. Using a 1/4 cup dry measure, (make sure you lightly butter & flour the bottom of your measure or it will stick to the dough). Press down the little disks to form a cavity. Divide the pizza sauce & grated cheese between the 24 disks.
  3. Bake 10-12 minutes; remove from oven & cool on a wire rack.

Pumpkin Hazelnut Muffins with Teff Flour

Back in the later part of August (2019), I had made some buns using Teff flour that my neighbor had shared with me. We had really enjoyed them so this is my next adventure using this unique flour.

Just a bit of history — officially the world’s smallest grain, teff is only about the size of a poppy seed. It’s origin is thought to be Ethiopia and Eritrea, where it’s ability to grow in harsh conditions has made it a staple grain of these cultures.

Teff flour is high in protein, iron, calcium and it contains all 8 essential amino acids. This is due to the fact the tiny grains are so small, when they are milled, the hull is left intact rather than removed.

Teff is rich tasting and very versatile, lending a subtle nuttiness and mild molasses-like sweetness to any baked good. Teff grain and flour are good alternatives to wheat, barley and rye for those on a gluten-free diet.

These muffins are an interesting combination of flavors well worth a try.

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 Pumpkin Hazelnut Muffins with Teff Flour
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Course Brunch, dessert
Cuisine American, Ethiopia
Servings
Ingredients
Course Brunch, dessert
Cuisine American, Ethiopia
Servings
Ingredients
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients; set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the hot water & ground chia to form a slurry. Add the remaining wet ingredients & beat together using an electric mixer. Pour the wet into the dry & whisk together. Spoon into muffin cups.
  4. Bake about 30 minutes or until test done. Remove from oven & pan; cool on a wire rack.

Barley Scones with Roasted Prune Plums

Barley has always been a grain I have enjoyed. I love the nutty flavor as well as the texture. Not only a good choice in soups and entrees, but perfect when ground into flour for baked goods. Barley has a weaker gluten than wheat flour, however, so it may not rise as well as recipes made with wheat flour. As a result, barley flour is usually mixed with wheat flour when baking yeast breads.

Italian prune plums have a prolific but short season. In early fall, about the same time as we see the first yellow leaves arrive on the trees, prune plums appear in the grocery stores. Then, just like that, they disappear when the pumpkins arrive. Because prune plums are firmer and less juicy than other plums, they keep their shape when used in tarts, pies or cakes. Roasting them in coconut oil for this recipe brought out their intense flavor and beautiful rich burgundy color.

Thanks to its neutral flavor, refined coconut oil makes a fantastic replacement for shortening, butter, margarine or vegetable oil. It produced a rich, tender scone that was complimented by the use of barley flour and the Italian prune plums.


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Barley Scones with Roasted Prune Plums

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Course Brunch, dessert
Cuisine American, European, German

Servings


Ingredients
Roasted Plums

Scones

Course Brunch, dessert
Cuisine American, European, German

Servings


Ingredients
Roasted Plums

Scones

Votes: 1
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Instructions
Roasted Plums
  1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Toss the plum wedges with the coconut oil, maple syrup & spices. Lay them out on a parchment lined baking sheet & roast until soft, about 10-15 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Scones
  1. Adjust oven heat to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  2. In a bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, salt & spices. Add maple syrup (agave nectar), coconut oil, vanilla & syrup from roasted plums. Stir until a dry batter forms; add the hot water & stir ONLY until flour is absorbed. Gently form into a disk shape.

  3. Place dough onto the parchment paper & press out into an 8-inch circle. Cut into 6 wedges. Divide roasted plums among the wedges, placing on top & slightly pressing into dough. Drizzle with any remaining syrup. Sprinkle with a bit of sugar if you wish.

  4. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until they test done. Remove from oven & re-cut wedges. Cool scones slightly on a wire rack before serving.

Classic Gingerbread Cake

Gingerbread (cake) is the perfect sweet/spicy dessert for fall and winter, flavored by a ‘strange lumpy little root’. I recall my mother baking gingerbread cake for our supper dessert. She would serve it warm with farm fresh whipped cream. For lack of a better expression, ‘it was to die for’. Strangely enough, I was never fond of molasses but certainly enjoyed that warm gingerbread cake!?

Gingerbread has been baked in Europe for centuries. In some places it was soft, delicately spiced cake, in others, a crisp, flat cookie. Then in other places, warm, thick, dark squares of bread served with lemon sauce or whipped cream.

At first, gingerbread was made with breadcrumbs and sweetened with honey, but as it made its way throughout the world it has been adapted to meet the taste of different cultures. In North America, along with the ground ginger we usually like to add cinnamon, and cloves. Molasses is usually labeled as ‘sulphured’ or ‘unsulphured’ depending on whether sulphur was used in the processing. The unsulphured molasses is lighter in color and tends to have a nicer flavor.

Brion does not remember ever eating gingerbread cake?? I’m going to try to bring back the taste of a memory  with this classic little cake and see what he thinks.

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 Classic Gingerbread Cake
Applesauce is such a great addition in that it adds to the cake moistness.
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course Brunch, dessert
Cuisine American, European, German
Servings
Ingredients
Course Brunch, dessert
Cuisine American, European, German
Servings
Ingredients
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, cream together sugar & butter until lightened in color & fluffy. Beat in egg, molasses, applesauce & hot water until fully combined.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger & cloves. Whisk into wet ingredients, mixing ONLY until blended.
  4. Bake for 30-35 minutes until cake springs back when touched or a knife inserted comes our clean.
Recipe Notes

Mushroom Stuffed Shrimp

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

A day when ‘love is in the air’ — roses to be purchased, chocolates and valentine cards to be shared and dining over that special, very intimate supper meal. If only our world would focus more on this emotion all year around instead of just for one day. As I get older, the idea of cherishing each day and the people you care about the most has become so important.

Today is also important to me as it is now one year since I started publishing my blog. With the help of my husband Brion, we have posted 85 blog articles. These stories and recipes are being shared on Facebook and pinterest as well as our website. I have enjoyed the wonderful feedback I’m getting from many different countries as well as friends and family here at home. Thanks to all of you who have followed my blog and I hope you will continue to find it interesting.

Brion and I share a love of seafood so my Valentine supper is Mushroom Stuffed Shrimp. This meal lends itself to being an appetizer as well as a main course dish. Not a lot of fuss and muss, just a nice little elegant meal for the two of you to enjoy.

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 Mushroom Stuffed Shrimp
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Course Finger Food Buffet, Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings
Ingredients
Jumbo Shrimp
Stuffing
Course Finger Food Buffet, Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings
Ingredients
Jumbo Shrimp
Stuffing
Votes: 1
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Instructions
Jumbo Shrimp
  1. Peel & de-vein shrimp, leaving tails on. Butterfly each shrimp along the outside curve. In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, water, ginger & garlic powder. Add raw shrimp & marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Stuffing
  1. In a small bowl, dissolve bouillon in hot water. Stir in remaining stuffing ingredients. When marinated, remove shrimp from marinate & open shrimp flat & place with tails up in a buttered 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of stuffing onto each shrimp.
  2. Bake at 375 F. for 5-8 minutes or until shrimp turns pink. Serve over rice as a main course.