If you EVER use frosting bags and tips, you HAVE to watch this video from Karen's Cookies. It will make your day, I promise!!
Tuesday 31 January 2012
COOLEST TIP EVER!!!
I found this little gem of a video yesterday and it was instantly one of those moments where you close your eyes and think to yourself...DUH!! Why didn't I know about this 20 years ago!!!
If you EVER use frosting bags and tips, you HAVE to watch this video from Karen's Cookies. It will make your day, I promise!!
If you EVER use frosting bags and tips, you HAVE to watch this video from Karen's Cookies. It will make your day, I promise!!
Saturday 28 January 2012
BEST CARROT CAKE IN THE WORLD
Carrot Cake recipes are a dime a dozen, everyone has one. I have been making the same old recipe (not this one) for as long as I can remember, but today's post is replacing that old recipe card for sure. This recipe is SO good ...full of carrots, pineapple, coconut, pecans and raisins; it is beyond delicious.
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1½ cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup flaked coconut (do not pack)
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped pecans (I use walnuts)
8 ounce can of crushed pineapple with juice
Preheat oven to 350 and put paper cupcake liners in cupcake pan (recipe makes 2 dozen cupcakes).
Mix the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl and set aside.
In a large bowl, mix eggs, buttermilk, oil, sugar and vanilla, mix well, beat in flour mixture and mix well.
Stir in carrots, coconut, nuts, pineapple and raisins. Let batter sit for about 5 minutes. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full (an ice cream scoop works well for this).
Bake in preheated 350 oven for 25-30 minutes (my oven took 25 minutes). Cool and frost.
DESSERT IDEA - NOT JUST A CUPCAKE
While still warm, slice the cupcakes, vertically into 4-5 slices and
arranged them on a dessert plate and top the slices with a big
dollop of vanilla whipped cream. It made a wonderful dessert!!
The rest of the cupcakes went into the cookie jar.
3 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1½ cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup flaked coconut (do not pack)
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped pecans (I use walnuts)
8 ounce can of crushed pineapple with juice
Preheat oven to 350 and put paper cupcake liners in cupcake pan (recipe makes 2 dozen cupcakes).
Mix the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl and set aside.
In a large bowl, mix eggs, buttermilk, oil, sugar and vanilla, mix well, beat in flour mixture and mix well.
Stir in carrots, coconut, nuts, pineapple and raisins. Let batter sit for about 5 minutes. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full (an ice cream scoop works well for this).
Bake in preheated 350 oven for 25-30 minutes (my oven took 25 minutes). Cool and frost.
These cupcakes just keep getting more and more moist (if you keep them covered).
Thursday 26 January 2012
CROCKPOT CHICKEN CHILI
This is a new recipe experiment for us and I must tell you it was delightful. It is one of those rare meals that is not only good for you, but it's very tasty, very hearty and it rings all the familiar bells of comfort food.
This recipe is also a breeze to make because you put most of the ingredients in the crockpot the night BEFORE you want to serve it (no need to pre-soak the beans) and then in the morning, you just add the chicken and carrots and let it cook all day!! It will make your house smell fantastic!!
1½ cups DRY Great Northern white beans (rinsed)
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup chopped onion (sauteed)
4 ounce can mild green chiles
2 cups grated carrots
3 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dry oregano leaves
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1 teaspoon salt (see note below)
½ teaspoon black pepper
6 cups chicken stock (see note below)
1 cup Monterrey Jack Cheese shredded
Wash and sort the dry beans (do not pre-soak) and put them in the crockpot. Add the stock, sauteed onion, seasonings and chile's. Cook on LOW setting overnight (or about 8 hours).
In the morning, remove about a cup of the beans and mash them thoroughly. (I put them in the blender) Return the mashed beans to the crockpot; this will thicken up the broth in the chili.
Cut the raw chicken into large pieces and add it to the crockpot along with the shredded carrots. Cook this on high for 6 to 8 hours. If your crockpot runs very hot (as some of them do) cook it on low instead.
About 30 minutes before you want to serve the chicken chili, add the shredded Monterrey Jack cheese and stir.
NOTE: If you use salt free chicken broth, go ahead and put the teaspoon of salt into the chili. Taste it again after it is finished cooking (and you've added the cheese) to see if it still needs more salt. If you use chicken broth made from bullion, I wouldn't add any salt to the recipe, as the bullion broth is already quite salty.
NOTE: I hope you don't leave out the grated carrot, it really adds a wonderful taste and texture to the chili.
NOTE: We are fairly timid when it comes to spicy heat in our food. The recipe calls for 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. I used a scant 1/8 teaspoon and it was absolutely perfect for us. If you like more heat in your food, add more cayenne.
This recipe is also a breeze to make because you put most of the ingredients in the crockpot the night BEFORE you want to serve it (no need to pre-soak the beans) and then in the morning, you just add the chicken and carrots and let it cook all day!! It will make your house smell fantastic!!
1½ cups DRY Great Northern white beans (rinsed)
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup chopped onion (sauteed)
4 ounce can mild green chiles
2 cups grated carrots
3 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dry oregano leaves
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1 teaspoon salt (see note below)
½ teaspoon black pepper
6 cups chicken stock (see note below)
1 cup Monterrey Jack Cheese shredded
Wash and sort the dry beans (do not pre-soak) and put them in the crockpot. Add the stock, sauteed onion, seasonings and chile's. Cook on LOW setting overnight (or about 8 hours).
In the morning, remove about a cup of the beans and mash them thoroughly. (I put them in the blender) Return the mashed beans to the crockpot; this will thicken up the broth in the chili.
Cut the raw chicken into large pieces and add it to the crockpot along with the shredded carrots. Cook this on high for 6 to 8 hours. If your crockpot runs very hot (as some of them do) cook it on low instead.
About 30 minutes before you want to serve the chicken chili, add the shredded Monterrey Jack cheese and stir.
I hope you like this hearty
"good for you" chili as much as we did.
"good for you" chili as much as we did.
NOTE: If you use salt free chicken broth, go ahead and put the teaspoon of salt into the chili. Taste it again after it is finished cooking (and you've added the cheese) to see if it still needs more salt. If you use chicken broth made from bullion, I wouldn't add any salt to the recipe, as the bullion broth is already quite salty.
NOTE: I hope you don't leave out the grated carrot, it really adds a wonderful taste and texture to the chili.
NOTE: We are fairly timid when it comes to spicy heat in our food. The recipe calls for 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. I used a scant 1/8 teaspoon and it was absolutely perfect for us. If you like more heat in your food, add more cayenne.
Tuesday 24 January 2012
PISTACHIO PUDDING with a twist
Today's post is more of an idea, rather than a real recipe. Picky-picky husband loves the old Watergate Salad. I never thought of it as a salad, but that's what they called it: instant pistachio pudding, Cool Whip and crushed pineapple...talk about shades of childhood!!
I re-discovered the old recipe recently and remembered that I haven't made it in years because Cool Whip now gives hubby indigestion, part of getting older I guess.
I decided to experiment and see if I could substitute real whipped cream for the Cool Whip. The result was delicious and much fresher tasting than using the non-dairy topping of yester-year.
Beat 2 cups of whipping cream + 1/2 cup milk with a small (4 serving size) box of instant pistachio pudding until you get stiff peaks, then fold in an 8 ounce can of well drained, crushed pineapple and a half cup (loosely packed) sweetened coconut. Chopped maraschino cherries would go well in this, but I didn't have any.
Chill for about an hour or so (it keeps well and doesn't deflate). Makes about 4 cups of pudding.
I re-discovered the old recipe recently and remembered that I haven't made it in years because Cool Whip now gives hubby indigestion, part of getting older I guess.
I decided to experiment and see if I could substitute real whipped cream for the Cool Whip. The result was delicious and much fresher tasting than using the non-dairy topping of yester-year.
Chill for about an hour or so (it keeps well and doesn't deflate). Makes about 4 cups of pudding.
Monday 23 January 2012
JAM BARS
I saw this great recipe on Monica's web site Lick the Bowl Good, the other day and thought picky-picky husband would enjoy them (I was right!!). They are similar to a raspberry shortbread bar that I posted about a year ago, but even easier to make.
This fruit bar gets even more tasty on day two and three. They are heavenly (in spite of my emergency substitution in the almond department). I hope you try them, you will love the crumbly, buttery, sweet, nutty crust (it has just a hint of cinnamon). This recipe is a keeper.
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1½ cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup light brown sugar packed (I use dark brown sugar)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup sliced almonds (I used walnuts)
1/2 cup of your favorite fruit jam (I used an extra 2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (my addition)
Preheat your oven to 350 and butter an 8" square baking dish (I didn't butter the pan, instead I lined it with parchment paper and left the ends long so that I could easily lift out the whole square after it cooled...easier to cut that way).
Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, salt and baking powder, set aside.
Cream the butter and sugars on high speed until they are light and fluffy; beat in the egg yolk and vanilla extract. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture.
Stir in the nuts. Note: I used walnuts instead of almonds and I used my food processor to chop them fairly small.
Gently press half of this mixture, evenly, into your prepared baking dish. Stir the jam (I used raspberry) with a spoon to loosen it up and gently spread it onto the bottom half of the bars, leaving a 1/4" jam free border so that the jam doesn't stick to the sides of the pan when baked.
Top the jam layer with the rest of the flour-nut mixture ad spread evenly, pressing lightly to make the layers stick to each other.
Bake for 25 to 35 minutes (my oven took 35 minutes) or until the top is golden.
IMPORTANT: Cool completely before you try to remove these bars from the pan. Cut bars with serrated knife.
This fruit bar gets even more tasty on day two and three. They are heavenly (in spite of my emergency substitution in the almond department). I hope you try them, you will love the crumbly, buttery, sweet, nutty crust (it has just a hint of cinnamon). This recipe is a keeper.
1½ cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup light brown sugar packed (I use dark brown sugar)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup sliced almonds (I used walnuts)
1/2 cup of your favorite fruit jam (I used an extra 2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (my addition)
Preheat your oven to 350 and butter an 8" square baking dish (I didn't butter the pan, instead I lined it with parchment paper and left the ends long so that I could easily lift out the whole square after it cooled...easier to cut that way).
Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, salt and baking powder, set aside.
Cream the butter and sugars on high speed until they are light and fluffy; beat in the egg yolk and vanilla extract. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture.
Stir in the nuts. Note: I used walnuts instead of almonds and I used my food processor to chop them fairly small.
Gently press half of this mixture, evenly, into your prepared baking dish. Stir the jam (I used raspberry) with a spoon to loosen it up and gently spread it onto the bottom half of the bars, leaving a 1/4" jam free border so that the jam doesn't stick to the sides of the pan when baked.
Top the jam layer with the rest of the flour-nut mixture ad spread evenly, pressing lightly to make the layers stick to each other.
Bake for 25 to 35 minutes (my oven took 35 minutes) or until the top is golden.
IMPORTANT: Cool completely before you try to remove these bars from the pan. Cut bars with serrated knife.
Friday 20 January 2012
QUICK STEAK and GRAVY
This great week night dinner is fast and satisfying for sure. It is made with cubed beef steak and is versatile enough to feed two or twenty. It's rich brown gravy is flawless and the whole thing is table ready in about 35 minutes (depending on the thickness of your cube steak).
The ingredients listed here are for one pound of cubed beef steak (it makes about 2 cups of gravy). Double or triple the ingredients as you like.
1 pound cubed beef steak (see note)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon flour (to add to gravy)
little extra flour to coat the cubed steak
(1) 4 serving size envelope of Lipton's Beefy Mushroom soup mix (see note)
2 cups water
(no salt...there's salt in the soup mix)
pepper to taste
Cut the cubed beef steaks into serving size pieces and dust them with pepper (no salt). Coat them in a little flour (shake off the excess) and brown them in 2 tablespoons of vegetable (or Canola) oil.
Remove the browned meat to a plate. Mix 1 tablespoon flour with the dry soup mix and mix it all into the oil and meat juices in the same pan that you browned the meat in. Whisk in two cups of water and use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up any browned bits that might be stuck to the bottom of the pan. Stir till the gravy is thick.
Put the meat back in the gravy and turn it way down to a slow simmer. Simmer (covered) until the meat is tender (see note below).
Serve over rice or mashed potatoes for a quick and easy dinner that even Picky-picky husband loves.
NOTE: Some people have said they can not find Lipton's Beefy Mushroom soup mix. You can also use Lipton's Onion soup mix.
NOTE: How long you let the meat simmer in the sauce depends on how thick (and how tender) your cubed beef steaks are. The ones I buy are fairly thin, so I usually simmer them in the gravy for about 30 minutes. If you have thick cube steak (or if it looks a little tough) it may take more like 45-60 minutes to get fork tender.
The ingredients listed here are for one pound of cubed beef steak (it makes about 2 cups of gravy). Double or triple the ingredients as you like.
1 pound cubed beef steak (see note)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon flour (to add to gravy)
little extra flour to coat the cubed steak
(1) 4 serving size envelope of Lipton's Beefy Mushroom soup mix (see note)
2 cups water
(no salt...there's salt in the soup mix)
pepper to taste
Cut the cubed beef steaks into serving size pieces and dust them with pepper (no salt). Coat them in a little flour (shake off the excess) and brown them in 2 tablespoons of vegetable (or Canola) oil.
Remove the browned meat to a plate. Mix 1 tablespoon flour with the dry soup mix and mix it all into the oil and meat juices in the same pan that you browned the meat in. Whisk in two cups of water and use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up any browned bits that might be stuck to the bottom of the pan. Stir till the gravy is thick.
Put the meat back in the gravy and turn it way down to a slow simmer. Simmer (covered) until the meat is tender (see note below).
Serve over rice or mashed potatoes for a quick and easy dinner that even Picky-picky husband loves.
NOTE: Some people have said they can not find Lipton's Beefy Mushroom soup mix. You can also use Lipton's Onion soup mix.
NOTE: How long you let the meat simmer in the sauce depends on how thick (and how tender) your cubed beef steaks are. The ones I buy are fairly thin, so I usually simmer them in the gravy for about 30 minutes. If you have thick cube steak (or if it looks a little tough) it may take more like 45-60 minutes to get fork tender.
Thursday 19 January 2012
PEANUT BUTTER KRISPIE TREATS
This recipe has been around forever; it is one of those classic sweet treats from our childhood. Picky-picky husband is a big fan of the old fashioned Rice Krispie treats made with melted marshmallows, so he initially resisted this peanut butter version (he resists change). However, this evening, I noticed that the pan of treats, on the kitchen counter, had been seriously noshed upon.
This recipe is SUPER easy and uses all pantry ingredients, which is a good thing. It goes together in just minutes (the longest part of this recipe is the cool down time). They cut beautifully if you let them cool all the way down and they travel well.
1 cup light Karo syrup
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup peanut butter
6 cups Rice Krispie cereal
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter chips (see note)
Mix the syrup and granulated sugar in a heavy saucepan, over medium heat (stirring). Bring to a boil and immediately remove from heat; stir in peanut butter until smooth and well mixed.
Pour over Rice Krispie cereal and stir to coat evenly. Press into a lightly greased 11" x 7" pan (see note) and press down evenly with slightly damp hands.
Melt the chocolate chips and stir until smooth (I melted mine in my microwave at 60% power for about 1½ minutes). Spread evenly over bars. Cool about an hour before cutting.
NOTE: This recipe calls for half semi-sweet chocolate chips and half peanut butter chips, but any combo would work well. I found a similar recipe that used half semi-sweet chocolate chips and half butterscotch chips for the frosting (they called them Scotcheroo's).
1 cup light Karo syrup
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup peanut butter
6 cups Rice Krispie cereal
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter chips (see note)
Mix the syrup and granulated sugar in a heavy saucepan, over medium heat (stirring). Bring to a boil and immediately remove from heat; stir in peanut butter until smooth and well mixed.
Pour over Rice Krispie cereal and stir to coat evenly. Press into a lightly greased 11" x 7" pan (see note) and press down evenly with slightly damp hands.
NOTE: The size of the pan is not really important. Just remember that the smaller the pan is, the thicker the treats will be and the bigger the pan is the thinner they will be.
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