Sometimes you need to cook

Because posting recipes on Instagram is the worst.

[sometimesyouneedtocook]

Basic Indian Curry Sauce

There’s no bad day that can’t be fixed with a good bowl of curry. At least, that’s what we say in this house full of curry lovers. Just the smell is completely intoxicating to us.

The other day, we went to pick up our son’s friend for an outing and his house smelled of the best curry you could ever imagine. While I was trying not to be so obvious about licking the air, I mentioned to his mother that it smelled absolutely divine. She sounded relieved explaining that sometimes she’s self-conscious about the smell of her house when she cooks curry because not everyone likes it. When I heard her say this, I think my brain twitched like a robot with a few screws loose and it made my heart hurt.  How could someone not like curry? I wanted her to take it back. It just couldn’t be true. The only thing that calmed me down was thinking about how if there can be people in this world who don’t enjoy pizza, I guess there can be people in this world who don’t enjoy curry. If I thought about it as THAT kind of a long shot, THAT was okay. Heart attack averted.

Curry sauce is versatile, warm, spiced, and hearty and can deliciously smother just about any protein source or vegetable, can range in heat from very mild to burn-your-insides-out hot and from super powered healthy to gluttonously decadent and even “picky kid” friendly. It’s the coveted chili of the eastern world, where there are enough recipes out there to make a new one for every meal of every day of your entire life. And just like chili, it’s served over rice or with bread (like naan) or both.

However, there was that time years ago that I attempted to make a curry sauce from scratch. It was my first attempt, I found a recipe that had great reviews online and I spent all day finding ingredients and cooking it. By the end of it, my kitchen was a disaster. Not just like I needed to load up the dishwasher or I’d be a bit embarrassed if a friend unexpectedly showed up kind of disaster, but like the Tasmanian devil had paid me a visit and it would be easier to light my kitchen on fire than clean it kind of disaster. But, not only that, the curry sauce was bland which was much more disappointing than just a messy kitchen. I added more spices, more salt, a bit of honey, and cooked it longer, but it just was what it was – completely underwhelming (especially for the amount of work involved!) If I had never eaten curry before this, I would have probably not really liked it either. The sauce was thin, bright red instead of the deep red I was used to and you could feel the raw texture of the powdered spices without really being able to taste the flavour of those spices very much. But how could something that I put so much effort and ingredients into be so bland?

After reading many more recipes and general information about curry sauces, I learned that it’s all about the popping of the mustard seeds, the toasting of the spices, and the addition of other vegetables used not only as flavour enhancers, but as thickeners in your sauce. My first recipe had just called for onions and tomatoes, which didn’t give it that depth of flavour and thick, rich sauce I was looking for.  There is also usually a creamy element added at the end such as yogurt or coconut milk to balance the spice out a bit and give it a hint of sweetness.

So, after several attempts, I have a winner. I call it a Basic Indian Curry Sauce because of its versatility to become any Indian curry dish you can dream of. I know you’re looking down there at the recipe thinking I am Dr. Evil with my pinky up to my lips saying I am holding you ransom in your kitchen for “one-hundred million” ingredients, but it’s less daunting than it looks since you’re really just throwing everything into one pot and using your food processor to cut down on the veggie prep. In fact, if you’re as organized in your spice cupboard as me, it may take you longer to find all of those spices than to actually make the sauce.

The addition of red lentils provides thickness and protein in this veggie and flavour packed sauce that blows my first attempt right out of the “sharks with freakin’ laser beams attached to their heads” infested water.

Basic Indian Curry Sauce

Adapted from Jamie Oliver

Please note that you can substitute 1/4 cup of a good quality curry powder (mild or medium) for most of the spices in this recipe. If you do this, I would still use the mustard seeds, the garam masala, and the bay leaves, if you have them.

2 medium onions, roughly chopped

3 medium carrots, roughly chopped

1 red pepper, de-seeded and roughly chopped

1 green pepper, de-seeded and roughly chopped

2 jalapenos, de-seeded, roughly chopped (Jalapenos are readily available in my grocery stores year round, so this is what I normally use. I de-seed them and it makes for a medium curry sauce. Red chilis are more traditional. But, feel free to use whatever hot peppers are your favourite. Keep the seeds in for more spice, if you wish. You can also omit them entirely for a mild sauce)

A handful of fresh cilantro, stems and all, thoroughly washed

6 cloves of garlic, peeled

1/3 cup peeled and grated ginger (a cheese grater works well)

3 Tbsp. coconut oil or ghee

2 tsp. mustard seeds

1 Tbsp. ground coriander

1 Tbsp. ground cumin

1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon

1 Tbsp. paprika

1 Tbsp. turmeric

1 Tbsp. garam masala

2 pinches fenugreek seeds 

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/8-1/2 tsp. chili flakes (depending on your spice preference)

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

4 green cardamom pods

1 black cardamom pod

2 bay leaves

1/2 cup dry red lentils, rinsed

10-12 medium tomatoes, peeled, if you prefer and chopped or 1 (796 mL) can of whole or diced tomatoes

1 cup of beef, chicken or vegetable stock

1 (398 mL) can of coconut milk or 2 cups of plain yogurt (If you are planning on freezing some of this sauce, opt for coconut milk instead of yogurt or plan on adding the yogurt in after it's thawed. Yogurt separates when frozen and thawed). 

In a food processor, add the onions, carrots, red, green & jalapeno peppers, garlic and ginger and process until everything is very finely chopped. Set aside.

Heat the coconut oil or ghee in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the mustard seeds, swirl them in the oil a bit and then put a lid on the pot. It should only take a couple of seconds, but you will be able to hear the mustard seeds popping kind of like popcorn, but not as loud.

When the popping has settled down in about a minute (be careful not to leave them too long or they will burn and taste horrible), add the rest of the spices (bay leaves being the last addition). Fry the spices for a minute or two, stirring constantly. *TIP* If you add each spice in order, or measure them all into a separate bowl in order as part of your prep work, you will be less likely to miss one in that extensive list.

Add the processed vegetables and fry over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes. The onions will soften and the spices will be very fragrant.

Add the red lentils, the tomatoes, and the beef, chicken or veggie stock. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer (partially covered) for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Take the sauce off the heat and remove and discard the green and black cardamom pods as well as the bay leaves, which should be floating close to the top. Using an immersion blender, blend the sauce until smooth and velvety.

Add the coconut milk or plain yogurt and stir to combine.

Use the sauce right away for beef, chicken or vegetable curry or store in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. 

This recipe makes enough for you to make 4 batches of curry. Each batch should be enough sauce for 4 servings.

In our house, we like to make what we call “naanwiches” where we fill our naan bread with our prepared curry and top it with something green like spinach or cabbage.

Below is a picture of a supper I made recently where I made a batch of simple baked meatballs and then simmered them in this curry sauce with cauliflower florets. Then we made “naanwiches” topped with kale. It was described by my 10-year-old son as “ridiculously good” and requested for his 11th birthday supper. You can't get a better compliment than that!

[sometimesyouneedtocook]

Pear & Ginger Crisp

Nothing screams fall like a crisp. Pears are commonly poached and classically combined with ginger in various sweet and savoury dishes, so I trusted adding it to a pear crisp would be just as great. The delicate sweetness of the pears works perfectly with the fiery fresh ginger which adds some zing to this crisp.

I only sweetened this recipe with honey which also complements the flavours, but feel free to use brown sugar in it's place if you prefer. You could also swap seasonal apples for the pears for a delicious apple crisp, keeping the fresh ginger in or not. Plus, this recipe doubles easily if you are feeding a crowd - just make the double recipe in a 9x13 inch pan instead and bake it for another 10-15 minutes. 

Pear & Ginger Crisp

For the fruit bottom:

5 medium-sized, ripe Bartlett pears

1 Tbsp. peeled and grated fresh ginger

2 Tbsp. orange, apple or pear juice (or 1 Tbsp. water and 1 Tbsp. lemon juice)

2 Tbsp. honey (Tip: wipe measuring utensils with a bit of oil on a paper towel before measuring honey and it will slide right off)

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. ground ginger

1/8 tsp. ground allspice 

For the topping:

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 cup cold salted butter, cut into cubes

1/4 cup honey 

For the fruit bottom: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Core and slice the pears (I like leaving the skin on, but you can peel them) and put them in an ungreased 8x8 inch baking pan. Sprinkle the grated ginger evenly over the pears. In a small bowl, combine the juice, honey, cinnamon, ground ginger and allspice. Drizzle this mixture over top of the pears and ginger. Set aside. 

For the topping: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, oats and baking powder. Using a pastry cutter or 2 knives, cut in the cold butter until you have small pea-sized pieces of crumble. Drizzle in the honey and stir to combine. Evenly top the pears with the oat topping. 

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the pears are tender and the topping is golden brown. Serve warm. 

[sometimesyouneedtocook]

Oven Baked Polenta

I love polenta. My mom's side is from Northern Italy, where it originates, so it's pretty much in my roots to love it. It's such a great stick-to-your-ribs side dish that screams for a great sauce (just about any kind of sauce). 

At my Nonna's house, it's usually served right on the table poured out onto a large cutting board that's been covered in a clean tea towel or two. It's cooked to a pourable consistency, but it's thick enough to harden up a bit on the cutting board as it cools slightly in a flattened mound. It's then cut and scooped up with a metal serving spoon, but still has a creamy and soft consistency, with the thinnest, slightest layer of crust on top. We normally eat it with rabbit that's been cooked slowly in a rich tomato/wine sauce, which is the perfect sauce for the perfect polenta. 

But have you ever tried to make it? You have to sit there and constantly whisk the cornmeal into the water/milk mixture for like half an hour or longer so that it doesn't stick to the pot or develop lumps. So, you better have everything else completely ready to go, unless you plan on serving just polenta. The mixture constantly bubbles up and spits hot, thick cornmeal bubbles at you, so you almost always walk away with burns to your forearms. Plus, you sometimes still end up with lumps even though your arm is about to fall off and you've been abused by hot polenta fireballs that always go for your arms, even though they could just land on the freakin' stove. Yeah...so it annoys me. I used to only make it when the craving was in super duper high gear and I admit that sometimes I resorted to the tube of cooked polenta from the grocery store which isn't all that great. 

I read recently that you can bake it instead and basically skip all of the awful parts. I figured there was a 75/25 chance that this would work, since knowing from experience that short cuts aren't normally a good thing. 25: I could end up with an easy short cut and save my arms or 75: I could end up with an inedible mess that annoys me even more. But, I was willing to try it out anyway. 

To my surprise, it is actually one of the best short cuts in the kitchen I have ever tried. Technically, it's not really a "short" cut, its more of a long "cut" since it cuts out the work, but actually takes longer to make. So, save your effort (and arms!) and make use of your oven. The baked version forms this perfect crust on the bottom, but still has that creamy yet dense inside - it's perfect. I'm not sure if I will ever go back to the old way, but I know for sure we will be eating more polenta from now on.

In my family, we normally don't add any cheese to the polenta mixture. The cheese (usually freshly grated Parmesan) is served on the side at the table, so I kept this recipe basic. However, if you prefer, you can add 1/4 cup or so of cheese when you add the basil leaves, but reduce the salt a bit. Also, you can make this recipe just using water or stock (no milk) or using stock in place of just the water portion. If you do swap water for stock, reduce or omit the salt. 

Oven Baked Polenta

Adapted from Victoria Straker Cook

For 6-8

3 cups water

3 cups milk 

2 tsp. salt

2 cups yellow cornmeal

6-8 basil leaves, hand torn or cut into thin strips (optional)

1 Tbsp. butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Thoroughly grease a 9x13 inch casserole dish with butter. 

In a large pot, bring the water, milk and salt to a boil over medium-high heat. Watch it closely as it comes up to a boil, because it can bubble over easily the hotter it gets. If it starts to bubble up, quickly take it off the heat, reduce the heat, wait a minute and then put it back on. 

Turn the heat down and in a steady stream, add the cornmeal while whisking constantly. Once all of the cornmeal is incorporated, whisk constantly just until it becomes thicker (about 10-20 seconds). 

Working quickly, stir in the basil leaves (if using) and then immediately pour the mixture into your greased casserole dish, smoothing out the top a bit. 

Dot the top of the polenta with the butter and cover the casserole dish with tinfoil. Bake for one hour. Serve immediately, or allow to cool to room temperature and then transfer to the fridge to cut and brown later. 

If you are baking it ahead of time, you can cut the cooled polenta into squares, triangles or circles (use a cookie cutter or a glass) and fry them up in a bit of olive oil. You can also brush them with olive oil and bake them until crispy on a baking sheet. 

[sometimesyouneedtocook]

Gramma & Sarah's Raspberry Cake

My Gramma Stewart and I made up this raspberry cake recipe in 1990 (I was 9) after we picked a bunch of wild raspberries at our cottage on St. Joe's Island. I remember this day vividly (especially since I got stung by a bee while we were picking the small berries). I found the recipe handwritten on a card in a drawer at the cottage a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, we didn't have enough wild raspberries this year, but the recipe is just as amazing as I remember. As it bakes, the juicy raspberries sink in as the cake puffs up around them. It tastes as though it has cornmeal in the batter when it doesn't, it's not too sweet and the texture is perfectly crumbly, fluffy and light all at the same time. 

According to my mom, at the time we made this cake, we didn't have a lot of ingredients stocked at the cottage, hence the use of margarine instead of butter or oil. My Gramma was an excellent baker and could just whip up a cake or pie without a recipe in a pinch. She knew what ingredients did what and because of experience, she knew what amounts worked and what texture the batter had to be. So, as we were making this cake, she would ask my mom where to find a certain ingredient, and if my mom didn't have it, she wouldn't get frazzled or worried (that wasn't her style when it came to anything, really), she just changed the recipe as she needed to. Now this is easy in cooking because it doesn't always matter if you measure ingredients or follow a recipe or not, but in baking it means you have to change other ingredients and amounts for it to turn out edible. For her, this was really easy, but to me, this was and still is an amazing, magical skill that no one I've ever known does as well as my Gramma did. 

Below is a picture of the original recipe on a card (flour dust and coffee stains and all) I found at the cottage. Looks to me like it was written down by my Mom - thanks Mom! Since it's perfect the way it is, the only things I changed about this recipe were the original instructions, since they were pretty vague on the recipe card and I figured out that "enough milk" was 3/4 of a cup. Our old hand-me-down oven at the cottage also ran hot, so I needed to add another 5 minutes of baking to the cake. The icing we made for this cake was just a simple icing sugar and milk drizzle, but I don't think it needs it. 

It's an easy recipe that you can whip up in an instant with things you probably already have on hand. You can also try it with blueberries, blackberries, or strawberries. Served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you have one of the best desserts I have ever had.

Sometimes, simple is just perfect. Gram, you are always in my heart :)

Gramma & Sarah's Raspberry Cake 

1/2 cup of margarine (or softened butter)

1/3 cup of sugar 

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/4 cups flour

3 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup of milk 

1 cup of fresh raspberries 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 8X8 inch square baking pan with a bit of margarine or butter. 

In a medium bowl, cream together the margarine (or butter) and sugar by hand with a wooden spoon or spatula. Add the egg and vanilla and stir to combine. 

In another medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir with a fork to combine. 

Add about 1/3 of the flour mixture to the egg mixture and stir with the fork. Then, add 1/4 cup of milk, stirring to combine. Continue until the rest of the flour and milk are incorporated. 

Scrape the cake batter into the greased baking pan and smooth out the top evenly with a spatula. Top the cake batter with the raspberries anyway you like - drop them on randomly or make a design. 

Bake the cake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

[sometimesyouneedtocook]

Cauliflower & Gruyere Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Today, I did a little TV segment on Rogers Daytime Ottawa. This is one of the recipes I featured on the show. 

Cauliflower & Gruyere Stuffed Zucchini Boats

(Makes 8 zucchini boats)

 4 (6-8 inch) zucchini, yellow or green

1 medium-sized cauliflower, cut into small florets and pieces

A splash of olive oil

1 shallot, minced

8 thin slices of pancetta, cut into small pieces

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas

1/4 cup cream or half & half

1 1/2 cups gruyere cheese, grated & divided

1 Tbsp. fresh chives (tip: snip into tiny pieces using clean scissors)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

1 cup of panko breadcrumbs, divided

1 Tbsp. butter, melted

1 tsp. herbs de Provence

Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out the inside using a tablespoon trying to leave the zucchini boat about 1/4 inch in thickness all around. Sprinkle the zucchini boats with a bit of salt and pepper and set aside. Save and use the scooped out inside of the zucchini for another recipe (like an omelette or stir-fry).

Steam the cauliflower for 10-12 minutes or until soft.

Meanwhile in a small frying pan, sauté the shallot and pancetta in the olive oil over medium-high heat until the shallot is translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute or 2. Remove from heat and stir in the peas. 

Transfer the cauliflower to a big bowl and mash it a bit using a potato masher or a fork, keeping some of the texture. Add the sautéed shallot mixture, the cream (or half & half), 1 cup of the grated gruyere cheese, 1/3 cup of the panko breadcrumbs, the snipped chives, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Mix to combine.

In a separate bowl, add the melted butter and mix in the leftover 2/3 cup of panko breadcrumbs, and 1/2 cup of gruyere and the herbs de Provence. Preheat one side of your grill to medium-high heat. Use 2 small aluminum trays or make 2 trays out of tinfoil, put each tray on a plate for stability and put 4 zucchini boats on each tray. Fill the zucchini boats with the cauliflower mixture. Top the boats with the breadcrumb mixture, pushing it down gently with your fingers so that it sticks.

Place each tinfoil tray on the side of the grill with no direct heat underneath for 25-40 minutes or until you can easily stick a fork in the zucchini boats and the breadcrumb topping is brown.  Or, alternatively, you can bake them in the oven at 400 degrees F for 25-30 minutes. Serve warm. 

[sometimesyouneedtocook]

Mini Lavender Peach Galettes

Today, I did a little TV segment on Rogers Daytime Ottawa. This is one of the recipes I featured on the show. 

Mini Lavender Peach Galettes 

(Makes 10 mini galettes)

For the crust:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup cold butter, cut into cubes

1 tsp. lavender buds

1 egg yolk (save the egg white)

1 1/2 tsp. white vinegar

6 Tbsp. cold water

 For the filling:

6 medium-sized ripe peaches, peeled

1/4 cup sugar

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp almond extract 

1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice

1/4 tsp. salt

For assembly:

Extra flour for rolling out crust (about 1/4 cup)

2 saved egg whites, lightly beaten

1 egg yolk (save the egg white for above)

2 tsp. water

1 Tbsp. turbinado sugar (a.k.a. sugar-in-the-raw)

For the crust: measure the flour, sugar and salt into the bowl of a food processor. Secure the lid and pulse a few times to combine.

Add the cubed butter and pulse 5-6 more times. There should still be pea-sized pieces of butter in the mixture. Be careful not to over mix or you risk losing the flaky texture in the baked crust. Add the lavender buds and pulse 1 or 2 more times.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, vinegar and water. Add this mixture all at once to the food processor and process just until the dough sticks to the side of the bowl and forms a ball. This dough will be a bit soft and sticky.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a disc. Cover the disc with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 3 days in advance.

Meanwhile, for the filling: slice the peeled peaches into a large bowl, discarding the pits. Add the rest of the filling ingredients to the peaches and stir with a spoon to combine.

Once the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Remove the dough from the plastic wrap and place it on a lightly floured surface. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough in half, and gently roll each half into a uniform log. Cut each log into 5 equal pieces to make 10 total pieces being careful not to over work the dough.

On a floured work surface, roll out a piece of dough into a rough 6 inch circle. Use more flour as needed to prevent sticking as the dough is a bit sticky. Repeat with remaining dough.  

Place one 6 inch circle onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the circle with a bit of the slightly beaten egg whites. This will keep the bottom of the pie crust from getting soggy. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the filling (about 6 peach slices plus the juice) into the middle of the dough circle, leaving a 1 inch border all the way around. Working quickly, fold the 1 inch border of dough over the edge of the fruit to form a little bundle (mini galette). Working with one galette at a time prevents the filling juice from running out and making a mess. Continue until all of the galettes are filled and folded.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and the water. Brush the crust of each galette with the egg wash and sprinkle each with a bit of turbinado sugar.

Bake the mini galettes for 25 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom. Serve warm.  

[sometimesyouneedtocook]

Homemade (honey-sweetened) Ketchup

We LOVE ketchup in my house. French fries, chicken, grilled cheese, eggs, sausages, burgers and leftover roast beef sandwiches - we pretty much put ketchup on most savoury foods in general. 

But, the amount of sugar and salt in store bought ketchup is pretty alarming. I starting adding up a year's worth of ketchup consumption in our house and realized there's no way we should be eating that much added white sugar, corn syrup and salt in a condiment alone.

So, I decided to make homemade ketchup with real ingredients like garlic and onions instead of their powders and honey instead of white sugar or corn syrup. The result is a winning recipe that is thick and smooth in texture and powerfully flavourful that even my son thinks tastes better than the store-bought kind. He honestly does. And it just has to be healthier for you. 

Homemade (honey-sweetened) Ketchup 

Adapted from Jo Lusted's Dish Do-Over Cookbook

1 (720 mL) jar of tomato passata

1/2 of a medium onion, diced 

3 cloves of garlic, minced 

1/2 cup of honey (tip: wipe a bit of veg. oil with a paper towel on the inside of your measuring cup before measuring honey and it will slide right off)

1/4 cup of balsamic or red wine vinegar (*see note)

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1 1/2 tsp. pink Himalayan salt or sea salt 

rounded 1/4 tsp. allspice 

1/8 - 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (depending on spice preference)

pinch of each cinnamon & ground cloves 

1 (156 mL) can of tomato paste 

In a medium saucepan, combine all of the ingredients, except the tomato paste and stir. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 mins, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and using an immersion blender, blend the mixture until smooth and stir in the tomato paste.

Return to heat, bring to a boil and simmer for another 30 mins, stirring occasionally. Add a bit of salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Store in a jar with a good seal on it for up to 2 months in the fridge (if it lasts that long in your house!). 

*Note: Balsamic vinegar will give you a bolder, richer taste in the ketchup where as red wine vinegar will give you a lighter, more traditional ketchup taste. Choose whichever you prefer. 

In my opinion, fried egg sandwiches just aren't the same without a good dose of ketchup. 

[sometimesyouneedtocook]

Roasted Garlic Scape Tomato Sauce

Garlic scapes are the green curly flower stalks of garlic plants. They are cut off by farmers in late June/July so that the garlic bulbs on their plants eventually grow bigger. They are either tossed directly into the compost, or are cheaply sold in bundles at farmers' markets. They make a great garlicky pesto and can be used in place of garlic and/or onions in pretty much any recipe. 

This recipe makes a thick puréed roasted tomato sauce that is deliciously rich and flavourful without the addition of butter or cream (it's actually vegan). It's one of those mouth-watering recipes that tastes like it has been simmering away for hours and hours, even though it hasn't. It's great on top of any pasta and can be used in place of regular tomato sauce in any recipe.

The recipe below makes a double batch of sauce. It will easily coat two (454 grams) boxes of pasta with a bit leftover to serve on the side. It freezes very well, so freeze half of it for later use if you don't need it all right away. Also, since garlic scapes have a short season, you can make a few batches of this sauce when they are in season and freeze it all to enjoy later in the year. 

However, this sauce is also very versatile. If garlic scapes are not in season and you want to make it, use a roughly chopped onion (or a few shallots) and a few whole cloves of garlic in their place. You can also substitute chopped carrots or a chopped fennel bulb for all or 1 of the peppers. It's also a great way to use up odds and ends (or small pieces of veggies) in your fridge like zucchini, eggplant, and cabbage. Just throw them in there with everything else - it can't be bad. 

Roasted Garlic Scape Tomato Sauce 

Adapted from Food Network Canada's Greta & Janet Podleski

a bundle of garlic scapes (about 8-10), trimmed and roughly chopped (they have a bit of a woody end like asparagus that you can snap off and discard and also discard the fibrous bulb) 

2 peppers (red, orange or yellow), roughly chopped

6 medium sized vine-ripened tomatoes, cut into 6 wedges each

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 (675 ml) jar of tomato passata 

3 cups of vegetable stock

1 Tbsp. herbes de Provence (or 1/2 Tbsp. dried basil and 1/2 Tbsp. dried oregano)

1/8-1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (depending on your spice preference)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. The baking sheet should have a rim on it because the vegetables will release their juice while cooking and be sure that the parchment paper goes up along the sides making for an easy clean up. 

Place the garlic scapes, peppers and tomatoes on the baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and some salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix the vegetables well to coat. 

Roast the vegetables for 1 hour. When they are done, remove them from the oven and let them cool on the pan for 10 mins. At this point, they should be cool enough to handle and the tomato skins should be a bit looser. Remove and discard all of the tomato skins. 

In a large pot, add the roasted vegetables, the tomato passata, the vegetable stock, the herbes de Provence (or basil and oregano) and the red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer the sauce, covered, for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Using an immersion blender, purée the sauce until completely smooth. The sauce will be thick and rich and coat the back of a spoon. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over pasta or in place of regular tomato sauce in any recipe.

[sometimesyouneedtocook]

Roasted Potato & Green Bean Salad with Pancetta Vinaigrette

You know how in January, you salivate thinking of summer bbq’s and creamy potato salads? And then you know how in July you are already sick of those creamy potato salads that are at every bbq you attend? Well, this potato salad is potato salad enough to call potato salad, but different enough to bring to the next bbq without worry it will all come home with you at the end of the night. 

Roasted Potato & Green Bean Salad with Pancetta Vinaigrette 

For 6

2 pounds baby potatoes (red, white or yellow), halved (skins on)

1 Tbsp. olive oil, divided

1 pound green beans, trimmed and cut in half or into thirds 

10 thin slices of pancetta (about 100 grams), cut into small pieces 

5-6 green onions, sliced (white and green parts)

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. real maple syrup

2 Tbsp. dill pickle juice (yes, from a jar of dill pickles)

1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. 

In a large bowl, toss the halved baby potatoes with 1/2 Tbsp. of olive oil and some salt and pepper. Save the bowl to use for the green beans. 

Bake the potatoes on the parchment lined baking sheet for 20 minutes, or until fork tender. 

Meanwhile, toss the green beans with the other 1/2 Tbsp. of olive oil and some salt and pepper in the same bowl you used for the potatoes. 

When the potatoes are fork tender, remove them from the oven and add the green beans to the baking sheet. Spread everything out to make an even layer. Bake for 12-15 more minutes or until the green beans are fork tender, but still slightly crisp and the potatoes are nicely browned and tender. 

Meanwhile, in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, fry the pancetta pieces until crispy. Add the green onions and fry for another few minutes to soften them. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, maple syrup, dill pickle juice and white wine vinegar. Using a slotted spoon (to drain the excess fat from the pancetta) add the pancetta and green onions to the mustard mixture. Whisk together.

Add the roasted potatoes and green beans to the pancetta vinaigrette and toss to coat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm. 

[sometimesyouneedtocook]

Strawberry & Rosemary Focaccia

This recipe proves that strawberries don't have to be a dessert. I'm taking advantage of the local strawberry season and loving every bite. 

Strawberry & Rosemary Focaccia 

Adapted from Food Network's Tyler Florence

2 1/4 tsp. quick rise yeast (or one 8 gram package)

1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. warm water 

3 Tbsp. sugar

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling 

4 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour (preferably organic)

Cornmeal, for dusting pan

1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped 

1 quart local strawberries, quartered or sliced 

In a large bowl, add the yeast and warm water. Stir it a bit with a fork and let it stand for about 10 minutes or until it looks frothy. (If it never gets frothy looking, your yeast is dead and you will need to start over with newly purchased yeast). 

Add the salt and the olive oil to the yeast and stir with the fork. One cup at a time, add in the flour, mixing with a wooden spoon after each cup. It will get very hard to stir, but don't worry about mixing all the flour in. While your are kneading it, the rest of the flour will get incorporated. 

On a flour dusted surface, turn out your dough and loose flour. Knead the dough for 10 minutes. It will be smooth and elastic when it's done. (To check if it's elastic, lightly push your finger into the top of the dough to dent it. If it bounces back to the original shape quickly, it's elastic and ready). 

Drizzle the inside of another large bowl with a bit of olive oil and use a paper towel to spread the oil evenly all over the inside of the bowl. Place your dough in the bowl and flip it over once to get a bit of oil coating on the top of the dough (this prevents a skin from forming on the top). Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place it in your oven (heat OFF) or in another warm, draft-free place for 45 minutes to rise. It should double in size during this time. 

Lightly coat a large baking sheet with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle on a bit of cornmeal to prevent it from sticking. Set aside. 

Once the dough is double in size, punch it down a bit and turn it onto a flour dusted work surface. Roll the dough out to an oblong shape that is about 1/2 inch thick. Transfer it to the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle it with the chopped fresh rosemary. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let it rest for about 15 more minutes. 

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and prepare your strawberries. 

Take the plastic wrap off the dough, and make some dimples in it with your fingers, pushing in the rosemary. Drizzle the surface of the dough with a bit of olive oil (about a Tbsp. or so) and brush it evenly over the surface. Lightly push the strawberry pieces into the dough.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden all over. 

Cool the focaccia in the pan for a few minutes. Transfer it to a cutting board and cut into any size pieces you like. For an appetizer, cut it up smaller and for supper, lunch or breakfast cut the pieces a bit bigger. If you like, drizzle a tiny bit of balsamic reduction/glaze (store-bought or homemade) over each piece when you serve it. 

[sometimesyouneedtocook]

Tom Yum Chicken Fingers with Honey, Lime & Sriracha Dipping Sauce

We are huge fans of Thai food in this family and Tom Yum Soup is one of our favourites. We also love homemade chicken fingers. So, BAM! I smooshed them together. 

I normally coat the chicken strips in flour first, then buttermilk and then the breadcrumbs, but the first time I made these, I made a huge mistake. As I was cutting up the chicken I stuck it right in the buttermilk without flouring first. When I finally noticed, I panicked, shook off the buttermilk from each strip, dipped them in flour back in the buttermilk and then in the breadcrumbs, hoping really bad that they would turn out. Not only did they turn out, but they were "the perfect chicken fingers" according to my family. A nice thick layer of flavourful crunch on the outside, but moist and juicy in the middle. 

You can opt to follow the deep fry instructions for these babies or the oven baked instructions. I have tried both methods and although we all prefer the deep fried version, baking them isn't as messy, smelly or unhealthy. 

If Tom Yum Soup isn't your thing, replace the spice mix with 1-2 tablespoons of whatever you like. Taco or fajita seasoning, curry paste, mustard, honey mustard, Sriracha, steak spice, or your favourite type of pre-blended seasoning (like Cajun, Lemon Pepper or Piri Piri) would also be excellent.

Tom Yum Chicken Fingers

For 4

1 package of Tom Yum Soup spice paste (I used Asian Home Gourmet brand from Loblaws that serves 4 bowls of soup - it's about 2 Tbsp. of paste)

1 1/2 cups buttermilk 

3 fresh chicken breasts, cut into strips

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour (You can make your own if you don't have any on hand. Follow directions here.)

3 heaping cups panko bread crumbs (white or whole wheat)

Peanut oil - for deep frying, you need about 3 inches up the side of a large, wide pan or wok. For oven baking, you only need about 3 tablespoons.

In a large bowl, whisk together the Tom Yum spice paste and buttermilk. Pour about half of this mixture into a separate large bowl. Add the chicken strips to one of bowls of the mixture and stir to coat. Set aside. 

Measure your self rising flour into a large pie plate and measure your panko breadcrumbs into another large pie plate.

Create an assembly line on a long table or counter: first the buttermilk coated chicken strips, then the flour, then the other bowl of buttermilk mixture, then the breadcrumbs and finally a parchment-lined baking sheet. 

This next part gets messy. I prefer to do this one-handedly and one chicken finger at a time, so that I always have one hand clean and the finished fingers go right onto the baking sheet at the end of my assembly line. 

Take a chicken strip out of the buttermilk mixture and carefully shake it off a bit. Then, dip it in the flour, coating it well. Next, dip it in the chicken-less buttermilk mixture (carefully shaking it off a bit again) and finally into the panko breadcrumbs. Each chicken strip should have a good, even coating on it and you shouldn't be able to see the chicken through it. 

For the deep fry method: Over medium heat, heat your peanut oil up to 350 degrees F in a large, wide pan or wok. Heat your oven to 200-225 degrees F to keep batches of cooked chicken fingers warm while you continue deep frying. Fry them in batches for about 7 minutes, carefully flipping halfway through with tongs. I can fit about 6-7 chicken strips in my pan per batch, but it depends on the size of your pan/wok. You don't want to overcrowd the pan or they won't cook properly, so make sure there are a few inches around each finger as they cook. Check the temperature of the oil frequently to make sure it is still at 350 degrees F. You may need to adjust the heat while they cook and in between batches. Have a plate with some paper towels on it ready. As the fingers are finished, briefly blot them on the paper towels to remove some of the excess oil and then place them in the pre-heated oven on a baking sheet or large oven safe dish. Continue frying the chicken fingers in batches until done. Serve warm with Honey, Lime & Sriracha Dipping Sauce (recipe follows). 

For the oven method: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Depending how large your baking sheets are, you may need to separate the chicken fingers onto 2 separate parchment-lined sheets. They should be about 1-2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Drizzle each chicken finger with a bit of the peanut oil. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until crispy & cooked through, flipping halfway through. Serve warm with Honey, Lime & Sriracha Dipping Sauce (recipe follows). 

Honey, Lime & Sriracha Dipping Sauce 

1/2 cup honey

the zest and juice of 1 lime

1 Tbsp. Sriracha sauce

In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients together and serve as a dipping sauce. 

[sometimesyouneedtocook]

Rhubarb Upside Down Cake

  I LOVE pineapple upside down cake. It's one of my favourite desserts of all time. My dad would agree since he has requested it every year for his birthday since I can remember.

This week in my CSA box from Rochon Garden, I received 4 beautiful stalks of rhubarb. As a kid, I would pick stalks from my parent's garden, dip them in a bit of sugar and suck on them. I remember thinking it was a great treat! (I loved anything sour!) But, with 4 long stalks to use, I figured I had more than I could suck on (Ew?). So, I knew I was going to be baking something.

I started thinking of things I could bake it in. Muffins, breads, cookies, scones. All sounded good, but I wanted something different, something I've never had before. Then I thought of what other sour fruits rhubarb tastes like (even though it's considered a vegetable). To me, it's a bit like green apples, lemons or pineapples. As soon and I thought of pineapples, I thought pineapple upside down cake (obviously).

I realize I'm not the first one to think of this (I Googled it after-the-fact and there are a billion recipe variations including a stupidly perfect looking Martha Stewart version), but I was still happy to make something I hadn't heard of or tried yet. 

The use of salted butter is important since rhubarb can take a bit of salt and it helps to balance out the sweetness of the cake. It's also important to use real vanilla extract since this recipe requires a full tablespoon and you can really taste it.

Rhubarb and vanilla are a classic flavour combination and combined with the caramelized butter and brown sugar, this makes a killer cake that's easy to make, but looks and tastes impressive.  

Rhubarb Upside Down Cake 

Adapted from Robin Hood 

For the bottom (that will become the top):

1/3 cup salted butter, melted

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed 

2 long stalks of rhubarb, cut into 1/4-1/2 inch slices 

For the top (that will become the bottom):

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour 

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup salted butter, softened

1 cup organic evaporated cane juice sugar (or white sugar)

2 eggs

1 Tbsp. real vanilla extract

3/4 cup whole milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

For the bottom (that will become the top): Pour the melted butter into an ungreased 8-inch square glass baking dish. Sprinkle it with the brown sugar and stir with a fork to combine. Place the sliced rhubarb on top of the sugar mixture. You can make a nice pattern if you like since it will show in the end (see picture below) or you can just throw it on top of the sugar mixture (it really doesn't matter too much). Set aside.

For the top (that will become the bottom): In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. 

In a separate large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until smooth using an electric mixer. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until light and creamy. Add the milk and beat for another minute. 

All at once, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix together until combined and smooth.  

Using a large spoon, dollop the batter over the rhubarb in the pan. Carefully spread the batter out to cover everything evenly, making sure not the disturb the rhubarb underneath.

Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

To invert: Once baked, let your cake cool for about 10 minutes in the pan and then run a sharp knife along the edges of the cake. Put your serving plate on top of the pan facing down. Wearing oven mitts (because the cake pan will still be very warm) flip the cake over onto the serving plate using your thumbs to keep the plate in place on the pan. It should come out really easily with the rhubarb now on top. If you lose a few chunks of the cake, don't worry about it too much. Just try to piece them back on.

This cake is great served on its own or with a scoop of vanilla or cinnamon ice cream. 

[sometimesyouneedtocook]

Coffee & Nutmeg Poutine Sauce

Rumour has it at the restaurant I used to waitress at (more than a decade ago), the cooks would put our old brewed coffee in their gravy. I have no idea if this was true because no one admitted it and I never witnessed anyone doing it. But, their gravy was always really, really good. Even if this cook's secret was false, it just always sounded like a great idea to me (the use of coffee - not old, stale coffee of course). 

This sauce was inspired by that rumour. It is bold, uniquely flavourful, non-traditional and surprisingly easy to make. (*see note below to make traditional poutine sauce using this recipe). 

Using a coffee you like to drink is important since the flavour really comes out in this sauce. Kind of like wine, if you use a coffee you don't really like, you probably won't really like the flavour of the sauce. 

Nutmeg pairs well with coffee, but don't use the pre-ground kind. Freshly grated nutmeg has a distinctive peppery taste that is missing in the pre-ground version and an important flavour in this sauce. 

I guess that wasn't a bad rumour to be spreading around. 

Coffee & Nutmeg Poutine Sauce 

1 tablespoon olive oil 

1/2 a small onion, chopped 

1 small clove of garlic, chopped 

3 cups chicken stock

1 1/2 cups freshly brewed coffee 

2 tablespoons ketchup

1 tablespoon real maple syrup 

1/2 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg (do not use pre-ground as it loses its distinctive peppery taste and that is important in this sauce)

a pinch of ground cardamom 

pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1/2 tsp. salt (since all chicken stocks are seasoned differently, add 1/4 tsp. first and taste it to see if you need to add the other 1/4 tsp.)

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

In a medium pot, heat the olive oil on medium heat and sauté the onions until they are a bit golden along the edges. Add the garlic to the pot and sauté for another minute or 2 (being careful not to over-brown the garlic). Add the chicken stock, coffee, ketchup, maple syrup, worcestershire sauce, nutmeg, cardamom and cayenne (if using). Bring this mixture to a boil and keep at a simmer. 

Meanwhile to make the roux, melt the butter in a separate medium pot over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk. Cook until it is slightly brown and nutty smelling (about 2 minutes). 

While you are whisking the cooked roux, slowly add the simmering liquid. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat a bit and simmer for about 20 minutes or until it’s thick and has reduced. Whisk the sauce every few minutes or so. 

Strain the sauce into another medium pot (you can use the pot your liquid was simmering in) to remove the onion, garlic and any lumps. This will give you a silky smooth sauce and texture is key in poutine. 

Season the sauce with the salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Keep the sauce warm on low heat until ready to use. 

I like to make homemade oven fries topped with cheese curds with the poutine sauce on the side in a gravy boat for each person to drizzle on themselves. 

*Note: To make traditional poutine sauce, replace the coffee with more chicken stock, omit the maple syrup, nutmeg and cardamom from this recipe and follow as outlined. 

[sometimesyouneedtocook]

Smoked Paprika Barbequed Corn

This recipe oozes summer. Sweet, toasted corn-on-the-cob dusted with deep red smoked paprika, and bright, fresh parsley that balances this perfect barbeque side dish out. Just easy, good food. 

For 4

4 cobs of corn, husked and silk removed 

3 Tbsp butter, melted

1/8 tsp. smoked paprika *see note (you could use sweet paprika instead, but it will change the taste)

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley 

Place the corn cobs in a large pot, cover with water and add about 1/2 Tbsp. of sea salt to the water. Bring to a boil, partially cover, reduce the heat a bit and simmer for 10 mins. I like to simmer corn just above medium heat to get a rapid simmer, but not a boil. Drain the corn. 

Meanwhile get the BBQ hot over medium-high heat. 

Once drained, on a plate brush each corn cob with some of the melted butter and sprinkle each with a bit of salt and pepper. 

Place the corn cobs directly on the BBQ's top rack. If you don't have a top rack, reduce the heat a bit and watch more closely. Turn the cobs every once in a while to get a golden toast all over. Check on them frequently, as this goes quite fast. Remove from heat to a serving plate. 

Brush each cob with more of the melted butter. Sprinkle each with a bit of the smoked paprika and chopped parsley. Serve immediately. 

*Note: I buy my smoked paprika from Cardamom & Cloves on Preston Street in Ottawa. The owner, Jodi Samis, doesn't keep a lot of each spice on hand and you buy them by weight, which means you are getting the freshest available and only as much as you can use before the flavour fades and loses its punch. If you are in Ottawa, I highly recommend checking out her store!

[sometimesyouneedtocook]

Dinosaur Kale Falafels

Falafels are a great spring/summer food. They are fresh, portable, great warm or cold, make unique additions to picnics and BBQs and are packed full of flavour and nutrients. 

The addition of dinosaur kale in this recipe adds a vibrant green colour to the falafels, plus it's a great way to add more leafy greens to your meal. It is sometimes called lacinato kale, Tuscan kale, Tuscan cabbage, Italian kale, or cavolo nero and can be usually be found at farmers' markets and some grocery stores.

I like to call it dinosaur kale because it really does look like dinosaur skin with it's bumpy and super dark green leaves. My son thinks that's pretty cool (for a vegetable). 

Dinosaur Kale Falafels 

Adapted from Canadian Living Cooks: 185 Showstopping Recipes from Canada's Favourite Cooks Cookbook

1 small bunch of dinosaur kale, washed and ribs removed (about 3 loose cups uncooked)

1/2 cup bulgur

1 (19 oz can) of chickpeas, drained and rinsed 

2 cloves garlic, peeled 

1/4 of a small onion, peeled (or 2 green onions, trimmed)

1/3 cup plain bread crumbs (or panko)

1/4 cup fresh parsley

1 egg

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1-2 tsp. hot sauce (any kind you like)

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/2 cup flour (plus more for coating before frying)

2 tsp. baking powder

Vegetable oil for pan frying

In a small pot, bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and the bulgur to the boiling water and stir. Remove it from the heat, cover it and let it stand for 20 mins. Fluff with a fork and if there is any excess water in the pot, drain it as best you can so that it doesn't make your falafels soggy. Set aside to cool to a bit. 

Meanwhile, steam the dinosaur kale for about 5 mins. It should be dark green and wilted (see picture below), but not mushy. Set aside to cool a bit.  

In a food processor, combine the drained and rinsed chickpeas, garlic, onion, bread crumbs, parsley, egg, lemon juice, hot sauce, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper. Pulse a few times. Add the steamed dinosaur kale, and cooked bulgur and process until the mixture is all combined. Add the 1/2 cup of flour and the baking powder to the mixture and pulse until it is incorporated. In my opinion, the flour and baking powder help to lighten and puff up the falafels once cooked. 

Transfer falafel mixture to a bowl, cover and refrigerate the mixture for at least 1 hour. This makes the mixture easier to shape and pan fry.

Sprinkle some flour and a pinch salt on a medium sized plate and set aside. Before frying, each falafel patty will be dusted with this mixture. 

When you are ready to cook the falafels, coat the bottom of a large frying pan with vegetable oil. You should have a good layer of oil to fry the falafels. I would start with about 4 Tbsp. and add more as needed. Heat the oil over medium-high heat.

Meanwhile, take the falafel mixture out of the fridge. Using about a Tbsp of the mixture, form 8-10 balls (or as many as you can fit in the frying pan without crowding) and then press the balls down a bit to make thick patties. 

Right before frying, dust each formed patty into the flour/salt mixture on the plate. 

Fry the patties on one side over medium-high heat, until they are brown around the edges. Flip them and then cook them until they are brown on the other side as well. As they are done, transfer them to a plate that is lined with a paper towel, so they can drain a bit. You can keep the finished falafels in a warm oven as the others are cooking. 

As one batch is cooking, get your next batch formed and dusted with flour so they are ready to go. You may need to add a bit more oil to the pan and get it hot again between batches. 

I like to serve falafels in a half pita, with cucumbers, lettuce, dill pickles (or pickled turnips and/or pickled green beans) and tahini garlic dressing (recipe follows). If you live in Ottawa, any Top Shelf Preserves pickles would be excellent! Other toppings options are tomatoes, red onions (raw or sauteed with spices), cabbage or broccoli slaw, shredded carrots, fresh chopped parsley, and pickled hot peppers.

Tahini Garlic Dressing

This recipe came from the back of 'Prince' brand tahini. The recipe is as follows: Stir together equal parts tahini and cold water. Season to taste with some lemon juice, crushed garlic, salt and parsley. Blend until desired creamy consistency is reached.  

Theses are the measurements I use:

1/2 cup tahini

1/2 cup cold water

the juice of one lemon (add the zest, too, if you like)

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley

pinch of salt

The mixture will be thick and a bit separated at first. If you keep stirring, it will thin out and become smooth and creamy. 

[sometimesyouneedtocook]

Coconut Streusel Muffins

I'm a mom. I love coconut. Your mom probably does, too. Mother's Day is soon. Hint-itty, hint hint. 

Coconut Streusel Muffins

For the streusel topping:

3 Tbsp. flour

3 Tbsp. brown sugar

3 Tbsp. unsweetened flaked coconut 

2 Tbsp. butter (or coconut oil)

For the muffins: 

1 3/4 cups flour

1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut 

1/3 cup sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 egg

3/4 cup coconut milk (or regular milk)

1/4 cup vegetable oil 

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Grease (or line with paper cups) 12 regular-sized muffin cups.

For the streusel topping: in a small bowl, mix the 3 Tbsp. of flour, brown sugar, and coconut together. Cut the butter (or coconut oil) in with a pastry cutter or 2 knives until it the crumbles are about the size of small peas. Set aside. 

For the muffins: in a medium bowl, stir together the flour, coconut, sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In another medium bowl, combine the egg, coconut milk (or regular milk), and vegetable oil and whisk with a fork. 

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients all at once and mix with a wooden spoon just until combined. It will be lumpy and thick, but mixing too much will create a tougher muffin, so try not to over mix. 

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups. The batter in each cup should reach about 2/3's of the way up. 

Sprinkle about a tablespoon of streusel topping over each muffin. 

Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

[sometimesyouneedtocook]

Jello Egg Cookies

The original recipe for these cookies is from an old Betty Crocker cookbook from the 90's. I remember baking these cookies as a preteen. In the book they are simply called "Pastel Cookies" with a picture of them in a colourful stack tied up with a bow. It was so cute I had to make them.

The variety of colours really make them stand-out on a cookie tray without resorting to loads of coloured icing.

The original recipe for this cookie uses 1/2 cup of butter and 1/4 cup of shortening like a lot of other cookie recipe from the 80's and 90's do. But, I try to stay away from shortening as much as possible now. 

I've tried this recipe using all butter and they were delicious, but the cookies tend to flatten out a bit too much. I decided to try using plain Greek yogurt in it's place just because the texture of the yogurt is thick and rich. I replaced the full 1/4 cup of shortening with the Greek yogurt and the cookies turned out puffy instead of flat, and a bit softer in texture.

In fact, you can replace up to half of the solid fat in almost any cookie, cake, brownie or waffle recipe with Greek yogurt! Any plain Greek yogurt over 2% milk fat works best.

These cookies match Cadbury Mini Eggs, which I just can't go without during this season. Make a few batches to have a variety of pastel colours. You will have tons of cookies, but they make great gifts, are popular at bake sales and make really cute mini ice cream sandwiches. 

Jello Egg Cookies 

Adapted from Betty Crocker's 110 Cookie Recipes 3rd Ed. Cookbook 

Makes about 6 dozen:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup sugar

1 (85 g) package of fruit-flavoured gelatin (Jello) powder (lime, orange, raspberry, blueberry etc., but not the sugar free kind)

1/2 cup butter, softened 

1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (anything over 2% MF works best)

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.

In a medium bowl, stir the flour, baking powder and salt together with a fork. Set aside. 

Using an electric mixer and in a large bowl, cream the sugar, gelatin powder, and butter together until smooth. Mix in the vanilla and the eggs until incorporated. 

With the mixer on, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix just until the flour is incorporated. 

Using a heaping teaspoon of dough each time shape the dough into small tear drop shapes. I find this works best if you roll the dough into a short log first and then pinch the top to make the tear drop shape. See picture below. You can also just roll the dough into balls if you don't want to make the cookies egg-shaped. 

Using the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar, flatten each tear drop out. They should make an egg-shape. If any of them are misshapen or jagged on the edges, you can reshape them by gently using your fingertips to push the dough into place. Don't worry about the cookies being too close together as they don't spread out very much at all. 

Bake for 5 to 7 minutes or until slightly golden along the edges. It doesn't take long for these cookies to go from done to burnt on the bottom, so watch them carefully during the last few minutes at first to get the right timing.