Category Archives: Recipes Blog

There are blog posts and then there are pages – I’ll get it sorted eventually..

Homemade Steamed Buns…

Recipes Blog

So, I stumbled across this original recipe in social media – so check it first:

 

If you are Vegan – just follow the above amazing recipe and stop reading now.

For omnivores, you can safely continue:

Tofu is not going to happen for the hubby, and I had some minced turkey to use, so my version of these pan fried buns:

Dough – make the same as shown above:

  • – 300 g [~2 1/2 cups] all-purpose (plain) flour
  • – 175 ml [3/4 cup] hot water ⁣
  • – a pinch of salt⁣

Mix all the ingredients together, knead into a dough, let it rest for 30 minutes.

FILLING:
In a skillet, sauté in some oil – I have olive oil, that’s what I use:

  • 1 medium onion chopped finely
  • 1 stalk of celery chopped finely
  • 1 medium carrot, grated
  • ½ cup grated cabbage
  • 200 g minced turkey < or your protein of choice>

Cook it all together until the meat is cooked – this just felt safest as I was not sure how well it might cook from raw in the steamed bun…

Let it cool, and add 1 tablespoon or so each:

  • soya sauce < or your choice of salty>
  • mirin < or your choice of sweet>
  • balsamic vinegar < or your choice of vinegar>
  • sesame oil < or your choice of flavoured oil like garlic oil etc.>

Stir it up and add salt and pepper to taste.

Divide dough into 10 portions, roll each one into 4″-5″ circular disk⁣ to fill.

Spoon in the filling, pinch the buns closed, dip them into the sesame seeds and pan fry as directed, adding the water to finish with steaming as indicated!

Pinched side down, frying in a tiny bit of oil and black sesame seeds.
Flipped and continuing to pan fry.
Added the water and let them steam away!
Added the water and let them steam away!

I served ours with steamed broccoli and green beans < in homage to the original recipe>

served with steamed broccoli and green beans. light and flavourful!

 

 

Wolfenoot 2020 : cookie time

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3 glazes/frostings to assemble, lemon, cinnamon-ginger, and chocolate

It’s Wolfenoot Weekend 2020 and if you have no idea what I am talking about – head over here for more information on this newly created day to celebrate all things Wolfie!

I’ve celebrated over the years as November 23 is also, by coincidence, the adoptaversary of our fur beast Sprocket.

Sprocket finds November walks a bit chilly- wait til January…

And this year, I decided that while my paintings are great for us here at home:

Wolfenoot2020 WolfMoons

I wanted to create something to share with my friends and neighbours – so – Cookietime!

Concept:

Two cookies, layered to replicate the Wolf Moons I painted.

Recipe:

I used the same sugar cookie recipe I used when I made the hubby’s Face Hugger cookie…
Go check it out – but here’s the recipe again this time with white sugar and all purpose flour though!:

Sugar cookie recipe

Cream together:

  • 1 cup butter
  • ¾ cup white sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Mix in

  • 2 ½ cups unbleached all purpose flour
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt

Knead into a dough, wrap and chill for an hour. Then roll it out and cut into the shapes you want.
Bake at 350 degrees F until golden – about 9-12 minutes.

Cut 30 Moons using a 2 inch round cutter and sprinkle each with a bit of brown sugar to create the moon surface.

– I actually have a campbell’s soup can that use as my round cookie cutter.

Basic sugar cookies sprinkled with brown sugar to create the full moon

Cut 30 wolf heads: I used the same template that I created a few years ago for my first Wolfenoot silhouette and using a foam tray from the grocery store < waste not!> I have a nice solid wolf pattern to cut around using a knife.

You can find wolf silhouettes online and print them off – make sure the size will fit inside your round cookie cutter

Hand cut wolf heads
Some thinner ones browned a bit more.

 

Make frosting:

  • 3 tablespoons butter or magarine
  • 3 cups icing sugar
  • 3 tablespoons oat milk < or whatever is needed to make it work>

I divided that into 3 and added:

White Glaze: Lemon juice – 2 tablespoons

Tawny shaggy wolf Frosting: 1 teaspoon each cinnamon, ginger powder, and vanilla

Chocolate Glaze: 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon butterscotch schnapps

I used each respective frosting/ glaze to assemble and decorate.

Happy Howling Wolfenoot2020

Tim Tams? WTH are Tim Tams…?

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After noting our friend’s social media lamenting about her lack of Tim Tams… and I’ve been binge watching Baking shows….I looked around briefly online to see if these could be purchased nearby.

I stumbled upon this recipe – shared through a few websites…especially this one:

https://www.abeautifulplate.com/homemade-tim-tams/ …Hers look so neat!

A major thank you to the original recipe creator – Sarah from TheSugarhit.com. So many recipes there to check out!

And for a first attempt…here are some pics of the process and what I produced…

Frozen cookie dough between two sheets of parchment- brilliant concept!
Gentle baked biscuits
Biscuits halved because they just seemed too big and I had not actually read the size I was supposed to cut the dough properly!
Chocolate Malt Frosting
Frosting anyone?
Chocolate sandwiches
Dipping process involved fork and spoon!
Dipping in the chocolate
Dipped and chillin
Ready to go or to be decorated!
Vegan royal icing
Piping takes practice

Thanks for checking this out- if you make some, enjoy!
And my inspiration to go on this adventure- author and creative soul, S.M. Carrière!

” not quite Timtams but delicious…” I’ll take it!

Sunday morning baking- Swedish Apple Pie

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This came through on one of my social media streams and it looked like a very good idea!

Swedish Apple Pie (a crustless apple pie)

Author: Bridget Oland

Ingredients

  • 5 medium apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2“-thick wedges
  • 3 Tbsp. Crosby’s Fancy Molasses
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3⁄4 cup butter
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (can use half whole wheat)
  • 1 large egg, room temp.
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1⁄4 tsp. ginger

Instructions

 

  1. Preheatovento350F.

  2. Fill a deep 10′′ pie dish with the sliced apples. Sprinkle with cinnamon and drizzle

    over the molasses.

  3. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Remove from heat and whisk

    in sugar, flour, egg, salt and ginger.

  4. Pour over apples, covering as evenly as possible.

  5. Bake until crust is golden brown and crisp, 45minutes to 1 hour.

380 calories per ⅛ pie

https://www.crosbys.com/swedish-apple-pie-with-molasses

PDF: crosbys.com-Swedish Apple Pie a crustless apple pie

I subbed half of the white sugar with brown, and otherwise followed it…Oh and I baked it in my cast iron skillet…

Cored and chopped apples with cinnamon and molasses.
Melted butter, with flour, sugar, egg and ginger whisked in.
Spreading the batter on…
Swedish apple pie (379 calories per ⅛)

Baking experiment time: vegan gingerbread crepes hi

Personal time, Recipes Blog, ,

Who has been rewatching baking shows while sewing up TAVMasks? Yes. Me.

One of the challenges was a Mille crepe cake, so that looked intriguing.

I had made some Bison chili last week and had kept the aqua fava (?) from the can of chick peas, so that needed to be used.

And the apples we have been getting lately are going grainy super quick, so they needed to be used up…

A quick internet search for recipes using chick pea juice yielded a super easy crepe recipe and off I went!

TAValonia’s Gingerbread crepes:

  • The liquid from 1 can of chick peas
  • 1 cup flour (whole wheat, oat, whatever you like)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
  • 1 teaspoon ginger powder
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon molasses
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup Oat milk -or more- to make the batter thin enough.

Whisk it all together until smooth.

Oil a crepe pan or skillet and cook the crepes using about ¼ cup batter at a time. Made 8 6 inch crepes.

Simple apple filling:

  • 3 to 4 apples
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil or margarine ( butter if not vegan)
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Mix together in the skillet and let cook covered for 10-15 minutes over medium low heat- until the apples are tender.

Assembling:

Layer the crepes and apple filling in individual bowls starting with a crepe on the bottom.

Serve warm or chill to serve later.

Top with whipped topping ( can be made from more aqua fava whipped to soft peaks and flavoured with a bit of sugar) or vegan ice cream ( purée of frozen banana would go well)

Options to try:

-Add a white chocolate genache between the crepes ( heat non dairy milk and pour over chopped while chocolate to melt it)…

-add a whipped cream cheese between the layers

So many potential ideas!!!!

Happy Black Forest inspired

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Happy 48th my love! #GrabberMovie

Every year, for my fabulous Husband of 22 years’ birthday, I create a cake for him.

It is always based on a “fake” Black Forest style, made with a cake mix, cherry pie filling and whipping cream.

And I try to make it interesting every year that I have the time to do so.

This year, we had watch the movie, Grabbers, and I had already been thinking “tentacles” for the 2020 version, so I was inspired!

I knew I needed cake, and last year I had used a great brown sugar cookie recipe for the face hugger from Alien, so I knew that would work for the tentacles… I did some baking and chilled all the bits.

I spent some time on Friday afternoon looking for images of the Maher’s Pub and did a quick acrylic painting of it, while FaceTiming with my niece – who created a lovely piece as well!  I then popped a photo of my painting into Procreate – and added the tentacles for the finished illustration!

The acrylic painting of the Maher’s Pub

Maher’s Pub after the attack.. #Grabbermovie

The following is a photo journey through the process I spent 3 hours completing this morning…

< click on images for captions and to enlarge>

The Pub:

The Grabber…

The Grabber Babies:

 

The displays:

 

 

Norwegian Cinnamon Thumbs…simple and yummy

Recipes Blog

I was searching online for some Norwegian finger foods/snackables that might complement the theme of an upcoming scotch /whiskey tasting evening.

I don’t go for the scotch. I may have some other beverages of interest, but not scotch. That being said, the evenings are usually an enjoyable mix of conversation, nibbles and generally an excuse to take a break for the evening.

So in my adventures for ideas, I found Norwegian Cinnamon Thumbs – what a great name for a cookie!

Please go here and find the original recipe: https://luluthebaker.com/2015/04/norwegian-cinnamon-thumbs-huge-news/

Here are pics of mine…

 

And the other item of interest:

Never tried it but apparently we will slice it thinly and it will have a caramel taste…

Will let you know!

Oh – and I got my hair trimmed today and styled… much needed break from sewing as my arms are unhappy!  Thanks to Melissa at Lucas Nault salon – and even chatted with the man himself as I was heading home!  #supportsmallbusiness

 

 

Sunday afternoon baking…

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Jumped on the bandwagon-here are today’s kitchen adventures!

Oatmeal Banana cookies:

  • 2 smashed bananas
  • 1 cup oatbran
  • 1 cup oat flakes
  • .5 cup chocolate chips
  • .5 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
  • 1 teaspoon ginger powder

350 degree oven- 9-12 minutes- greased baking sheet.

Note: Original recipe posted here:

https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/2-ingredient-healthy-banana-bread-breakfast-cookies-with-delicious-add-ins/

Banana Oatmeal Coconut chocolate chip cookies

Sweet potato brownie cookies:

  • 1 cup cooked mashed sweet potato
  • .5 cup natural peanut butter
  • .25 cup cocoa powder
  • .25 cup maple syrup

350 degree oven – 10-12 minutes for cookies- lightly greased baking sheet

Original recipe found on Pinterest:

https://pin.it/awcu44lqxr3xqj

Sweet potato brownie cookies

In the crockpot:

Original recipe found here:

https://pinchofyum.com/crockpot-sweet-potato-lentils

I’m using that recipe as inspiration…I don’t have all the spices, nor vegetable broth.

Crockpot Sweet Potato Lentils ( my version)

INGREDIENTS

• 3 large sweet potatoes, diced (about 6 cups)
• 3 cups water
• 1 onion, minced
• 2 teaspoon each ground coriander, curry powder and chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked red lentils (masoor dal)
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 cup water

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place the sweet potatoes, water, onion, and spices in a crockpot. Cook on high for 3 hours, until vegetables are soft.

2. Add the lentils and stir once. Replace the lid and cook on high for an additional 1 1/2 hours.

3. Stir in the coconut milk and as much water as needed to get the right consistency.

Sweet Potato Cheesecakes

Recipes Blog

Oh yes.

It’s fall here and Sweet Potatoes are on sale, so a bag was purchased!

And I wanted to make something different but simple… I like making things with the least number of ingredients possible, but that still tastes good etc.

So after I steamed 4 medium sweet potatoes and puréed them, what to do next came as I progressed through the other baking I was doing and what I had on hand.

I was making turkey wontons, and had some wrappers left over so I created little tart shells with those by draping them over greased inverted muffin tins. I baked them until crunchy and golden at 350- maybe 10 minutes.

4 medium small sweet potatoes

Puréed and adding a block of cream cheese…

Add ½ cup maple syrup

Add 1 tablespoon each cinnamon and ginger and a pinch of salt.

Spoon into pre baked shells and top with marshmallows

Approximate recipe:

Sweet Potato Cheesecakes

  • 4 sweet potatoes ( each was about 1.5 inches thick by 4-5 inches long
  • 1 250 gram block of cream cheese ( I think vegans could use soft tofu)
  • ½ cup maple syrup ( or to taste)
  • 1 tablespoon each cinnamon and ginger powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 30 wonton wrappers 3 inch square or round ( or tart shells)
  • 90 mini marshmallows ( optional but fun)

Pre-bake the shells/ or make shells by draping the wonton wrappers over greased inverted muffin tins and baking at 350 until golden brown( maybe 10 minutes).

  • Steam or microwave or cook the sweet potatoes however you like. Peel them and purée.
  • Beat in the cream cheese and add the maple syrup and spices, taste and see if you want to adjust the flavours.
  • Beat until smooth then spoon into the cooled shells.
  • Top with marshmallows ( 3 each seemed good).
  • Chill or freeze until ready to serve.
  • Fun serving option: let defrost for a few minutes then place in 300 degree oven for 5 minute to melt the marshmallows or use a torch on unfrozen ones to brown the marshmallows.
  • Enjoy!