And the Day goes on.

Today has been a bit of weird day, but that is not unusual since my husband is out of town and that generally means odd behaviour from the kids.  I know that Rosie is at the age in which she is pushing boundaries and trying nerves.  Plus, we have the addition of the dogs to the mix.  When J is home, he takes the dogs for their 2+ walks a day but when he is out of town it becomes my job to take them to get their exercise etc. 

We took then dogs for their run and then headed out to an outdoor store for their semi annual sale.  I have a thing for merino wool, especially from Icebreaker.  I find the fit really nice and the wool is really soft.  So when I can find it on sale, I do go a little overboard, you should ask my friend Tash who, is usually the recipient of the mail since I usually send it to her house to save on the duty since we travel down often enough to pick it up.  

The sale was pretty good, but the kids were kind of all over the place.  Line ups don't agree with the kids (really they don't agree with adult either but we put up with them as a necessity.)  So the rest of the day went along the line of me: "kids please don't ___."  kids: doing exactly what I have asked them not to do.  Fun day and very exhausting.  So I was really glad when J had arranged for the kids to stay overnight tonight at my parents while he was away this weekend.   

After the sale, Rosie's preschool had their annual picnic so we were planning to head to here at 11.  Rosie fell asleep on the way home from the sale but Ladybug really wanted to go, so I ran in the house and pack a quick lunch and grabbed the stroller and put Rosie in it.  That was probably a bad idea since she woke up once we arrived at the park.  Both kids had a great time (mostly, a few meltdown don't really count, right?) Ladybug met up with friends from when she went to preschool, since their sibs will be in the same class as Rosie (I see play dates in our future, okay I know there will be since we will see them tomorrow.)

Ladybug has a book that she picked up at Grandma's house, it contains a bunch of projects that she wants to try.  We have done one, which was pine cone bird feeders.  The other project that she really wants to do is the terrarium.  So our plan was to pick up steamed milk, then head to get my car washed, and then head to Michael's to see what they had for glass bowls for a terrarium.  My car dealership offers free car washes every Saturday but I thought that it went to 4pm but it only goes to 12pm so drinks in hand we headed off to Michael's.

Besides the fact that the kids were annoying and Rosie was screaming to get out of the cart (which wasn't going to happen since a) she was screaming, b) I didn't want have her grabbing things randomly c) or having her running away since that is always fun for a 2 1/2 year old.)  So I put up with the screaming and got directions to the glassware section.  Surprisingly enough, I found a terrarium bowl with directions.  Sweet, guess what we have in our house right now :)  On a side note, someone also posted a GardenWorks workshop tomorrow on Facebook about terrarium, so guess where I am calling in the morning - I am totally crossing my fingers that there is space in that class tomorrow.

After Michael's I really wanted to drop the kids off but Mum wasn't ready so I had to fill an hour with the kids without blowing a gasket.  I tried Beckwith park but was sorely disappointed at how busy it was, so I was just going to drive around for a bit but I had a hankering for a Red Barn Market sandwich.  I got the kids to pick out some fruit for themselves and I bribed them with a brownie if they behaved (although I didn't tell them what it was but didn't give it to them until they had behaved - so not really bribing right?) We shared a brownie and then it was time to drop off the kids - Yippee!!!

My plan for this glorious kid free evening is rather boring. I went for a run, and it was glorious.  5.5km exploring the neighbourhood.  I added an extra 5 minutes running interval but it was just that good.  I felt recharged and energized by my run and I haven't felt that in a while.  I might go for another run tomorrow or a bike ride, both sound like good options tonight but tomorrow is another day and we will have to see.   I had my sandwich for dinner and I have now had 2 Rock Creek Ciders.  I had pictures of all these delicacies but my camera ate them :(  and so it I :)  

All this time this evening has led to finishing off 2 post, once which is surprisingly long.  I think it might be time to go to bed, perhaps to dream.  I would love to have a good night sleep but I don't think that it will happen for me tonight, maybe next year.  

Mango Madness!

I was introduced to mango chutney while over at a friends house in high school.  Major Grey's Mango Chutney served on a slice of buttered (although, at that time I think it was actually margarine) bread and to this day I still love it that way.  I have gone up in the world (a bit) so now I really like it on a nice sourdough with butter.  

I found some mangoes on sale May last year so I decided to make some chutney and came across this recipe.  Unlike most other recipes that I use, I haven't changed this one at all (okay, accept the cooking time since I like it really thick and the intense the flavour.)  

I recently opened my last jar of the 3 double batches I made May 2010 and a sale on cases of mangoes led to a requirement for more mango chutney to be made.  Greatly over estimating the amount of chopped mango I could get off on of these gigantor mangoes, so it ended up with each mango making 2 cups of chopped mangoes.  With each mango mango equaling 2 cups of mangoes it only took 3 mangoes for each recipe.  I ended up making 3 double batches same as last time, except this time I made them all in one day.

Mango Chutney

From: Closet Cooking

6 cups Mango, stoned, peeled and chopped

1 Onion, chopped

1 Red chili, chopped (I use dried small chilies)

1 tbsp Garlic, grated

1 tbsp Ginger, grated

2 cups Brown Sugar

1 cup Raisins

6 Cardamom Pods, crushed and ground

1/2 tsp Ground Turmeric

1/2 tsp Ground Cloves

1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1 tsp cayenne

3 cups vinegar

-Place everything in a large pot and boil until it thickens, about 30-90 minutes.

-Pour into sterilized jars and seal.

To Sterilize the Jars:

-Wash in hot soapy water.

-Keep the lids in boiling water until ready to use.

-Place jars in 225F oven for 10 minutes and keep warm until ready to use.

Lee Valley Tools made the original wood rasp that became the sensation of the kitchen world.  I was one of those people who saw the benefits and versatility of the rasp.  I need to thank my dad for having the lee valley catalog delivered to our house growing up.  It does a bang up job on garlic and ginger.

Ladybug helping crush the cardamom to help remove the pod before crushing the seeds.

I know why cardamom is sold either in the pod or ground - The seeds has the appearance of mouse droppings.

For my third batch, I had prep up everything except the mangoes while the 2nd batch cooked.  This sped up the prep time.

All the lovely ingredients before the mango goes in.

I turned up the heat under the vinegar and other ingredients as I chopped up the mango.

Bubble, bubble, boil and trouble.  Yes, I know that isn't the line from Shakespeare but I had to be careful stirring the chutney.  If I let it bubble too long without stirring, it would start to rapidly boil and sputter when I did stir it.

Gorgeous jars of luscious goodness.

Yam Doughnut

There is little that is nothing like a doughnut.  It is something I don't make at home for a number of reasons.  I don't like deep frying in the house since it makes a mess and makes the house smell.  I don't really want to know how bad they are for me and if I make them then I know the badness they contain and best ones are time consuming to make. 

So when I saw these little gems, they were the answer to some of these issues.  They are baked rather then fried, they are a little better for you then your average doughnut and plus, they have yam in it and yam is just good.

Now the original recipe called for sweet potato but the images look like yams to me so I made them with yams since I think that would give a lovely flavour, although I am willing to try it with sweet potato.  *For me a Sweet Potato is the light yellow fleshed and tan skinned tuber while a Yam is the orange fleshed and red-ish skinned tuber.*

Spiced Yam Doughnut

Recipe from: leannebakes.blogspot.com

1 cup mashed yam total (I used 2 medium-sized potatoes)

3 tbsp unsalted butter (1.5oz)

½ cup milk

2¼ tsp instant dry yeast (I used traditional yeast since your still blooming it)

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup packed light brown sugar

1¼ tsp sea salt

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

1 tbsp vanilla

1 extra large egg

2 extra large egg yolks

3.5 cups bread flour, plus more for rolling

Cinnamon Sugar Coating:

1 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Prick the yam several times with a fork and microwave for 8 minutes, until tender.  Cut the potato in half and scoop the flesh out.  It will be hot. Be careful. Mash it up with a fork.

Melt the butter, and let it cool.

In the microwave (or a saucepan if you’re fancy) heat the milk to just below 105F. Any higher will kill your yeast dead.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, let the yeast and warm milk sit for 5 minutes until foamy.  Add the sugar, brown sugar, salt, vanilla, nutmeg, and whisk to combine.  Add the mashed sweet potato, butter, egg and egg yolks, and beat until well combined.

Change to the dough hook, and add the flour.  Mix at medium for 2 minutes, then bump the speed up to medium high and knead until a soft dough forms and the sweet potato dough pulls away from the sides and toward the centre, about 5-7 minutes.  If it doesn’t pull together, add a little bit more flour.

Dump the dough out, form it into a ball, and let it rise on the countertop for 2 hours (don’t be alarmed if it doesn’t rise all that much… it won’t).

Gently redistribute the yeast by kneading lightly, and then roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  ¾ of an inch works. 

Using a circle cutter, gently cut out circles and poke the middles to make holes. If you have a donut cutter like I did, even better! It will do the annoying hole part for you. Place the doughnuts on two parchment paper lined sheet pans, and let them rise for 2 hours, covered with plastic wrap.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.   Bake the doughnuts in the centre of the oven for about 10 minutes, until ther have risen and are golden brown (they should be 200 degrees F on an instant read thermometer).

While the doughnuts are baking, make the cinnamon sugar topping by melting the butter in one bowl, and whisking the sugar and cinnamon in another.  While the doughnuts are hot out of the oven, toss them in the butter, then immediately toss in the cinnamon sugar.

I am lazy when it come to measuring butter, I usually weigh it since I don't need to worry about making it fit in a measuring cup and my husband likes to eat butter by it self, so there is rarely an unmolested block of butter to cut it off of.  This is 1.5 oz of butter or 3 tbsp.

I was a little shy on the yam since that is all I had in the house.

See you still bloom the yeast so traditional yeast should theoretically work as well.

Apparently I didn't mash up the yams sufficiently but the final results were still good.

Here is the ball of prepared dough before its first rise.  It looked pretty much the same after the 2 hours.

My favorite place to leave things to rise - in the oven with the light one. 

It was a little difficult to roll out and I wish I know that these flowers would turn out rather on the large side after baking.

They do look pretty.

Gigantic doughnuts. Since they are baked rather then fried there is nothing to keep the cinnamon sugar coating on, this is why they take a dip in some butter first.  Plus, butter is rather tasty.

I was going with the principle that doughnut holes have no calories, so I had to coat those with cinnamon sugar too.

Luscious Lemon

I had a request for lemon bars last night so I decided to make some since we had enough people to devour a pan of lemon bars.  I think the best thing about the request is that he described it as a butter cookie bottom and a key lime pie top that had a nice crust on the top.  He lost me at key lime pie especially since he asked for lemon bars, oh well.

Lemon Bars

From: The Sunset Cookies: step-by-step techniques

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

1 tsp grated lemon peel

6 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp baking powder

powdered sugar

-In a large bowl beat butter and 1/2 cup of sugar until creamy.  Then beat in 2 cups of flour, blend thoroughly.    Spread mixture evenly over the bottom of a lined 9"x13" baking pan.  Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.

-In a small bowl beat eggs until light.  Gradually add sugar, beat until mixture is thick and lemon coloured.  add lemon peel, lemon juice, remaining 1/3 flour and baking powder.  Beat until smooth and well combined.

-Pour lemon mixture over baked crust and return to oven; bake for 15-20 minutes or until topping is pale golden.  Place on a rack to cool; while still warm, sift powdered sugar lightly over the top.

   

Here is the pale golden top of the lemon bars.

Juicy bar all baked and served.

All gone.  The gamers have consumed all the lovely bars.

Granola Goodness

I have been working on some snacks for Ladybug's lunch since I really want her not to meltdown at every turn.  So, I needed to find some snacks that she will eat, which is harder then you would think.  I have a lovely recipe for chewy granola bars that uses an egg and mild to make them chewy.  I love these bars but the kids aren't that fond of them.  So I found a different recipe to try and this one is a bigger hit, unfortunately I like them a lot too, so I have to try to keep my hand out of the granola bar bin.

I mixed all the dry ingredients.  I have also tried mixing the brown sugar in the wet in my second batch and that works as well.

The wet ingredients. This particular batch contains 1/4c honey, 1/4c agave syrup, 1/2c oil, and 1tsp vanilla.  I am a really big fan of mixing all my wet ingredients in the measuring cup.

The wet meets the dry and then there is a lot of mixing to cover all the dry with the wet.

It doesn't look like much but this is the beginning of goodness.

I like press down all my mixes so that there is even cooking.  To accomplish this I used a bit of plastic wrap and squished it into place.

This is a the baked first batch.  It was in the oven for 40 minutes and it was tasty but not chewy enough.

This is my second batch which was put in the oven for 30 minutes.  This one used large chocolate chips and still lovely really chewy so it was a little crumbly.  I think I might keep the large chips but used fewer of them and I might put it in for 35 minutes.

Here is the lovely baked second batch.  Doesn't it look lovely.

Chocolate Chip Granola Bars (makes about 24 bars)
from: Weelicious.com

4 Cups Old Fashioned Oats
1/4 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 Cup Shredded Unsweetened Coconut
1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Cup Chocolate Chips ( I found 1c too much, 3/4c is better. Substitute with raisins or other fruit)
1/2 Tsp Kosher Salt
1/2 Cup Canola Oil
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 Cup Honey

-Preheat oven to 325 F.
-Combine the first 6 ingredients in a bowl.
-Whisk together all the wet ingredients.
-Pour the wet ingredients over the oat mixture and stir to combine.
-Place granola mixture on a parchment lined baking sheet and shape into a rectangle, about 13 x 9 x 1 inch thick.
-Bake for 20 minutes for chewy bars and 25-35 minutes for crunchier bars.
-Allow to cool for 10 minutes then cut into 3 x 1 inch bars.*

* Individually wrapped, the bars will remain fresh for several weeks.

Soy Ginger Salmon

Today has been a bit of mix up.  I tried to make mango chutney but my mangoes weren't ripe enough to use so there are now in the kitchen with bananas in the box hopefully pushing them towards ripeness by Saturday.    I have been wanting to have rice and salmon for a few days now and I found an interesting recipe that came along with out Wolfgang Puck Multi-cooker.

Soy Steamed Salmon Filets with Shiitake Brown Rice

Steamed Salmon

4 Salmon Filets, 3-4 oz each

2 tbsp Mushroom Soy Sauce (I used regular soy sauce since I couldn't find mushroom)

4 tsp Fresh Ginger, cut into julienne strips

2 Green Onions, cut into julienne strips (I just cut them into angle cut small pieces)

2 Big Cloves Garlic (I used 3)

Rice

1 1/3 cups Brown Rice

2 1/2 cups Stock or Water (I used a stock concentrate that makes 3 cups so it was a little stronger flavoured)

2 Bay Leaves

4 tsp Olive Oil

1 cup dried Shiitake Mushrooms or dried mushroom medley, re-hydrated in 1 cup hot water, squeezed to remove excess water (leftover water can be used in place of stock or water)

4 tsp Mushroom Soy Sauce (I mixed mushroom water and soy sauce)

2 Cloves Garlic, smashed

1 tsp Sambal Oelek or Chili flakes (I used Chipotle Tabasco but only a few drops since the kids had to eat it too)

Kosher Salt and Pepper, to taste

2 Green Onion, sliced thinly

-Place salmon in steamer basket.  Set on a plate to catch any drippings.  Rub mushroom soy sauce over salmon.  Top evenly with ginger, green onion and garlic.  Set aside to marinate for 20 minutes

-Add remaining rice ingredients, except for green onion, into Multi-cooker pot. Stir, close and press BROWN.  After 45 minutes, add basket with salmon.  Cook 5-10 minutes or until fish is done to your liking.

-When Multi-cooker switches to keep warm, fluff rice and fold in remaining green onions.

*to make this with out the Multi-Cooker*  Follow directions on rice package for water to rice rations and then add all the goodies.  The Salmon can be steamed in a frying pan with the liquid or in a steam basket over a pot of simmering water until desired done-ness is reached.

I marinated the salmon in a bowl since the plate was really small and the other plates didn't fit the steam basket.

Mushroom-ey goodness.  This is the rice with all the re-hydrated mushrooms et al.  At the end of cooking I did find that I needed to add some extra water (approximately a 1/2cup of water) 

I decided to line the steamer basket with parchment and place the salmon in that since it fit better.  Next time I will make sure there is more air flow around the salmon.

Here is the Wolfgang Puck Multi-cooker

The final product (I neglected to mix the green onion into the rice but it still works being sprinkled on top.  It fulfilled my rice and salmon requirements.

Jams, Jellys and Preserves

I have been feeling rather domestic over the last few weeks and it is the time of year where are the fruit is just perfect for making preserves.  So far I have made Blackberry Jam, Blackcurrant Jam and applesauce.  

Here are the blackcurrants bubbling away.  This is the first time I have made blackcurrant jam in years.  I kept the seeds in and simmered for 40 minutes and then added the sugar and let it simmer for another 10 minutes, after testing I needed to let it go a little longer.  I did it twice more, to a total of 30 minutes with the sugar in it. The natural pectin gels up the jam.  

Blackcurrant Jam

4 lbs blackcurrants

6 lbs sugar

1.7 liters water

knob of butter

Place blackcurrants in a large basin of water and remove stems, and dried up fruit. 

1In a large pan, simmer blackcurrants and water for 40 minutes.

Place a plate in the fridge to cool.

After 40 minutes add the sugar, simmer 10 minutes.  Drop the temperature down to low and take a small spoon of jam and place on the plate and return it to the fridge for 5 minutes.  Run finger through the mixture, if it is gelled and has a bit of a skin, if it is done then go to next step otherwise, reboil for 10 minutes and test again, repeat until desired results. (I did it for a total of 30minutes of boiling with the sugar in)

Add knob of butter and let cool for 5-10 minutes and fill sterilized jars with hot jam.  

Apple Sauce

Apples

Ascorbic Acid (Optional)

Cinnamon or other flavourings (Optional)

Core apples and and place then in a large pot with about an inch of water.   I left the skins on and put in through a food mill and that gets all the skins and tough bits out.  Boil until all the apple sauce is thick and smooth.  Sprinkle in the flavourings and ascorbic acid if you wish.  

Place into sterilized jars and then boil in a water bath with at least an inch of water over the top.  Boil 10-15minutes.  I have heard both but I aired on the side of caution and boiled it 15 minutes.

Delicious!

Birthday Girl is turning 5

I usually want input from the kids on what they want for their cake.  There is a lot of ideas and a lot of changed minds but this year Ladybug wanted a butterfly cake.  So I originally had the theme of butterfly in my mind but that quickly got changed to a garden theme since I morphed the cake from a butterfly to a butterfly garden to just a garden (once all the butterflies I made out of fondant broke :)  But since I still had the butterfly cookie cutter I kept with some of the theme. 

Now I didn't go overboard for this party there are enough of those in the future, so I did an easy party...I had the party at a play park and the only activity was a pinata.  The kids entertained themselves and had a great time, while the parents had snacks and coffee and chatted.  A win all around.

I only 2 things for the party and everything else I bought.  So we I wanted to make butterflies on popsicle sticks but the sticks became the weak spot so I gave up on those and made just butterfly cookies and put them in bags.  I started out with a secret recipe that I got from a friend.  I managed to bug her enough for the recipe and it makes the best sugar cookies ever.  I think they are just great without any icing since I find them sweet enough and since I was lazy I didn't decorate them, although I know that kids have the biggest sweet tooth.

Jen's Sugar Cookie Recipe

1 cup Butter

1 3/4 cup White Sugar

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

2 Eggs

2-3 tbsp Milk

2 tsp Vanilla

4 cups Flour

*Beat butter very well until the butter becomes lighter in colour and somewhat fluffy.

*Beat in sugars, baking powder, and salt.  Beat well.

*Beat in eggs, milk and vanilla.

*Beat in half the flour and then add the remaining flour.

*Chill dough at least 30 minutes.  Then take dough out of the fridge for 5-10 minutes to make rolling easier.

*On a lightly floured surface, roll out to 1/8"-1/4" thickness

*Cut out shapes and bake at 375* for 6-7 minutes (edges should not brown)

Here are all the wet ingredients all whipped up.

 I usually divide the dough into 2 balls and wrap in plastic.  I usually flatten them to make easier to roll them out.

Here is one of the few butterflies that survived.

Here are the actual butterflies that the kids got in their gift bags. I tried to make all the gift bags consumables since who really needs more crap.  So I gave out playdoh, bubbles, cookies and stickers. 

I took some pictures of the kids while I was baking and it amazing to see how different they are.  Rosie takes after me in the looks department.  Who would have thought that J and I would have a blond-ish blue eyed kid.

 While Ladybug takes after J.  Here is my golden skinned, hazel eyed sweetpea.

So here is the basic cake that I made.  7" bottom and 3" top.  Each are 3 layers of cake with a cooked silky frosting on the inside.  The blue (a request of the birthday girl) is a classic buttercream. The top is an Oreo cookie crumb dirt top.

White fondant fence with a brown fondant rock pathway.

Some green buttercream grass and some amazingly ugly flowers.

So here is the final results.  Fondant flowers and rabbit on the top and the dried broken fondant butterfly which I painted with vodka and gel icing colours.

Here is the cake from a different angle.  So I forgot to bring the camera to the park for the party.  

Surprisingly there was very little garbage from the party.  Cans and tetrapacs in the recycling.

Wrapping paper in the paper recycling.

Paper cups and plates and all the food stuffs in the compost

And this little lunch bag was the only thing that went into the garbage.  All in all it was a very successful kids party.

Rich Chocolate Cake
from: "The All New Good Housekeeping Cook Book"


2 cups All-purpose Flour
1 cup Unsweetened Cocoa
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1 cup Butter, softened
2 cups Sugar
4 Eggs
2 tsp Vanilla
1 1/3 cups Milk

-Preheat oven to 350* and line a 13"x9" baking pan or 3 - 8" round cake pans or 36 - 2 1/2" muffin cups with parchment.
-In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
-In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until blended and fluffy.
-Add eggs one at a time.
-Add flour mixture, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour.  Beat until batter is smooth.
-Pour batter into prepared pans, bake until a toothpick comes out almost clean.
-Bake 13"x9" for 40-45 minutes, 8" pans for 30 minutes, cupcakes for 20-25 minutes.  Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes and then remove from pans and let cool completely.

Silky Vanilla Butter Frosting
From: "The All New Good Housekeeping Cook Book"


1 cup Sugar
1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
1 1/3 cups Milk
1 cup Butter
1 tbsp Vanilla

-In a 2 quart saucepan, combine sugar and flour.  With a wire whisk add in the milk and mix to combine.  Cook over med-high heat, stirring frequently until the mixture thickens and boils.  Reduce heat to low and cook 2 minutes while stirring constantly.  Allow to cool completely.
-In a mixer whip butter until light and fluffy and gradually add in milk/sugar mixture.  Beat in vanilla.
-Makes 3 1/4 cups of icing.

Buttercream Icing
1 cup Butter
1 kg package of icing sugar
Milk
2 tsp Vanilla

-Beat butter until it is light and fluffy and slowly incorporate the sifted icing sugar.
-Add Milk as needed, a tbsp at a time.
-Add vanilla.