Berry Trifle

We all know trifle can be done a million and one ways.  There really is no right and wrong.

Here is a simple version of fruit trifle.

Mmmmm… soo good.

Ingredients:

Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries

Angel Food cake ( we used about 1-1/2 ready made cakes)

1 pkg ( 135 g) Vanilla Cook and Serve Pudding

Light Cool Whip

Preparation:
Prepare your cook and serve vanilla pudding as per package instructions.   You’ll need to do this ahead of time as the pudding needs to cool completely before assembling in the trifle.  As it cools place a piece of wax paper or parchment paper over the pot or bowl to make a creamier pudding as well as prevent the top from getting hard. Stir periodically to allow steam to escape.
Wash all your berries and allow to dry.
You can cut your angel food cake or just rip into bite sized pieces.
Start with cake on the bottom of your dish, layer with some pudding then cool whip and berries.  Layer in that order so that the pudding can soak into the cake.  Keep layering and arranging. 
Arrange the top any way you like.  Be creative!

Enjoy!

 

Coconut Macaroons & Treat Skewers

My daughters love to be in the kitchen.  They’ve become amazing cooks.  I believe their interest might branch out to baking very soon.  My youngest, Nadia, loves coconut macaroons, so today we made them together.

Personally I’m a fan of a simple macaroon recipe, no eggs, no fancy stuff.  Lightly browned on the outside and moist and chewy on the inside.

You just can’t get any simpler than this.  This makes about 48 macaroons.

Ingredients:

6 cups flaked coconut

1 can (300 gr) Eagle Brand Condensed Milk

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine coconut, condensed milk and vanilla in a large bowl.  Mix until all coconut is moist with condensed milk.
Using a teaspoon, place rounded spoonful onto baking sheet.
Bake for 12- 15 minutes or until browned around the edges.
Do not remove from baking sheet for at least 5 minutes.  Then place on wire rack for cooling.

Since she was taking these for an occasion, she paired them with some sweet skewers that she saw on Pinterest.  They were fun to make and totally delicious.

Sweet strawberries, marshmallows, 2 bite brownies and some drizzled chocolate. 

Easy to make, fun to eat.

Enjoy !

 

 

Pumpkin Muffins

There’s no doubt about it, I am a Fall person through and through. As soon as September hits, I’m on the lookout for Pumpkin recipes.  If you’re anything like me, these pumpkin muffins are sure to hit the spot.  Just the smell of these as they bake, make your mouth water.

Ingredients

Makes 12 muffins

1- 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 tsp pumpkin-pie spice

1-1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

For Topping

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 and put rack in middle position.  Line muffin tin with paper cups.

Whisk together flour and baking powder in a small bowl, put aside.

Whisk together pumpkin, oil, eggs, pumpkin-pie spice, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until smooth, then whisk in flour mixture until just combined.

Stir together 1 teaspoon cinnamon and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in another bowl for topping.

Divide batter among muffin cups (each should be almost full), then sprinkle tops with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake until puffed and golden brown and a wooden pick  inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.

Cool in pan on a rack 5 minutes, then transfer muffins from pan to rack and cool to warm or room temperature.

They’re GREAT warm!

Enjoy !

Cookie in a Cup

Also called,  The Quick Fix, PMS Cure in a Cup, Comfort in a Cup…you get the idea.

When you need a little something, but don’t want to bake 24 cupcakes or a whole cake… this is for you.

I was looking for just such a recipe and this one fit the bill.  Why?  Chocolate Chips.

I’m not sure who originated this recipe but whoever you were, thank you.

Makes 1 comforting cookie in a cup.

Ingredients

2 tbsp melted butter

2 tbsp milk

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3 tbsp brown sugar

4 tbsp all purpose flour

2 tbsp chocolate chips

pinch of salt

Ice cream  or Light Cool Whip (optional)

Preparation

Mix together all the ingredients in a cup until combined.  I like to combine everything in separate bowl and scoop it into a cup when mixed.

Microwave for about 1 minute and 40 seconds.  Allow to cool 5 minutes before serving.

You can choose to eat it like this, warm and plain..

But it’s MUCH better with a little comfort topping ~

THIS is truly Blissful.

Enjoy !

Black Rice Salad

A friend first made this recipe when she invited us up to her cottage. Thanks Rose, I’m addicted now.

Black rice, also known as purple rice or forbidden rice, is a kind of sticky rice which is one of several black colored heirloom plants producing rice variants such as Indonesian black rice and Thai jasmine black rice. Black rice is high in nutritional value and contains 18 amino acids, iron, zinc, copper, carotene, anthocyanin and several important vitamins.  **Wikipedia**

This black rice salad is really so simple to make there was no recipe for it.  I’m sure you can add whatever you like but because I enjoyed it the way she made it, I put mine together the same way.

This salad can be served at room temperature or cold. ( I like it cold)

I made this salad for a big group and doubled this recipe to serve about 10 people. Adjust as you like.

 

Ingredients
(as is, serves 4-6 people)

2 cups black rice

4 cups chicken stock

2 tbsp butter

1/2 cup toasted pecans

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Chives

Fresh basil

1/2 cup Balsamic Glaze (the thick syrup kind)

**With the exception of the stock to rice ratio, all other ingredients can be done to taste**

Preparation:
Cook rice according to package instructions using water or chicken stock and butter.   When cool, stir in equal amounts of toasted pecans and cranberries.  Add finely chopped chives and basil.  Add enough balsamic glaze to give flavour.  If you have any left the next day, you may want to add more as the rice will absorb some.   Each bite should include all the ingredients so don’t be afraid to add more.

SO Easy!

Enjoy !

Caramelized Onion Flatbread

On a recent trip to Florida we stopped into a restaurant to have a bite to eat.  The flatbread on the menu was too good to pass up.  Caramelized onions, figs and chicken – a delicious combination.

The recipe is basic and wasn’t hard to duplicate.  I also made another and added my own ingredients. To make it even easier I used a ready made Naan.  You can certainly opt to use a bread dough, which I intend to do next time I make these.

These are not so much recipes as they are just ideas.

Ingredients  for Caramelized Onion & Fig Flatbread

Naan bread (or pizza dough)

2 Seasoned chicken breasts

6 or 7 large onions (enough for about 3 or 4 flat breads)

Butter

1/4 to 1/2 cup brown sugar

Fig spread

8 Dried figs

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350.  Peel and slice onions.  In a hot pan heat 3 tablespoons of butter and less than a tablespoon of oil. Cook onions over medium heat for the first 10 minutes.  Add a pinch of salt.  Cook over medium low heat for the remainder of the cooking time and add brown sugar to cook with the onions.  While your onions are cooking slice chicken breast into small strips and fry or grill chicken breast with salt, pepper, garlic (whatever seasoning you like). I actually like steak seasoning on my chicken.

Cut dried figs into quarters and add to a saucepan with one cup of water and let boil.  Stir and add small amounts of water as it evaporates.  Cook for about 20 minutes and eventually let all the water absorb, then remove from heat.
Place the Naan directly on your oven racks of the preheated oven and toast for about  5 minutes.
Once the Naan is toasted assemble your flatbreads starting with some fig spread.  Spread a thin layer all over the Naan, then add a few cooked figs,  caramelized onions and then your chicken.  Garnish with any greens you like.  Pop them back in the oven for 5 minutes if you like.

One of the flatbreads below had caramelized onions, goat cheese, bocconcini cheese and shaved parmesan cheese.

These were fabulous and there are endless combinations. Give them a try!

Enjoy !



Polenta Rounds with Caramelized Onion, Prosciutto & Provolone

I’ve always liked Polenta.  It’s an awesome base for just about any topping.  You can eat it in so many different forms, but grilled or baked is my favorite.  This recipe is neither grilled or baked, but pretty darn fast and easy.  And the caramelized onion……. to die for!

Polenta takes a long time to cook, typically simmering in four to five times its volume of watery liquid for about 45 minutes with almost constant stirring, necessary for even gelatinization of the starch. There are alternative cooking techniques meant to speed up the process, or not to require supervision. Quick-cooking (pre-cooked, instant) polenta is widely used and can be prepared in a few minutes; it is considered inferior to cooking polenta from unprocessed cornmeal.

But I used it anyway~!

Ingredients

(makes roughly 24 rounds)

2 cups milk

2 cups water

1-1/2 cups polenta

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon of soft butter for your hands, (optional)

3 cups chopped onion

2 tsp butter

2/3 cups brown sugar

8 oz mozzarella

1/4 lb prosciutto  sliced thin

just enough shaved aged provolone to top about 24 rounds

Preparation:

Bring the milk and water just to a boil in a large saucepan. Slowly stream in the polenta while stirring constantly. Dumping the polenta in will result in lumps.  Stir in the salt and turn down the heat a bit if needed (you don't want the polenta to scorch). Continue stirring until the polenta thickens up.  If using the usual store bought polenta this should take a few minutes. Stir in the cheese.

Remove from heat and spread out 1/2-inch thick onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.  At this point you could use a wooden spoon or a spatula  to smooth it out, but I waited a couple of minutes till it was slightly cooler then rubbed little soft butter on my hands and smoothed it out that way. Chill in a refrigerator for at least an hour till completely cool.  Your polenta can be made the day before as well.

While your polenta is cooling caramelize your onions with the butter and brown sugar over medium heat.  Once they start to cook, lower the heat to prevent them from burning.  Stir frequently.  Caramelizing onions is a slow process and should be done over low heat until you reach the desired softness and sweetness.

They’ll look very brown and taste very sweet when they’re done.

 

I used about a 2” cookie cutter for my rounds.  I thought they were the perfect size to accommodate all the toppings.  I got about 24 rounds with this size.

 

Top the rounds with your caramelized onions then a small bit of mozzarella cheese.

At this time I popped them under the broiler for less than 5 minutes just to get the cheese to melt.

When the cheese is melted just enough not to have it run all over the onions, add a small cut slice of prosciutto and a shaved slice of aged provolone.

 

This appetizer was travelling with me, so I brought them in the tray as pictured above.  When we got there we popped them in the oven again for about 10 minutes.  They were delicious warm, but when they cooled down again we were still eating them.  

Warm or cold, these are to die for.