PB & Nutella; a cheap n' simple treat!

One night last week I was feeling the need to bake.  I didn't want to engage in a crazy flour- explosion mess, but simply to mix something up; feel the excitement as it baked in the oven; relish in the aroma as it wafted through the apartment and bask in my domesticity.

...I made Kraft peanut butter cookies from the label on the jar.  But wait! Before you write me off, please know that I had limited ingredients in my pantry and a trick up my sleeve.  I may have started with the humble 3-ingredient cookie, but I finished with an incredibly easy and delicious treat; perfect on it's own or to dip in a midday coffee or tea. 

BTW...I eat organic crunchy PB because I try to avoid excess sugar - I buy the Kraft stuff for the man. Just sayin'!

For the cookies:

1 c. Kraft smooth PB (Chill your PB first; the recipe is tricky with soft PB)
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
Nutella - the amt. is to taste!

Method:

Heat oven to 325°F.

Mix all ingredients with large spoon until well blended.

Roll into 24 balls; place, 4 inches apart, on baking sheets. Flatten with fork.

Bake 20 min. or until lightly browned.  Cool 5 min. on baking sheets; transfer to wire racks. Cool completely!

Match up like sized cookies and slather with Nutella.  

Stand at the kitchen counter and eat at least three before offering them to anyone else. :) 

Peanut Butter-Nutella Sandwhich Cookies

Cheese & Asparagus Tart

Since blogging about my Easter dinner asparagus tart, I've had several people ask me for the recipe. Truth is, it's sort of a mis-mash of recipes' from Martha Stewart and Jamie Oliver, with my own little twist. This tart is fantastic for lunch with soup or salad, alongside eggs for breakfast or as a side dish with a steak dinner.

Cheese and Asparagus Tart

2 c. Mozzarella Cheese

1 c. Gruyere Cheese

¼ c. melted butter

2 bunches asparagus, trimmed

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Method:

Blanch asparagus in boiling water for a minute and transfer to an ice bath to maintain their colour.

Line a large sheet pan with a layer of parchment paper and brush with butter. Layer 10-12 sheets of filo pastry brushing each sheet with butter until desired thickness is achieved.

Remove asparagus from water and dry thoroughly. Sprinkle pastry with cheeses, and season with salt and pepper. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until filo is golden brown.

Re-inventing leftovers

I arrived at my aunt's house the other night just as my cuz was getting home from Rugby. Being the awesome big cuz that I am, I offered to make him a snack.

I used left-overs. I love leftovers! I love taking bits and pieces and re-inventing them into something entirely different. Not to mention the challenge that they provide to make something that actually tastes good!

The leftovers in question were pork chops, so I turned on the broiler and got to work making a BBQ pork pizza. I sauteed the pork with thin slices of onion and mushrooms, then tossed them in BBQ sauce. On a whole wheat pita, I smeared ranch dressing and thick-cut slices of tomato and layered the pork mixture on top. To finish it off, I grated some cheddar cheese and a sprinkling of hot chilis flakes on top.

Under the broiler for 5 minutes, this was a tasty meal of filling pork, fresh tomato and spicy sauce. Not a bad transformation for a hum-drum, leftover chop!

Best Bday cake EVER!!

This is a recipe to keep on your 'speed dial' file! For my cousin's 22 BDay, my aunt made her "famous" Drumstick Cake. You know the one I'm talking about - an amazing combo of frozen chocolate & peanut butter. And if you don't, I'm gonna school you!

Ingredients:

2 c. crushed vanilla or chocolate wafers ( or cookie crumbs)

1/2 finely chopped peanuts

1/2 c. melted butter

2 tbs. crunchy peanut butter

1 pkg. cream cheese

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. crunchy peanut butter

4 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tub Cool Whip

Dark chocolate for drizzling.

Method:

Combine first 3 ingredients, 2 tbsp. peanut butter and press into the bottom of a springform pan to make a crust. Reserve 1/c. cup for a topping.

Cream together the next 5 ingredients, fold in the Cool Whip and pour over base.

Drizzle melted chocolate over the top, top with crumbs and freeze overnight.

Strawberry Rhubarb Mousse

I've never really been a big fan of rhubarb. It's not that I don't like the flavour, it's just not a vegetable (yes, rhubarb is a vegetable) that you can easily eat. It's not like an apple you can crunch into, a blueberry you can pop in your mouth or a juicy peach that you bite into and let those sweet juices dribble down your chin.

Nope, rhubarb is a bakeable treat - normally found in the form of a pie, a crumble or a tart - all of which, I'm not that fond of either! I'm a 'take it or leave it' kinda pie/crumble/tart girl. I'd much rather a bowl of chocolate mousse; smooth, light, and with little bubbles that you can almost feel popping on your tongue.

So then I had a thought: What if I took some rhubarb, with it's incredibly tangy bite, and whipped it in mousse form? Or better yet, strawberry-rhubarb mousse form? And so, this delectable little dessert was born - sweet, light and seasonal. The perfect end to a BBQ, potluck or elegant meal on the patio. I can't wait for the season when I can substitute fresh Annapolis Valley peaches for this recipe!

Ingredients:

2 c. chopped rhubarb

2 c. chopped strawberries

1/4 c. water

3/4 c. sugar

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

2 egg yolks

2 c. heavy cream

fresh strawberries, to garnish

Method:

In a saucepan, combine rhubarb, strawberries, 1/4 c. sugar and water over Medium heat. Stir occasionally to ensure the mixture doesn't burn. Once the mixture has broken down, remove from heat. Place 2 c. of the mixture in a blender, reserving the remaining for the top layer. Add gelatin and puree.

In a double boiler, over just boiling water, beat egg yolks and 1/2 c. sugar until they are pale yellow and quite thick. Cool to room temperature, and combine with pureed fruit mixture.

In a large bowl, whip cream until stiff and gradually fold into the egg/fruit mixture.

Spoon into individual dessert bowls and allow to set, about 2-3 hours in the fridge. Once the mousse is firm, top with the reserved fruit mixture and fresh strawberries.

Fold the whipped cream into the egg/rhubarb mixture.

Let the mousse set before topping with the remaining layers.

Top w/ compote and fresh berries.

And the finished product...!

Mochachino Cupcakes

Last year, I celebrated one of my bestie's B-day with Cafe Latte Cupcakes. My friend Joanne is a coffee fiend and she loved the results. This year, there were several cupcake hints sent my way and I knew I had to step up to the plate. However, I wanted to up the ante with my offerings. Though last year's cupcakes included a generous amount of espresso, I brought even more to the table with some Mochachino cupcakes!

I have been criticised in the past by my use of cake mixes, but I really don't care: 1st, they make my life a whole lot easier, and 2nd- they're delicious!

Ingredients:

1 chocolate cake mix

1 can of vanilla frosting

2 shots of espresso

1 chocolate bar-chopped for garnish

Method:

Prepare chocolate cake mix as directed, replacing some of the water w/ 1 shot of prepared espresso. Mix remaining shot of espresso into the frosting. Ice cooled cupcakes w/ frosting and garnish with chopped chocolate bar. I used an Aero bar as the bubbles reminded me of the foamy top of a mochachino!

I stopped off at the Superstore Bakery to get a cake box to present my cupcakes- it even doubles as a card!

Oh MY Jelly!

When I was over at my aunt's house for Thanksgiving dinner, she made me sample two of her latest culinary triumphs. Now I say "made", but to be honest, I did so quite willingly! As it turns out, she opened up the wonderful world of jelly. My only experience w/ real jelly, as opposed to jam was one awful mint jelly incident, and the delightful grape jelly that you get at diners in Manhattan. Actually, that's a lie- my aunt's hot pepper jelly has made it into several sauces and chutneys at dinner parties in my apt.

Moooving on, she gave me a spoonful of her red wine jelly, and then one of her apple jelly. I've been creating dishes in which to use these precious accouterments my head ever since! These would be a great accompaniment to any kind of meat; a mild, soft cheese or a crumbly, pungent one; slathered on a slice of toasted brioche with butter; a pipping hot bagel with cream cheese,;with pound cake and ice cream; waffles and whipped cream- see what I mean??

Anyhow, now that you're all salivating, I'll share her recipe. This sounds to me like the perfect rainy (or snowy) day activity, and would fit right in with the Christmas baking.

Red Wine Jelly & Apple Jelly
both use the same method, though the ingredients differ slightly

Ingredients:

1 3/4 c. wine -merlot, or shiraz are lovely here.

3 c. sugar

1 pouch or 1/2 btl liquid Certo

Method: Mix wine and sugar in the top pan of a double boiler. Place over boiling water. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved, about 5 mins. Remove from heat but leave jelly over the hot water. Stir in the Certo all at once.

For the Apple Jelly:

2 c apple juice

3 1/2 c. sugar

1 pouch liquid Certo

Method: Mix juice and sugar in the top pan of a double boiler. Place over boiling water. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved, about 5 mins. Remove from heat but leave jelly over the hot water. Stir in the Certo all at once.

Crispy Peanut Butter Balls

I made these puppies last week for a party that I was invited to. I really, really hate going to any kind of gathering at someone's home without something for the host, but I didn't think I'd have the time to make something. Of course, a btl of wine will always save the day.

Then fate stepped in, canceled a meeting, and I found myself with two free hours in which to make something luscious, something tempting and something all around delicious- Crispy Peanut Butter Balls.

Who doesn't like these things? You've got dark, crackly chocolate, mouth filling PB and a bit of crunch from some crispy rice cereal. And the recipe? Simps!

Crispy Peanut Butter Balls

Ingredients:

1 cup icing sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter

3 Tbsp. butter or margarine, softened

1 cup crispy rice cereal

8 squares semi-sweet chocolate, or a cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Method:

Beat sugar, pb and butter together. Stir in crumbs.

Shape mixture into 1 inch balls and place on a waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Chill for 30 minutes or until firm.

In a double boiler melt chocolate over hot water (or microwave on MED. for 2 to 3 minutes). Dip balls and place on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet; chill. Store covered in refrigerator.

For a variation, try using crunchy PB. You can also switch up the cereal and try corn flakes or graham cracker crumbs.

Nudi

And the finished product? Little balls of melt-in-your mouth chocolate, with creamy PB and a nice crunch!

Blue CheeseCAKE

I had a crew of my serious food friends over for some good eats not too long ago. since all of us are devout worshipers of That Dutchman, and his culinary creation, Dragon's Breath blue cheese, we were pumped when an article arrived in the Holiday 2008 edition of Occasions Magazine for Whipped Blue Cheesecake. Since the recipe was created to serve individual cheesecakes, I modified it make one big cake. I also tweaked the recipe slightly, replacing walnuts for pecans, and sauteing the pears in butter instead of poaching them in white wine.

As if the trifecta of pears, blue cheese and walnuts weren't enough, I added Belgian endive leaves for dipping in addition to some toasted baguette and multigrain and flax crackers.

Dragon's Breath Blue Cheesecake

1 c. whipping cream
1/3 c. Dragon's Breath Blue Cheese
3/4 c. chopped walnuts
1 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
2 pears, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp. butter
salt & pepper to taste

Method:

1. On medium heat, saute the pears in the butter until tender, and set aside to cool.
2. Whip the cream until soft peaks form.
3. In a separate bowl, mash the basil, cheese and S&P together.
4. Fold the whipped cream into the cheese mixture.
5. On a serving platter, arrange the walnuts to form a 'crust', saving 1/4 for the topping.
Cover this with the cheese mixture, then the cooled pears and sprinkle the remaining
walnuts.

And if that isn't enough cheese- we had Fox Hill's Fennugreek, an old cheddar that tasted like stinky feet, a divine white cheddar w/ apricots, and the rest of the Dragon's Breath with a lovely bit of prosciutto. For dessert, we had a dark chocolate fondue with fresh fruit. However, for the most part, I ended up dipping the toasted baguette into the pot. Never underestimate the tremor-inducing power of crunchy, buttery toasted baguette dripping with silky smooth bittersweet chocolate.

Yuppie Supper Club #7- A tribute to Julia Child!

Just before my recent NY trip, my friend Mela and I decided to go see Julie & Julia. I had read the book itself and was super pumped to see a movie set in NY. Mel, however, an enthusiastic cook and one of the founding members of Yuppie Supper Club, was entering into the world of Julia Child w/out warning, and it was great to watch the results!

After the movie, we decided that our next YSC would be a tribute to Mrs. Julia Child, and that we would make her Boeuf Bourgingnon. I went online and found the recipe (courtesy of Oprah.com) from JC's book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. On Friday, Mel bought some organic beef, wine and some root vegetables and set to work, while I waited with baited breath to get off work at 4:30- womp, womp!

I did, however have time to contribute our appy; a white bean dip w/ crudites...slightly French, though not a JC recipe! I adapted this recipe slightly from Lauren Chattman's Cool Kitchen, a cookbook that's the perfect antidote to cooking in 30 degree weather!

White Bean Dip:

1 can of white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
juice of half a lemon
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 large clove of garlic, minced
S & P to taste.

Method:

Throw it all together in a blender or food processor and puree. That's it. I love simple recipes!

I timed my arrival perfectly, as it allowed for a mere twenty minutes wait until the stew was ready, by which time I was practically begging Mel to let me have some! However, it allowed me the opportunity to take shots of the dish in progress - there are many steps to a Julia Child recipe.

Beef, simmering in a bath of red wine and beef stock...

Then, add in the onions and carrots...

And the meal is complete with tender beef, sweet carrots, caramelized pearl onions and soft potatoes in a rich, flavorful broth.

For dessert, Mel prepared one of her favorites, and mine too; Chocolate Lava Cakes. She switched this dessert up from the last time, swapping the fresh raspberries and raspberry puree for balsamic marinated strawberries. The rich and tangy berries struck an effortless balance with the cake's fudgy texture.

A Homemade Sushi Supper

I recently had one of my most memorable dining experiences to date- and I didn't even have to go to a restaurant! A friend of mine invited me over to make sushi and rice paper rolls. This is one of my favorite meals to make in the kitchen. Not only do I enjoy the teamwork aspect of making sushi, but it's so relaxing to roll up the ingredients and make such neat little parcels. The fact that, I seem to have an endless amount of stomach room for this stuff doesn't hurt either! And so, we opened our bag of veggie chips, poured a couple glasses of wine, and set to work creating our feast.

To make the Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls you simply soften the rice paper wraps in hot water, fill with your selected ingredients, and roll 'em on up! Here they are unfilled, and pretty underwhelming at this point...

We filled our with a mixture of pork, basil, cucumber, carrot, Vietnamese rice noodles and Hoisin sauce. Not exactly beauties, I'm aware, but they tasted incredible. Hoisin sauce is a Chinese dipping sauce that creates a trinity of sweet, salty and sour. Made from soybeans, vinegar and hot chilies, this stuff created in a serious pork pairing - not to mention the lovely addition of the anise flavored basil. I'm unable to admit how many of these that I consumed. It's simply not appropriate.

Next we got to work on the sushi. We had gone to Pete's earlier to get some fresh fish. Although we were in the mood for salmon, this trout looked pretty appealing; bright pink and shiny, so we went beyond the norm and made trout rolls. We used the same veg as in the rice paper rolls, as well some shrimp.

My friend Maria took photos as I rolled up the sushi. I was pretty proud of my photog skills up until this point, but Maria truly has an eye to capture great movement in images.

The next time you want to challenge yourself in the kitchen, this is the way to go. The only equipment you need is a bamboo mat, which only cost about $3.00. Then you need some rice, and nori (seaweed sheets) and typically some wasabi and pickled ginger. Then, you can choose whatever fish or veg you like. A good vodka martini doesn't go astray either...! Try this the next time you have friends over- you'll eat well and laugh the whole time!

Yuppie Supper Club # 4

For Supperclub at Mel's, I always like to add something fresh to the mix, generally in the form of an interesting or trendy salad. This combination of ingredients has been all over various restaurant menus lately, as well as in the pages of several culinary mags, so I thought I'd give it a shot. It's SO simple!

Watermelon, Feta & Tomato Salad

First, I tossed arugula in a balsamic vinaigrette and made a bed of greens. Then, I distributed the watermelon, tomato and feta cheese equally among the plates, sprinkling the salads with a generous amount of freshly cracked black pepper.

For the main course, Mel made her first attempt at lasagna and did an AMAZING job! So filled was this dish with ground beef and spinach, fresh and sundried tomatoes, mushrooms, noodles, mozzarella and Parmesan, one piece could easily have weighed 10 pounds! Well, not quite, but your get the idea!

Dessert was fairly simple -actually, I'm surprised that Mel had the time to make dessert at all. She marinated fresh fruit; strawberries, pineapple, grapes and mango in a bit of sugar, and topped them with whipped cream. It was a great, light dessert after such a heavy meal.

After dinner, we watched the fireworks from, quite possibly, the best location in the city; my friend's 6th floor, waterfront apt. at Bishop's Landing. Not a bad end to a wonderful evening of equally exploding flavors; a fresh, funky salad, luxurious lasagna and a medley of sweet fruity flavors to top it off!

Turn apples into applesauce

I was seriously annoyed this week when I came home from the grocery store, ready to bite into my monstrous, sweet and crunchy Cortland apple, when I opened the bag and they were all bruised and some were even mouldy!

I was not impressed...My good friend and eternal optimist Jazmine told me to just make applesauce, but I absolutely refused. I would take them back to Sobey's and get my money back goddammit! Well, that was Sunday...and then the store was closed, then on Monday I didn't have time, and last night I was just plain lazy.

So...I called a spade a spade and made my lemons into lemonade- or applesauce in this case. And might I say, I make damn good stuff. I now have two containers hanging out in my freezer for the next impromptu BBQ pork chop, or to pair w/ a round of baked Brie!

I guess the moral of this story SHOULD be to make the best out of a bad situation. I prefer to look at it this way: Superstore has way better quality produce!

Recipe

3 lb. Cortland apples, peeled, cored & chopped
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 tbsp. cinnamon
pinch of salt
2 tbsp. water (lemon juice would be better, but I didn't have any)

Method:

Put the apples and water in a pan, cover and bring to Med heat, stirring occasionally. Once the apples have cooked down and softened, add the cinnamon, sugar and salt. And...you're done!

First time Trout

Some of my favorite meals that I make at home are shared with my good friend and fellow foodie Joanne. On this particular occasion, we wanted some clean, healthy food to whet our apetites. I met her at Pete's Frootique and we proceeded to mull over the options at the seafood counter. It's never easy when J and I make dinner as the possibilities are endless and we normally take forever to decide.

After telling the fish guy about 4 times that "Um...we haven't decided yet", we finally made the choice to cook trout for dinns. I had never had trout before and was seriously excited as to the culinary possibilities!

It was some pretty simple prep- we S & P'd the fish, topped it w/ lemon slices and baked it for about 15 minutes at 350. As the fish baked and the lemon juice permeated the flesh, it's buttery flavour was given extra zing with the subtle punch of citrus.

We also got some bok choi and snow peas for a refreshing stir-fry as well as some alphalpha sprouts for a bit of earthy crunch. Sauteed in garlic and ginger with a litte lemon, our sweet, crispy veg was just the thing to complement the rich fish.

Yuppie Supper Club #1

Some friends and I have recently started sharing meals and cooking for each other once a week. I have lovingly bestowed the name "Yuppie Supper Club" on this venture because it ends up being a ridiculous meal that ends in bellies full of delicious ingredients. On this particular occasion, I was the host. I was dealing with two ends of the spectrum- a friend who would eat anything, and one who refused to eat seafood (!) and who didn't enjoy the combination of sweet and savory (!!!!) And ya'll know how I love sweet and savory!

I started the night with little unconventional appy pizzas. Instead of the typical pizza crust, I used naan bread, slathered with creamy goat cheese, topped with meaty sundried tomatoes and generously drizzled with olive oil, cracked black pepper and hot chili flakes. Then, I put the ZAs under the broiler until the cheese was just slightly melted and even creamier.

I also made a potato pave of thinly sliced potatoes, tossed in melted butter, S&P and layered in a well-greased pan and baked at 350 until golden, about 25 minutes.

The main event contained the potato, steamed asparagus and chicken breasts on the bone - the only way to make them in my opinion - with a creamy oyster and portabello mushroom sauce.


The basics are pretty self explanatory; steam veg, rost chicken.

For the sauce:
1 lb mixed mushrooms; chanterelles, portobellos and porcinis
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 c. heavy cream

Saute mushrooms in butter until tender over medium heat. Add cream and reduce to low until thickened, and pour over chicken. See? Simps!

A Summer Meal to Cure the Winter Blues

Well, Halifax has once again been dumped on with 13824958 cm of snow. Pandemonium occurred today when my early morning bus-ride reverie was interrupted by another of Halifax Metro Transit's fleet blocking the road. That was it- I've had it with winter...though we're supposed to get another storm this week!

*Insert tears and pouting here - hypothetically of course*

Obviously, at 7:30 am, my thoughts went directly to my dinner plans. What could I eat, I thought, that would tear me out of the winter doldrums and enable me to get a taste of summer, if only for a brief moment? I decided immediately to BBQ- That's right, tonight, in my parka and rubber boots, I loaded up the Hibachi and BBQ'd on my balcony.

The result was a juicy and tender pork chop with a side of summer; yellow wax beans sauteed in garlic and sprinkled with a chiffonade of light lemony basil. I could almost feel the sun on my face - and then I looked out the window just as the flakes started to fall anew...

BBQ'd Pork w/ Garlicky Wax Beans and Basil

Method:

The BBQ'd pork is self explanatory- clearly.

Steam wax beans until tender. Remove from heat. In a small skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and sautee garlic until cooked. Add beans and S&P and heat through. Garnish with fresh basil.

And there you have it, a simple summer meal at the height of winter, served with a hearty portion of contentment and a smile on top.

Fried Eggs and Kale

I've recently been experimenting with the variety of greens found at the Halifax Farmer's Market. This week and last actually, I bought a bundle of Kale, a hearty green of the cabbage family. Kale is full of good stuff; vitamin A and C, folic acid, calcium and iron. It's also a good substitute for spinach.

This dish was my breakfast; sauteed kale and fried eggs. It might sound a little less than thrilling, but the tender, salty greens mixed with the rich creamy egg yoke was a combo that I'll make again and again.

Method:

Steam the kale to soften, then saute with thinly sliced onions, garlic, S&P and hot chili flakes. Top with the fried eggs - poached eggs would be equally delicious, but I didn't have the patience for water to boil!

Joanne's Birthday Cupcakes!

My friend Joanne has a serious caffeine addiction. I've never met anyone who consumes that many lattes and cups of coffee in a day. Perhaps that's the secret behind her sunny disposition?

J's birthday was today, and I wanted to bake her a little somethin'. I had all these incredible dreams of creating a milk chocolate-nutella cake, or dark chocolate and chili, or caramel and sea salt, or vanilla and lavender, or...I digress, as per usual.

Anyhow, as much as I convince her to try new sweets, J's pretty unwavering in her likes and dislikes. So I went with a pretty ingenious recipe - if I do say so myself - and made Cafe Latte Cupcakes!

Cafe Latte Cupcakes

*Those green things are little stir sticks from Starbucks down the block.

The recipe is as follows - I feel lame even calling it a recipe.

1 pkg Duncan Hines French Vanilla cake mix
1 pkg Duncan Hines French Vanilla frosting
1 shot of espresso

Prepare cake mix as directed, mix together frosting and espresso, and Voila: an intensely rich frosting with a bit of coffee bite, atop some seriously moist cake.

Happy Birthday J!

Carrot Soup

I may have mentioned before that one of my favorite things to make is soup. Not the watery, sodium packed variety from that well loved red and white can - No, my soup is homemade.
I love to make soup because you really can add anything you like; you're the artist here, it's your show.

There are an incredible number of soups that you can make at home. All you really need is some substance and some liquid. I'm a chicken stock girl myself, but water will do. You can use green, leafy vegetables, root veg, even fruit!

The following is my favorite soup-making method as I roast the veg before making the soup. To be honest, you could do without this step, but it doesn't yield the same sweet, smokey character. This version is with carrot and apple, but I've also made it with a variety of squash, sweet potato and parsnip.

Roasted Carrot and Apple Soup

Ingredients:
6 large carrots, peeled and chunked
2 apples, peeled and chuncked -Cortland is my fave
3 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1 med. white or yellow onion
2 tbsp Olive oil
S&P
3 c. chicken stock
3 c. water

Method:

Preheat oven to 450 F. On a baking sheet, toss the carrots, apples, onion and garlic in the olive oil and S&P. Roast for 15 mins.

Transfer the roasted veg to a large pot and add chicken stock and water. Bring to a boil, reduce to med. heat and simmer for 20 mins.

Puree the mixture in small batches, and add some S&P to taste.

The result; a smooth, rich soup, like a hug on a cold day! :)

Roasted Veg

Roasted Carrot and Apple Soup
garnished w/ Hot Chili Flakes and Rosemary

Cranberry Loaf French Toast

I was about to make breakfast at my aunt's house this weekend when I discovered a loaf of cranberry bread. I don't particularly love any kind of loaf, but I love to do this little breakfast trick - Who would want regular French Toast when they could have Cranberry French Toast? With a little bit of peppered bacon for spice to complement the sweetness of this dish and a strong cup of coffee, this makes the perfect breakfast.

I've also tried this recipe with chocolate-chip banana bread garnished with slices of fresh banana. Pound cake works great too with fresh field berries or cherries.

Cranberry Loaf French Toast

2 Eggs
3 tbsp. milk or cream
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla

2 slices of cranberry loaf
Dried cranberries and orange zest to garnish
Maple syrup

Method:

Boil the kettle and rehydrate the died cranberries to make them plump. Whisk together first 4 ingredients. Dip the loaf in the egg mixture and let sit until well absorbed. Fry on med heat until egg is cooked. Drizzle w/ maple syrup, cranberries and orange zest.

For peppered bacon, simply grind big chunks of black pepper over the bacon as it cooks.