Wednesday 29 January 2014

Oatmeal Crisps

We absolutely love these oatmeal cookies. They are crispy and chewy. Everything a good  cookie should be.

Saturday 25 January 2014

Granola Nut Chocolate Chip Clusters

These are similar to the famous Planet Organic Cosmic cookie, but I think much better!! I have adapted this cookie to include our granola in the recipe. This cluster has more nuts and seeds than the original cookie and so making it much more yummy! I also added cashews and pistachios but feel free to substitute any nut that you wish. This is a great grab and go snack, much better than any store bought granola bar!!

Wednesday 22 January 2014

Cashew Curry and Mango Crisps



These crisps are similar to the Rosemary Pecan crisps on our blog but instead of cranberries to add a hit of sweetness, we added mango. Cashews instead of pecans and curry instead of rosemary. These flavours go really well together and don't be afraid of the curry as it's flavour is very subtle in these crisps. My favourite way to enjoy these crisps is with a nice piece of sharp old cheddar cheese.

Saturday 18 January 2014

Homemade Lasagne Noodles and Meat Sauce



I made homemade lasagne noodles with my "Pasta Queen" noodle roller and they are simply the best!!! I may never be able to eat store bought lasagne noodles again. I have owned my pasta maker for 25 years and I have made fettuccine but I never made lasagne noodles for some reason?? I am now a convert to homemade!! Trust me it does take time and patience at first, but the payoff is so worth it. The recipe for noodles is so simple as it is made only from eggs and flour. Read directions carefully before starting is my only advice, as I made a few mistakes by not doing this.I got this recipe for the noodles from Fine Cooking magazine.  This recipe made enough noodles for two large deep dish 9x13 inch pans. I included my recipe for the meat sauce below the noodle recipe.

Wednesday 15 January 2014

Lemon Tarts





These are such awesome tarts and really quite simple to make. I first sampled one of these gems last summer at a wedding shower for a very beautiful bride Megan. Her mother-in-law Diane brought these tasty tarts and let me tell you we couldn't stop eating them!! The recipe originally comes from the "Best of Bridge", "Royal Treats for Entertaining". Trust us this is a keeper!! Thanks Diane.

Saturday 11 January 2014

Danish Pastries

These Danish pastries are the very best I have ever had in my life!! They are easy to make but require some time. Well worth the effort and you will make friends for life to whom ever you serve them to.I usually make the dough one day and roll them into buns the next day as the dough must chill for 3 hours or overnight. I got this recipe from one of my oldest and most loved recipe books called "Flavors of Home" by Patti Shenfield, she is a fellow Albertan. These buns freeze well too.

These are called Butterhorns. Dip in icing and then sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts over top. These are one of our summer holiday camping tradition treats! I like to make half cherry and half into butterhorns.

Wednesday 8 January 2014

Braised Chicken with Pancetta and Shallots

Braising meat always produces such tender, juicy and tasty dishes!! It definitely is one of my favourite methods of cooking, especially during the cold winter months. Everything is cooked in one pot and so all the flavours combine to produce very tasty sauces.  This dish uses chicken thighs and chicken drumsticks, (although I just used thighs on this particular day).Pancetta is Italian bacon and you can find it in most grocery stores or deli's. I bought it already chopped at Superstore.  My family  told me it was definitely "blog worthy".  Serve over creamy mashed potatoes.




Monday 6 January 2014

Cake Batter Rice Krispies


Who does not like rice krispie squares!!! Try making this version. They are kicked up with some cake mix and sprinkles and makes them even more delicious.