Mum's Whipped Cream Cake

My mum gave me the recipe for this cake, which I think she clipped from a newspaper at some point. I have had trouble making white cake in the past (didn't turn out light and fluffy) but so far this recipe has been foolproof. It is tender and the light crumb and crunch cinnamon topping really makes it. I always serve it with strawberries (or whatever fruit is in season) and whipping cream to make it into strawberry/peach or other fruit shortcake.

Cake:

1 cup whipping cream
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping:

2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch square cake pan.
Sift together and stir the flour, baking powder and salt.
Whip cream until it holds firm peaks when the beater is lifter out of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the 1 cup of sugar and the vanilla and beat until combined.
Stir in the flour mixture until blended.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for about 35 minutes, until a test inserted into the centre comes out clean.
While cake is baking, stir together the topping ingredients. When the cake is baked, remove from the over and place on a rack. Sprinkle the topping over the cake and cool completely.

Polenta Casserole with Winter Squash and Greens from the Moosewood Cookbook

This recipe is straight from the Moosewood Cookbook. I would be surprised if anyone didn't love this dish! Nice way to use kale too.


Polenta Layer
2 1/2 cups water
2/3 cup whole grain cornmeal
2 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese

Greens Layer
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
8 to 10 cups stemmed and chopped kale or collars
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt

Squash Layer
1 1/2 mashed or pureed winter squash
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 teaspoon salt
Generous pinch of ground black pepper
2/3 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

1. For the polenta layer: Bring the water to a boil in a heavy saucepan and whisk in cornmeal. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, salt, and thyme and cook on low heat, stirring often, until the polenta is thick and cream, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cheese. Pour unto a lightly oiled 8-inch square baking pan and set aside.

2. For the greens layer: In a soup pot on medium heat, warm the oil. Add the garlic and cook briefly, stirring constantly. Add the chopped greens, water, and salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the greens are tender but still bright green , about 10 minutes. Drain and add more salt to taste. Spread the greens over the polenta.

3. For the squash layer: In a bowl, stir together the squash mixture over the greens and sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.

4. In a preheated 350 degree oven, bake uncovered for 36 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10-15 minutes more, until golden and set. The casserole will be easier to servie if you let it sit for 5-10 minutes before cutting.

Chocolate chip cookies with dates and oatmeal

 This recipe is from the Canadian Living Magazine, July 2006. The changes I made the recipe below was to add dates, extra chocolate chips, and roasted nuts, and to put the cookie dough in the fridge for 3 hours before baking. They are really good cookies! I much prefer them to the basic chocolate chip cookie recipe on the back of the Chipits package.

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup (150 mL) butter, softened
• 1 cup (250 mL) packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla
• 1-1/2 cups (375 mL) large-flake rolled oats
• 1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking powder
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking soda
• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
• 1 & 1/2 cups (375 mL) milk chocolate chips
• hand-full of chopped dates soaked for about five minutes in boiling water to soften 
• 1/2 cup roasted hazelnuts (optional)

• Preparation

  Line rimless baking sheets with parchment paper or grease; set aside.
  In large bowl, beat butter with sugar until fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla. In separate bowl, whisk together rolled oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt - stir into butter mixture until combined. Stir in chocolate chips and dates.
  Put cookie dough in fridge for several hours or overnight until it hardens. This will help to prevent the cookies from spreading out becoming crispy on the sides rather than nice and chewy.
  Drop by heaping 1 tbsp (15 mL), about 2 inches (5 cm) apart, onto prepared pans. Bake in top and bottom thirds of 375°F (190°C) oven, rotating and switching pans halfway through, until golden, about 12 minutes. Transfer to rack; let cool.  
  
  (Make-ahead: Store in airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 weeks.)
  
   

Spanakopita

I got this recipe from allrecipes.com. It's really really good! I added extra garlic and extra ricotta cheese.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds spinach, rinsed and chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
8 sheets phyllo dough
1/4 cup olive oil
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil a 9x9 inch square baking pan.
Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion, green onions and garlic, until soft and lightly browned. Stir in spinach and parsley, and continue to saute until spinach is limp, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, ricotta, and feta. Stir in spinach mixture. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough in prepared baking pan, and brush lightly with olive oil. Lay another sheet of phyllo dough on top, brush with olive oil, and repeat process with two more sheets of phyllo. The sheets will overlap the pan. Spread spinach and cheese mixture into pan and fold overhanging dough over filling. Brush with oil, then layer remaining 4 sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each with oil. Tuck overhanging dough into pan to seal filling.
Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Cut into squares and serve while hot.

Kale Chips

These are so good! I did not expect them to have such a delicious flavor and texture.

Ingredients

• 1 bunch kale
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 pinch sea salt, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
2. Cut away inner ribs from each kale leaf and discard; tear the leaves into pieces of uniform size. (I made my pieces about the size of a small potato chip.) Wash torn kale pieces and spin dry in a salad spinner or dry with paper towels until they're very dry.
3. Put the kale pieces into a bowl. Mix oil through with your hands until all kale pieces are evenly coated with oil and slightly 'massaged.' Sprinkle the vinegar over the kale leaves and mix. Spread the leaves evenly onto a baking sheet.
4. Roast in the preheated oven until mostly crisp, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and serve immediately.

Baked Beans With Poached Eggs and Roasted Yams

This recipe is loosely based on one I found on allrecipes.com. It turned out so well! They have a yummy old-fashioned baked bean flavour and are quite simple to make although the simmering and baking of the beans takes some time. I got the idea to serve these with poached eggs and roasted yams from Cole's brother Trent. Such a delicious combination!! 

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups black beans
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 3 tablespoons molasses
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

Directions

1. Soak beans overnight in cold water. Simmer the beans in the same water until tender, approximately 1 to 2 hours. Drain and reserve the liquid.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
3. Arrange the beans in a 2 quart bean pot or casserole dish by placing a portion of the beans in the bottom of dish, and layering them with bacon and onion.
4. In a saucepan, combine molasses, salt, pepper, dry mustard, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil and pour over beans. Pour in just enough of the reserved bean water to cover the beans. Cover the dish with a lid or aluminum foil.
5. Bake for 3 to 4 hours in the preheated oven, until beans are tender. Remove the lid about halfway through cooking, and add more liquid if necessary to prevent the beans from getting too dry.

Roasted Asparagus and Cheese Tart

This recipe is from the April 2012 Canadian House and Home Magazine. Cole and I made it this weekend and everyone really liked it! This recipe makes two tarts, enough to serve a crowd. 

1 1/2 lb (1 large bunch) medium-sized asparagus, rough stalk ends snapped off

1 tbsp olive oil

Kosher salt and cracked pepper to taste

Zest of one lemon

2 sheets puff pastry (thawed according to package directions)

1 pkg Garlic and Fine Herbs Boursin cheese

1 cup grated gouda cheese

1 eggs, beaten with a touch of water to make an egg wash

2 tbs torn fresh mint leaves

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.

2. In a bowl, toss asparagus with olive oil, salt and pepper, and lemon zes. Set aside. 

3. Roll out 2 sheets and thawed puff pastry on 2 pieces of parchment paper, creating 2 large rectangles, about 1" from the edge to create a border. Place each pastry rectangle and its parchment paper on separate baking sheets. using a fork, poke holes all over pastry within the border, so that this part of dough will remain flat during cooking while the border puffs up. Lightly brush egg wash over the whole piece of pastry.

4. Crumble 1/2 package of Boursin cheese within the border of each tart, then sprinkle 1/2 gouda on top of each. 

5. Arrange asparagus in single layer evenly over the cheese on each tart and lightly brush egg wash.

6. Bake until asparagus is tender and pastry is golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle each tart evenly with mint leaves. Let cool slightly before slicing into squares. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Chewy Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies

 This recipe comes from Allrecipes.com although I changed it a little. I liked these cookies but found them a bit too salty. I recommend using unsalted butter.

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup roasted chopped walnuts
• 1 1/2 cups roughly chopped semi-sweet chocolate

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in the quick oats, walnuts, and chocolate chips. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
3. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Delux Macaroni and Cheese

Don't be afraid to add too much cheese! I didn't measure exactly and I didn't end up adding enough. It was a bit less moist than it should have been.

•  1 (8 ounce) package elbow macaroni
• 1 (8 ounce) package shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 (12 ounce) container creme fresh
• 1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
• 1/2 cup cream cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup butter, melted or olive oil
• 2 onions
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cauliflower florets

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, add pasta, and cook until done; drain. 
2. Saute onion and garlic in butter. Add cauliflower florets with about half a cup of hot water from the water used to boil the pasta. Add cream cheese until it melts through.
3. In 9x13 inch baking dish, stir together macaroni, onion and creme cheese mixture, shredded Cheddar cheese, creme fresh, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. In a small bowl, mix together bread crumbs and melted butter or olive oil. Sprinkle topping over macaroni mixture.
4. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until top is golden.

Simple Red Lentil and Spinach Soup

This soup is easy to make and really healthy.

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
2 cups rinsed dry red lentils
2-3 cups water or more as needed
2 onions
8 cloves garlic
3 carrots
one bag of spinach
salt and pepper to taste
cumin and cumin seeds to taste
coriander to taste
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp soy sauce

Method

Saute onions in olive oil and butter. Add garlic and carrots, saute for five-ten minutes. Add lentils, water, salt, pepper, bay leaves, cumin seeds and powder and coriander. Bring to boil and then simmer about 45 minutes. Lentils will expand as they cook so you may need to add more water. When lentils are cooked add ketchup, soy sauce, and spinach. Once spinach is cooked let cool before blending soup in batches.

Chocolate fudge

This is the Carnation Famous fudge recipe. I have cut and pasted the recipe below. The only change I made was to use half semi-sweet chips and half milk chocolate chips. I liked this fudge but not as much as the maple walnut fudge but this one is very hard to beat! (see previous post).The texture of this fudge wasn't quite as nice and definitely not as good for wrapping up and giving away because it is so soft.

From the Carnation website....This is a very simple fudge recipe using evaporated milk, marshmallows, and chocolate chips that brings raves. It is a classic candy recipe that is often requested. Instructions are also given for butterscotch and mint flavors.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk
• 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups (4 ounces) miniature marshmallows
• 1-1/2 cups (9 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation:

Combine butter or margarine, evaporated milk, sugar, and salt in a medium, heavy-duty saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil stirring constantly for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Stir in marshmallows, chocolate chips, nuts, and vanilla. Stir vigorously for 1 minute or until marshmallows are melted. Pour into a foiled-lined 8-inch square baking pan. Chill until firm.

Milk chocolate fudge: Substitute 2 cups milk chocolate chips for semisweet chocolate chips.

Butterscotch fudge: Substitute 1-2/3 cups butterscotch-flavored chips for semisweet chips.

Mint chocolate fudge: Substitute 1-1/2 cups mint-chocolate chips for semisweet chips.

Yield: 3 dozen pieces

Maple Walnut Fudge

This fudge is so good! The recipe is from The Last Wonton food blog: http://thelastwonton.typepad.com/the-last-wonton/. The author of the recipe wrote that she stumbled upon this recipe last Christmas and has never found a better fudge recipe. I like her description of the fudge, "Creamy, velvety smooth sweetness interrupted only by the crunch of fresh-picked walnuts. (Oven toasted to intensify the crisp nuttiness)". 

1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon sea or Kosher salt
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 1/2 cups chopped Callebaut or other good quality white chocolate
1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped and toasted
2 teaspoons vanilla

Start by roasting the walnuts for about 10 minutes at 325.

Add the two sugars, cream, butter, salt and maple syrup to large-ish pot over medium heat.  Stir while bringing to a boil.  Lower the heat and continue to stir slowly while the mixture cooks. After about 7 minutes, test by pouring a small amount into cold water.  You want it to form a soft ball.  Or use candy thermometer to 235F - 238F - soft ball stage.  When it reaches the soft ball stage remove from heat and let rest for 10 minutes. 

After 10-15 minutes add the white chocolate and vanilla and stir until chocolate melts.  You will notice the fudge start to thicken immediately.  Stir another couple of minutes until the fudge starts to lose it's shine.  Quickly add the walnuts and pour into a buttered double loaf pan or dish (loaf pan is nice for the dip dish fudge that you buy).  Let cool at room temperature.  Chill. 

Best served chilled.

Dark Chocolate-Cherry Ganache Bars for Valentine's Day

This recipe is from a recent article in the New York Times about dolling up Plain-Jane short bread cookies into something gooey and extra chocolately. After I tasted the shortbread I wasn't sure whether I would like these but with the cherry and chocolate added they are rich and decadent. The salt on top and in the shortbread has a nice taste. The one addition I made to the New York Times version of this recipe was jarred sour cherries. I found they offset the sweetness of the rest of the ingredients well.

Ingredients 

150 grams all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups)

90 grams confectioners’ sugar (about 3/4 cup)

26 grams unsweetened cocoa powder (about 1/4 cup)

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

52 grams cherry jam (about 2 tablespoons) 

chopped canned or fresh sour cherries  (optional)

340 grams bittersweet chocolate, at least 62 percent, chopped (12 ounces)

2/3 cup heavy cream

3 tablespoons kirsch, rum, brandy or other spirit

1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel, for sprinkling. 

Directions 

 

1. In a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder and fine sea salt. Pulse in the butter and vanilla until the mixture just comes together into a smooth mass. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment or wax paper. Press the dough into the pan. Prick all over with a fork. Chill for at least 20 minutes and up to 3 days. 

2. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Bake the shortbread until firm to the touch and just beginning to pull away from the sides, 35 to 40 minutes. 

3. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes on a wire rack. Mix a about a half cup of chopped fresh cherries with cherry jam. Brush jam and cherry mixture over shortbread’s surface and let cool thoroughly. 

4. Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl.

In a saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer. Pour over the chocolate and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the kirsch. Spread over shortbread. Sprinkle fleur de sel on. Cool to room temperature; cover and chill until firm. Slice and serve.

Yield: 18 bars.

African Peanut Soup

This recipe is from Cole's mum, Daphne. It's really filling and delicious! Definitely is filling enough to eat on its own as a meal.

Serves 10

1 large onion

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste

2 tablespoons oil

1 tablespoon yellow curry

1/4 cup good quality curry powder

1 quart vegetable stock

1 quart diced tomatoes in juice (use 1 large and 1 small can diced tomatoes)

4 cups chopped cooked chicken or tofu (had it without tofu and chicken and it was

3/4 teaspoon sambal (red chili paste)

1 cup natural chunky peanut butter, or to taste (use 1 cup Adams Natural)

1 can coconut milk

1 small bunch cilantro, chopped

lemon juice (use juice of 1 lemon)

Sauté onion, garlic, and cayenne in oil until translucent. Stir in curry powder

and curry paste and sauté 1 minute. Add stock and tomatoes in juice, bring

to a boil , the simmer for 15 minutes. Add cooked chicken or tofu and sambal.

Simmer for 15 minutes.

Whisk in peanut butter a little at a time until incorporated. Taste the soup. You

should taste peanut but it should not be overwhelming. Turn soup to low, add

the cilantro and check seasoning.

Taste and add lemon juice to brighten the taste.

The soup should be silky and smooth; not thick.

It should be spicy; but not too hot.

It should have a sharpness of tomato and lemon; but not be sour.

It should taste of peanuts; but not of peanut butter

Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Soup

This soup recipe is really simple. I have made it many times. You can adjust the proportions as you like. The trick I find is to add only a touch of nutmeg.


Ingredients

1.5 butternut squash or 2 small squashes
2 apples
2 tablespoons grated ginger
8-10 gloves garlic
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1-2 cups water
olive oil
brown sugar

Instructions

 1. Slice both squash in half, scoop out seeds and add olive oil. Bake at 375 until fork can pierce through (take about 1.5 hours). Let cool and scoop squash insides. Place in large bowl or pot.

2. Peel apples, about 1/2 piece ginger and garlic. Mix with olive oil and add to oven baking at 370 for about 25 minutes or until garlic and apples are soft. Once ginger has cooled grate 2 tablespoons garlic.

3. In batches add a mix of squash, apple, garlic, water, grated ginger, a bit of nutmeg and salt pepper to blender. After blending through once I sometimes stir in pot and then blend the whole thing again to ensure everything is mixed properly. Add extra water if soup is too thick.
4. Garnish with goat cheese and drizzled olive oil or balsamic vinegar!
5.  Enjoy!

Twilight Dark Chocolate Truffles

This recipe comes from allrecipes.com Canada. I half-ed the recipe because I wasn't sure how the would turn out. Even half the recipe made quite a few truffles. You can add any extra little add-ins for example mint extract or coffee grounds or roll them in sprinkles, melted white chocolate or cocoa powder.  They are dark and fudgy and quite easy to make.

Ingredients

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 (1 ounce) squares baking chocolate
• 2 3/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Combine the heavy cream, butter, baking chocolate, chocolate chips, and espresso powder in a saucepan over medium heat; stirring constantly, cook until the chocolate has melted into a smooth and thick mixture. Remove from heat. Pour into a bowl and chill in refrigerator until the mixture hardens, about 1 hour
2. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Scoop small balls of the chocolate mixture onto the waxed paper. Store in refrigerator until the balls harden completely. Store in a cool, dry place. 

Cinnamon Belgian Waffles

These waffles are light and have such a nice flavour. Cole said they are the best waffles he has ever had! The recipe comes from allrecipes.com. The author of the recipe said that it is a combination of her and her husband's favourite waffle recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 tablespoon white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 egg whites
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat your waffle iron.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, buttermilk and butter until well blended. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt and cinnamon; stir into the buttermilk mixture. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff. Fold into the batter.
3. Spoon batter onto the hot waffle iron, close, and cook until golden brown. Waffles are usually done when the steam subsides. *I found that they cook the best when you fill the iron quite full. Not too full though because then that batter seeps over the edges when you shut it.

Danielle's Sweet Potato Gratin

This dish is delicious! It comes from a cookbook my mum gave to me for Christmas, Ottelenghi: The Cookbook. Her friend, Sharon Hannah, recommended this book and I trust her recommendations since she is an amazing cook and knows a lot about food (See her website: http://www.gardenwiseonline.ca/shanna). All the recipes in the book are quite simple and not too time consuming.

Ingredients

6 medium sweet potatoes
5 tbsp roughly chopped sage, plus extra garnish (or 1.5 tablespoons dried sage)
6 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
250 ml whipping cream

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200 C/Gas Mark 6. Was the sweet potatoes (do not peel them) and cut them into discs 5 mm thick. A mondolin is best for this job but you could use a sharp knife.
2. In a bowl, mix together the sweet potatoes, sage, garlic, salt and pepper. Arrange the slices of sweet potato in a deep, medium-sized ovenproof dish by taking tight packs of them and standing them up next to each other. They should fit together quite tightly so you get parallel lines of sweet potato slices (skins showing) along the length or width of the dish. Throw any remaining bits of garlic or sage from the bowl over the potatoes. Cover the dish with foil, place in the oven and roast for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and pour the cream evenly over the potatoes. Roast, uncovered, for a further 25 minutes. The cream should have thickened by now. Stick a sharp knife in different places in the dish to make sure the potatoes are cooked. They should be totally soft.

3. Serve immediately, garnished with sage, or leave to cool down. In any case, bringing the potatoes to the table in the baking dish, after scraping the outside clean, will make a strong impact.

Caper's Power Cookies

I love Caper's Power Cookies and wish I had the exact recipe. Below is what I've come up with, but they aren't as good as the Caper's version. If anyone has any suggestions please let me know! I do still really like them and find them a perfect treat to have at work and for studying.

Ingredients
1 cup raisins
1 and 1/2 cups spelt flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ginger powder or nutmeg
1/4 cup chopped nuts
1 and 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped dried fruit or chocolate chunks
1/2 cup hemp seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds (shell-less)
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (shell-less)
1/4 cup apple sauce
1 egg lightly beaten
1/3 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
1/2 cup syrup (maple or rice syrup)

Method
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Oil 2 large cookie sheets. Soak raisins in boiling water for ten minutes. Drain.
In a large bowl, put flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger or nutmeg and chopped nuts. Mix well.
Add oats, drained raisins, chopped fruit or chocolate, and seeds.
In another bowl, put lightly beaten egg, apple sauce (or second egg), oil or butter and syrup. Beat until well blended.
Add to dry mixture, mix well.
Drop by tablespoons onto prepared cookie sheets. Sometimes I flatten the cookies with a fork dipped in water (my nana taught me that trick).
Bake in preheated oven 10-12 minutes, or until cookies are golden on edges and tops are set.
Cool on wire racks.

Cream of Spinach Soup

 

My nana's friend, Sylvia, used to make spinach soup and it was my nana's favorite thing to eat at lunch. This weekend I tried to recreate it. It wasn't too much like Sylvia's but it was nice and fresh tasting.  With its bright green colour, I felt like it gave me lots of energy.

 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 cubes chicken.vege bouillon
• 2 bunches of spinach (washed with the stems cut off)
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 onion
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp fresh nutmeg
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine water, bouillon, and spinach. Bring to a boil, and cook until spinach is tender.
2. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute garlic. Stir in flour, and cook for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk. Add chopped onion, fresh nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir in spinach mixture. 
3. Blend entire mixture. 

Ridiculously Simply Banana Bread

This recipe comes from one of my mum's oldest cookbooks Feed Me, I'm Hungry. Between the two of us we have probably made this recipe a hundred times.

 1 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 ripe bananas, mashed (I often put three for extra sweetness and moisture)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F. Sift together flour and baking soda. Mix together eggs, oil, sugar, bananas and walnuts. Add banana mixture to the flour and stir until well blended. 

Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake in oven at 350F from 1 hour. If making muffins bake for 20 minutes.

Feed Me, I'm Hungry author writes: I've been told this recipe has saved many a marriage!