Easter

Cheesy Stove Top Scalloped Potatoes

Apr 22, 2011 By Cheri in Easter, Sides, Smithfield 3 Comments Tags: cheesy, easter, potatoes, scalloped, stove top

Happy Easter! How’s everyones Easter planning coming along? Things are going to be very quiet for us again this year. In Norway everyone gets off Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday. Even the grocery stores are closed so any last minute shopping will have to be done on Saturday. The whole city get’s very quiet over the weekend because many people head up to their cabins in the mountains for one last skiing holiday.

I still haven’t planned an Easter menu and I’m trying to decide if it’s worth it for just my little family or if we’ll have something a little less traditional. But, I did have fun making these scalloped potatoes and dreaming of my family back home gathered around the table with the smell of cooked ham wafting through the air. Mmmm..

“My apartment has a teeny tiny kitchen and in that kitchen is an even teenier tinier oven. It’s a good thing the apartment is small over all because cooking for a crowd is nearly impossible. That’s why on special occasions, such as Easter, I have to be very particular about the side dishes I make because if I’ve got a ham in the oven there is absolutely no room for anything else. So, pretty much anything that needs to be baked in the oven for a long period of time is out of the question.”

Read more and get the recipe on Smithfield.com.

These just might make it back onto our Easter menu because not only are they delicious they can be made to feed as little as four people. Meaning there won’t be excessive amounts of leftovers. Yay!

What’s on your menu this year?

Update: The post is no longer active on Smithfield. But, I don’t want you to miss out so here’s the recipe!

Cheesy Stove Top Scalloped Potatoes

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
1.5 cup shredded cheese, divided
1.5 pounds potatoes, thinly sliced

Instructions

Melt butter in a small non-stick skillet. Add flour. Cook and stir for one minute. Slowly pour in chicken broth, mixing well after each addition. Bring to a boil. Stir in 1 cup of cheese until blended. Add potatoes. Toss to coat. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until a fork inserted into the potatoes is easily removed. Top with cheese and simmer uncovered for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Sauce will thicken as it cools.

Serves: 4

Tips:

* A crust will develop along the bottom of the skillet, but that’s my favorite part. It will come off easily if you are using a non-stick skillet.

* If you want a caramelized top you can stick it under the broiler for a couple of minutes (if the handle is oven proof).

* Feel free to cook some onion and garlic in the butter before adding the flour for added flavor. Or add you favorite herbs and spices to the sauce.

Kids in the Kitchen: Easy Lemon Sugar Cookies

Apr 18, 2011 By Cheri in Cookies & Bars, Easter, Kids, Sweets 9 Comments Tags: cookies, easter, easy, glaze, Kids, lemon, quick, roll out, sugar

I got the sudden urge to decorate sugar cookies last week. As you can see I got as far as making the cookies. :) But that was fun in and of itself. I did make one batch of the glaze and got approximately five cookies done before Max had already decorated (read: eaten) three cookies and Alli woke up wanting some attention. So I put that idea behind me and decided to freeze the rest in case the time ever came that I was able to decorate again (I am in no way a super mom and I’m ok with that).

Kids Can:

knead dough

help roll out dough

cut out shapes

older kids can decorate with icing bags

younger kids can spread the glaze on the cookies and decorate with sprinkles

I’m not usually a fan of sugar cookies. But these I can actually eat on their own without icing. I’m really into tea lately and these cookies are a perfect accompaniment to that.

These are the easiest sugar cookies I have ever made. Sugar cookies aren’t all that hard to make but there’s generally a lot of waiting time for the dough to chill before rolling, then trying to roll out a stiff dough or wait for it to soften before you roll it out. Simple enough really but it’s enough to stop me from making them on a whim. These cookies on the other hand were whipped up and baked in the time it took for James and Max to go grocery shopping. They left. I got the urge to bake. They came back. Half the cookies were baked and cooling on the counter while the remainder were in the fridge awaiting their turn in the oven.

The key to these cookies being able to be made so last minute is the fact that you don’t have to soften the butter. Cold butter means there’s no chill time before rolling it out which cuts the prep time down considerably. Plus they roll out like a dream. I made the original cookies at Christmas this year and knew they would be my sugar cookie of choice from then on.

I wanted the flavours to suite Easter so I opted to add some grated lemon zest to the dough. Delish!

Tips to Perfect Sugar Cookies

I’m no expert on sugar cookies but I do know a couple tricks to get them nearly perfect every time. At least it works for me!

Roll Out on Parchment Paper. Rolling the dough out on a floured piece of parchment paper means less flour is used (meaning softer cookies) and easier transportation to the baking sheet (which means less stretching and breaking).
Refrigerate Before Baking. Since this recipe is not refrigerated before rolling out you want to be sure to refrigerate it once the shapes are cut. That way it keeps it’s form and doesn’t spread.
Chill Before Cutting Out Delicate Pieces. If you’re wanting to make smaller cutouts in the cookie (like I did with the flowers) do so after they have chilled in the fridge, just before baking. This way you don’t have to worry about any delicate parts breaking when you transfer it to the baking sheet and it will hold it’s shape better.

The glaze for these cookies is lemony and sweet. Much sweeter then royal icing. You can’t really compare the two but it is much easier to make and decorates beautifully (just look at Amanda’s cookies). But, as I said it is very sweet so if you’re worried about that you may want to stick with royal icing.

Easy Lemon Sugar Cookies

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup sugar

1 cup cold salted butter, cubed

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

zest of one lemon

Combine flour and baking powder.
In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg, vanilla and zest. Mix until incorporated.
Add flour in three additions, scraping down as you go. Beat until combined (will be crumbly).
Divide dough in half to roll out. Knead each piece on counter top until smooth. Roll out on floured parchment paper. Cut into shapes. Place on parchment lined baking sheet. Freeze for 5 minutes (or refrigerate for 15 minutes) to firm up.
Bake @ 350 for 10-12 minutes. Let sit for 2 minutes before removing to wire rack or paper towel to cool.

Makes approximately 4 dozen cookies

Lemony Sugar Cookie Glaze

1 cup icing sugar

1.5 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon corn syrup

Sift sugar into a bowl. Mix in lemon juice and corn syrup. Spread or pipe onto cookies.

Tip: If piping onto cookies check the consistency by doing the 10 second ribbon test. Drag a knife through the glaze and lift to make a ribbon. It should smooth out in 5-10 seconds. If the icing comes together before 5 seconds add more sugar. If the glaze comes together after 10 seconds add more liquid. This will ensure that it is firm enough to pipe but still loose enough to flood the cookie.

Makes enough for approximately 1 dozen cookies.

Sugar Cookies adapted from bake at 350. Sugar Cookie Glaze adapted from i am baker.

Rhubarb Crunch Coffee Cake

May 31, 2010 By Cheri in Breakfast, Cakes, Easter, Snacks, Sweets 20 Comments Tags: coffee cake, rhubarb, sour cream, streusel, walnuts

One of the {food} things I miss most about not being in Canada is watching the Food Network. I have a couple of favourite Canadian chefs and I often go back to the website to check out their new recipes. When I saw that Food Network had a Cooking Club Challenge every month and that they were cooking a recipe of Anna Olson’s {one of my all time favourite chef’s} I felt inspired to join the ranks.

The original recipe is for a Sour Cream Apple Coffee Cake but I adapted it to be a bit more seasonal by replacing the apples with chopped fresh rhubarb and adding a bit more brown sugar to balance it out. The crunch of walnuts along with the light crumb, crusty caramelized outer shell and slight tartness from the rhubarb make this perfect for a spring brunch or afternoon snack.

Rhubarb Crunch Coffee Cake

adapted from Sugar

Cake

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup sour cream

2 cups flour

1.5 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time.
Add vanilla and sour cream. Stir to combine.
Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Stir into wet ingredients just until incorporated.

Crunch Topping

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup walnut pieces

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

Combine ingredients until evenly moistened.

Rhubarb

2 cups diced rhubarb

2 tablespoon brown sugar

Stir together rhubarb and brown sugar.

Assembly

Spoon half of the cake batter into a greased 8 inch square cake pan. Smooth top.
Sprinkle half of the crunch topping over batter in pan. Top with remaining batter and smooth out.
Combine remaining crunch topping and rhubarb. Sprinkle over all.
Bake for 55-60 minutes at 350ºF until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.

Makes: 9-12 servings

* I made mine in two 6 inch round cake pans but they overflowed quite a bit so I would suggest sticking with the 8 inch square.

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Simplifying Brunch & Strawberry Banana Muesli

Apr 1, 2010 By Cheri in Breakfast, Easter, Featured 11 Comments Tags: apple, banana, brunch, easter, muesli, strawberry

Nothing beats a good brunch. There’s something so satisfying about gathering around the table for the first meal of the day, chatting it up and stuffing yourself so full that you can’t eat another bite until supper.

Hosting a brunch can also be stressful, as you have to get it ready as soon as you get up in the morning and people can get impatient and grumpy if things start to go awry and take longer then anticipated. But, with a little bit of planning you can put your mind at ease and not even have to worry about that being an option.

Simplifying your brunch menu will mean there is no added stress on you and will allow you more time to spend with your guests. Simple food doesn’t have to be boring. It is possible to make a brunch to impress and still get to hit the snooze button.

Below are some tips on how to simplify your brunch while still making it outstanding. I have also included a recipe for Strawberry Banana Muesli, which is completely made ahead of time to make your morning even easier.

Pick a Star

You don’t want to be slaving away in the kitchen all morning so pick only one impressive dish that will blow your guests away and keep the rest super simple. If you choose too many show stoppers they may end up being lost in the shuffle and not enjoyed to their full potential.

Having one dish that everyone can ooh and awe over will make the guests feel special and make you feel like you’re playing a good hostess.

The star doesn’t have to be anything spectacular but it should be the thing that takes the most work or requires the most attention the day of. Although it may be tempting to go all out, that often just leads to a frazzled hostess.

Avoid the Crowd

When you’re planning your meal think about the space the foods occupy so there’s no scrambling at the last minute trying to find room in your fridge. The same goes for your oven or stove-top. Make sure that nothing will have to be fighting for it’s own space.

Prepare Ahead

Try to get most of the work done the day before so you can get some rest and not have to worry about what all has to be done the next morning. This way it will also be more relaxed so you can get some visiting in or have some quiet time before the guests arrive.

Remember, the less you have do that morning the better. Lot’s of little things can add up rather quickly so keep this in mind when making preparations and planning your meal. You can even think so far ahead as to set the table the night before.

Figure out a Game Plan

Make a plan of what you need to prepare ahead and what you need to do first the day of. This way nothing is forgotten and you won’t ever have to juggle a million things at once.

Make a check list so you can check things off as you go and set your mind at ease.

Cover all the Bases

You want to serve a balanced meal and planning it in this way will also help you decide your menu.

If your impressive dish is a protein round it out with fruit and breads. If you serve something heavy, make sure the other dishes are lighter so that no one has to feel like there’s a dead weight in the pit of their stomach. It’s also good to think about texture and to have a nice variety of crunchy, soft and toothsome.

Go through the entire meal in your head to make sure that some of the more simple things are not forgotten such as butter for the bread or orange juice for the kids.

Here is a great post on Simple Bites to help you decide on a meal plan.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help

Chances are if there are ladies coming to brunch they would love to help by either bringing something or joining you in the kitchen to gab while you work. If someone offers to help in some way, they probably mean it, so don’t be afraid to take them up on their offer and allow them to feel useful.

Another great way to get “help” is to use store bought items. Go to the bakery and pick up some croissants. There is no reason that everything needs to be made from scratch by you.

Relax

The most important thing to remember when you are playing hostess is that the people are there to see you. Although they will be expecting delicious food you want the memories to include you.

Don’t worry if things don’t go perfectly or they have to wait a little bit longer. If you are relaxed and enjoying yourself so will your guests. On the contrary, if you get wound up, the feeling can easily spread and set everyone on edge.

Being a hostess doesn’t need to be a daunting task as long as you keep things simple and are realistic about time frames and what you can get accomplished. Just sit back, make a plan and enjoy the ride.

Strawberry Banana Muesli

This muesli is made completely the day before. Rolled oats and almonds are toasted in the oven and then set in the fridge to soak overnight in a mixture of yogurt, apples, strawberries, bananas and many other goodies. The only thing that needs to be done the morning of is a little bit of garnish to finish it off. It is toothsome, creamy and delicious. Think of it as a great bowl of porridge to set the morning right.

What are your favourite make ahead brunch recipes?

Strawberry Banana Muesli

1.5 cups rolled oats

1/3 cup sliced almonds

2 cups yogurt

2 Tbsp. maple syrup

1/3 cup raisins

1 small apple, peeled, cored and grated

1 small banana, chopped

1 cup strawberries, chopped

1 Tbsp. sesame seeds

2 Tbsp. coconut

Toast oats and almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet at 350ºF until fragrant. Allow to cool.
Mix together oats, almonds and remaining ingredients until well incorporated.
Cover and refrigerate overnight (or at least 4 hours).

Serves: 4-6

*Do not use instant oats as they will soak up too much of the liquid and become soggy.

*Garnish with slices of strawberries and bananas and perhaps a sprig of mint.

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Happy Easter everyone!

Three No-Bake Easter Treats

Mar 25, 2010 By Cheri in Candy, Chocolate, Cookies & Bars, Easter, Sweets 81 Comments Tags: chocolate, desserts, dipped, easter, eggs, lemon, nests, rice krispies, sweets, truffles, un-baked cookies, white chocolate

Holidays are all about getting together with family and friends, making memories and eating good food. The oven is jam packed with roasting hams and tasty casseroles. It’s nice to get a few things done before the big day as well as give the oven a much needed break.

Make sure to keep your meals simple so you can truly enjoy this Easter holiday. Nothing is more disappointing then working so hard that you’re not able to enjoy the holiday itself.

These recipes will help to make your lives a little easier and keep the kids busy while you make some last minute preparations in the kitchen. They are simple, quick and best of all, tasty. Freeing you up to do more important tasks and having one less thing to make the day stressful.

I made these Chocolate Dipped Rice Krispie Eggs for the first time last year when I went back to spend Easter with my family. It was my Mom’s brilliant idea and they were such a big hit (especially with the kiddos) that I knew I had to share them with you. They can be packaged into colorful egg cartons to give away as gifts or serve them in egg cups for an extra special breakfast treat (I won’t tell).

These ones were made with the leftover Strawberry Marshmallows I had stored away in the freezer. That brought them to a whole other delectable level. Chocolate dipped strawberry anything is a winner in my book!

Kids can: Dip the eggs in chocolate and sprinkles.

Chocolate Dipped Rice Krispie Eggs

1/4 cup butter

40 large marshmallows (5 cups mini or 250g)

1/2 tsp. vanilla

6 cups rice krispies

6 oz. baking chocolate

sprinkles

Melt butter and marshmallows over low heat. Stir in vanilla. Remove from heat and add rice krispies. Stir until equally incorporated.
Using a greased 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop out some of the mixture and form into an egg. Set aside and repeat until all of the mixture has been used up.
Melt chocolate. Dip the tops into chocolate, then into sprinkles.
Store covered at room temperature for up to two days. Freeze for longer storage.

Makes: 24

* If you don’t want to go through the work of making the eggs. You could put the mixture into a greased 9×13 pan. Once it has set up, cut into bars and dip away. Still festive, less work.

* Dampen your hands with water before forming to stop the mixture from sticking to them.

Print recipe

My mom made these Un-Baked Cookies often when I was growing up, so they hold a certain youthful charm that puts me in the Easter mood. The idea to make them into nests came from an entry in a Taste of Home competition last year. I thought it was such a cute idea that I just had to adapt it with my mothers recipe.

Kids can: Fill the nests with coconut and eggs.

Un-Baked Cookie Nests

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup butter

3 cups rolled oats

4 Tbsp. cocoa powder

pinch salt

1 cup coconut

1 tsp. vanilla

mini chocolate eggs and coconut, for decorating.

Bring sugar, milk and butter to a boil in a saucepan. Simmer 3 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients until well incorporated.
Spoon into lightly greased muffin cups (or use un-greased silicone muffin cups for easier removal). Using the back of a spoon press the mixture down in the middle and up along the sides, forming a nest. Allow to harden.
Using a knife, loosen the edges and gently pop out the nests.
Store covered at room temperature for up to two days. Freeze for longer storage.
To decorate: sprinkle with coconut and fill with mini eggs.

Makes: 12 large

* For a super cute alternative you could form these in mini muffin cups.

* If you would like to tint the coconut a certain color simply place it in a resealable plastic bag along with a few drops of food coloring. Massage and shake until evening distributed.

* You could use jelly beans or chocolate covered almonds for a different variety of eggs.

* To make the regular cookies simply drop the mixture by spoonfuls onto wax paper and allow to firm up.

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Lemon sings of spring and sunshine, reminding me of the new life around the corner and making it the perfect Easter accompaniment. These lemony truffles are a cinch to make and have such a wonderful velvety texture. Packaging them into pretty boxes turns them into the perfect hostess gift.

Kids can: roll into balls and coat in icing sugar.

White Chocolate Lemon Truffles

1 cup white chocolate

5 Tbsp. unsalted butter

3 Tbsp. heavy cream

pinch salt

1 tsp. lemon extract

icing sugar, for dusting

Melt chocolate, butter and cream over a double boiler or in a microwave. Stir until smooth.
Stir in salt and extract. Allow to cool slightly before covering with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm enough to handle.
With a melon baller or small spoon scoop out mixture and form into 1 inch balls. Toss with icing sugar to coat.
Store covered in the fridge for up to one week. Freeze for longer storage.

Makes: 24

* Using unsalted butter allows you to control the salty flavour of these truffles. The pinch of salt helps to cut through the sweetness of the white chocolate. If you decide to use salted butter make sure to omit the pinch of salt called for in the recipe or they will be far too salty.

* If you want to amp up the yellow color, stir in some yellow food coloring along with the extract and salt.

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What simple recipes do you include in your Easter menu to help de-stress the day?

Creamy Ham and Rice Soup

Feb 26, 2010 By Cheri in Easter, Main Dish, Pork, Soup 13 Comments Tags: Creamy, ham, rice, soup

My sonny boy and I have not been feeling very good these days. We pace around the house sniffling and sneezing and saying, “Owie. Owie”. Well, that last part is only him, although I must admit that sometimes I’m tempted to chime in.

These hazy days make eating not so much fun and it has been a struggle for Max to get anything down his poor little swollen throat. So, I figured it was time for some warm and hearty soup.

This Ham and Rice Soup is comfort in a bowl. It’s creamy, chunky and satisfyingly delicious. A warm bowl of yummy goodness to soothe those aches and pains and gain some strength back. It’s definitely not low calorie, but that’s what you need to keep the meat on your bones. :) It’s also a great way to use up any leftover rice or ham that’s stored away in your fridge.

Creamy Ham and Rice Soup

6 Tbsp. butter

1 green onion, chopped

1 small carrot, peeled and grated

1/3 cup flour

3.5 cups chicken broth (2- 14oz cans)

1 cup finely chopped cooked ham

2 cups leftover cooked rice

1 cup half and half cream

salt and pepper, to taste

In a medium size saucepan cook green onions and carrots in butter to soften. Add flour and stir until thoroughly combined with butter.
Slowly add chicken broth, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Bring to a boil and simmer 2 min.
Add ham, rice, cream, salt and pepper. Heat through, but do not bring to a boil.

Serves: 4

* 3.5 cups water plus 2 bouillon cubes may be used in place of the chicken broth.

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In other news, I have entered two of my recipes into the Foodista recipe contest. The winning recipes will be published in their upcoming cookbook. Voting is open until the end of March. To vote for me click on the icons at the top right of the page. And, if you have a recipe entered let me know, so I can vote for you!

What is your favourite food when you have the sniffles? Have a great weekend everyone!

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