easy

Maple Walnut Cake for Canada Day

Jun 27, 2011 By Cheri in Cakes, Sweets 19 Comments Tags: cake, canada day, easy, maple, walnut

As this is posting I’m flying high in the sky over the North Atlantic Ocean for a last-minute trip to go visit family in Canada. I’m super excited because it’s been almost two years since I’ve seen some of them and that is far too long! And, for once I’ll actually be in Canada on Canada Day. Woot!

Maple flavoured goods have to be one of Canada’s pride and joys. We love maple so much we even put a maple leaf on our flag, I mean c’mon! :) Whenever I think of making something for Canada Day I always have to include something maple and this time I was really in the mood for cake.

More Canada Day Treats

I iced it with a maple-coffe glaze but honestly I found it too sweet and prefered the cake on its own, so I haven’t included the recipe for that below. If I were to frost it next time I think I would use this Maple-Brown Sugar Frosting or serve it plain and top it with some Maple Whipped Cream or Maple Walnut Ice Cream. Mmm.

The cake is light and moist with the distinct taste of maple. I found it extremely addictive because the cake itself is not overly sweet and when desserts are not overly rich or sweet I always find myself eating far too much of it. I love maple and walnuts together so I couldn’t help but toss some in for a little added crunch and excitement.

Since I’ll be gone for the next couple of weeks my posts may be a little shorter than normal. But, it’s summer and who wants to spend tons of time on the computer anyways right? :) I also have some fantastic guest posters lined up so things will definitely not go stale.

Wish me luck as I get over 8 hour jet lag with a 3 year old and 5 month old. Woo Hoo! :)

What do you like to make for Canada Day?

Maple Walnut Cake

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 eggs
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Cream together butter and sugar. Stir in syrup. Beat in eggs, one at a time, just until incorporated. Stir in flour and baking powder. Fold in walnuts.

Spread evenly into a greased 8×8 square baking pan. Bake at 350ºF for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool before frosting as desired.

Makes: 9 servings

Easy Almond Granola

Jun 20, 2011 By Cheri in Breakfast 17 Comments Tags: almond, cranberries, crisp, easy, granola, homemade, light, maple syrup

I know this might sound a bit strange but I’ve created a schedule for our breakfasts during the week. Not because I’m anal, but because my son has become a food snob and if we eat the same thing too many times he simply won’t eat it. I’m not even a food snob but somehow I have turned both my husband and son into one. How does this work?

I do like variety though, so I thought I’d give in and create a system where I knew what was coming the next day. That way we don’t end up eating the dreaded peanut butter and jam on toast every day of the week.

I’ve tried a couple of granola recipes over the last couple months but all of them tasted like… homemade granola. Not that, that’s a bad thing, they just didn’t have me jumping up and down with excitement. This is the first recipe that tastes like I didn’t make it. Like there was a team of scientists behind it tweaking it to perfection. Except, it is homemade and I know every ingredient that’s in it.

It’s light. Not tough and crunchy like so many granola recipes are. And, yet it’s crisp. There is a very distinct almond flavour thanks to the almond extract. It’s not too strong just a nice undertone that enhances the granola and gives it that something special.

It’s such a simple recipe too. Hardly any babysitting and stirring. You might think it’s strange that there is both rolled and quick-cooking oats but the quick-cooking oats are there to help with the clumping. A great tip I picked up from Sylvie at gourmande in the kitchen.

I almost called this Perfect Almond Granola. But, I’m always a little hesitant to label anything “perfect” because what’s perfect for me may not be perfect for you. My family considers this granola to be “The Best” so that’s perfect enough for me. :)

I can’t wait to vary this recipe for different seasons. I think this one, with its light flavours, is perfect for summer and I plan on making big batches of it on rainy days (we get plenty of those here) all summer long.

What qualities are a must for your perfect granola?

Easy Almond Granola

4 cups rolled oats
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup sliced almonds
2/3 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup warm water
6 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup maple syrup
1.5 teaspoons almond extract
2/3 cup dried cranberries

Mix together oats, salt, almonds and coconut in a large bowl.

In a small saucepan combine water, oil, syrup and extract. Bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and pour over oat mixture. Toss to coat.

Spray a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray and line with parchment paper (this will keep the paper from sliding around). Using your hands, squeeze the granola mixture together to create clumps as you transfer it to the baking sheet.

Bake at 275ºF for 30 minutes. Stir in cranberries and cook an additional 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned.

Allow to cool completely before storing. Granola will crisp up as it cools. Store in a sealed container for up to one month.

Makes: 8 cups

Adapted from Three Many Cooks.

Kids in the Kitchen: Homemade Egg McMuffins for Dad

Jun 15, 2011 By Cheri in Breakfast, Homemade, Kids 17 Comments Tags: breakfast, easy, egg, egg mcmuffins, homemade, Kids, microwave, sandwich

Who says Mom’s the only one that gets a special breakfast made by the kiddo’s? My husband isn’t really a breakfast in bed kind of guy so I didn’t want to stretch it that far. But, it is fun for the kids to make something special for Dad and I think breakfast is a great (and simple) way for them to show him they care, first thing in the morning.

This recipe is super kid friendly. The eggs are cooked in the microwave so you don’t have to worry about them using the stove top which makes this recipe virtually hover free.

It’s pretty much an assembly process and would be a great recipe for kids to make for themselves in the morning before school, when they want to feel responsible.

I made mine with homemade sourdough english muffins. That’s why they look a little funny. I guess I have to work on my english muffin making skills. And you know what they say, practice makes perfect, so I guess I’ll have to make them again. Darn. :)

We sometimes make this as a breakfast-for-dinner meal. It’s one of my favourite throw together meals when we’re in a hurry. But, it tastes so good there’s no reason it can’t be used for a special event.

Cooking the eggs in ramekins or coffee mugs makes them the perfect shape and size to fit on an english muffin. If Dad is a fan of bacon, or other breakfast meat such as sausage patties, feel free to use that as a substitute for the ham.

Happy early Fathers Day to all you Daddy’s out there!

This is why he likes to be my model. :)

What do you serve for breakfast on Father’s Day?

English Muffin Breakfast Sandwich

1 large egg
salt and pepper, to taste
1 english muffin, split and toasted
mayonnaise, to taste
2 slices deli ham
shredded or sliced cheese

Grease a flat-bottom mug or ramekin with cooking spray. Crack egg into ramekin; season with salt and pepper and whisk a couple of time with a fork. Microwave for 1 minute or until egg is set.
Spread english muffin with mayonnaise. Top with ham, egg and cheese. Let sit one minute before serving to allow cheese to melt.

Makes: 1 serving

*It’s important to whisk the egg a little or the pressure builds up and the egg may “explode” in the microwave. But don’t go too crazy with the whisking or the egg will puff up like crazy while it cooks and loose its perfect Egg McMuffin shape.

Peanut Buster Parfait Ice Cream Cake

Jun 9, 2011 By Cheri in Chocolate, Cool, Sweets 19 Comments Tags: buster, cake, easy, homemade, ice cream, parfait, peanut, simple

Peanut Buster Parfaits were my favourite treat at Dairy Queen growing up. I’ve always loved that sweet-chocolate, salty-peanut combination. I don’t remember when my mom started making this version at home but I do remember that it was one of my favourite summer desserts growing up.

James has never been a big fan of cake so I usually opt to make him a frozen cake or pie for his birthday instead. In fact, when we were engaged this was the very first birthday cake that I ever made for him.

I’ve made a few changes since then. Not in the recipe, but in the presentation. My mom always cooked for a crowd because our house was always full of people, especially hungry teenage boys (and one very hungry teenage girl), so her version was quite simple and made a lot. I’ve included her assembly in the directions below as well, so you can use whichever suites your fancy.

I wanted to give it layers to better replicate a real Peanut Buster Parfait, so I made the process a tad bit more lengthy but I love the results. Nothing wrong with the way mom made them, I just had to make it my own. :)

I think this would be a perfect dessert for Fathers Day coming up because a) I’ve never met anyone who didn’t love this cake. b) It’s so simple to throw together and can be made ahead. c) I’m pretty sure a barbecue has to be the most common meal on Fathers Day and what better dessert to have at a BBQ then a homemade ice cream cake

Tip from James

To make ice cream a spreadable consistency quickly: scoop it into a stand mixer and beat with the paddle attachment until smooth. This will, effectively, turn it into soft-serve ice cream.

One of the things I love most about this cake is the fact that the chocolate sauce starts melting before the ice cream does. Even when this sauce is stored in the fridge it’s still pourable, where as other sauces, like ganache, firm up once they’re cold. I think it would be great simply poured over ice cream and sprinkled with peanuts. But an ice cream cake presentation is definitely a lot more fun.

If you’re a dark chocolate fanatic feel free to substitute that for the semi-sweet in this recipe. I think I may try that next time just for kicks.

What’s your favourite ice cream treat?

Peanut Buster Parfait Ice Cream Cake

1 cup chocolate wafer cookie crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 quart (4 cups) vanilla ice cream, softened to a spreadable consistency
1/2 cup salted peanuts
chocolate sauce (recipe below)

Line a 8 inch round baking pan with foil.
Mix together cookie crumbs and butter until evenly combined. Press into bottom of prepared pan.
Top with half of the ice cream, peanuts and chocolate sauce. Repeat layers. Freezing in between if necessary.
Once fully assembled freeze until solid (about 2 hours).
To serve: loosen foil from sides of pan (warming up with hands if necessary) and lift out. Peel away foil; slice and serve.

Serves: 8

*If you need to freeze the cake in the middle of assembly place the remaining ice cream in the fridge to slow down the thawing process.

Chocolate Sauce

1/3 cup icing sugar
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup evaporated milk (1/2 can)

Place all ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer for 7 minutes, until slightly thickened (it will thicken more as it cools).
Cool completely, whisking occasionally to prevent a skin from forming.

*You can make the sauce a day ahead and store in the fridge until assembly. Just make sure to put plastic wrap directly on the surface so that a skin doesn’t form.

If making for a crowd: Double all ingredients. Press the cookie crumb mixture into the bottom of a 9×13 pan. Cover with all of ice cream. Top with peanuts and chocolate sauce. Freeze.

Bisquick Apple Fritters

Jun 3, 2011 By Cheri in Kids, Pastries, Sweets 5 Comments Tags: apple, baking mix, bisquick, easy, fritters, quick

I have a confession to make. My son bakes with me a lot but he hardly ever actually tastes the results of his efforts. I’ll say “let’s go bake Daddy a pie.” He’ll say “Yay! Daddy! Pie!” But after it’s all said and done he forgets all about it and never asks for a piece. We figure until he starts noticing what he’s missing why give it to him?

Of course there’s lot’s of taste testing along the way and when he asks I don’t deny it to him. But, if he happens to forget, which is more often then not, then I don’t offer it to him (insert evil grin here). In the case of these Apple Fritters he was my hand model so he didn’t have a chance to forget. :)

Evidence of my little helper drinking milk from the measuring cup and eating the apple scraps.

A couple of months ago I was honored to be included in Babble’s Top 100 Food Bloggers and even more honored to be rated #8 for Best Recipes. (Thank you everyone who voted for me!) Now they’ve gathered exclusive recipes from over 50 of those bloggers and are sharing them on their site. They seriously have me drooling. (You can check out all of the recipes here.)

I decided to share these Apple Fritters because I feel like they sum up what I’m about. Simple food. From scratch. That’s what I aim for anyways. So head on over to Babble for the recipe for these quick and easy Bisquick Apple Fritters.

*Just for clarification this recipe uses my Homemade Bisquick mix.*

P.S. Have you checked out the new recipe page?

Kids in the Kitchen: Jumbo Cashew Cookies

May 19, 2011 By Cheri in Cookies & Bars, Kids, Sweets 5 Comments Tags: baking mix, big, bisquick mix, cashew, cookies, easy, jumbo, Kids, large, quick

If you’ve been around here for a while you know that I like to keep homemade baking mix on hand in my fridge at all times. It makes last minute cooking/baking so much easier. The other day I was wanting to whip up some cookies real quick so I could go back to relaxing and spending time with my hubby. When I first saw this recipe I was drawn to the word cashews but when I saw that it also used Bisquick mix my mind was made up. I love finding new recipes to use my baking mix!

I was a tad bit skeptical at first. I knew the baking mix made great pancakes but I was afraid the cookies would be.. well.. pancakey. But they weren’t. They were nice and chewy and cookie-y. And, ginormous. These are the kind of cookies I like to eat for breakfast. Not too sweet and full of oats.

Now that my son is almost three years old I’ve been cooking with him a lot more in the kitchen. It has been so much fun and he is learning so much! Like, that raw potatoes don’t taste very good. And, Mommy has been learning lots to. Like, keep your eyes on him at all times or he’ll put pepper in your cookies. I’ve been letting him dig his hands in and get dirty. And, surprisingly there haven’t been too many mishaps as long as I’m careful about the jobs I give him.

This is the type of cookie that a little older kids could conquer all on there own. Or at least with very little help from mom. They’ll have fun shaping the dough and watching them grow to gargantuan size.

If you don’t like cashews I think they would be equally delicious with peanuts. Or, if you want a sweeter cookie you could add a cup of white chocolate chips. I think I’m gonna try that next time, but I also love them just the way they are.

Jumbo Cashew Cookies

1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups homemade baking mix (or Bisquick mix)
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup chopped cashews

Cream together sugar and butter. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Stir in remaining ingredients until evenly mixed.
Drop onto parchment lined or greased baking sheets by 1/4 cupful amounts, 3 inches apart. Using your hands roughly shape into circles and press down to 1/2 inch thick.
Bake at 375ºF for 8-10 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Allow to cool 3 minutes on baking sheets before removing to wire racks or paper towel to cool.

Makes: 16 cookies

Adapted from Betty Crocker

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