Bara Brith or Welsh Tea Bread

Since my husband's background is Welsh and because this type of cake looked interesting I thought I'd try one. It's pretty good...a cross between loaf cake and fruitcake.

Heads up, this needs to be started the night before.

Ingredients:

2 cups raisins and chopped candied cherries, or any dried fruit
1 teabag
1 cup sugar
1  1/4 cups boiling water
1 medium carrot, shredded
1 egg 
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp orange juice
zest of 1 orange
3  1/4 cups flour
5 tsps baking powder
1/4 tsp each cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice

Pour the boiling water over the teabag and steep for 4 minutes. Place the dried fruit in a bowl, remove the teabag from the boiling water and pour over fruit. Stir in sugar and let sit overnight.

The next day add carrot, egg, honey, orange juice and zest to the fruit and tea.

Sift flour, baking powder and spices together and mix into the wet ingredients.

Grease a 9 X 5" loaf pan and line with parchment (at least on the bottom) a pour the batter in.

Bake at 320F for 1  1/2 hours, cover loosely with foil if it starts to get too dark before the end of the baking time.

Cool on rack 10-15 minutes then remove from loaf pan with the help of the parchment paper and cool completely on rack before slicing.

Excellent with a cup of tea!

Chicken Piccata with Roasted Vegetables

Elegant and easy dinner for 4.

Start with the roasted vegetables.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb fresh green beans
2 cups sliced radicchio 
a handful of grape tomatoes
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsps olive oil
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup apple juice
1 tbsp honey
salt, pepper and thyme

Blend the olive oil, vinegar, apple juice and honey together and toss with the veggies. Spread on a parchment or silicone mat lined baking sheet.

Sprinkle with salt, pepper and thyme and bake at 400F for 30 minutes. Puncture the tomatoes halfway through. 

While they're cooking make the chicken.

For the chicken:

2 boneless chicken breasts
1 egg
2 tsp chicken broth or white wine
1  1/2 tsp lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
a few drops of hot sauce (Tabasco)
2 tbsps flour
2 tbsps parmesan
1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
pinch of salt
2 tbsps olive oil

2 tbsps butter
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp broth

Flatten the chicken breasts or slice to 1/4" thickness. I sliced them so I had 4 nice cutlets. Combine egg, broth, lemon juice, garlic and hot sauce in one bowl. Combine flour, parmesan, parsley and salt in another.

Dip chicken in flour mix, then egg mix then again in flour mix. 

Heat olive oil in pan and cook chicken 3-5 minutes on each side. Remove to a plate and keep warm while you make the sauce.

In the same pan melt butter and deglaze then add broth and lemon juice. Serve drizzled over the cutlets.

And your veggies should be just about ready now!

Pear Coffee Cake

Coffee cake... Wikipedia says coffee cake is a cake intended to be served with coffee. I don't know about you but I could eat any cake with coffee. Or any cake without coffee. Who needs the coffee?

2 pears peeled, 1 chopped and 1 sliced 
1  1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1  1/2 tsps baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/3 cup sour cream
2/3 cup buttermilk (or milk with 1 tsp vinegar)
2 tbsps vegetable oil

Grease a 9" round spring form pan.

In a large mixer bowl beat eggs and sugar together then add sour cream and buttermilk and mix until smooth.

Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet then add the oil. Next fold in the chopped pear.

Pour into prepared pan.

Top with thinly sliced pear. Sprinkle a little white sugar on top if you like.

Bake at 350F for 55-60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Cool 10 minutes then run a knife around the edge of the pan, say a prayer, then release the ring to reveal your coffee cake!

Cool completely on rack before slicing.

Just look at that texture!!

Dust with icing sugar when ready to serve.

Chicken Fajitas

Sometimes you just need a quick meal. No shame in using packaged seasoning mix and pre-cut meat.

Ingredients:

Pre-cut chicken breast strips
Red and yellow pepper strips
Sliced onion
Avocado slices
Chopped spinach
President's Choice Fajita Seasoning Mix
Tortilla wraps
sour cream

Side of fries  ; )

Following the instructions on the back of the seasoning packet, I cooked the chicken strips and onion, added peppers and the seasoning.

Just the right amount of heat, cooled by slices of avocado and a dollop of sour cream. Tasty doesn't have to take alot of time.

World's Easiest Asparagus

I don't use the term "world's easiest" lightly, but this method of cooking asparagus is literally the best!

Clean and trim the asparagus spears. Just use a vegetable peeler on the ends then snap them where they naturally bend.

Lay the spears in a long baking dish and pour boiling water over them. Leave until the water is tepid then drain. They will be perfectly tender, crisp! How easy is that?

Use as is, in your favourite recipe or toss in this vinaigrette and serve chilled or at room temperature.

Ingredients:

1  lb asparagus spears
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsps lemon juice
fresh ground black pepper and himalayan salt to taste
1/4 cup olive oil

Grilled Balsamic Beef and Vegetables

Spring is finally here.... 17 C today! Time to BBQ!

Marinade Ingredients:

3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 or 2 tbsps fresh basil
1/2 tsp dry oregano
1/2 tsp rosemary
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp lemon pepper (or black pepper)


1  1/2 lbs beef strips (inside round or sirloin)
1/2 lb snow peas
1 red pepper
1 small zucchini
1 small onion

Prepare the veggies and toss with some of the marinade.

In a separate bowl toss the beef with the remainder of the marinade. Let sit at least 1 hour.

Spray a grill basket with oil, heat and toss in the veggies. Cook until tender crisp tossing occasionally.

Remove to a dish and keep warm. The fragrance of the seasonings is making me hungry!

In the same basket toss in the marinated beef and cook a few minutes until beef is to your liking. Both veggies and beef take almost no time to cook and you can get back to enjoying a beautiful warm spring day!

Serves 2-3

Quick Green Smoothie Bowl

This makes 2 servings...my daughter and I loved it! The big guy had a taste but still isn't on board with smoothie bowls for breakfast. We're working on him!

Ingredients:
2 yogurt cups (100 g X 2 or just under 1 cup)
1/2 avocado
1/2 frozen banana
1 cup frozen mixed melons (cantalope, honeydew, watermelon)
2 tbsps hemp protein
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsps honey

Toppings:
coconut
raisins
walnuts
papaya

The recipe couldn't be any simpler...throw everything in the food processor or blender and whirl together until smooth. I used vanilla and blueberry yogurt here.

Use your favourite toppings and have a good start to your day!

Pork Chops and Pineapple Fried Rice

Cook the rice ahead of time, like even a day or two before, and this one skillet meal is ready in no time. Or if you have leftover cooked rice from a previous meal, even easier!

Ingredients:

4 pork chops
2 cups cooked rice (see No Fail Rice Pilaf link below)
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced
1/2 sweet red or yellow pepper, diced
2 pineapple rings, and juice
3 oz soya sauce
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsps honey
2 tsps sriracha sauce
2 tbsps reserved pineapple juice from rings
salt and pepper to taste
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 eggs, beaten
1  1/2 cups frozen green peas
sliced green onions to garnish

In a large skillet heat butter and oil and brown the chops.
Add onion, sweet pepper and pineapple cut in chunks. Cook 2-3 minutes.

Mix soya sauce, vinegar, honey and sriracha sauce and cook until liquid is "saucy" and the chops are cooked through. Salt and pepper to taste. Remove the chops and sauce to a plate and keep warm.

In the same pan heat a little oil and add garlic. Cook 1 minute then add the beaten eggs. Stir to scramble then add the frozen peas. When the peas are heated through, about 2 minutes, stir in the cooked rice. You may choose to add more soya sauce here.

Place chops on a serving of rice topped with veggie/pineapple sauce. Garnish with green onion.  Better than take-out!

Link to my recipe for No Fail Rice Pilaf:

http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.ca/2017/04/no-fail-rice-pilaf.html


Adapted from:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/pork-chops-with-pineapple-fried-rice/

Hot Cross Bun Bread Pudding for 2

Yes, I admit it. I still had some hot cross buns in the freezer from Easter. Lucky for me, because I was able to make this classic dessert for 2. 

The original recipe used 6-8 buns which could still be considered a dessert for 2, but I digress ; ) 

Ingredients:

2 hot cross buns
6 tbsps milk
2 tbsps coconut milk (or heavy cream)
1 egg
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
4 tsps mini chocolate chips
2 tbsps Nutella (optional)

Grease 2 ramekins large enough to hold the buns.

Cut the buns in half and dollop a heaping tablespoon of nutella on each bottom, then sit them in the ramekins.  Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of chocolate chips on each and place the tops on. My ramekins were just the right size for the hot cross buns to sit snugly.

Whisk milk, coconut milk, egg, sugar and vanilla together. Pour slowly over each bun. Add another teaspoon of chocolate chips on top.

Bake at 350 F for 30-35 minutes then dig in!

Adapted from:
http://www.janespatisserie.com/2018/03/30/hot-cross-bun-pudding/

Peanut Butter Blondies

A bit like cake, a bit like brownie, alot like yummy!

Ingredients:
2/3 cup margarine or butter at room temperature
2/3 cup peanut butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsps vanilla
1 cup flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1  1/3 cups chocolate chips

Cream together the marg, pb and sugars. Then add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the vanilla.

Combine the flours, baking powder and salt and gradually mix with the wet ingredients.

Lastly fold in the chocolate chips. I used striped chocolate/white chocolate chips.

Grease a 9 X 13" baking pan and line with parchment paper. Leave enough to be able to lift them out of the pan later.

Bake at 350 F for 45-50 minutes.  Cool in pan about 10 minutes then lift out and remove to a rack to cool.

Cut into squares and try to eat just one!

Adapted from:
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/peanut-butter-cake-bars

Old Bay Pork

I thought I wouldn't be able to find Old Bay seasoning in Canada, but one day in Walmart there it was. I scooped it up right away!

Then I picked up this lovely boneless pork loin.
Cut a couple of small roasts and these slices, 1 - 1  1/4" thick. I froze the roasts for later use.

Ingredients:
3 pork loin slices, cut thick
1 tsp lemon pepper
1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp mild deli mustard (or dry mustard if you want less zing)
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley

Sprinkle lemon pepper and Old Bay on both sides of the meat and let them come to room temperature on the counter, not more than 1 hour...30 minutes should do it.

Heat a heavy bottomed skillet and add butter. Brown meat 3-4 minutes on each side, then remove from pan and keep warm.

Add lemon juice, worcestershire, mustard and water to the skillet and stir up the brown bits. Heat through and serve this au jus over the awaiting pork.

Garnish with parsley and oh my God this was good!

Sea Salt Caramel and Nut Cookies

Mooooove over chocolate chips! These Sea Salt Caramel chips are the best of both worlds, salty and sweet and are "udderly" fantastic! 

Apparently they've been on the market for more than a year. How is it I'm only discovering them now?

Ingredients:

1 cup flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup oat flour (or oats whirled in blender)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup cocoa powder

3/4 cup butter, melted

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg

1 cup sea salt caramel chips

1/2 cup coconut

1/4 cup chopped nuts (I used pistachio and pecan)

Mix all flours, salt, baking soda and cocoa powder together and set aside.

Mix melted butter, the sugars, vanilla extract and egg together in a large mixer bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix just until combined, then fold in the chips, coconut and chopped nuts.

Using a 1/4 cup scoop  place mounds of batter on a lined baking sheet, only 5 to a sheet. Do NOT press down.

Top if desired with coconut and a whole nut.

Bake at 325 F for 15-18 minutes, wait a few minutes then remove to a rack to cool.

Makes 15 large cookies