Chocolate Chip Eggnog Blondies

Classic blondies go Christmas in this dense cake, brownie-type square.

Ingredients:

1  cup flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup eggnog

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

3 tbsps red and green sprinkles

Whisk the flour, baking powder, nutmeg and cinnamon together. In another bowl cream the butter and brown sugar together, then add the egg and eggnog. Now add the wet to the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Stir in the walnuts, chocolate chips and 2 tbsps of sprinkles.

Spoon the batter into a greased 8 X 8" baking pan and top with the remaining 1 tbsp of sprinkles. Bake at 350°F for 30-34 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean and the cake has come away from the sides of the pan.

Cool in pan on rack before removing to cut.

Some people like the center squares with no crispy edges.

If you are one of those people you can trim off the edges so that all the squares are like center squares. But save the cutoffs, they are great taste testers!

Easy Christmas Fruitcake

So, is this the year you decide to make a fruitcake? This dense and dark British cake is a tradition and one of my favourite things at Christmastime. Fill it with your choice of fruits and nuts and no, I didn't forget the eggs. There are no eggs in this batter.

Ingredients:

8 cups dried fruit and nuts (here is what I used, but other suggestions are prunes, dried apricots, pecans, dates...)

  8 oz raisins

  8 oz mixed peel

  7 oz chopped soft figs

  6 oz chopped walnuts

  4 oz candied pineapple (plus more to garnish)

  3 oz dried cranberries

  2 oz glazed cherries (plus more to garnish)

  

2 1/3 cups orange juice

2 tsps rum extract

zest of 1 orange

2 tbsps molasses

2 cups flour

4 tsps baking powder 

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp allspice

Glaze:

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp rum (optional)

Begin by mixing your choice of mixed fruit and nuts together in a large bowl. Add the orange juice and rum extract (or rum) and stir together. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Add the orange zest and molasses. Now mix the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and allspice together and stir it into the fruit mixture. The batter will be thick and you'll have to stir well to fully combine everything. Line an 8 X 8" baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang. Spoon the batter in and decorate the top. I used pineapple and cherries, but you do you! You can see that the batter really fills the pan. That's ok!

Bake in a 320°F oven for 2 hours. A cake tester should come out clean. Turn off the heat and leave the fruitcake in the oven for an additional 30 minutes. Cool on rack completely before removing from pan. (This can take a few hours)

While it's still warm, poke a few holes in it with a skewer or your cake tester. Some people like to brush it with rum or brandy but I prefer this glaze. Boil the sugar and water together in a small saucepan for 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat and add 1 tbsp of rum. Then brush over the top of the cake.

Once the fruitcake is completely cooled use the parchment overhang to lift it out of the pan.

Then sit back and admire what you just baked!!

And only slice it when it is fully cooled.

I cut mine in half so it's like 2 loaves. I wrap each in wax paper and foil to keep them fresh and moist.

Quick Bread Sandwich Bake

Quick lunch or snack that's ready in minutes. This one's just got salami and mozzarella in it, but I'm thinking next time maybe adding roasted red peppers, some black olives, chopped spinach ... what do you think?

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

3 tbsps olive oil

1 cup flour

3 tbsps parmesan cheese

2 tsps baking powder

1 cup shredded mozzarella 

a few slices of salami

sesame seeds and oregano

Mix the eggs with milk and olive oil. Then combine the flour, baking powder and parmesan and add to the wet ingredients. Mix well, then pour half the batter (about 3/4 cup) into an oiled 10" cast iron pan or regular baking pan. Layer the salami and top with mozzarella.

Pour the rest of the batter on top. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and oregano and bake in a 350°F oven for 25 minutes.

Cut into wedges and serve! Maybe a bit of tomato sauce for dipping on the side? 

Greek Cabbage and Rice - Lahanorizo

I was looking for a dish to make with cabbage when I came across recipes for Lahanorizo, this Greek-style comfort food cabbage and rice meal. It's a one pot stew that's like unstuffed stuffed cabbage rolls!  

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 tsps minced garlic

1 lb ground beef

15 oz canned tomato purée

1 carrot, shredded

8 cups chopped cabbage

1 tsp dry oregano

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup rice

1 cup water or broth

1 tbsp lemon juice

Garnishes (optional) :

1 block halloumi cheese

chopped parsley

olives

Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add the onion and cook until golden and soft. Add the garlic and ground beef and cook until no pink remains in the beef, then stir in the tomato purée. Add carrot, cabbage, salt, pepper and oregano and stir well to combine.

Now push everything to the side making a well in the center of the pot. Pour the rice and water/broth in...

and push down with a spoon so the rice is covered with liquid. Bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer 15-17 minutes or until rice is cooked.

Let sit off heat, still covered, for 5 minutes then stir together adding lemon juice and parsley. Taste to see if you want to add more salt and pepper.

Cut the halloumi in 1/2" sticks and pat dry with a paper towel. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and brown the cheese on all sides.

You can serve your Lahanorizo straight from the pot garnished with halloumi, parsley and olives or spoon it into a casserole dish for heating up later.

Serves 6-8

How to Cook a Frozen Chicken

From frozen to fall-off-the-bone goodness! Did you know you could take a chicken right from the freezer and cook it without thawing? You can!

Ingredients:

2 3/4 lb frozen chicken

4 or 5 carrots, halved or quartered lengthwise

1 onion, sliced thick

1/4 cup of your favourite BBQ or dipping sauce

1/2 cup broth or water

1 lemon, zested and quartered

2 sprigs fresh dill, chopped

Layer the carrots and onion on the bottom of the slow cooker crock. Zest the lemon and reserve. Quarter the lemon and place in with the carrots and onion. Two quarters are enough for a nice lemony taste, four make the carrots very lemony. Or leave them out all together depending on your taste. Now sit the chicken on top. Look, you can still see some ice crystals on it!

Brush your BBQ sauce all over the chicken. I used leftover General Tao sauce from my Easy General Tao Chicken recipe of last week. Pour the broth or water in the bottom then sprinkle the lemon zest on the chicken and the dill over the veggies.

Cover and cook on high for 1 hour, then reduce heat to low and cook another 4-5 hours. NOTE: If you are not using a frozen chicken the whole thing should take about 3 hours on high. It's done when the internal temperature reads 165°F.

Beauty!

Honey and Kale Shrimp

A few common ingredients combine for an uncommonly good dinner for two that's ready in 30 minutes!

Ingredients:

300g (2/3 lb) raw shrimp, size 16/20

2 tbsps honey

2 tbsps sodium reduced soya sauce

1 tsp freshly grated ginger

3 tsps minced garlic

pinch red pepper flakes

2 tsps light olive oil

1 tbsp butter

black pepper to taste

2 kale leaves, de-stemmed and chopped

Sauce:

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp soya sauce

1 tbsp sweet chili sauce

Start by marinating the shrimp. Mix 2 tbsps honey, 2 tbsps soya sauce, ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes. Add the shrimp and marinate 20 minutes. 

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet on medium high. Discard the marinade and cook the shrimp until no pink remains, about 1-2 minutes per side. Toss with kale and black pepper, cover and cook 1 minute to wilt the kale.

Mix the sauce ingredients together and pour into the skillet. Toss to coat and simmer 2 minutes then you're ready to serve.

Serves 2

Feta and Fusilli

Roasted tomatoes, lots of seasonings, insanely cheesy deliciousness and the fusilli pasta holds all of it in it's little twists.

Ingredients:

7 oz (oregano) feta

1 pint grape tomatoes

3 tsps minced garlic

1/4 cup olive oil

pepper to taste

2 pinches red pepper flakes

a few shakes of Mrs. Dash original blend

3/4 lb tricolour fusilli

1 cup reserved pasta water

1 1/2 cups lightly packed baby greens.

Toss tomatoes and garlic with half of the olive oil and place in a 10 inch cast iron pan. Make a space in the center of the tomatoes for the feta. (I used oregano flavoured feta, but plain is good too) Sprinkle pepper, red pepper flakes and Mrs. Dash. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the cheese and bake in a 400°F oven for 30 minutes.

About halfway through cooking the cheese and tomatoes cook the fusilli. Before draining reserve 1 cup of pasta water then drain and toss the fusilli with the greens.

When the cheese is ready break it up with the back of a spoon and crush down the tomatoes. 

Stir in enough of the pasta water to reach a creamy consistency that coats everything when stirred together.

Serves 4

Easy General Tao Chicken

Fried chicken that's crispy, sweet and a little bit spicy... what's not to love?

Ingredients:

1 egg

1 tsp low sodium soya sauce

1 cup General Tao prepared sauce

2 tbsps cornstarch

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken strips

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 small red onion, sliced

2 cups snowpeas

1/2 cup diced red pepper

1 small carrot, sliced thinly on the diagonal

1/3 cup water

sesame seeds to garnish

In a large bowl whisk the egg, soya sauce and 2 tbsps of General Tao sauce together. Then whisk in the cornstarch and add the chicken strips. Stir to coat. I like this V-H General Tao but use any you like. Or make your own but that takes the "easy" out of Easy General Tao Chicken 😉 

Heat vegetable oil in a wok to 350°F and start cooking the chicken in batches for about 2 minutes or until golden and crispy. Remove to a paper towel lined plate and continue until all the chicken is cooked.

Remove all but 2 tbsps of oil from the wok then add the onion and cook 2 minutes. Add the snowpeas, red pepper and carrots with 1/3 cup of water, cover and steam for 3 minutes.

Pour in the General Tao sauce and add the chicken, stir to coat everything and simmer and few minutes until heated through.

Add sesame seeds and serve.

Makes 4 servings

Gingerbread Banana Streusel Muffins

Ginger root gives these Gingerbread Banana Streusel Muffins a spicy bite that just plain old ground ginger can't give you. Perfect to kickstart your holiday baking!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground ginger 

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 egg

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana

1/2 cup melted butter

1/4 cup minced gingerroot 

1/4 cup molasses

Streusel:

1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts

1 tbsp brown sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground ginger 

Mix the streusel ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and dry spices. In another bowl beat the egg, banana, melted butter, gingerroot and molasses together.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix just until combined. Set paper liners in a muffin tin and fill about 1/3 with batter. Then add a heaping spoonful of streusel followed by more batter. Top with a light sprinkling of streusel. (I like more of the streusel in the middle of the muffin. When it's on top it tends to fall off when eating.)

Bake in a 375°F oven for 22-25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Makes 12 medium sized muffins. Sit back and enjoy their spicy intensity!