Recipes

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Baby Food - Squash

A few squashes (I use acorn or celebration squash) usually 2-3

Cut the squashes in half and scoop out the guts and seeds. 

Fill a roasting pan with about a cm of water and place halved squashes opening side down into the water.

Cook in preheated oven at 350 for 40 minutes. 

Scoop out cooked flesh into blender and add some of the water from roasting pan into blender. 

Blend! Pour into ice cube trays and freeze.

3 little squashes make 2 full ice cube trays. 

Baby Food - Pears

A few pears (2 big ones, 3 small ones)

Peel and cut into chunks. 

Put into sauce pan and fill with water until water covers fruit half way. 

Bring to boil. Then cover and simmer for 10 minutes. 

Place fruit into blender and use a little liquid from sauce pan to help blend. 

Blend! Place into ice cube trays and freeze.

3 little pears made 1 ice cube tray. 

Chicken - whole

Preheat oven to 400.

Coat inside of chicken with lemon juice. Cover outside of chicken with butter and pepper. 

For stuffing cutting a lemon in half and placing inside will make a nice juicy chicken. 

For eatable stuffing simply cook some peeled, sliced apples with some onions for a few minutes (until onions are golden) then add some rosemary, pepper and bread crumbs and stuff the chicken!

Bake for 1 hour (if small chicken) or until golden on top and not pink inside!

Chicken Stock 

In slow cooker put in chicken bones. 

Cut up carrots, onion and celery (about 10 baby carrots, 1 onion and 3 celery stalks) and place in slow cooker.

Fill with water until chicken bones are covered. 

Cook on slow over night. 

Drain veggies and bones and let broth sit for 10 minutes. Skim off the fat and then freeze or sue right away in soup!

 

Pumpkin Soup in a pumpkin!

1 five lb. pumpkin (if smaller or larger, adjust the amount of liquid)

Cut a lid off the top, scoop out the seeds and stringy parts, and rub the inside flesh with salt. Set the pumpkin on a large roasting pan.

1 quart chicken or vegetable stock 

1 quart milk or soy milk 

1⁄2 cup fresh sage leaves (use less if dried) 

3 tbsp chopped garlic 

2 tsp. sea salt 

Pepper to taste 

 

Roast garlic cloves whole in oven or covered pan on low heat, until soft. Combine with liquid and spices in a large pot, mashing the cloves and heating carefully so as not to burn the milk. When the pumpkin is ready, fill with the liquid and replace the lid, putting a sheet of foil between the pumpkin and its top so it doesn’t fall in. (If you accidentally destroyed the lid while hollowing the pumpkin, just cover with foil.) Bake the filled pumpkin at 375° for 1-2 hours, depending on the thickness of your pumpkin. Occasionally open lid and check with a spoon, carefully scraping some inside flesh into the hot liquid. If the pumpkin collapses or if the flesh is stringy, remove liquid and flesh to a blender and puree. With luck, you can serve the soup in the pumpkin tureen.

From Animal Vegetable Miracle

Carrot-Tomato Soup

2 TBSP butter

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 lbs tomatoes, peeled* and sliced in half with stems removed
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
(optional) fresh sprigs of thyme, oregano or rosemary
1 medium sized yellow onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
5 medium sized carrots, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chicken (or vegetable) stock
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
3/4 cup heavy cream

Place sliced tomatoes on a baking sheet. Cover with most of the olive oil (reserving 2 TBSP or so), and the salt and pepper. If you'd like a little more flavor, I sometimes add a fresh sprig or two of oregano or thyme atop the tomatoes. Place in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes to roast.

Halfway through the roasting, melt the butter and remaining olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add onion, celery, carrots, and garlic and cook until the vegetables begin to get soft (15 minutes or so). When the tomatoes are done, add those to the pot (removing the sprigs of herbs), along with the stock. Simmer on low until the vegetables are all tender (another 15 minutes or so).

Puree the soup. (I don't have an immersion blender, so my regular blender works just fine, doing it in batches.)

Stop here and see below if you'd like to freeze some of the soup for later!**

Return the soup to the pot and onto the stove. Heat slowly. Add the chopped basil and heavy cream.

Enjoy!

Notes:

*To peel the tomatoes, heat a sauce pan full of water and bring to a boil. Place tomatoes in for a minute. Remove and let cool. The skins will peel off easily after that.

**Because I love the basil and cream to be fresh when I serve this, at this point, I try to estimate how much I'll use for dinner now and how much I'd like to freeze for later. Usually, with this recipe, I freeze a one quart mason jar, filling it to within an inch from the top to allow for expansion room when it freezes. It makes a perfect lunch or light dinner size for us, especially when served with some crusty bread and sharp cheddar cheese for sandwich dipping!

 

From Soulemama.com

 

 

Roasted Veggies

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Cut about 10 baby red potatoes into small 1in size chunks.

Cut about 15 fresh small carrots into small 1in size chunks. 

Cut 1 medium size onion into 1in size chunks. 

You an also add some parsnips if you like them, we do! 

Place cut chunks into roasting pan. Sprinkle veggies with olive in, stir veggies till covered. Add some fresh chopped up garlic. 

Sprinkle veggies with rosemary. 

Cut 5 or 6 slices of butter and place on top. 

Put in over for around 30 mins, or until veggies are tender. 

Applesauce

It's all about the apples when it comes to applesauce. If you are lucky enough to have a apple tree then you are probably going to be using small tiny apples. If you don't have a apple tree store bought apples will work too, you just need less of them. 

As a rule of thumb, one big apple with make one serving of applesauce. 10 little ones will make about 1 serving. 

if you are using big apples peel and core them and cut them into slices. If you are using small ones, peeling takes way to long, especially if you are making them in the 100's! So just cut them into quarters and slice down the middle of each quarter to essentially core them. 

Place all apple pieces into large sauce pan. I used 3 sauce pans for my 100 apples. 

Take about 1 cup of apple juice for a full big pot (you basically want to cover the bottom of the pot with liquid in order to steam the apples) for a smaller pot use about 1/4 to 1/2 a cup of apple juice. 

Cook on med low heat for 20 mins. 

For the big peeled apples you can just take a potato masher and mash up the apples at this stage. But if your apples have peel on them you will need to use a blender. 

Fill your blender till it is 3/4 full of apples. 

Add 1 tbsp of brown sugar.

Add 1/4 tsp of cinnamon. 

Blend! 

A blender 3/4 full will fill a medium size food container almost full. I had 5 blenders full of apples, and 5 containers filled with applesauce. 

The applesauce you won't use right away put into freezer bags or containers and freeze. Or even better give your fresh home made apple sauce away as gifts if there is extra :)

 

Pumpkin Jello Tarts

Easiest recipe ever!

Buy some pre-made tart shells at the grocery store. At my co-op they are in the kosher section of the bakery in the fridge (so random yes). Cook those without filling according to instructions. Mine are 10 mins at 375. 

Buy instant vanilla jello pudding. Make it! 2 cups cold milk, mixed with jello packet, blend with hand mixer for 2 mins, put in fridge for 3 mins. 

Add to made jello 1 can of pumpkin pie filling! Stir it up!

Fill cooked tarts (once cooled!) with jello, pie filling mix. 

Spray some cool whip on each tart. 

Put in fridge, eat when you want some! 

I freeze the remaining jello pie mix for later, or to make more tarts! 

Squash Soup

• 3pounds butternut squash

•     or 3 pounds acorn squash
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 garlic, cloves, diced
• 2 carrot, peeled, and, diced
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 4 cups chicken broth
• salt
• freshly cracked pepper
• 1 cup thirty-five percent cream
• chives, for garnish, coarsely, chopped

Preheat your oven to 350F

Slice the squash in half. Pour the olive oil into your hands and rub the cut faces of the squash.

Place the squash cut side down on a baking sheet and roast in the middle of the oven for about 40 minutes or until cooked through

Melt the butter in a soup pot over a medium high heat and add the onion and carrots. Sautee for 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic and curry powder. Sautee for 2 minutes longer. The butter will act upon the curry powder and garlic. Combined with the onion, it will fill your kitchen with an incredible aroma that will set everybody a salivating

Using a big spoon, scoop the squash out of its skin and into the soup pot. Chuck the skin. Pour in the chicken stock and water and stir to mix well. Turn the heat up to medium high and bring to a gentle boil. Cover the pot and simmer for 20 minutes so that all the flavours blend nicely

Remove the soup pot from the heat and puree, either in a blender or using a hand mixer. At this point you can let the soup sit till it’s serving time. When ready to eat, pour in the cream, mix well and reheat over a low heat, stirring occasionally...do not let the soup boil!

Divide the soup amongst the serving bowls and sprinkle with chives. Serve immediately

 

 

 

Recipe from food network 

http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipes/Soup/Vegetables/recipe.html?dishid=381

Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies!

 

 

 

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 chopped walnuts
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

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.

These actually taste better the next day! They are kinda too soft and falling apart fresh out of the oven, but the next day they are perfect soft and chewy! enjoy!

Hot Chocolate

1. Melt a dollop of butter in sauce pan on low heat

2. Add a handful of chocolate chips to sauce pan (you can use better chocolate if you have any, just chop it up first!) 

3. heat up in microwave 1 cup and a bit of milk (I used homo because it was thicker, but any milk will work) make sure not to boil milk in microwave!! 

4. Slowly whisk in milk into chocolate. whisking constantly. 

5. turn up heat and heat until desired temperture. I left mine on med heat for another 8 mins or so. 

6. top with whip cream if you have some!

 

Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes

This makes about 7 pancakes, enough for us but if you have a bigger family just double it! 

3/4 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon white sugar 

Mix all dry ingredients together. Form volcano in the middle to pour wet ingredients in. 

1 egg

1 1/4 cup milk 

1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter 

Pour in valcano and mix together. 

1 mushed up with fork banana

handful or so chocolate chips

Mix together. 

At this point you may need more milk. Depends on how thick and fluffy you like pancakes. The more milk you add the less fluffy and thick the pancakes will be. 

Pour scoup full of batter on pre heated frying pan. Wait till LOTS of bubbles form and flip! 

Drench with butter flavoured syrup and enjoy! 

 

Blueberry, white chocolate, lemon icing scones. 

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chunks
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon milk

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Put your stick of butter in the freezer! 
3. Gently stir flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into a large bowl. Grate frozen butter into a bowl. Scoop out 6 tablespoons into the flour mixture (I know recipe calls for 5 tbsps but since its graded and hard to measure, I just add 6 tbsps!).
4. But the whole bowl into the freezer for just a few minutes. This way the butter hardens up again.
5. Stir in the blueberries and chocolate. Mix together 1/2 cup milk and sour cream in a measuring cup. Pour all at once into the dry ingredients, and stir gently until well blended. Overworking the dough results in terrible scones!
6. With floured hands, pat scone dough into balls 2 to 3 inches across, depending on what size you want. Place onto a greased baking sheet, and flatten lightly. Let the scones barely touch each other. Whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon of milk. Brush the tops of the scones with the egg wash. Let them rest for about 10 minutes.
7. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until the tops are golden brown, not deep brown. 

Lemon Icing 

• 1/8 cup butter
• 1 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. Combine the butter, lemon juice, vanilla, and confectioner's sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add more confectioner's sugar, or lemon juice to adjust the consistency as needed.
2. Spread onto scones when they have cooled off a bit. 

Chocolate Layer Cake

1/2 cup butter
11/2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs, well-beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
11/4 cups milk

Preheat over to 350. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla, beating lightly. Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. REALLY sift, seriously it helps a lot. Add to creamed mixture, alternating with milk. Beat mixture well. Pour batter into 2 8" X 10" layer cake pans and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Creamy Chocolate Frosting

• 2 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 5 tablespoons evaporated milk (or powdered milk made at 50%, so it is really strong)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, sift together the confectioners' sugar and cocoa, and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter until smooth, then gradually beat in sugar mixture alternately with evaporated milk. Blend in vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. If necessary, adjust consistency with more milk or sugar.

 

Peppercorn Pork Tenderloin 

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp (15 mL) black peppercorns
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) cumin seeds
• 2 tsp (10 mL) packed brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
• 2 pork tenderloins, (about 2 lb/1 kg total)
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) whipping cream
• 1/3 cup (75 mL) cognac or brandy
• 2 tsp (10 mL) Dijon mustard

Preparation

In small dry skillet, toast peppercorns and cumin seeds over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Let cool.

In spice grinder or using mortar and pestle, finely grind cumin and peppercorns. Stir in sugar and salt. Rub all over pork, pressing to adhere. (Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.)

In large ovenproof skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; sear pork on all sides until well browned, about 6 minutes.

Roast in 400°F (200°C) oven until juices run clear when pork is pierced and just a hint of pink remains inside, about 25 minutes. Transfer to cutting board and tent with foil; let stand for 5 minutes, reserving accumulated juices. Carve into 1-inch
(2.5 cm) thick slices; transfer to platter.

Meanwhile, in small saucepan, whisk together cream, cognac and mustard; boil for 8 minutes or until reduced to about 1/2 cup (125 mL). Stir in accumulated pork juices; pour over pork.

Source : Canadian Living Magazine: May 2007

 

Brownies 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
•  
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8 inch square pan.
2. In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overcook.
4. To Make Frosting: Combine 3 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons cocoa, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 cup confectioners' sugar. Frost brownies while they are still warm.

source: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/best-brownies/

 

Cola Pork Ribs

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 9 hours

Total Time: 9 hours, 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs. pork loin back ribs
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 cup cola beverage
• 1 cup barbecue sauce
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves

Preparation:

Cut ribs into 2 or 3 rib portions and place in slow cooker. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and pour cola over. Cover crockpot and cook on low for 8-9 hours until the ribs are tender. Drain liquid and discard. Pour barbecue sauce and thyme into crockpot and mix so ribs are coated. Cover crockpot and cook on low for 1-2 hours until ribs are glazed. 6 servings

Source: http://busycooks.about.com/od/porkentreerecipes/r/cpsweetbbqribs.htm

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2/3 cup butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup mashed bananas
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together, and set aside.
2. Cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Mix in the mashed bananas. Add the flour mixture, and stir until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop by spoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes.

Source: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/banana-chocolate-chip-cookies/detail.aspx

 

One-Bowl Oatmeal Muffins: Basic Recipe

Oatmeal is one of the constants in the recipe and provides, in my opinion, necessary texture.

Be sure to read the recipe all the way through before getting started. You will note that the oats soak in the milk 1 hour prior to assembling the rest of the ingredients, so take that into consideration before starting out.

 Makes 12 medium muffins

• 1 cup milk*
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1 cup rolled oats (not quick oats)
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• ¼ cup dark brown sugar
• ½ cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly ground
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, freshly ground
• add-ins of your choosing (see above suggestions)

Combine milk, vinegar and oats in a large bowl and let stand one hour.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a twelve-cup muffin tin and line with cupcake papers.

Crack the egg into the oat and milk mixture; add brown sugar and mix to combine. Stir in melted butter.

Sift remaining ingredients into the bowl: flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, & spices. Gently fold into batter, taking care not to over mix.

Sprinkle add-in and flavorings of your choice and combine muffin batter gently.

Use a large ice cream scoop or 1/3 cup measuring cup to scoop batter into muffin tins. Bake until light brown and tops spring back when gently touched, about 10-12 minutes. Note: Muffins will take slightly longer to bake if you are adding fresh fruit such as blueberries or rhubarb.

Remove from oven and cool in tins. To remove, run a sharp knife around the edges and pop muffins out. Enjoy!

*You may also substitute 1 cup buttermilk, and then omit the vinegar from the recipe.

One-Bowl Oatmeal Muffins: Flavor Combinations

• 1 cup Raspberries, fresh or frozen & ½ cup Dark Chocolate, chunked or chips
• ¾ cup Diced Apple (Granny Smith or Russet) and ½ cup toasted Walnuts, roughly chopped
• ¾ cup Dried Cranberries & ½ cup toasted Pecans, roughly chopped
• ¾ cup White Chocolate, chopped or chips & 1 cup Blueberries, fresh or frozen
• ½ cup toasted unsweetened Coconut & ¾ cup Peanut-Butter Chips
• 1 cup diced Rhubarb, fresh or frozen & ½ teaspoon Green Cardamom, freshly ground
• ¾ cup Dates, pitted and chopped & ½ cup Pistachios
• ¾ cup Golden Raisins & ¾ cup grated Carrot

SOURCE: http://www.simplebites.net/how-to-make-the-best-muffins/