Dirt and Worm Cake

I made this childhood classic for a play date we were having. I didn't have a flower pot, sand pail, dump truck or wagon handy, so I simply served it in a bowl. It was definitely a hit.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 packages instant vanilla pudding mix
3 1/2 cups milk
1 12 oz container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 package of chocolate sandwich cookies with creme filling

Directions:

1. Chop cookies very fine in food processor. The white cream will disappear.
2. Mix butter, cream cheese, and sugar in bowl.
3. In a large bowl mix milk, pudding and whipped topping together.
4. Combine pudding mixture and cream mixture together.
5. Layer in flower pot, starting with cookies then cream mixture. Repeat layers.
6. Chill until ready to serve.
7. Add artificial flower and trowel. Enjoy!
   

Granny's Frikadellars

These meatballs are a hit with my husband and my preschooler. My husband loved them and raved about them. I don't dare tell him it's apple sauce, wine and ketchup making them taste like that. And they are the easiest meatballs I've ever made because they brown in the oven by themselves. I plan to brown all my meatballs this way from now on.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 cup apple sauce
1/2 tsp salt
dash of pepper
4 tbsp minced onion
2 eggs
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 pound ground beef
6 tbsp white wine or water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Combine the bread crumbs with egg, 4 tbsp apple sauce, 1 tbsp ketchup and seasonings. Mix thoroughly.
3. Add meat and onion, blend.
4. Form into 1-inch balls and arrange in a shallow baking pan.
5. Bake for 15 minutes.
6. Combine remaining applesauce, ketchup and wine. Spoon over meatballs and bake 10 minutes longer.

Inspiration: Granny gave me this recipe in a recipe book she made for my wedding shower.

Ghostly Brownies

I'm so proud of myself for actually trying this recipe only days after discovering it, rather than stashing it away and forgetting about it. I first saw it at my sister-in-law's house in a Robinhood Flour recipe booklet. Then I was happy to find my own copy of the booklet at the grocery store.

This recipe was definitely a challenge to my culinary skills, or lack thereof. The brownie part was easy; I did it with my toddler. The meringue was harder, perhaps because I tried doing it with my toddler. I thought we could separate eggs using our egg separator gadget. I would crack the eggs while she held and tapped the separator. Then she would watch the meringues fluff up in the mixer.

Instead, she got confused and dumped the egg yolk into the mixer instead of the compost. Another time she bumped me while I was cracking the egg and the yolk broke into the whites. Then I didn't read the recipe carefully and I added the sugar before beating the egg whites to soft peaks. A big mistake. I got out Play Doh for my kid and started over by myself.

Piping the meringue ghosts was difficult too, or rather messy. I should have filled my piping bag completely and then piped. I filled as I went and every part of my hands ended up covered in meringue. I got the job done, but it was a mess. Definitely something I couldn't do with a toddler.

This is definitely a dessert to please any toddler. It's something that would be great to take along to any Halloween party or event.

Ingredients:

Brownies:
1 1/4 cups chocolate chips
3/4 cup butter
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Meringue:
4 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp corn starch
16-20 chocolate chips


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9-inch spring form pan.
2. Melt chocolate chips with butter. Reserve.
3. Whisk eggs with sugar and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat in chocolate and butter mixture. Stir in remaining ingredients.
4. Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven 45-50 minutes. Remove from oven.
5. Once brownies are made, beat egg whites using mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Slowly beat in sugar, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in corn starch. Spoon 1 cup meringue over baked brownies. Place remaining meringue into piping bag with a ½” plain tip, or place in heavy plastic bag and cut a ½” hole in one corner. Pipe about 8-10 ghostly shapes over the prepared brownies. Add chocolate chips to the meringue peaks for eyes.
6. Bake again in preheated oven 10-12 minutes or until meringue is lightly browned.

Inspiration: Robinhood Flour recipe booklet

Grandma's Chocolate Frosting

I was so impressed when I tried this icing on a cupcake at a Halloween party, I had to ask for the recipe right away. I made the icing the very next day for cupcakes for a Halloween play date. It was so rich and smooth and yummy. I think the instant coffee gives it a richer flavour. I will make this recipe again and again.

Ingredients:

1 stick (4 oz) butter or margarine
3 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp instant coffee
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Heat milk for about 30 seconds in microwave until hot. Stir in vanilla and instant coffee until dissolved.
2. Cream together margarine, sugar, and cocoa powder. Add warm milk and mix on high speed until fluffy.

Inspiration: Megan and How to eat a Cupcake

Elaine's Pumpkin Bread

We had this pumpkin bread at my cousin Elaine's house for Thanksgiving. Everyone there agreed it tasted better than the pumpkin pie from Costco. It had all the flavours of pumpkin pie but in a cake format. The recipe here calls for one less cup of sugar than the one elaine gave me. I can't handle the idea of three cups of sugar. I think it tastes just as good with less.

Ingredients:

3 1/3 flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 cup oil
4 eggs
2/3 cup water
1 can (16 oz) pumpkin puree
Raisins and nuts optional

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 350 F.
2. Mix together dry ingredients.
3. Make a well, pour in the wet ingredients.
4. Mix until smooth.
5. Pour into three greased and floured loaf pans.

Inspiration: Elaine's aunts recipe

Teriyaki Beef Burgers

This is the best twist on a burger ever. The original recipe called for half beef, half ground chicken, but the idea of mixing those two meats didn't appeal to me. Also, instead of adding three tablespoons of the sauce, I made two batches of the sauce: one for in the meat mixture and one for basting. We loved the extra flavour. I also added a splash of whiskey to the basting sauce, to make it like TGIF's Jack Daniels teriyaki grilling sauce. These didn't last long at our house at all. Definitely impressive.

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground beef
1/3 cup dry plain bread crumbs
1/3 cup green onions, minced
1 egg
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tbsp soy suace
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp ginger root, grated
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp sesame oil
6 hamburger buns
Lettuce, tomatoes and other burger toppings

Directions:

1. In mixer, combine beef, bread crumbs, onions, and egg. Mix well.
2. in small bowl combine ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger root, garlic and sesame oil.
3. Add 3 tbsp of the sauce to the meat and mix well. Reserve the rest of the sauce to brush onto burgers while grilling.
4. Shape meat into 8 patties. BBQ until cooked through, while basting with the sauce.
5. Serve with your favourite toppings.

Inspiration: Burger She Wrote, pg 163, Crazy Plates.

Chicken Shawarma

This recipe was originally for serving as a pita sandwich. I adapted it to serve over a bed of rice. It took a long time to get a photo for this dish. I think it's because this is so good it always gets eaten before any pictures can be taken. My husband loved this dish. My daughter loved this dish. She even mentioned it to our neighbour. "You could come over to our house for dinner. My mom makes good food," she said.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbsp allspice toasted and ground
1 tbsp coriander seed toasted and ground
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp fresh chopped summer savory
1 onion, grated
2 lb. chicken thighs, skin removed, bones removed and pounded to even thickness
Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper


Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together in a Ziploc lock bag and marinate in the fridge for at least an hour, or over night.
2. Cook in a frying pan, breaking the meat into small pieces as it cooks.
3. Serve over rice, garnished with garlic yogurt sauce.
   

Inspiration: Christine Cushing's recipe

Double Chocolate Layer Cake

I read about this recipe on this blog and had to try it. The blog author had done a showdown between this chocolate cake recipe and Martha Stewart's recipe. Chef Ed Kasky's recipe, which won the taste-test, has received more than 1,200 comments on Epicurious.

It has quite a following. I had to know what all the fuss was about, so I tried the recipe. It was good. Better than good. And it was easy too. Too easy. I've never had such a magnificent time icing a cake. The ganache goes on easily and tastes sublime. This will most certainly please every chocolate lover.

I may have spoiled the look with sprinkles, but I was taking the cake to a toddler play date. And well, toddlers love sprinkles. I also put raspberry jam in the middle instead of more icing. I used 9-inch round cake pans instead of 10 because that's what I have.

Ingredients:

Cake:
3 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate
1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
3/4 tsp vanilla

Ganache frosting:

1 pound fine-quality semisweet chocolate
1 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp light corn syrup
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter

Directions:

Make cake layers:

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. and grease pans. Line bottoms with rounds of wax paper and grease paper.
2. Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
3. Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer). Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well. Divide batter between pans and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes.
4. Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully remove wax paper and cool layers completely. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.

Make frosting:

1. Finely chop chocolate. In a 1 1/2- to 2-quart saucepan bring cream, sugar, and corn syrup to a boil over moderately low heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate, whisking until chocolate is melted. Cut butter into pieces and add to frosting, whisking until smooth.
2. Transfer frosting to a bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, until spreadable (depending on chocolate used, it may be necessary to chill frosting to spreadable consistency).
3. Spread frosting between cake layers and over top and sides. Cake keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days. Bring cake to room temperature before serving.

Inspiration: From Chef Ed Kasky, as published in Gourmet Magazine, March 1999.

Cindy's Mom's Sponge Cake

The first time I tried this cake, it was so good I had to have the recipe. My sister-in-law served it with blueberries, strawberries and whip cream. I so glad she shared. She says it
s actually her mom's recipe. The orange zest flavour makes it really stand out. I don't own an angel food cake pan, so my version probably didn't turn out perfectly. In fact, it stuck to the pan and made a big mess. But the cake made for very lovely strawberry shortcake.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
7 egg yolks
3/4 cup water
1/2 vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp orange rind zest
7 egg whites

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease angel food cake pan with butter.
2. In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.)
3. Separate eggs, dropping the yolks onto the flour mixture and the egg whites into the bowl of the stand mixer.
4. Whisk the egg whites in the mixer until stiff peaks form.
5. Hand whisk egg yolks, water, oil, vanilla and orange zest into the flour mixture.
6. Gently fold egg whites into cake batter. Pour into pan.
7. Bake for 45 minutes or until fork comes out clean.

Inspiration: Cindy's handwritten cookbook

Grilled Chicken with Balsamic Tomato Sauce

I couldn't find the picture, but I liked this recipe for how good it was and, of course, how simple it was to prepare. I love simple yet tasty dishes. This is another I'd like to remember. It came from one of my parenting magazines.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil
6 chicken breasts, skinless, boneless
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 cup canned chopped tomatoes, with juice

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in large saute pan over medium-high heat.
2. Add chicken and cook on each side until juices run clear. Remove chicken and keep warm.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the garlic and saute 1 minute. And the remaining ingredients, stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits. Cook sauce until slightly thickened, about three minutes.
4. Serve chicken with sauce spooned on top.

Inspiration: Canadian Family magazine, May 2009 issue.