Sweet Potato Fries

I love these fries. My husband loves these fries. My daughter does not. They are too spicy for her. Not only do these fries taste good, they are simple to prepare. The longest part is peeling and cutting the sweet potatoes into shoestring, uniform pieces. One of those fancy potato cutters would take care of that problem in no time. The recipe is adapted from from Janet and Greta Podleski's Crazy Plates book, so they are healthy too.

Ingredients:

4 medium sweet potatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Line baking pan with tin foil. Brush with olive oil or non-stick spray.
2. Slice potatoes into shoestring French fry shapes. Toss with olive oil in a large bowl.
   
3. In a small bowl, mix remaining ingredients together. Add the spice mixture to the potatoes and stir until the potatoes are evenly covered.
4. Arrange the fries in a single layer on pan. Bake for 25 minutes. Flip the fries halfway through cooking.
   

Inspiration: My Yammy Spice recipe, pg 143 in Crazy Plates

Curry Maple Glaze Chicken

The free magazine from the Longo's grocery store had a recipe for making Cornish Hens two-ways. I tried both recipes on chicken chicken leg quarters. This one was a hit. I've made it again and again. But never with Cornish Hens.

Ingredients:

1-2 pounds chicken (leg quarters, chicken thighs, chicken breasts, whole)
1/3 maple syrup
1 tbsp mild curry paste
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. In a small bowl, mix together syrup, curry paste, oregano, and thyme.
3. Baste onto chicken three times or so during cooking.

Inspiration: Longo's Magazine Recipe

Apple Finnish Pancake

I am partial to any recipe that calls itself a Finnish Pancake. I once lived in Thunder Bay, Ont. and often dined at The Hoito, a place famous for its Finnish pancakes. This recipe isn't anything like those pancakes, but it is easy and a nice alternative to serve for breakfast. I do have a good recipe for the type of pancakes served at The Hoito, but I will save it for another time.

Ingredients:

2 cups apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tbsp butter
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup of flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp sugar


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Place apples and butter in baking dish and toss to coat. Bake in the oven for five minutes, or untiil the apples soften slightly.
3. Meanwhile whisk together eggs, milk, flour, baking powder, and salt until smooth. Set aside.
4. In a small bowl, combine cinnamon and sugar. Set aside.
5. Pour egg mixture over cooked apples. Sprinkle evenly with cinnamon sugar.
6. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until pancake is puffed and browned.

Inspiration: Cook Great Food by the Dieticians of Canada

Baked French Toast

This is a Christmas morning tradition at my house. It's so easy. I prepare it the night before and let it sit in the refrigerator. Then, I pop it in the oven and let it bake while we open gifts. By the time we get hungry, a fancy breakfast is ready and waiting. Just add syrup, microwave bacon, and fruit. I used an artisan organic French bread for this particular batch because it was the only loaf left at the grocery store on Christmas Eve.

Ingredients:

6 eggs
3 cups milk
1 loaf French bread, sliced
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp grated orange zest
1/3 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1/3 cup brown sugar

Directions:

1. In a 4-cup mixing bowl, beat eggs with a fork. Add milk until the level reaches at least 4 cups.
2. Mix in cinnamon, orange zest, cranberries, and sugar.
3. Butter a 9x13 glass or casserole dish.
4. Cut bread into smaller pieces, (halves or thirds) arrange in the pan.
5. Pour the egg mixture over the bread. With hands, or the back of a large spoon or small plate, squish the bread into the egg mixture until it is flattened and well saturated.
6. Cover with plastic wrap and set heavy plates on top to keep the bread saturated in the liquid. Keep in the fridge until morning.
7. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Bake for 35 minutes.

Inspiration: I've read recipes like this in magazines, but mostly, I made this one up.

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.