A few years ago, I made Black-Bottom Peanut Butter Mousse Pie (click here for the Bon Appetit recipe on the epicurious.com website) for dessert for a summer dinner at my Mom and Dad’s.
It was an instant hit with my family. My sister liked it so much, she wanted me to make it for her birthday, even though it was the following December!
My grandmother also liked it, and wondered when I could come and cook for her friends.
It’s obvious that this dessert is very family friendly. Everyone will love it and will probably ask for seconds.
It’s easy to make, too, with the recipe relying on the microwave oven to do most of the work.
Graham crackers, unsalted butter and sugar are pulsed in a food processor until moist clumps form. The crumb mixture is pressed over the bottom and up the sides of a glass pie dish (don’t worry if you can’t get up very high on the sides), and the crust is baked.
Bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips, whipping cream, corn syrup and vanilla are microwaved until chocolate softens, then the mixture is whisked until smooth. This is spread over the crust and chilled for a few minutes.
Peanut butter chips and whipping cream are microwaved until the chips soften, then peanut butter and vanilla are whisked in. The mixture is cooled.
Whipping cream and sugar are beaten together until thick (but not yet holding peaks). This is folded into the peanut butter mixture and then spooned over the chocolate layer.
Chill at least an hour.
Serve and watch your family enjoy it!
Friday, July 30, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Nectarine Shortcakes: Serve on a
dreamy summer morning
Nectarines are perfect now, and I’ve got a perfect way to use them: Nectarine Shortcakes (click here for the recipe on the Martha Stewart Living website).
This recipe is on my all-time best list.
If you serve the shortcakes for breakfast outside on a sunny summer morning, it will seem as if a dream has come true.
Those who are lucky enough to eat them will likely talk about them fondly for years to come!
The shortcakes are easy to prepare, but are best on the day they’re made. Luckily, the recipe yields about eight, so four people will easily eat them up.
Half a pound of nectarines are cut into half-inch pieces, then combined with fresh lemon juice and sugar and left to stand for 15 minutes.
Flour, baking powder, salt and sugar are whisked together, then small pieces of cold unsalted butter are added and blended in. (The recipe says to use a pastry blender; hands will work fine!) Heavy cream (I use whipping cream) and the nectarine mixture are stirred in.
The dough is cut into eight rounds, brushed with cream, and sprinkled with sanding sugar (I used superfine granulated sugar, sometimes labeled berry sugar or extra-fine granulated sugar).
The shortcakes are baked, then cooled for a few minutes on a wire rack.
This recipe is on my all-time best list.
If you serve the shortcakes for breakfast outside on a sunny summer morning, it will seem as if a dream has come true.
Those who are lucky enough to eat them will likely talk about them fondly for years to come!
The shortcakes are easy to prepare, but are best on the day they’re made. Luckily, the recipe yields about eight, so four people will easily eat them up.
Half a pound of nectarines are cut into half-inch pieces, then combined with fresh lemon juice and sugar and left to stand for 15 minutes.
Flour, baking powder, salt and sugar are whisked together, then small pieces of cold unsalted butter are added and blended in. (The recipe says to use a pastry blender; hands will work fine!) Heavy cream (I use whipping cream) and the nectarine mixture are stirred in.
The dough is cut into eight rounds, brushed with cream, and sprinkled with sanding sugar (I used superfine granulated sugar, sometimes labeled berry sugar or extra-fine granulated sugar).
The shortcakes are baked, then cooled for a few minutes on a wire rack.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
A fantastic way to use that zucchini: Shaved Zucchini Salad with Parmesan and Pine Nuts
A friend of mine once joked that August is the month when, if you leave your car door open while parked on the street, you’ll find a zucchini in it when you come back.
Thus is the effort of those who grow the green-skinned vegetable to thrust it upon others if plentiful, and especially if the zucchini is monstrous.
Luckily, I have a few great recipes that use zucchini tucked away to use during this season.
On Tuesday night, I discovered my latest new favorite zucchini recipe when my husband and I made Shaved Zucchini Salad with Parmesan and Pine Nuts from the August 2010 issue of Bon Appetit magazine.
I really can’t express properly how terrific this salad was. It was absolutely delicious. It has officially become a new heavy-rotation summer salad recipe.
Although the salad is easy to make and can quickly be put together on a weeknight, it is elegant enough to work at a sit-down summer dinner party. Served as a first course, it will impress.
The secret ingredients, in my opinion, are the coarse kosher salt and crushed red pepper, which lends a pickle-like taste to the salad that’s very appealing.
Two pounds of medium zucchini are trimmed and sliced with a vegetable peeler or V-slicer, and a dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, coarse salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper is added. Chopped fresh basil and toasted pine nuts come next, and the salad is tossed.
Strips of Parmesan cheese are shaved off a wedge with a vegetable peeler. Although the recipe says to put the strips on top of the salad, I placed them on individual servings.
Thus is the effort of those who grow the green-skinned vegetable to thrust it upon others if plentiful, and especially if the zucchini is monstrous.
Luckily, I have a few great recipes that use zucchini tucked away to use during this season.
On Tuesday night, I discovered my latest new favorite zucchini recipe when my husband and I made Shaved Zucchini Salad with Parmesan and Pine Nuts from the August 2010 issue of Bon Appetit magazine.
I really can’t express properly how terrific this salad was. It was absolutely delicious. It has officially become a new heavy-rotation summer salad recipe.
Although the salad is easy to make and can quickly be put together on a weeknight, it is elegant enough to work at a sit-down summer dinner party. Served as a first course, it will impress.
The secret ingredients, in my opinion, are the coarse kosher salt and crushed red pepper, which lends a pickle-like taste to the salad that’s very appealing.
Two pounds of medium zucchini are trimmed and sliced with a vegetable peeler or V-slicer, and a dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, coarse salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper is added. Chopped fresh basil and toasted pine nuts come next, and the salad is tossed.
Strips of Parmesan cheese are shaved off a wedge with a vegetable peeler. Although the recipe says to put the strips on top of the salad, I placed them on individual servings.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
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Monday, July 26, 2010
Paprika and cherries, all in one day
My husband and I made two recipes from the July 2010 issue of BBC GoodFood magazine today, and both were terrific. They were Paprika Chicken Ciabattas and Baked Cherry Cheesecake.
Paprika Chicken Ciabattas were an absolute cinch to put together (or so my husband tells me – he made them!)
The results, for such little time and effort required, were amazing: The chicken was juicy and went well with the toasted buns and lettuce.
The secret ingredient of the recipe, though, is the spread that’s put on the toasted buns – mayonnaise mixed with some crushed garlic. Don’t skip this!
The recipe calls for a ciabatta loaf. When I couldn’t find this, I bought some wide whole-wheat submarine buns, and they worked well.
It seems the recipe doesn't ask for putting another ciabatta half on top to make a sandwich -- that's what my husband and I did.
The recipe also calls for smoked paprika, not to be confused with regular paprika. In Canada, the McCormick line of spices has smoked paprika, and it is also found in gourmet food stores.
The ciabattas is generally family-friendly. I could see most people over the age of 10 going for them.
They would work for an informal backyard get-together – you could make a platter of these and put them out for the gang.
Baked Cherry Cheesecake is a recipe submitted to GoodFood magazine by one of its readers, who said she had made it more than 100 times because it was such a favorite among friends and family.
It’s a lot like a dessert my mother makes, with a cream cheese middle and berry topping.
Don’t let the word “cheesecake” scare you off. There’s absolutely nothing complicated about this recipe. I was actually a little shocked by how incredibly easy it is!
The recipe calls for “light soft cheese” – that’s cream cheese here in North America. It also calls for “caster sugar” – that’s superfine sugar, sometimes labelled berry sugar or extra fine granulated sugar. The “springform tin” – that’s a springform pan.
I was able to find the called-for digestive biscuits in the cookie aisle of the supermarket.
Don't worry about pressing up the cookie crust all the way up the sides of the springform pan. I could only push it up a little way. The cheesecake stays together nicely regardless of the height of the crust on the sides.
Although the recipe doesn’t have an instruction to do this, I thought it might make things even easier, if it was possible, to use a food processor while making the crust.
The recipe says to combine 12 crushed digestive biscuits with melted butter and caster sugar. I placed these ingredients together and whizzed them up in a food processor, and that made easy work of creating the crumb crust.
Paprika Chicken Ciabattas were an absolute cinch to put together (or so my husband tells me – he made them!)
The results, for such little time and effort required, were amazing: The chicken was juicy and went well with the toasted buns and lettuce.
The secret ingredient of the recipe, though, is the spread that’s put on the toasted buns – mayonnaise mixed with some crushed garlic. Don’t skip this!
The recipe calls for a ciabatta loaf. When I couldn’t find this, I bought some wide whole-wheat submarine buns, and they worked well.
It seems the recipe doesn't ask for putting another ciabatta half on top to make a sandwich -- that's what my husband and I did.
The recipe also calls for smoked paprika, not to be confused with regular paprika. In Canada, the McCormick line of spices has smoked paprika, and it is also found in gourmet food stores.
The ciabattas is generally family-friendly. I could see most people over the age of 10 going for them.
They would work for an informal backyard get-together – you could make a platter of these and put them out for the gang.
Baked Cherry Cheesecake is a recipe submitted to GoodFood magazine by one of its readers, who said she had made it more than 100 times because it was such a favorite among friends and family.
It’s a lot like a dessert my mother makes, with a cream cheese middle and berry topping.
Don’t let the word “cheesecake” scare you off. There’s absolutely nothing complicated about this recipe. I was actually a little shocked by how incredibly easy it is!
The recipe calls for “light soft cheese” – that’s cream cheese here in North America. It also calls for “caster sugar” – that’s superfine sugar, sometimes labelled berry sugar or extra fine granulated sugar. The “springform tin” – that’s a springform pan.
I was able to find the called-for digestive biscuits in the cookie aisle of the supermarket.
Don't worry about pressing up the cookie crust all the way up the sides of the springform pan. I could only push it up a little way. The cheesecake stays together nicely regardless of the height of the crust on the sides.
Although the recipe doesn’t have an instruction to do this, I thought it might make things even easier, if it was possible, to use a food processor while making the crust.
The recipe says to combine 12 crushed digestive biscuits with melted butter and caster sugar. I placed these ingredients together and whizzed them up in a food processor, and that made easy work of creating the crumb crust.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Muddle your way to a magnificent mojito
The word “muddle” has a negative connotation.
It implies that a person messed something up or that he or she did something half-fast.
But there’s a time when muddle is a lovely word, a brilliant word: When you’re making a mojito.
Muddling is key to the success of this cocktail. Muddling releases and blends the lime and mint flavors that are the trademarks of the mojito.
You can muddle with a special tool, appropriately called a muddler, or the end of a wooden spoon. To muddle, you push on the limes and mint. It’s a great way to let out stress or frustrations.
Mojitos took the food world by storm a couple of years ago.
You know it’s a popular drink when you go to the supermarket and the mint is labelled “mojito mint” as if it has no other purpose.
I’m rather fond of my mojito-making technique. It seems to produce consistently good cocktails.
Here’s how I do it (makes one mojito):
- Put seven fresh mint leaves in a tall glass. Add one tablespoon of freshly-squeezed lime juice, and put the squeezed section into the glass. I find that half of a decent-sized lime yields about one tbsp of lime juice.
- Add two teaspoons of sugar (or Splenda), and muddle until the sugar dissolves.
- Fill glass with ice.
- Add 1 ½ oz. white rum.
- Top with club soda and stir to mix.
- Serve with a straw.
You will have muddled your way to a party after producing a few of these!
It implies that a person messed something up or that he or she did something half-fast.
But there’s a time when muddle is a lovely word, a brilliant word: When you’re making a mojito.
Muddling is key to the success of this cocktail. Muddling releases and blends the lime and mint flavors that are the trademarks of the mojito.
You can muddle with a special tool, appropriately called a muddler, or the end of a wooden spoon. To muddle, you push on the limes and mint. It’s a great way to let out stress or frustrations.
Mojitos took the food world by storm a couple of years ago.
You know it’s a popular drink when you go to the supermarket and the mint is labelled “mojito mint” as if it has no other purpose.
I’m rather fond of my mojito-making technique. It seems to produce consistently good cocktails.
Here’s how I do it (makes one mojito):
- Put seven fresh mint leaves in a tall glass. Add one tablespoon of freshly-squeezed lime juice, and put the squeezed section into the glass. I find that half of a decent-sized lime yields about one tbsp of lime juice.
- Add two teaspoons of sugar (or Splenda), and muddle until the sugar dissolves.
- Fill glass with ice.
- Add 1 ½ oz. white rum.
- Top with club soda and stir to mix.
- Serve with a straw.
You will have muddled your way to a party after producing a few of these!
Thursday, July 22, 2010
A worthy side to your steak: Warm Bread with Garlic-Herb Butter
You’re out in the backyard, grilling some steaks. The mouth-watering smell drifts upward, making you think . . . what am I going to serve with my awesome pieces of meat?
I’ve got a great suggestion: Warm Bread with Garlic-Herb Butter (click here for the recipe on the Martha Stewart Living website).
The butter, studded with chopped garlic, chives and parsley, melts into the bread, producing a savory, delicious side to your steak.
This recipe doesn’t require that you actually make the bread, just the butter.
However, instead of taking a loaf of crusty bread and warming it in the oven as the recipe directs, I take another route.
I buy ready-to-bake bread, available in the bakery section of many supermarkets, and pop that in the oven. It’s the next best thing to homemade.
The recipe calls for two sticks (one cup) of unsalted butter. I find this makes a lot, so I halve the entire recipe.
The butter will keep for a few days if refrigerated.
To make it, a minced garlic clove and coarse salt are crushed together with a mortle and pestle to form a paste. This is put in a bowl, and chopped fresh parsley and chives, lemon juice and softened butter is added. All the ingredients are stirred together until well combined.
Serve and watch your guests melt along with the butter!
I’ve got a great suggestion: Warm Bread with Garlic-Herb Butter (click here for the recipe on the Martha Stewart Living website).
The butter, studded with chopped garlic, chives and parsley, melts into the bread, producing a savory, delicious side to your steak.
This recipe doesn’t require that you actually make the bread, just the butter.
However, instead of taking a loaf of crusty bread and warming it in the oven as the recipe directs, I take another route.
I buy ready-to-bake bread, available in the bakery section of many supermarkets, and pop that in the oven. It’s the next best thing to homemade.
The recipe calls for two sticks (one cup) of unsalted butter. I find this makes a lot, so I halve the entire recipe.
The butter will keep for a few days if refrigerated.
To make it, a minced garlic clove and coarse salt are crushed together with a mortle and pestle to form a paste. This is put in a bowl, and chopped fresh parsley and chives, lemon juice and softened butter is added. All the ingredients are stirred together until well combined.
Serve and watch your guests melt along with the butter!
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Awesome orzo
Orzo, a rice-shaped pasta, is the star ingredient in a couple of my favorite side dishes that are great to serve in the spring and summer.
Orzo with Tomatoes, Feta and Green Onions, from Bon Appetit magazine, and Orzo with Feta, Tomatoes and Dill from Gourmet magazine are terrific alongside chicken and pork.
Both dishes are very easy to make, and generally family friendly. Only the very youngest of gourmands may not take to them.
They are both very portable and can be served at room temperature, and so are terrific to take along to a backyard party.
Orzo with Tomatoes, Feta and Green Onions (click here for the recipe)
This recipe was created by Giada De Laurentiis for a featured spring menu in the April 2006 issue of Bon Appetit.
Fresh basil is absolutely key to its success.
To make it, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, honey and olive oil are whisked together in a small bowl.
Orzo is boiled in chicken broth, drained and then tossed frequently until cool. This last part is important: make sure the orzo has cooled before you continue adding ingredients to it.
Halved teardrop or grape tomatoes, cubed feta cheese, chopped fresh basil and the vinaigrette are added to the orzo and tossed to coat. Toasted pine nuts are scattered over top.
This dish is served at room temperature.
Orzo with Feta, Tomatoes and Dill (click here for the recipe)
This recipe, from the late, great Gourmet magazine, is one of my husband’s faves. He especially likes it the next day, when the flavours have developed a little more, but it’s fine to serve on the day it’s made.
One tip about this recipe: It doesn’t specify to let the orzo pasta cool after it’s been boiled. I let it completely cool, as is done in the top recipe, to make sure the final product has a cold pasta salad appeal. It tastes best this way.
Oil, halved cherry tomatoes, chopped dill, grated lemon zest and salt and pepper are combined and left to stand for least 10 minutes.
The orzo is boiled until al dente, drained, (let it cool!), and tossed with the tomato mixture. Crumbled feta is added and everything is tossed again.
Orzo with Tomatoes, Feta and Green Onions, from Bon Appetit magazine, and Orzo with Feta, Tomatoes and Dill from Gourmet magazine are terrific alongside chicken and pork.
Both dishes are very easy to make, and generally family friendly. Only the very youngest of gourmands may not take to them.
They are both very portable and can be served at room temperature, and so are terrific to take along to a backyard party.
Orzo with Tomatoes, Feta and Green Onions (click here for the recipe)
This recipe was created by Giada De Laurentiis for a featured spring menu in the April 2006 issue of Bon Appetit.
Fresh basil is absolutely key to its success.
To make it, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, honey and olive oil are whisked together in a small bowl.
Orzo is boiled in chicken broth, drained and then tossed frequently until cool. This last part is important: make sure the orzo has cooled before you continue adding ingredients to it.
Halved teardrop or grape tomatoes, cubed feta cheese, chopped fresh basil and the vinaigrette are added to the orzo and tossed to coat. Toasted pine nuts are scattered over top.
This dish is served at room temperature.
Orzo with Feta, Tomatoes and Dill (click here for the recipe)
This recipe, from the late, great Gourmet magazine, is one of my husband’s faves. He especially likes it the next day, when the flavours have developed a little more, but it’s fine to serve on the day it’s made.
One tip about this recipe: It doesn’t specify to let the orzo pasta cool after it’s been boiled. I let it completely cool, as is done in the top recipe, to make sure the final product has a cold pasta salad appeal. It tastes best this way.
Oil, halved cherry tomatoes, chopped dill, grated lemon zest and salt and pepper are combined and left to stand for least 10 minutes.
The orzo is boiled until al dente, drained, (let it cool!), and tossed with the tomato mixture. Crumbled feta is added and everything is tossed again.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Mint driving you crazy?
Here's a great way to use it
Every year I like to grow mint in my herb garden. This year I planted peppermint and a spearmint.
As a mint plant grows, I like to watch its glorious green leaves reach out to the sky, ready to be picked and used in a delicious dish or recipe.
But as anyone who plants mint knows, it grows well. There’s no need to coax a mint plant along – there is always a plethora ready to be picked once it starts to grow.
The recipe I write about today, Mintade, is one of my favorite ways to use plentiful mint.
It’s so quick, so easy, and a lovely drink to serve at a summer breakfast.
The recipe was originally published in Gourmet magazine a few years back, but is not present on epicurious.com, the mag’s recipe site.
However, I found it reprinted on another blog. Click here for the recipe.
The recipe calls for fresh orange juice and fresh pink grapefruit juice, but in the interest of saving time, I use store-bought juices in these instances.
The fresh lemon and lime juices, though, I squeeze from the citrus fruits with a juicer.
The recipe says to tear the mint leaves, and that’s a good direction. It helps release the mint flavor into the drink.
The blog on which this recipe is reprinted says the writer used ¼ sugar – I used ½ cup as the recipe directed. And, I used Splenda instead of sugar.
You don’t need to strain out the mint leaves before serving this drink. They will settle to the bottom of the glass, or sneak in with a sip.
To make mintade, orange, pink grapefruit, lemon and lime juices are combined with water, fresh mint leaves and sugar.
Chill and serve!
Hibiscus and Ginger Iced Tea - another brilliant non-alcoholic summer refresher.
As a mint plant grows, I like to watch its glorious green leaves reach out to the sky, ready to be picked and used in a delicious dish or recipe.
But as anyone who plants mint knows, it grows well. There’s no need to coax a mint plant along – there is always a plethora ready to be picked once it starts to grow.
The recipe I write about today, Mintade, is one of my favorite ways to use plentiful mint.
It’s so quick, so easy, and a lovely drink to serve at a summer breakfast.
The recipe was originally published in Gourmet magazine a few years back, but is not present on epicurious.com, the mag’s recipe site.
However, I found it reprinted on another blog. Click here for the recipe.
The recipe calls for fresh orange juice and fresh pink grapefruit juice, but in the interest of saving time, I use store-bought juices in these instances.
The fresh lemon and lime juices, though, I squeeze from the citrus fruits with a juicer.
The recipe says to tear the mint leaves, and that’s a good direction. It helps release the mint flavor into the drink.
The blog on which this recipe is reprinted says the writer used ¼ sugar – I used ½ cup as the recipe directed. And, I used Splenda instead of sugar.
You don’t need to strain out the mint leaves before serving this drink. They will settle to the bottom of the glass, or sneak in with a sip.
To make mintade, orange, pink grapefruit, lemon and lime juices are combined with water, fresh mint leaves and sugar.
Chill and serve!
Hibiscus and Ginger Iced Tea - another brilliant non-alcoholic summer refresher.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
A recipe that has really worked - our marriage
Today my husband and I have been married for 10 years.
It sounds very cliché, but it absolutely feels like yesterday when we said our vows in my hometown of Esterhazy, Saskatchewan.
My husband is responsible for a lot of content here on Recipes That Worked.
I worked an evening shift for several years before I started writing this blog, and he made supper for us several times a week.
He was often the first to try out a new recipe that I had picked out, and he always did it without complaint.
On this occasion of my wedding anniversary, I’m featuring a couple of recipes my husband and I recently tried that he really liked (I liked them, too.)
Easy Chocolate Cupcakes (click here for the recipe at the BBC GoodFood website) have an apt name – they were very easy to make.
The icing is the real treat, but the recipe produces a lot. I only used about half of it. You might consider making a second batch of cupcakes and using up the icing.
Here’s my official make-it-better tip: Although people will be clamoring to try these cupcakes on the day they’re made, if you can keep them in a sealed container until the next day, they will have more moisture and the flavor will be deeper.
The recipe calls for light muscovado sugar. I found demerara sugar at the supermarket and used it as a substitute, but I found several mentions online that dark brown sugar would also be an effective substitute.
To make the cupcakes, dark chocolate is whizzed into small pieces in a food processor, and some of the pieces are mixed together with soured cream (a.k.a sour cream), cocoa powder, self-raising flour, sunflower oil, eggs, vanilla and water using electric beaters.
The batter is divided among the holes in a muffin tin that have been lined with paper cups. The cupcakes are baked and cooled.
The icing is made by melting the remaining chocolate bits with sour cream and sugar in a small saucepan. It’s put in the fridge until it is cool enough to spread on the waiting muffins.
Vietnamese Prawn Salad (click here for the recipe on the BBC GoodFood website) is a fresh dish that’s great to make if you’re craving something with noodles but don’t want anything steaming hot.
It’s quite easy to put together. Boiling water is poured over thin rice noodles (also called vermicelli; found in the Asian foods section of the supermarket), and they’re left to stand for 10 minutes. Then they’re drained.
Mashed garlic, a small red chilli (we used a half of a jalapeno pepper), golden caster sugar (we used superfine sugar, sometimes labelled berry sugar or extra fine granulated sugar), and the juice of two limes comprise the dressing.
Cooked tiger prawns (we used cooked shrimp), cucumber, carrot, spring onions (green onions or scallions) are tossed together.
The salad is served by putting noodles on a plate, topping it with the prawn and vegetable mixture and scattering mint or cilantro (we used mint) and chopped peanuts on top.
Two of my husband's other favorites:
Tunnel of Fudge Cake
Red Wine-Raspberry Sorbet
It sounds very cliché, but it absolutely feels like yesterday when we said our vows in my hometown of Esterhazy, Saskatchewan.
My husband is responsible for a lot of content here on Recipes That Worked.
I worked an evening shift for several years before I started writing this blog, and he made supper for us several times a week.
He was often the first to try out a new recipe that I had picked out, and he always did it without complaint.
On this occasion of my wedding anniversary, I’m featuring a couple of recipes my husband and I recently tried that he really liked (I liked them, too.)
Easy Chocolate Cupcakes (click here for the recipe at the BBC GoodFood website) have an apt name – they were very easy to make.
The icing is the real treat, but the recipe produces a lot. I only used about half of it. You might consider making a second batch of cupcakes and using up the icing.
Here’s my official make-it-better tip: Although people will be clamoring to try these cupcakes on the day they’re made, if you can keep them in a sealed container until the next day, they will have more moisture and the flavor will be deeper.
The recipe calls for light muscovado sugar. I found demerara sugar at the supermarket and used it as a substitute, but I found several mentions online that dark brown sugar would also be an effective substitute.
To make the cupcakes, dark chocolate is whizzed into small pieces in a food processor, and some of the pieces are mixed together with soured cream (a.k.a sour cream), cocoa powder, self-raising flour, sunflower oil, eggs, vanilla and water using electric beaters.
The batter is divided among the holes in a muffin tin that have been lined with paper cups. The cupcakes are baked and cooled.
The icing is made by melting the remaining chocolate bits with sour cream and sugar in a small saucepan. It’s put in the fridge until it is cool enough to spread on the waiting muffins.
Vietnamese Prawn Salad (click here for the recipe on the BBC GoodFood website) is a fresh dish that’s great to make if you’re craving something with noodles but don’t want anything steaming hot.
It’s quite easy to put together. Boiling water is poured over thin rice noodles (also called vermicelli; found in the Asian foods section of the supermarket), and they’re left to stand for 10 minutes. Then they’re drained.
Mashed garlic, a small red chilli (we used a half of a jalapeno pepper), golden caster sugar (we used superfine sugar, sometimes labelled berry sugar or extra fine granulated sugar), and the juice of two limes comprise the dressing.
Cooked tiger prawns (we used cooked shrimp), cucumber, carrot, spring onions (green onions or scallions) are tossed together.
The salad is served by putting noodles on a plate, topping it with the prawn and vegetable mixture and scattering mint or cilantro (we used mint) and chopped peanuts on top.
Two of my husband's other favorites:
Tunnel of Fudge Cake
Red Wine-Raspberry Sorbet
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
A great burger that's really easy to make, complicated by my daydreaming
Last night my husband and I made Turkey Burgers with Mango Chutney (click here for the recipe at the website of Eating Well magazine), but not without a hiccup along the way, thanks to me.
My job was to toast the hamburger buns in the oven. Easy enough, right?
Not if you decide it’s time to daydream about anything and everything, which is what I did, burning the hamburger buns horribly in the process.
I went to the convenience store across the street to get some more buns, but, lucky me, it was pouring rain by the sheets.
By the time I got back, I was soaked to the skin and my husband had to get me a towel to dry off before I came in so I didn’t drip all over the apartment.
Luckily the final product was worth all the fuss – the fuss I created; the burgers themselves were very easy to make.
They’re also extremely family friendly. Everyone will eat them and no one will complain. They would work well at a backyard party where all ages of people are attending.
The burgers stay nice and moist after cooking.
Because of the bad weather when we made these, we cooked them inside on an indoor grill and roasted the onions under the broiler.
But I’m sure everything would work terrifically on an outdoor grill as the recipe directs.
The recipe called for baguettes, but for ease, my husband and I used hamburger buns instead.
You should be able to find the called-for mango chutney in any well-stocked supermarket.
Finely chopped red onions are combined with ground turkey and one tablespoon of mango chutney, and the mixture is shaped into burger patties.
The patties are cooked, the buns toasted, and red onion rounds grilled on the barbecue.
The burgers are served with more mango chutney, the grilled red onion rounds and lettuce.
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My job was to toast the hamburger buns in the oven. Easy enough, right?
Not if you decide it’s time to daydream about anything and everything, which is what I did, burning the hamburger buns horribly in the process.
I went to the convenience store across the street to get some more buns, but, lucky me, it was pouring rain by the sheets.
By the time I got back, I was soaked to the skin and my husband had to get me a towel to dry off before I came in so I didn’t drip all over the apartment.
Luckily the final product was worth all the fuss – the fuss I created; the burgers themselves were very easy to make.
They’re also extremely family friendly. Everyone will eat them and no one will complain. They would work well at a backyard party where all ages of people are attending.
The burgers stay nice and moist after cooking.
Because of the bad weather when we made these, we cooked them inside on an indoor grill and roasted the onions under the broiler.
But I’m sure everything would work terrifically on an outdoor grill as the recipe directs.
The recipe called for baguettes, but for ease, my husband and I used hamburger buns instead.
You should be able to find the called-for mango chutney in any well-stocked supermarket.
Finely chopped red onions are combined with ground turkey and one tablespoon of mango chutney, and the mixture is shaped into burger patties.
The patties are cooked, the buns toasted, and red onion rounds grilled on the barbecue.
The burgers are served with more mango chutney, the grilled red onion rounds and lettuce.
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Monday, July 12, 2010
British flapjacks - they're not pancakes!
My belief in the urban legend that flapjacks are pancakes was turned on its head recently by Molly Wizenberg, writer of Orangette, considered the world's top food and cooking blog.
In her column in the March 2010 issue of Bon Appetit, Wizenberg writes about and presents a recipe for British Flapjacks (click here for the recipe at the epicurious website). It turns out flapjacks are like granola bars and are made with oats.
The first time I made this recipe, I was pleased as punch when a former co-worker, who is British, said they were the best flapjacks she’s ever had.
These are one of the treats I’m going to make for an upcoming family reunion. They are super-easy to make, will keep well during the trip and are family friendly.
How do you make them?
Butter, golden brown sugar and golden syrup (you’ll find this with the corn syrup in many supermarkets) are stirred together over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is smooth.
Quick-cooking oats are added off-heat, and the mixture transferred to a baking pan.
After about 25 minutes in the oven, the baked oats mixture is cut into triangles, then cooled completely.
In her column in the March 2010 issue of Bon Appetit, Wizenberg writes about and presents a recipe for British Flapjacks (click here for the recipe at the epicurious website). It turns out flapjacks are like granola bars and are made with oats.
The first time I made this recipe, I was pleased as punch when a former co-worker, who is British, said they were the best flapjacks she’s ever had.
These are one of the treats I’m going to make for an upcoming family reunion. They are super-easy to make, will keep well during the trip and are family friendly.
How do you make them?
Butter, golden brown sugar and golden syrup (you’ll find this with the corn syrup in many supermarkets) are stirred together over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is smooth.
Quick-cooking oats are added off-heat, and the mixture transferred to a baking pan.
After about 25 minutes in the oven, the baked oats mixture is cut into triangles, then cooled completely.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Purée your way to a party
with Frozen Peach Margaritas
Recently here on Recipes That Worked I wrote about Fresh Cherry Margaritas, which are incredibly delicious cocktails, but takes quite a bit of work to make each one.
Here’s a margarita that can be made a lot more quickly, and is delicious, too.
It’s Frozen Peach Margaritas (click here for the Everyday Food recipe), and it’s a throw-all-the-stuff-in-the-blender-then-serve-and-enjoy-drink.
At a party, you could put someone on blender duty and have them crank out servings of this drink.
The recipe calls for frozen sliced peaches. My husband and I found this in the supermarket after searching for a bit.
Before we found it, my husband suggested I could slice peaches and freeze them if needed.
It’s a good idea. Although I haven’t tested this myself, it’s likely that cutting up peaches, putting them on a baking sheet and putting them into the freezer until they are firm would work.
But if you can buy them, it’s convenient, too.
The recipe calls for putting an entire 16 ounce (454 g) pkg of peaches in the blender. I don’t know about you, but my blender simply can’t hold that many peaches. I halved the amount and thus the rest of the ingredients, and that made about four decent-sized margarita servings.
My blender also doesn’t do very good work of grinding up ice cubes, so the next time I make this I’m going to crush the ice first, then put it in the blender.
Look how easy they are to make: Frozen peaches, tequila, triple sec, lime juice and ice cubes are put in a blender and puréed.
Really, that’s it! The peach margarita party has started.
Here’s a margarita that can be made a lot more quickly, and is delicious, too.
It’s Frozen Peach Margaritas (click here for the Everyday Food recipe), and it’s a throw-all-the-stuff-in-the-blender-then-serve-and-enjoy-drink.
At a party, you could put someone on blender duty and have them crank out servings of this drink.
The recipe calls for frozen sliced peaches. My husband and I found this in the supermarket after searching for a bit.
Before we found it, my husband suggested I could slice peaches and freeze them if needed.
It’s a good idea. Although I haven’t tested this myself, it’s likely that cutting up peaches, putting them on a baking sheet and putting them into the freezer until they are firm would work.
But if you can buy them, it’s convenient, too.
The recipe calls for putting an entire 16 ounce (454 g) pkg of peaches in the blender. I don’t know about you, but my blender simply can’t hold that many peaches. I halved the amount and thus the rest of the ingredients, and that made about four decent-sized margarita servings.
My blender also doesn’t do very good work of grinding up ice cubes, so the next time I make this I’m going to crush the ice first, then put it in the blender.
Look how easy they are to make: Frozen peaches, tequila, triple sec, lime juice and ice cubes are put in a blender and puréed.
Really, that’s it! The peach margarita party has started.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Peaches and cinnamon meet in a delicious cookie
On the Martha Stewart Living website, there is an apt description for Fresh Peach-Drop Cookies (click here for the recipe).
“The crisp cinnamon-sugar topping yields to a tender, moist interior that’s studded with fruit,” the description reads.
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
I brought these soft, chewy cookies to a backyard barbecue at a friend’s house, and they were a hit.
The cookies are best served on the day they are made, but they’ll still be a lovely treat for a few days after. They’re incredibly easy to make.
There are two sources of the peach flavour here: the peaches themselves, and peach jam.
Here’s a quick run-down on how the cookies are made.
Room temperature unsalted butter and granulated sugar are beaten until pale and fluffy, then eggs, vanilla, flour, salt and baking soda are added and the mixture beaten some more. Then comes the peaches and jam, and they are mixed in until just combined.
The dough is scooped onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, then a combination of sanding sugar (I use superfine or berry sugar) and cinnamon is sprinkled on top.
Bake, serve, and enjoy the lovely taste of cinnamon and peaches.
“The crisp cinnamon-sugar topping yields to a tender, moist interior that’s studded with fruit,” the description reads.
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
I brought these soft, chewy cookies to a backyard barbecue at a friend’s house, and they were a hit.
The cookies are best served on the day they are made, but they’ll still be a lovely treat for a few days after. They’re incredibly easy to make.
There are two sources of the peach flavour here: the peaches themselves, and peach jam.
Here’s a quick run-down on how the cookies are made.
Room temperature unsalted butter and granulated sugar are beaten until pale and fluffy, then eggs, vanilla, flour, salt and baking soda are added and the mixture beaten some more. Then comes the peaches and jam, and they are mixed in until just combined.
The dough is scooped onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, then a combination of sanding sugar (I use superfine or berry sugar) and cinnamon is sprinkled on top.
Bake, serve, and enjoy the lovely taste of cinnamon and peaches.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Peaches - on the grill?
Whenever my husband and I make Grilled Peaches with Pecorino and Prosciutto (click here for the recipe on the epicurious website), people always express astonishment, first at the concept and then at the delicious product.
Things usually go like this:
Person asks: “You cooked these peaches on the grill?”
Person tries peaches.
Person says: “Man, these are good.”
Yes, they are good.
This is a super-easy, no-fail side from Bon Appetit magazine that goes nicely with any type of grilled meat or poultry.
Here’s how they’re made.
Peaches that have been halved and pitted are brushed with extra-virgin olive oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper and grilled until lightly charred, about two minutes per side.
After being transferred to a plate, skin side down, each peach half is topped with a very thin slice of pecorino cheese (I use a vegetable peeler to shave off the slices, as the recipe suggests), and a thin slice of prosciutto.
Pecorino cheese and prosciutto are available at many well-stocked supermarkets.
Grill these peaches and surprise your friends!
Things usually go like this:
Person asks: “You cooked these peaches on the grill?”
Person tries peaches.
Person says: “Man, these are good.”
Yes, they are good.
This is a super-easy, no-fail side from Bon Appetit magazine that goes nicely with any type of grilled meat or poultry.
Here’s how they’re made.
Peaches that have been halved and pitted are brushed with extra-virgin olive oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper and grilled until lightly charred, about two minutes per side.
After being transferred to a plate, skin side down, each peach half is topped with a very thin slice of pecorino cheese (I use a vegetable peeler to shave off the slices, as the recipe suggests), and a thin slice of prosciutto.
Pecorino cheese and prosciutto are available at many well-stocked supermarkets.
Grill these peaches and surprise your friends!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Just-like-ma-used-to-make Peach Pudding Cake
Peach Pudding Cake (click here for a copy of the recipe) is extremely family-friendly.
How do I know?
I served it a couple of summers ago at an outdoor party, and two toddlers ate it up and wanted more (they were among the adults who liked the cake, too).
This cake has a just-like-ma-used-to-make appeal with its moist and spongy texture. As it bakes, the peaches sink to the bottom of the pan.
I found this recipe in Bon Appetit a few years back, but the magazine’s website and companion recipe site, epicurious.com, doesn’t seem to have it.
The link I’ve pointed you to on the Recipezaar website says it is a reprint of the recipe originally found in Bon Appetit, with that magazine’s permission.
However, there is one small change to the recipe on Recipezaar that isn’t in the copy I have from Bon Appetit: The sprinkling of sugar and cinnamon on top of the cake before it’s baked.
I don’t think this would do the cake any harm, but if you want to make exactly the same recipe I did, eliminate the one teaspoon of cinnamon and one teaspoon of sugar listed at the bottom of the ingredients, and skip step 10, where those two are combined and sprinkled on top.
Here’s a quick rundown on how it’s made.
The usual cake suspects are combined: flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, butter, sugar, vanilla, and eggs, along with buttermilk.
The batter is put in a glass baking dish and peaches are arranged over the batter.
The total baking time is 85 minutes, with an hour of cooling time.
Serve warm with whipped cream.
How do I know?
I served it a couple of summers ago at an outdoor party, and two toddlers ate it up and wanted more (they were among the adults who liked the cake, too).
This cake has a just-like-ma-used-to-make appeal with its moist and spongy texture. As it bakes, the peaches sink to the bottom of the pan.
I found this recipe in Bon Appetit a few years back, but the magazine’s website and companion recipe site, epicurious.com, doesn’t seem to have it.
The link I’ve pointed you to on the Recipezaar website says it is a reprint of the recipe originally found in Bon Appetit, with that magazine’s permission.
However, there is one small change to the recipe on Recipezaar that isn’t in the copy I have from Bon Appetit: The sprinkling of sugar and cinnamon on top of the cake before it’s baked.
I don’t think this would do the cake any harm, but if you want to make exactly the same recipe I did, eliminate the one teaspoon of cinnamon and one teaspoon of sugar listed at the bottom of the ingredients, and skip step 10, where those two are combined and sprinkled on top.
Here’s a quick rundown on how it’s made.
The usual cake suspects are combined: flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, butter, sugar, vanilla, and eggs, along with buttermilk.
The batter is put in a glass baking dish and peaches are arranged over the batter.
The total baking time is 85 minutes, with an hour of cooling time.
Serve warm with whipped cream.
Monday, July 5, 2010
A bubbly Bellini on a stick
The Bellini, a cocktail invented at Harry’s Bar in Venice, Italy, becomes an icy treat with Fine Cooking magazine’s Bellini Pops (click here for the recipe at the Fine Cooking website).
In fact, it felt like I was actually drinking a bubbly Bellini when I enjoyed one of these easy-to-make frozen pops.
Just like the cocktail, this recipe uses peaches and Prosecco, a dry sparkling wine available at many liquor stores.
This is a recipe where I successfully substituted an equal amount of Splenda for sugar.
Peeled, pitted and chopped fresh peaches are combined with sugar (or Splenda) and lemon juice and simmered until thick and syrupy. The mixture is put in a blender and mixed with Prosecco, then left to cool to room temperature.
The mixture is then refrigerated until cold -- I left it to refrigerate overnight.
It’s then poured into ice-pop molds paper cups and frozen until barely set. The sticks are inserted, and the pops are frozen until firm, about six hours more.
Other recipes that use peaches:
Peach Pudding Cake
Grilled Peaches with Pecorino and Procuitto
Fresh Peach-Drop Cookies
In fact, it felt like I was actually drinking a bubbly Bellini when I enjoyed one of these easy-to-make frozen pops.
Just like the cocktail, this recipe uses peaches and Prosecco, a dry sparkling wine available at many liquor stores.
This is a recipe where I successfully substituted an equal amount of Splenda for sugar.
Peeled, pitted and chopped fresh peaches are combined with sugar (or Splenda) and lemon juice and simmered until thick and syrupy. The mixture is put in a blender and mixed with Prosecco, then left to cool to room temperature.
The mixture is then refrigerated until cold -- I left it to refrigerate overnight.
It’s then poured into ice-pop molds paper cups and frozen until barely set. The sticks are inserted, and the pops are frozen until firm, about six hours more.
Other recipes that use peaches:
Peach Pudding Cake
Grilled Peaches with Pecorino and Procuitto
Fresh Peach-Drop Cookies
Friday, July 2, 2010
You'll eat this antipasto salad twice,
because it is so nice
Louis Prima sang that he ate antipasto twice, because Angelina, the waitress at the local pizzeria, was so nice.
Here's an antipasto dish that will entice people to have seconds without any added motivation!
It’s Antipasto Pasta Salad (click here for the recipe at the epicurious.com website), a terrific, easy-to make dish that will be a hit at your next casual backyard get-together. It would be great alongside chicken or pork. The recipe makes a ton (six main-course servings!), so there will be no shortage.
In Italian, antipasto means “before the meal,” and is a traditional first course that includes cured meats, olives, artichoke hearts, cheese and marinated peppers.
All of those things are here, mixed in with rotini pasta. I used multigrain rotini, and it worked great.
To make it, the rotini is cooked, rinsed and drained. It doesn’t matter how long the rotini sits as the rest of the dish is prepared, as it is served at room temperature. In fact, I let the rotini cook, then moved on to preparing the rest of the dish.
Red-wine vinegar and olive oil are whisked together in a large bowl, then chopped marinated artichokes, jarred roasted red peppers, cubed mozzarella, sopressetta or salami, pitted and chopped Kalamata olives or other black olives and fresh parsley are added and mixed. The pasta is put in and everything is tossed together.
One tip: Serve this dish at room temperature, as the recipe says – it lets the flavours out. It will do fine being refrigerated before serving or afterwards with leftovers; just take it out and let it return to room temp before enjoying.
Here's an antipasto dish that will entice people to have seconds without any added motivation!
It’s Antipasto Pasta Salad (click here for the recipe at the epicurious.com website), a terrific, easy-to make dish that will be a hit at your next casual backyard get-together. It would be great alongside chicken or pork. The recipe makes a ton (six main-course servings!), so there will be no shortage.
In Italian, antipasto means “before the meal,” and is a traditional first course that includes cured meats, olives, artichoke hearts, cheese and marinated peppers.
All of those things are here, mixed in with rotini pasta. I used multigrain rotini, and it worked great.
To make it, the rotini is cooked, rinsed and drained. It doesn’t matter how long the rotini sits as the rest of the dish is prepared, as it is served at room temperature. In fact, I let the rotini cook, then moved on to preparing the rest of the dish.
Red-wine vinegar and olive oil are whisked together in a large bowl, then chopped marinated artichokes, jarred roasted red peppers, cubed mozzarella, sopressetta or salami, pitted and chopped Kalamata olives or other black olives and fresh parsley are added and mixed. The pasta is put in and everything is tossed together.
One tip: Serve this dish at room temperature, as the recipe says – it lets the flavours out. It will do fine being refrigerated before serving or afterwards with leftovers; just take it out and let it return to room temp before enjoying.
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