Bread for the Journey

This is a photo of my Lenten Rose (Hellebore) which blooms during the season of Lent.

We are in the Lenten season. A time that many in Christendom reflect and prepare for Easter. There are many great resources for this time of reflection leading up to the joy of the Resurrection that also involve the reality of what Christ suffered for all of us before he rose from the dead. When I read these powerful verses in Philippians I'm reminded that we want to know Christ our Savior, the one who gave all so that we can live. To know Him and be known by Him are worthy desires...

"That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 3: 10-14

Our prayer for all is that we may know the only one who gives us the hope we need to live out our lives on this earth and then to be with Him forever. 

Coconut Cake

       

         
       I've used this recipe to make layer cakes, cupcakes and pan cakes for many years now. 

       When I made it again for a recent birthday, several people asked for the recipe so here it is. 

                                      The secret to its moist texture is the buttermilk.
The cake pictured above is filled with lemon curd and frosted with Seven Minute frosting.
The cake below is filled with Raspberry jam and whipped cream and frosted with Cream Frosting

For the Cake:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
• 2 1/4 cups sifted flour, divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk or sour milk
• 1 cup flaked coconut

1. Grease and flour 2 round 8 inch cake pans or 1 9x13 inch pan.
2. Cream butter and add sugar gradually until light and well blended.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg.
4. Add 1 1/4 cups flour, baking soda and salt and beat well.
5. Add extracts to buttermilk and add half of liquid to batter. Beat well.
6. Add remaining cup flour and rest of liquid and beat until moistened.
7. Beat an additional 2 minutes at medium speed. Fold in 1 cup coconut.
8. Spoon into prepared pans and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until cake tester or toothpick comes out dry.
9. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans.

If you’ve baked your cake in 2 round pans, you can fill the cake with any of the following:

• Lemon curd folded into lightly sweetened whipped cream
• Raspberry jam topped with lightly sweetened whipped cream
• Vanilla pudding

Frost with: Seven minute frosting (also known as boiled frosting) and top with flaked coconut.

Or: Frost with
Cream Frosting
• 1/2 litre of whipping cream
• 2-3 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding powder
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and beat with mixer on high until thick. Do not over beat.
Spread whipped frosting on top and sides of cake and top with toasted coconut

Chicken Stromboli

These little pockets are so delicious. Once your family has tried these you'll be sure to have requests again and again.

• enough pizza dough for 2 12" pizzas, divide all of this dough into 8 pieces.
• 3 baked chicken breasts, cut into small bite size pieces
• 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
• 8 tablespoons pesto sauce, from a jar
• 8 tablespoons Alfredo sauce, from a jar
• 1 egg, whisked to brush over pockets before going into oven.

1. Using your favourite pizza dough or purchased dough divide into 8 equal pieces.
2. Roll each into a ball and then roll out onto 6" rounds.
3. Leaving at least an each around the edges free of filling spread each dough round with 1 tbsp of each the pesto and Alfredo sauce. 
4. Divide the chicken pieces between the rounds and top with cheese.
5. Pull up on dough and crimp edges together and place filled pockets onto a parchment lined baking sheet. 
6. Brush tops with whisked egg, and slit tops several times with small pairing knife. 
7. Bake at 375ºF for 20-25 minutes until browned nicely and filling is bubbly...and may be 'oozing' out a bit. 

Apricot Cream Cheese Coffeecake

I got this recipe from my friend  Eileen. Coffee cake is a simple recipe to go perfectly for most any occasion. Anything from a simple coffee date with friends or dessert after dinner.

Cake Base:

• 1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup butter or hard margarine, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling:

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 - 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 1 cup apricot jam

Glaze:

• 1/3 cup icing sugar, also known as powdered or confectioners sugar
• 2 - 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• whipped cream

1. Grease and flour a 10 inch springform pan.
2. In a large bowl combine all the cake ingredients, and mix on low to medium speed until the ingredients come together scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally for about 2-3 minutes. 
3. Spread the batter on the bottom of the pan and up the sides about 2 inches. 
4. Combine all the filling ingredients except the jam mix thoroughly until you have a smooth mixture. 
5. Spread over the cake base. Top with the apricot jam. 
6. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45-55 minutes or until the crust is a golden brown. 
7. Cool the cake for about 30 minutes. 
8. Combine the icing sugar and lemon juice until you have a smooth glaze.
9. Drizzle over baked coffee cake. 
10. Serve warm or room temperature topped with freshly whipped cream.
11. Enjoy.  

Coconut Milk Cream Pie

I really like a good cream pie. Cream pie with a fresh flaky crust just has the perfect texture combination for me.

Here is a link to Dorothy's Pie Crust. 

• 1 baked 9 inch pie shell
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 2/3 cup (400 ml) unsweetened coconut milk... give the can a good shake.
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 6 egg yolks
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup flaked unsweetened coconut
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons butter

1. This can all be done in a saucepan over medium heat but I like the non-scorch proof method of a microwave.
2. In a large measuring cup or another large glass microwave safe bowl, combine the sugar, and the coconut milk.
3. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch with the milk until no lumps remain. Add to the coconut milk and sugar mixture.
4. Put into microwave and heat on high speed for 2 minutes at a time, then stirring and continuing until it is bubbly.
5. Put the egg yolks into a small bowl, and add a little bit of the hot milk, stir, and add a little bit more of the hot milk. . .continue stirring vigorously. This will keep the egg yolks from becoming scrambled eggs.
6. Pour the egg mixture back into the large bowl with the remaining hot milk mixture.
7. Heat again in the microwave until thickened and bubbly. Total time is usually around 10 minutes for me.
8. Add the vanilla and the coconut and the butter and stir until combined.
9. Pour the hot filling into the cooled pie shell and cover with plastic wrap.
10. Chill the pie completely for a few hours and then dollop the whipped cream on.
11. If you want toasted coconut for garnish, put a little coconut on foil and put into the oven at 325 until lightly toasted.

Reuben Roll Ups

These reuben roll ups are simple to make and very tasty. You can use crescent rolls from a package or making them on the day you are baking buns and have dough available. These roll ups are good dipped in thousand island dressing. If you don't have the dressing in your fridge it's simple to prepare.
Adapted slightly from the recipe found here.

• 1 package, crescent rolls
• 1/2 cup thousand island dressing
• 8 slices corned beef
• 4 slices Swiss cheese
• 1 cup sauerkraut, drained and lightly squeezed dry

1. Unroll and divide crescent rolls.
2. On each roll spread 1 tablespoon of dressing, 1 slice of corned beef, 1/2 slice of cheese and 2 tablespoons sauerkraut.
3. Roll up like a butterhorn starting from the wide end.
4. Place on parchment lined baking sheet.
5. Bake in a 350º oven for 20 minutes or golden in color.
6. *Use any leftover thousand island dressing for dipping the roll ups in.

Homemade dressing:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 - 4 dashes of sriracha hot sauce
• 2 tablespoons hot dog relish

1. Whisk together ingredients until combined. 
2. Store in fridge until ready to use.
3. Yield: 8 roll ups

Meyer Lemon Loaf

The Meyer lemon (named after Frank Meyer in 1908) originated in China...and is a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange. It is rounder and more orange than the typical lemon and somewhat sweeter.  It has become very popular in recent years after being featured by the likes of Martha Stewart.  Though it was previously mostly a backyard fruit...it is now being grown commercially on a wide scale in California.  I'm working my way through a basket of Meyer lemons over here...and enjoying them every which way.  Here's a moist and yummy lemon loaf.

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• zest of 3 Meyer lemons
• 1/3 cup Meyer lemon juice *

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F.  Grease two loaf pans (abvout 4 x 8 inches each).
2. Cream butter and sugar with mixer until until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium sized bowl.
5. In a small bowl, combine buttermilk, lemon juice and zest.
6. With mixer on low, add flour mixture and liquids alternately in three additions.
7. Beat just until smooth.
8. Divide batter equally between the two loaf pans, spreading to smooth the top. 
9. Bake for 50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
10. Cool for about 15 minutes, before removing from pan.
11. Allow cake to cool completely on a rack before glazing.

*Zest the lemons before extracting juice.

Glaze:

• 2 cups icing sugar
• 3-4 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice

1. Stir icing sugar and lemon juice until smooth.  Glaze should be pourable but not too thin.
2. Set rack with loaves over parchment paper and pour glaze over cakes, allowing it to run down the sides.

Cream Puffs - Gluten Free

I love cream puffs and I have tried several gluten-free recipes and several tries of my own variations but they did not satisfy my taste buds -- until I tried them with this combination of flour. I left a plateful at my daughter's when she wasn't home and she called me in a panic after she tried one ... "Mom, are these gluten-free?"

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup pancake flour mix (find the recipe for the mix here - scroll down to pancake flour mix )
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 pkg of instant vanilla pudding (153 g size pkg) prepared according to pkg instructions
• whipping cream 1/2 cup - whipped separately and added to pudding- optional

1. Pour 1/2 cup water into a saucepan, add the butter and heat until butter melts and mixture returns to a boil
2. Turn down the heat, then add all at once the 1/2 cup flour and stir vigorously until mixture pulls together and away from the sides of the pot.
3. Remove from heat ... let sit for a minute or two.
4. One at a time add the eggs beating vigorously after each addition until batter is perfectly smooth.
5. Drop by teaspoon onto cookie sheet and bake at 375' for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
6. Remove to cake rake... and let cool.
7. Slice half-way open and fill with a teaspoon of prepared pudding
8. Drizzle melted chocolate over the tops.

Variation - Cheese Puffs

My granddaughter loves these made like Anneliese's with 1/4 cup grated cheese and 1/2 tsp dry mustard. Follow recipe as above and mix in the dry mustard and the grated cheese after you have added the eggs. (eat plain or with creamed meat filling)

Orange Glazed Chicken

This is a simple, economical and delicious family meal idea I got from my dear long time walking friend. I like to make it with chicken thighs and serve it with orange raisin rice on the side.

Ingredients:

• 10 -12 pieces of chicken
• 1 teaspoon salt
• pepper, garlic powder 
• 1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate (scooped out of the tin)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Method:

1. Season chicken pieces with salt, pepper and garlic powder or preferred seasoning salt.
2. Bake on foil lined cookie sheet at 375° F for 40 minutes
3. In a small pot, bring orange juice, butter and ginger to boil. Spoon over chicken and bake another 20 minutes.

Orange rice
Add one tablespoon frozen orange juice concentrate per cup of water to rice. Add 3 - 4 tablespoons of raisins just before rice is done, so it plumps.

Tips
For extra flavor and tenderness, marinate the chicken in buttermilk or yogurt for a few hours. Drain, season and follow above method.
Have fresh ginger on hand in the freezer to finely grate when needed, then return to freezer.

Skillet Naan Bread

Naan is a leavened flatbread usually associated with Indian food.  We enjoyed the best of naan breads last year when we visited Kenya and spent some time at a resort on the Indian Ocean.  The bread was baked in a tandoor oven and served hot off the press.  I have tried several times since to make the flatbread at home, with varying degrees of success.  Here's a recipe and method that works well for me...baked in a cast iron pan on the stovetop. 

 Ingredients:

• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup olive oil (or vegetable oil)
• 1/3 cup plain yogurt
• 1 egg
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt

Method:

1. In a small bowl, add sugar and dry yeast to lukewarm water. Stir to dissolve; then let sit for about ten minutes.
2. Combine oil, yogurt and egg in mixing bowl.  Whisk together until smooth.
3. Once the yeast is frothy and doubled in size, add to liquids and stir.
4. Mix salt and one cup of flour.  Add to liquids and mix well.
5. Continue to add flour, 1/2 cup at a time until the dough can no longer be stirred with a spoon.
6. Turn onto a floured countertop and knead for several minutes, adding flour as necessary.
7. The dough should be smooth and not sticky.
8. Cover the dough and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk.
9. Then gently flatten the ball of dough and cut into eight pieces.
10. Form each piece into a ball.
11. Spray a large, heavy cast iron skillet with cooking oil and place over medium heat until sizzling hot. 
12. Roll out one ball of dough at a time to form a circle about 1/4" thick and 6" in diameter. 
13. Place the circle of dough on the hot skillet and watch the bubbles form.
14. Flip the dough over to cook the other side to a golden brown colour.
15. Brush with olive oil or melted butter and sprinkle with sea salt (or herb of your choice).
16. Continue until all 8 circles are cooked.
17. Serve hot off the press...just as they are.  Or serve together with Tzatziki Dip.

Tip ~ Roll each piece of dough out just before placing in the pan to produce the lightest, bubbliest naan bread.