Prawns Magenta

How many of you remember a little quaint restaurant in Chilliwack called Harvesters IV?
It holds special memories for me...as I went into labor that evening way back in 1982.  We had the most delicious appetizer made by Jurgen, the local European chef and he shared this recipe with me which is perfect for a cold winter night.  Sometimes this has become our main meal, by just adding a loaf of fresh bread.

Prawns Magenta

• 2 stalks of celery chopped
• 1 large carrot chopped
• 1 onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 ounces deveined prawns
• 1/4 cup wine or apple juice
• 8 ounces of tomato sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• pepper to taste
• 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Method:

1. Heat oil and add chopped celery, carrots, garlic, and onions.
2. Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes
3. Add prawns to pan with wine and tomato liquids
4. When prawns turn pink, you know they have been cooked long enough.
5. Season with salt and pepper and cover at low heat again for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Pour into serving dishes and sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top.
7. Broil in the oven until lightly browned. Serves 4.

Old Fashioned Cream of Tomato Soup

What does a cold wintry day call for but a good bowl of soup?  This soup is 'naturally' gluten free.

 I was invited to my friend, Dorothy's house for lunch some months ago and she served me a lovely tomato soup.
 I had not had tomato soup for a long time and found her's so tasty, I asked her for the recipe.
She told me that years ago she and her husband had been travelling and stopped in a town they were not familiar with and asked someone for a good place to have lunch.  They were told that they had to go to  4B's because they were known for their excellent tomato soup.
They took the advice and did enjoy the soup, so much that Dorothy asked for the recipe.
Contrary to many restaurants that refuse to share their recipes, this place was so happy to share, that they had pre-printed recipe cards for those who asked.   This restaurant is closed now, but my friend still had an original card and was happy to give it to me - the one pictured in the above photo.

The recipe is as follows ...

•  1 tbsp. chicken base paste (I used a chicken bullion cube - make sure it is gluten free if you are on a gluten free diet.) 
• 1 cup water 
• 1 oz. butter (1 tbsp)
• 2 tbsp sugar 
• 1 tbsp chopped onion 
• 1/2 tsp baking soda 
• 1 15 oz. diced tomatoes (pureed) 
• 1 16 ox. can crushed tomatoes
• 8 oz. (1 cup) whipping cream
• 8 oz. liquid coffee creamer (I used milk) 

1. Combine chicken base, water, butter, chopped onion and sugar
2. Simmer until onions are clear
3. Add tomatoes, baking soda and stir well. 
4. Add cream, milk and heat to serve. 

Serve with crackers and a salad - and you have a meal that satisfies. 

Easy brown sugar garlic chicken thighs

This is an easy chicken recipe that your family will love and can be prepared ahead earlier in the day and kept in the refrigerator until you are ready to put dinner in the oven.  I often use bone in chicken thighs because they always stay moist and the flavour is great.  Go ahead and use boneless chicken breasts or a whole cut up chicken if that is what you prefer.

• 6 chicken thighs, bone-in
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• cajun seasoning

1. Place chicken in a parchment paper lined baking pan. 
2. Preheat oven to 350.
3. Melt butter in fry pan on low heat and add garlic, stirring to combine and soften  Keep a close eye on the garlic that it does not burn.  As you see it just begin to turn colour, remove from heat and add brown sugar and stir to make a paste.
4. Divide the paste between the chicken pieces and sprinkle with cajun seasoning as you would season with salt.
5. Bake for 45- 50 minutes.  
6. Drain juices into a fry pan, add a bit of finely diced onion, tomato and peppers and simmer until softened, and add to cooked rice.  

Healthy Quinoa Salad

Some of you have asked if we ever have some healthy dishes. Here's a salad that is chopped full of powerhouse nutrients. I have joined a group of ladies this past fall, for a 7-week challenge.  No junk food nor refined sugars. Truly this has been a challenge, but I've noticed how quickly those extra pounds can sneak on.  So this week I chose kale and quinoa.  I'm very content to eat the same old, but during this time I challenged my self to eat healthier and wiser, hoping to see some beneficial results.

Kale is known as one of the powerhouse of nutrients, high in antioxidants.  Quinoa is also known as an ancient grain which is high in fiber and protein and very low in fat and it's gluten free. 

You'll notice that we only use olive oil and lemon juice for the dressing, keeping things light.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 2 cups spinach
• 2 cups kale
• 1 cup chopped cucumber
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
• 1/2 green pepper
• 1/4 cup red onions.
• 1/4 cup pure virgin olive oil 
• 1/2 freshly squeezed lemon  
• I/2 pound cooked shrimp (optional)

1. Cook quinoa as per instructions.  I cooked my quinoa in my rice cooker. 
2. Layer spinach on the bottom of the platter.
3. Chop up kale and drizzle pure olive oil on leaves.  It gives a perfect healthy shine.
4. Combine kale and spinach to form a bed of greens.
5. Spoon cooked quinoa on greens.
6. Combine cucumbers, tomatoes and onions in bowl and mix well with 1/4 cup olive oil.
7. Spread over quinoa mixture. 
8. Optional: Top with some freshly cooked shrimp.
9. Take your lemon pieces and drizzle juice over the whole salad.
10. Add your favorite seasoning spice on top.
11. Let the juices and oil marinate your salad.

It's simple, nutritious and it's paid off.

How To Make Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Happy Valentine's Day!  

We all have those we can show love to today whether it be co-workers, neighbors, friends or family... or maybe even a sweetheart!  

If you haven't yet considered how to show love I'd like to offer you this very easy and quick but most delicious way of presenting your affection. 

• about 1 pound chilled strawberries
• about 250 grams or 1 cup chopped good quality dark chocolate
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

1. Wash and dry the strawberries.  Use a paper towel to make sure the strawberries are moisture free.
2. Place chopped chocolate in a narrow measuring cup.  (easier to dip berries into deep chocolate)
3. Place in microwave and heat on 50% power for about 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until the chocolate has melted.
4. Gather all the green stems together and use that to hold the strawberry.  Dip the strawberry and then let it drip off before placing on a parchment lined baking sheet.
5. Place chocolate chips in a pastry bag.  Melt the white chocolate chips, again at 50% power for less than a minute.  Squeeze the bag to make sure all the chips are melted.
6. Cut a little hole at the bottom of the pastry decorating bag and squeeze out a drizzle over all the strawberries.  
7. Place in a refrigerator to set.  

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

Since I am not really the biggest chocolate fan, I often reach for sweets that are pale in colour and white chocolate macadamia nut cookies are hard to resist. Macadamia nuts are sometimes hard to find in the grocery store, but I have friends who bring them back from their Hawaiian vacation.  That makes the cookies all the more special!  Since tomorrow is Valentine's Day, I've added a variation below with a splash of red just for the occasion.

• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup white chocolate (about 8 ounces, coarsely chopped) *
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped roasted macadamia nuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium speed until smooth.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until creamy.
4. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, stirring until blended.
6. Add white chocolate chunks and macadamia nuts.
7. Drop by rounded tablespoon two inches apart on prepared cookie sheet...or use a cookie scoop. 
8. Flatten slightly with dampened hands.
9. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until golden brown around the edge. 
10. Remove from oven and let cool for several minutes.
11. Move to wire rack to cool completely.

Yield: 2 1/2 dozen large cookies

*White chocolate chips can be used instead, though the chunks are much preferred over here.

Valentine Version: 
 

Add 1 cup of dried cranberries along with the white chocolate chunks and the macadamia nuts.

* If you have a special occasion to celebrate...they bake up fabulously for a cookiegram! Cut parchment paper to fit the bottom of a 9" round cake pan or pie plate...and form an 8-inch cookie with about one cup of cookie batter, spreading evenly. Bake for about 15 minutes...or until golden. Cool. Write your message with melted chocolate or decorator icing. I used a 'writing tip' on a Ziploc bag...and then there's no mess to clean up.

Speaking of special occasions, it happens to be Marg's birthday today. It's time for 'cake' and coffee.

 

No Bake Chocolate Pudding Cheesecake

Happy Valentines Day

The creamy layers in this dessert sit on top of a chocolate crumb crust. Whipped cream, paper thin chocolate chard's and a fresh strawberry add a special finishing touch.

Crust:

• 3/4 cup chocolate crumbs
• 1/4 cup graham crumbs
• 1/3 cup butter, melted

1. Stir together crumbs. Add melted butter.
2. Press mixture into a 10" spring form pan.
3. Bake in 350º oven for 7 minutes. Cool.

Cream Cheese Layer:

• 2 8oz packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups whipped cream, or cool whip

1. Beat cream cheese till light and fluffy. 
2. Add sugar and vanilla and beat well. 
3. Fold in whipped cream or cool whip.
4. Spread mixture over cooled crust. 
5. Place in refrigerator. 

Chocolate Pudding Layer:

• 1 large box chocolate pudding and and pie filling (box calls for 3 cups milk)
• 1 8 oz package cream cheese, room temperature

1. Cook pudding according to directions on box. 
2. Cover with wax paper and cool until luke warm. (the wax paper keeps the pudding from forming a 'crust' on top.
3. Beat cream cheese into luke warm pudding until well blended.
4. Spread over cream cheese layer.
5. Place in refrigerator for several hours or overnight.

Whipping Cream: ( I like to only put this layer on no more than 1 hour before serving so the cream is really fresh tasting)

• 2 cups whip cream
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp instant vanilla pudding (this stabilizes the cream)
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. Add all ingredients into a cold bowl.
2. Beat until cream is whipped and soft peaks form. 
3. Spread whipped cream over chocolate layer. 

Optional: Fill a piping bag with extra whipped cream to decorate the top. Decorate with chocolate and strawberries. 

Valentine Sugar Cookies with Dragged Dots

Everyone can show someone love on Valentine's Day and so I'm giving you this post a week early so you can try this fun cookie with an artistic twist! 

Today's recipe is a joint effort between me and my grands aged between 5 and 9.  

I baked the cookies ahead of time and outlined them and then tucked them into the freezer until we had time to decorate.  

The recipe for the cookies is fairly straight forward and I enjoyed them baked simple and plain.

This recipe is large, making about 10 dozen cookies so if you not wanting such a big batch, go ahead and make half a recipe.

Sugar Cookies

• 2 cups unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 2 cups icing sugar / powdered sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or use three teaspoons vanilla extract
• 5 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 2 teaspoons salt

1. Cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
2. Add eggs and vanilla bean paste.
3. Stir together the dry ingredients and stir into the batter until combined.
4. Preheat oven to 400. F.
5. Divide dough into four pieces so that it is easier to manage.
6. Roll dough out on a floured surface and cut with cookie cutters of your preference.  Same size cookies should be on a cookie sheet. 
7. Bake for about 9 minutes but watch carefully as they will go from white to brown quickly once they reach that baked point.  They should be lightly brown underneath and the edges should be starting to color.  Under baked sugar cookies are as bad as overbaked.  
8. Cool on a wire rack.
9. Fill the pan again after it has cooled. 

Spreadable Royal Icing

To make the icing for these cookies,  you will want icing that holds it shape for the piping.  When you have finished piping all the cookies, add a bit more warm water to the icing for the next step when you will want the icing to puddle inside the dried piped area.  

• 2 tablespoons meringue powder
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup
• warm water to make icing the right consistency (start with a few tablespoons and add teaspoons after that)
• food coloring 

1. Combine all icing ingredients in a large bowl and beat with a hand mixer for a few minutes until the icing holds it shape but is smooth and glossy.  Keep the container covered at all times while you are not using it.  It can stay on the counter covered a few days while you complete your decorating.
2. Add icing to a piping bag with a small round tip for outlining cookies.
3. After all the cookies have been outlined, add additional warm water to make an icing that will puddle and be easily spread out.  Divide the icing into small containers with lids or use plastic wrap.  Add color as desired.

Now is where you can use your imagination and just have fun.  Only decorate one cookie at a time as the icing will start to harden quickly and you will not be able to drag the dots into a design.

Fill the outlined area with icing, using the back of a small spoon to spread it out. 

Using a piping bag with a very small tip or hole, squeeze dots of icing and then take a toothpick to pull the dots into a design.

Each cookie is unique and a masterpiece waiting to happen.

Once the cookies are finished.  Allow to dry for a few hours before stacking into freezer bags.

Enjoy your cookie baking!  I hope this inspires you to pull out your baking sheets and gather a few friends to create some beautiful cookies together!

Share your cookies on Instagram and add #mennonitegirlscancook

Cinnamon Biscuit Roll - Gluten Free (Bonus - Apfelstreudel variation)

   
 When I saw  Betty's recent recipe posting for Cinnamon Biscuit Rolls I wanted some !
So I revised the recipe to be gluten free and was  very happy with the results.
They are so good , flavour is mouth watering and the texture is so light and flaky!

Cinnamon Biscuit Roll

• 1 cup chick pea flour 
• 1/2 cup white corn flour (or brown rice flour) 
• 1/4 cup potato starch 
• 1/4 cup tapioca starch 
• 1 tsp xanthan gum 
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• 4 tsp baking powder 
• 1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces 
• 2 eggs plus  enough milk to make one cup 
• sweet rice flour for rolling

Filling 

• 1/4 cup butter, melted 
• 1 cup brown sugar 
• 2 tbsp  cinnamon 

1. In lg bowl blend together well the dry ingredients. 
2. Add butter pieces to flour mix and using hands rub in butter pieces until evenly mixed. 
3. Put eggs in a measuring cup fill with milk to one cup and add to flour/butter mixture. 
4. Add to flour mixture (keep back a little of the milk in case you don't need it all.) 
5. Dough will be very sticky , but turn out on sweet rice floured parchment paper and add JUST enough sweet rice flour to make dough able to be handled.    I use all of the milk and maybe 2-3 tbsp of the sweet rice flour.) 
6. Using hands dusted with sweet rice flour as needed, pat dough out to about a 11x16 inch rectangle. 
7. Spread melted butter on dough,  then add the brown sugar mixed with cinnamon. 
8. Starting at the long end, roll up as for jelly roll, using parchment paper to help -  Smooth out the roll with your hands and slide roll WITH parchment paper onto cookie sheet. 
9. Bake for 25 min. in 400 degree oven .   
10. So yummy warm from the oven.  

Apfelstreudel 

            When I first made the cinnamon roll and taste tested it, I thought -- this would work great for Apfelstreudel - and it DID! 

My husband, swallowing his first bite ,  nodded his approval and asked  if the recipe would be in the next cook book!  I smiled and said.. "No, on the blog tomorrow!"  

1. Follow the instructions for the Cinnamon Biscuit Roll to step 7, spreading the patted out dough with the melted butter. 
2. Then use the following  filling  to cover the dough and roll up as for a jelly roll. 
3. Bake for 25 min. in a 400 degree oven.  
4. Drizzle with icing while still warm, if desired.  
5. Serve warm with ice-cream. 

Apple filling 

• 4 apples (like Macintosh or Granny Smith) 
• 1/4 cup washed seedless raisins (optional if your husband, like mine, doesn't like raisins) 
• 2 tbsp butter 
• 1/4 cup  water 
• 1/2 cup white sugar 
• 1/2 cup brown sugar 
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon 
• 1 tbsp cornstarch with 1 tsp sugar 

1. Cut up the apples into fairly small pieces. 
2. Put apples, raisins, butter, sugar and water into saucepan. 
3. Cook until apples are soft and most of water boiled out. 
4. Stir in cornstarch/sugar and cook until thickened. 
5. Remove from heat and cool.   

Cinnamon Biscuit Roll

This was a favorite of mine to bake when I was a young teenage girl. I would bake up a number of these cinnamon biscuit rolls for our lunches for school the next day. My siblings loved it because that meant there would be a change from the usual bologna sandwiches. I remember packing my lunch kit full of rolls and then I would trade at school with goodies from my friends lunches. And I was picky, I didn't trade off a roll just for anything. In the end I ended up with a pretty good variety of items. I'm not sure why my Mom allowed me to pack just these rolls for a lunch although I think she enjoyed the stories of my trades when I came home from school. And mind you I wasn't allowed to bake these rolls just anytime I liked. Maybe it was on those days when there wasn't much else to pack. I'm sure I used more sugar and cinnamon now than I would have been allowed to back then.

Biscuit  dough: (or use your favorite recipe for biscuits)

• 2  1/4 cups flour plus extra for rolling out dough.
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, chilled and cut in cubes
• 2 eggs
• Milk

Filling:

• 1/4 cup butter, melted 
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon

Directions:

1. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. Cut in 1/2 cup butter cubes until crumbly.
3. Crack 2 eggs in an 8 ounce measuring cup and fill cup with milk.
4. Whisk until combined and stir into dry mixture just until combined.
5. Form into a ball and roll out to approx 16" x 18" size, using only extra flour as needed so the dough doesn't stick to the counter.
6. Spread melted butter on dough.
7. Mix together brown sugar, and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over the dough. 
8. Roll up as for cinnamon buns, sealing edges and ends.
9. Place roll on a parchment lined cookie sheet, the parchment is great for clean up in case your seal doesn't hold well. 
10. Bake in a 400º oven for 20 minutes until golden in color.
11. Cool and cut in slices.

 Here is a lunch kit packed with cinnamon biscuit rolls.  This one belongs to my husband. I wish I still had mine.

Does anybody still have their old lunch kits?