peppermint brownies

18 Wednesday Sep 2013

Tags

brownies, mint, peppermint, peppermint brownies

I found this recipe in August, 1997, in the cooking magazine Bon Appetit and have been baking these ever since. You can now find it on the Epicurean website. As I love mint chocolate I just had to try these. Use the best quality chocolate you can find- these are well worth the effort!

Peppermint Brownies

For the brownies

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

2 large eggs

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup chopped pecans

For toppings

1 cup sifted powdered sugar

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 tablespoon whole milk

1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

preparation

Make brownies:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter 8x8x2-inch metal baking pan. Stir butter and chocolate in small saucepan over low heat until smooth. Set aside. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add chocolate mixture, flour, peppermint and vanilla extracts and salt; stir until just blended. Mix in nuts.

Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 25 minutes. Cool slightly.

Make toppings:

Beat powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, milk and extract in bowl until creamy. Spread over warm brownies. Chill until set, about 1 hour.

Stir chocolate and 2 tablespoons butter in small saucepan over low heat until smooth. Cool slightly. Pour over mint topping, spreading evenly. Cover and chill until set, about 1 hour. Cut into 20 squares. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover with foil; store at room temperature.)

dry marinades enhance the flavor of your meat dishes

17 Tuesday Sep 2013

Posted by Delena Rose in cook

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

beef, dry marinade, dry rub, fish, herb, lamb, marinade, meat, mixed spice, poultry, spice

Liquid marinades made with citrus juice, vinegar or wine are marvelous for breaking down the muscle fiber in tougher cuts of meat and for adding flavor. But here’s the rub: Delicate fish can disintegrate in acidic liquids, and naturally tender cuts of meat need only a flavor boost- not tenderizing. ~Annette Gooch for the Edmonton Journal

On November 4th, 1999, I clipped an article from the Edmonton Journal written by Annette Gooch. It was entitled “Massage food with dried herbs to enhance flavors”. Although I often used a variety of liquid marinades to flavor my meats and vegetables, I was not familiar with the concept of a ‘dry rub’ or ‘dry marinade’. I started with the pork rub for ribs and was hooked. I have since tried the spice mixtures for lamb, beef and fish and have enjoyed them all.

A better technique for flavoring such foods is to treat them to a gentle massage with dried herbs and spices. Not only does a dry marinade enhance flavor without the need for liquid, during the cooking the spice-and-herb coating turns appealingly crusty, sealing in the juices. ~Annette Gooch for the Edmonton Journal

Of course, you can buy handy jars of spice mixtures in your grocery stores and gourmet food shops but I like to make mine from scratch as I usually have all of the ingredients on hand and can then claim that there is more ‘love’ in my dish! I also like to use many of the herbs and spices that have been gathered from my own garden and dried. Small jars of handmade herb-and-spice blends would make nice stocking stuffers or added to gift baskets.

Yesterday, Chayton’s grandma and grandpa came over for supper and we enjoyed some fresh Northern Pike caught locally by grandpa Dale, who expertly filets the fish so that there are (almost!) no bones. For this special treat I used the fish rub blend; a spicy blackened Cajun-style which is pan-fried just before serving.

Fish Rub

2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon tarragon

1 teaspoon basil

2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Mix all ingredients together and massage into the fish. The longer the dry rub remains on the fish before cooking, the stronger the flavors. Note: Reduce or omit the cayenne if you do not want the fish to be too spicy.

I look forward to sharing more dry rub recipes with you. In the meantime… Enjoy!

zucchini oatmeal gluten free chocolate chip cookies… my new favorite breakfast cookie!

14 Saturday Sep 2013

Posted by Delena Rose in cook, whole grains

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breakfast cookies, chocolate chip cookies, cookies, gluten-free, oatmeal cookies, wheat-free, zucchini

I found a new favorite breakfast cookie! These are moist and filling, loaded with oatmeal and just enough chocolate for a special treat. I came across this recipe on Nicole’s blog: Gluten Free On a Shoestring. Check out the beautiful pictures on her blog. I used spelt flour so mine wasn’t gluten free, just wheat free. You could also use all purpose flour and skip the xanthan gum.

Zucchini Oatmeal Cookies

2 cups (280 g) all-purpose gluten-free flour

1 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar

1/2 cup (109 g) packed light brown sugar

3 cups (300 g) certified gluten free rolled oats (1 cup (100 g) ground into flour)

10 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

8 tablespoons (112 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 eggs (120 g, out of shell) at room temperature, beaten

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups packed grated zucchini

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line rimmed baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper and set them aside.

In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and granulated sugar, and whisk to combine well. Add the brown sugar and whisk again, working out any lumps. Add the oats and oat flour and mix to combine. Place the chocolate chips in a separate, small bowl, add about 1 tablespoon of the combined dry ingredients to the boss and toss to coat. Set the chips aside.

To the large bowl of dry ingredients, add the butter, eggs and vanilla, and mix to combine well. Add the grated zucchini, and mix to combine. The mixture will be very, very sticky. Add the chocolate chips and the tablespoon of dry ingredients, and mix until the chips are evenly distributed throughout.

Drop the dough in small mounds, about 2 tablespoons each, 1 ½ inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. With wet fingers, smooth each mound of dough into a flat disk. Place the baking sheets, one at a time, in the preheated oven and bake until lightly golden brown on top, darker brown around the edges (about 14 minutes). Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Thank you, Nicole! I look forward to trying more of your recipes in the future!

enjoy a cold one on a hot late summer day… ‘Nature Pop’

13 Friday Sep 2013

Posted by Delena Rose in ancient grains, write

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

apple syrup, chokecherry syrup, fizzy drinks, fruit syrups, Nature Pop, pancake, rosehip syrup, syrup, waffle

Great ideas for those batches of jelly that refuse to set.

Last summer, for some reason a number of my jelly recipes did not set. I was a bit disappointed as I normally give these colorful little jars of ‘sunshine’ away during the winter holidays and now here I was with over a hundred jars of what I considered ‘failed’ batches of jelly. Instead of jellies, I had two batches of chokecherry syrup (one from earlier berries and one from later berries), two batches of rosehip syrup (one sweetened and one unsweetened), apple syrup and highbush cranberry syrup. (My other jams and jellies did just fine.) I put the syrups away and did not even bother to label them. I wondered how on earth I was going to use up all of this syrup? Then I remembered visiting a jam shop on the way to Kelowna, British Columbia and all of the fruit syrups they had to offer. Of course, FRUIT SYRUPS! These could be served over pancakes and waffles! I could even pretend that I meant to make a syrup rather than a jelly.

Recently I have found a fun and refreshing way to use my fruit syrups. I call it ‘Nature Pop’ and it is based on the Italian Soda beverage. I use about three-to-four tablespoons of syrup in a large glass and fill the rest with soda water. Mix it up and you have a cold, fizzy, fruity beverage. You can also use tonic water instead and add an ounce of flavored vodka for a bit of a kick. Throw in a slice of lemon or orange, or a bit of frozen fruit to keep your drink cool and top with a cocktail umbrella (you can get those at the dollar store or some grocery stores) and you’ve got yourself a festive cocktail. I also mix some syrup into my fruit salads and recently poured a little over my Decadent Chocolate Cake just before serving. We have been enjoying some very hot late summer temperatures here in central Alberta and I have ‘discovered’ Nature Pop just in time! Cheers everyone!

moroccan lamb burgers

04 Wednesday Sep 2013

Posted by Delena Rose in cook

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BBQ, burger, ground lamb, lamb, Moroccan lamb burger, spelt buns, spicy burger

Enjoy these delicious and flavorful burgers on one of your late summer barbeque! I baked spelt buns earlier in the day and served these with a thick slice of Monterey Jack cheese.

Moroccan Lamb Burgers

1-3/4 pounds ground lamb (1 package)

1 egg

½ cup breadcrumbs (use wheat-free or gluten-free if desired)

Half of one red onion, minced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1-2 jalapeño chilies, seeded, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

1-1/4 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

vegetable oil

Combine all ingredients thoroughly (except for the vegetable oil). Shape into four patties. Brush some vegetable oil on your grill and BBQ until done. Serve and eat immediately!

Serve on 4 large hamburger buns, split horizontally and top with mayonnaise, lettuce and sliced tomatoes and Monterey Jack cheese. Enjoy!

add a kick to your day with power ball cookies

16 Friday Aug 2013

Posted by Delena Rose in cook

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

balls, cocoa, coconut, cookies, healthy snacks, no-bake cookies, power ball cookies, power balls, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, wheat-free cookies

This winning recipe was passed to me by my lovely friend, Dana. Try substituting any of your own favorite nuts or dried fruits to your taste. A new favorite at the cabin, these tasty no-bake cookies are easy to pack along with you on long hikes or bike rides and are a great source of protein. This is also a fun ‘hands-on’ recipe to make with small children.

Power Ball Cookies

1 cup toasted sunflower seeds

1 cup toasted sesame seeds

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup raisons

½ cup cocoa

2 cups peanut butter

½ cup honey

1 ½ cups coconut

Warm the peanut butter. Mix all ingredients together except for the coconut. Roll into 1-inch balls and roll in coconut. (Refrigerate the mixture for half and hour of it’s too sticky to roll.) Store in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

…then Mediterranean fish soup on Sunday

14 Wednesday Aug 2013

Posted by Delena Rose in cook

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appetizer, fish, fish soup, Mediterranean, mussels, soup

After a long hiatus I am finally, FINALLY back- and here to stay! Thank you, dear readers, for your patience, comments and encouragement to keep writing and sharing and posting. I will fill you in on my absence in the next post and am looking forward to catching up with you all. Although I have been away, there has been much to share! In the meantime, here is what B and I did with the rest of those delicious mussels…

Mediterranean Fish Soup

The fish:

2 ½ lbs mixed fish of your choice. You can also add prawns, mussels, clams, scallops, squid, etc. for color and texture.

The soup base:

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 carrot, sliced

2 leeks, white part only, sliced

2 stalks fennel

3 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

1 potato, diced

3 cloves garlic

6 cups water

1 cup dry white wine

1 teaspoon saffron threads

Strip of orange peel

2 tablespoons tomato paste

Sea salt

Pepper

The garnish:

Croutons of baguette fried in olive oil the rubbed with garlic.

Instructions:

Wash and chop the fish into 1-inch cubes.

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and sauté the onion, carrot, leeks and fennel slowly until softened. Add the tomatoes, potato and garlic and cook gently for 14 minutes. Add the water and wine, saffron threads, orange peel and tomato paste. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper.

Serve the soup in individual bowls with a couple of croutons in each. You can also top the soup with freshly grated Gruyere cheese.

Resource:

Holuigue, D. (1993). Classic Cuisine of Provence. Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press.

a weekend for mussels… first the garlic mussels

26 Sunday May 2013

Posted by Delena Rose in cook

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

appetizer, garlic mussels, mussels, seafood, shellfish

B brought over a huge tray of mussels last weekend and we feasted on these tasty shellfish in a cheesy appetizer on Saturday (featured here) and in a Mediterranean Fish Soup on the Sunday.

Garlic Mussels

12-18 mussels per person

½ cup white wine

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons butter, melted

3 tablespoon parsley, copped

fine sea salt

¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Clean mussels and place in a saucepan with about 4 cups water. Cover and steam until the shells open, about 5 minutes. Remove half empty shells and discard any mussels that have not opened. Place remaining mussels (in the half shells) on a large cookie sheet. Add a few bits of garlic and a pinch of parsley into each one. Then, using a spoon or a turkey baster, place about ¼ teaspoon of both the melted butter and white wine into each half shell. Finally, put a pinch of Parmesan cheese on top of each mussel and sprinkle all with sea salt. Grill in oven until the cheese has browned slightly. Serve immediately. Note: this dish is great for potlucks!

Resource:

Adapted from: Van Wyk, M. (1986). Cooking the South African Way. Johannesburg: Central News Agency Ltd.

brownies made with coconut flour (wheat-free, gluten-free)

21 Sunday Apr 2013

Posted by Delena Rose in cook

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brownies, coconut flour, gluten-free brownies, wheat-free brownies

In my recent experimentation in cooking with other grains and baking with other flours besides the standard wheat, I have discovered coconut flour. Nowadays you can find coconut flour in most grocery stores as well as in your local health food store. I have only used it once before in a gluten-free scone recipe, which turned out deliciously crispy -almost like a Scottish shortbread but with an added hint of coconut in the flavor.

Just this afternoon, I was about to transfer the rest of this flour into a glass jar for storage when I noticed that there was a brownie recipe on the back of the packaging. Never one to walk away from yet another opportunity to enjoy some chocolate, I whipped up a batch and was very satisfied with the results. Although the coconut flavor is barely discernible (over-powered by the chocolate), the brownie itself has a lovely consistency and is thick and fudge-y. If you’re getting off the wheat or just looking for a fun way to bake with a new ingredient, I highly recommend trying this recipe!

Wheat Free Brownies

1/3 cup butter (or non-dairy alternative)

1/2 cup cocoa powder

6 eggs (or equivalent)

1 cup sugar (I use raw cane sugar)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup organic coconut flour, sifted

1 cup chocolate chips (use the highest quality you can find)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F). In a medium saucepan over low heat, blend butter and cocoa powder. Remove from heat and let cool. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, sugar and vanilla. Blend this into the cocoa mixture. Stir in the coconut flour until the batter is no longer lumpy. Add the chocolate chips if desired. (I also added 1/2 cup pecans.) Bake in a pre-greased 8×8 baking pan for about 30-35 minutes. Enjoy!

when life hands you lemons… make a lemon buttermilk cake

10 Sunday Mar 2013

Posted by Delena Rose in ancient grains, cook

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buttermilk, buttermilk cake, lemon cake, lemons, spelt flour

Yet another great recipe adapted from Heidi Swanson’s super natural every day cookbook. This is a nice simple cake to go with coffee or tea or when you just need a bite of lemony sweetness. Despite using regular-milled spelt flour (as opposed to whole wheat pastry flour) I found this cake to be very light and spongy.

Lemon Buttermilk Cake

2 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour (I used spelt flour)

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ cup natural cane sugar

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

2 large eggs

1 ½ cups buttermilk

¼ cup butter, melted

grated zest of 2 lemons

5 dates, pitted and coarsely chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F). Butter an 11-inch round tart/quiche pan or a square baking dish.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. In a mixing bowl, mix together the eggs, buttermilk, butter and lemon zest. Add the dry ingredients and the dates and mix until just combined.

Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Resource:

Swanson, H. (2011). super natural every day. New York, NY: Ten Speed Press.