Blueberry Coffee Cake

I am out to dinner with friends tonight.  There is leftover lasagna for Andrew and the girls.
There is no dessert in the house so I am making a cake.Blueberries were on sale today so Blueberry cake it is.  Blueberries are Andrew's favorite and they are repeatedly ranked in the as having one of the highest antioxidant capacities among all fruits, vegetables.  You can find more information about the wonderful values of blueberries at http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?dbid=8&tname=foodspice.

I am sure that putting the blue between butter, flour and sugar is not the most nutritional way to eat blueberries but is is one of the most delicious.
I bought a big container so we can have blueberries on our cereal and with our yogurt.


This recipe is for a 9 x 13 cake.  I didn't want such a big cake so I made two 9" cakes.  I would have preferred to make 8" cakes but I couldn't find my other pan!  The cakes are a little thinner!  I wish putting me in a bigger size worked out the same but....

This is the only sour cream cake I have made where you don't mix the sour cream with baking soda - odd but it works.

The blueberries sink so that is why I say to spread 2/3 of the batter in the pans before adding the blueberries and hope they come out in the middle.  You will find this a very stiff batter, not to worry it makes a very moist cake.  I glop the batter onto the blueberries and then put the topping on.  I press the topping to even the cake.


Blueberry Coffee Cake

Preheat oven to 375


Ingredients


Cinnamon Topping
1-cup sugar
2/3-cup flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. salt
½ cup butter cut into small pieces
½ cup chopped pecans - optional
Cake
½ cup butter cut into chunks
1 ½ cups sugar
2 eggs
1-cup sour cream
3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking power
½ tsp. salt\
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries or 1 cup raspberries and 1 cup blueberries
Or 2 cups frozen mixed berries

Instructions

Topping

In processor with steel blade, process ingredients for topping until crumbly.
Put in bowl and set aside
In processor (no need to wash bowl from topping mixture) add butter, sugar and eggs, process until creamy.
Add sour cream just until mixed in.
Pulse in dry ingredients just until blended.
Spray a 9 X 13 baking pan or 2 8" or 9" square baking pans with non stick spray and line with parchment paper

First layer of batter

Spread 2/3 of the batter into the pan.
Spread berries over the batter
Carefully spread the rest of the batter over the cake (note this is a very stiff batter - sort of glop it on as evenly as you can)
Cover with topping.  Press down a little to even the batter .
Bake for 1 hour.

Let cake sit for 10 minutes.  Remove cake from pan by holding edges of the parchment paper.

Blueberries on top

Put onto plateand slide parchment paper from under the cake.

I put the one for the freezer into an extra large zip lock bag right on the plate.  I can take it out when I need it  and serve or take it as a hostess gift.

Second layer of cake

Topping added

Packaged for the freezer

Gnocchi with Shrimp in a Blush Sauce - 1/2 hour to make - luxurious to eat

There is a restaurant on Lakeshore in Oakville  that makes this wonderful gnocchi with grilled shrimp.
Once again I said "I can do that".  Although I do not make my own gnocchi and my shrimp are not grilled to the same perfection this version is delicious.

I find shrimp fairly economical if you buy them on sale. Frozen shrimp can be quickly defrosted by putting them in a bowl of cold water.  Drain them well and pat dry with paper towel before grilling
You only need 5 large or 8 medium shrimps per person

The best part is how easy it is to make.  The potato gnocchi come in a package and cook the same as pasta.  The sauce is made and the shrimp are grilled in the time it takes to cook the gnocchi.  I have cut the cream from 35% to 18% and no one noticed.  You don't need a lot of cream to "blush" the sauce.

As the "blushed" sauce comes out pink this would be a great dish to serve for Valentines day!
Pink and luxurious.


Gnocchi with Grilled Shrimp


Ingredients
1 kg package potato gnocchi
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic minced
2 teaspoons basil
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup Passata Pomodoro  (Italian tomato puree)
1 teaspoon sugar
salt to taste
1 cup 18% table cream
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

20 large or 32 medium raw shrimp tail removed
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Marsha's seasoning - see

Instructions
Put water in large pot on high, when boiling add salt and cook gnocchi according to package directions.  While the water is heating.
Heat a large skillet on medium, add olive oil and garlic.  Do not let garlic brown it will be bitter.  Add basil and red pepper flakes.  Let cook one minute and add Passata and sugar.  Salt to taste.  Let cook on low while you prepare the shrimp.
Meanwhile turn on indoor grill to high or heat a frying pan on high and add a teaspoon of olive oil.  If using grill mix shrimps with olive oil and seasoning.  If using frying pan add season shrimp.  Cook shrimp until pink, turning once - should only take about 3 -5 minutes.
Add cream to sauce, increase heat to medium until sauce is heated (not boiling).  Add cooked gnocchi, parsley and Parmesan and stir.
Divide gnocchi between 4 bowls.  Add shrimp on top and serve.
 

                                                                                           

Turkey Sausage Lasagne - Make two - one for tonight - one for the freezer

Today I am making a simple Lasagna adapted from the Barefoot Contessa Family Style Cookbook.


I was asked for recipes for the slow cooker.  I have posted my Chili recipe which can be made in a slow cooker as can the Bean and Vegetable Soup.  In trying to help those who are short on time get a good meal on the table quickly I have also posted "quick" cooking recipes ready in 1/2 hour: Italian Soup, Perogies with Sausage and Peppers and Chicken Etouffee.

I will be posting more recipes that can be made in a slow cooker as well as more 30 minute one pan wonders!!

You can prepare this ahead, leave it in the refrigerator and bake it for dinner, it only takes 30 - 40 minutes in the oven.  Make two and freeze one unbaked.  Put the frozen lasagna in the refrigerator the day before you want to bake to defrost.  You can have dinner in 40 minutes when you get home.

If I am making a casserole on the weekend I often make two, one for dinner and one for the freezer.  An "emergency" casserole in your freezer can come in very handy.

The same with soups.  Make a big pot and freeze in family or portion sizes for a quick meal when needed.

My soups are what Rachael Ray calls "Stoups" a cross between a soup and a stew.  With bread and a salad they are a hearty meal.   Make extra chili for the freezer or Spaghetti and Meatballs.

It really doesn't take much extra work to make a two casseroles or a bigger pot of soup.  It is really nice to have meals ready to heat up and not have to worry about "what's for dinner" when you come home late.

Take your meal for tomorrow out of the freezer after you finish dinner and it will be defrosted and ready to heat when you come home the next day.

Lasagna with Turkey Sausage 


This casserole uses "No boil" lasagna noodles.  I like the Molisana Lasagna noodles.  They thinner than the regular no boil noodles.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 small or one large onion chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
1 1/2 (about 8) hot Italian turkey sausages - you can use sweet if you prefer - casing removed
1 280z can crushed tomatoes
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried basil
1/2 pound lasagna noodles
1 container (475 grams) ricotta cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling
1 large egg
1 1/4 pound mozzarella cut into cubes
1/2 cup Passata (Italian Tomato Puree)

Instructions

         
        

Sausage cooking with onions and garlic

Heat a large skillet and add olive oil.  Add onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat.  Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add sausage and cook over medium low heat breaking it up with a fork for about 8-10 minutes until no longer pink.  Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of parsley, basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Simmer undiscovered over medium-low heat until thickened - about 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile in your food processor fitted with the metal blade add half the cheese, with motor running add the rest of the cheese a cube at time.

Add ricotta, one cup Parmesan cheese, the egg and the remaining parsley to processor.  Combine ingredients..

Ladle 1/4 of the sauce in the bottom of a 9 X 12 baking dish.  Spread the sauce over the bottom of the dish.
Add a layer of pasta (covering the dish and breaking the pasta to make it fit where necessary) then add half the cheese mixture and 1/2 of the remaining sauce.  Cover with another layer of noodles, cheese and sauce.
Cover that layer with another layer of noodles and spread Passata over the noodles.  Sprinkle with 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese and bake at 400 for 30 - 40 minutes until the sauce is bubbly.

Cheese cubes

Cheese when processed

Noodle Layer

Cheese layer

Sauce Layer

Ready to go into the oven or freezer

Baked and ready to serve

Cinnamon Buns 2 Pans - one with Pecans and one without

I am taking Lauren into Toronto to see my wonderful nephew by marriage who is an optometrist.  He is only there every other Saturday and is staying late today to see us.  This means that my niece who has three little ones is going to be left on her own with the kiddies a little longer than usual.  I am taking in a pan of Cinnamon Buns as a "thank you" for both of them.

My recipe makes two 9" round "pans" of buns.  One for us, one for them am baking for them as well.  I like to make them in the round pans as you can easily invert them onto a plate and they look nice for serving.  I am going to run out to the dollar store while they are rising and get a plate to put the "gift" pan on.

My 3 year old niece is allergic to nuts so I am not putting any pecans on theirs.  We however love nuts so ours are getting pecans on top.

Yeast is so easy to work with.  I think baking with yeast is easier than making a cake.  If the dough is too sticky - if the processor stops or is labouring - add more flour.  If you leave it a half hour longer to rise, not a problem.  If you have to go out longer in the middle of either rising time, put it in the fridge to bake later.  Sweet yeast dough doesn't rise as much or as fast.  I am always worried the buns will not fill out the pan when done - they always do.

Your house will smell fabulous, no candle can come close.

Cinnamon Buns

Ingredients

Dough

1 tablespoon quick rise yeast

1/4 cup hot tap water

1 teaspoon sugar

3 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup softened butter cut into chunks

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs at room temperature

1 teaspoon salt

Hot tap water (about 1/2 cup)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Sticky Topping

1/4 cup honey

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup softened butter cut into pieces

1/2 cup (or more) Pecans - either halves or chopped.

Filling

1/3 cup softened butter

2 cups brown sugar

2 tablespoons cinnamon

Instructions

In a measuring cup place 1/4 cup hot tap water, mix in yeast and sugar.

Leave until foamy.

Meanwhile in processor with metal blade add flour, salt, sugar, eggs and butter, with machine running add yeast mixture.  In the same measuring cup as the yeast mixture was in add hot tap water.  With machine still running add hot water through the feed tube until the dough forms a ball around the blade.  

Put oil in a large bowl and swish it around.  Place dough in bowl, swish it around to cover it with oil then turn it over (so it is all lightly covered in oil and will not stick).  Cover with plastic wrap and then a tea towel.  Place in the warmest spot in your kitchen.

Let rise for 1 hour.

Make Sticky Topping by putting butter, honey and brown sugar in a bowl.  Put the bowl in the microwave for about 40 seconds.   Take the bowl out and stir.  If the butter is not melted then put the bowl back for another 20 seconds and keep doing so until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth.

Mix the cinnamon and brown sugar in a small bowl and set aside.

Punch dough down and divide in half.  Roll out to a 10 x 13 inch rectangle.   Spread with half the butter, then spread with half of the brown sugar cinnamon mixture press the mixture into the dough.

Roll up the dough pinching the edges to keep the cinnamon mixture in.

Cut in half then cut each half in half then cut each quarter in half.

Place half the Sticky Topping and the nuts (if using) in the bottom of a 9 inch round cake pan that has been sprayed with a non stick spray.

Put a bun from one of the ends in the middle, cut side down.

Place the other buns around it spaced evenly seam side in and for the other end make sure it is cut side down as well.  (Press the seam into the bun if necessary)

Repeat with the other half of the dough.

Cover with plastic wrap and then a tea towel and place in the warmest spot in your kitchen.  Let rise for 1 hour. 

If they do not appear to have risen very much do not worry.

Bake at 350 (convection if you have it) for about 40 minutes until browned (check at 30 minutes or it may take 45 minutes in your oven as every oven is different).

Put plate on top of buns. With oven gloves on turn upside down to invert buns onto the plate.  Let cool at least 15 minutes before eating (molten sticky topping will burn your mouth)

Hash Browns for brunch seasoned with Marsha's Spice Mix

Naomi - my picky one - asked me to make hash browns for brunch.  She saw a commercial for them and said they looked great.   I have never made hash browns before.  Lauren loves them and always orders them when she goes out for breakfast.  I thought - why not?  It would be nice to get a complement from Naomi instead of the usual "stink eye" when I make something.  Thankfully she loved them.  These can easily be served with breakfast or as a side dish with dinner. 

Hash Browns


Ingredients

4 medium potatoes washed and cut into cubes (I use Yukon gold, they have thin skins and you do not have to peel them, you can also use red or white potatoes or a mix)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion chopped
1/2 large red pepper, chopped
1/2 large yellow pepper chopped (you can use green or orange peppers instead)
1 teaspoon Marsha's Spice Mix (recipe below)


Instructions

Cut the potatoes into even sized cubes
Place potatoes in a pot and just barley cover with water.
Place on high heat and bring to a boil.  Cook for about five minutes until potatoes a fork goes in easily. (you want them slightly firm)
Meanwhile cut the onions and the peppers.
Put three tablespoons olive oil in a large non stick frying pan on high heat
When the oil is hot add the onions and peppers stir for a minute and add potatoes and spice mix.
Let cook stirring gently every few minutes.  If you play with them too much the potatoes will turn to mush.
Cook about 15 minutes until browned.


Marsha's Spice Mix
Equal portions of:
Cumin
Adobo seasoned salt
Garlic
Hot Pepper flakes
and half portion of
Thyme
Oregano

Food Processor - my most essential kitchen tool

Today is our anniversary, 21 years of marriage.  So far so good.
We are going out for a nice dinner at a good restaurant to celebrate.  The girls are on their own tonight.

Anyone who has been reading my blog will have noted that I use my food processor for baking.
In the early 80's Noreen Gilletz wrote a cookbook called The Pleasures of your Food Processor.  This wonderful book taught me how to use my processor.  I know so many people who have food processors and never use them.  To me it is the most essential tool in the kitchen.

The wonderful Noreen Gilletz in her book taught me the methods of baking with a food processor.  Using her methods I can adapt (and do adapt) most recipes to be made in my food processor.  The only things that the processor does not do is whip egg whites or cream.  Other than that anything that requires chopping, shredding, slicing or mixing can be done in a food processor.  Fast, easy and easy to clean, I love my processor.

I am on my third Cuisinart in thirty years.  The one I have now is  12 years old and is the 12 cup size.  I highly recommend getting the big one if you are purchasing a processor.  You need a big one if you want to make large cakes or breads.  The only other processor I would recommend buying is the new KitchenAid 13 cup.  I don't know anyone who has one but the brand is good quality and the features look cool!

I recently spent an evening making 20 pounds of potatoes into potato latkes with 12 women and 4 different brands of food processors (no one had a KitchenAid).   We were making dinner for 80 needy people at a local charity.  My aged well worn Cuisinart was twice as fast as any of the other machines.

I call it my "war horse".  I have had to get service on it twice - my fault both times - both times, bowl issues, nothing to do with the motor.  I took it to Cuisinart's service center in Brampton and both times they were able to fix it while I was there for a nominal amount.  Both times were at least 5 years after the warranty expired.

In the recipes on my blog.  I am trying to impart the same wisdom Noreen imparted to me in her book.  I am trying to cook with you step by step giving you the methods to enable anyone trying my recipes to be able to make them successfully in their food processor.  Once you have tried it you won't go back!!

Every year I look at the KitchenAid mixers.  I know they are a kitchen essential for most bakers.  I can never justify buying one.  I have a portable mix master for beating egg whites and cream.  I don't know what I would make that I don't already make in my food processor.
 

Quick Mushroom Barley Soup and Salad

I just came back from my walk feeling cold.  Makes me want to make a soup to accompany our burgers and salad tonight

Today I am making a Quick Mushroom Barley Soup.
This soup can be ready in a 1/2 hour if you start the barley cooking in the stock first.  Cook the bacon, onion and mushrooms in a frying pan then add them into the stock.  You can use regular bacon or no bacon at all.  I like the smoky flavour and to make it both lower in fat and edible by all of my family I use chicken bacon.  To reduce up your preparation time buy sliced mushrooms.  One thing to splurge on is Parmesan cheese.  Don't buy it ground, buy a chunk.  If you can't afford Parmigiano Reggiano then buy Grana Padano.  The rind is hardened cheese so when you grate the cheese save the rinds.  Adding the Parmesan rind gives great flavour to the soup.  I put the rinds into a zip lock and keep them in the freezer.  Whole Foods sells Parmesan rinds in their cheese department!
I like to make my own burgers.  I find the trick to making burgers that don't fall apart when cooking it to make them ahead and leave them in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.  For beef burgers I keep it simple, onion soup mix and barbeque sauce mixed in with the meat.  In the summer they go on the grill in the winter they go on the indoor grill or Panini Press.  The Panini Press cooks them on both sides at the same time.  They cook quickly and do not require flipping!
I never use bottled salad dressing.  You get less oil and less sodium when you make your own dressing - you have the control.  Salads are a great dish to be creative with.  You can use different lettuces or greens, fruits (dried or fresh), an assortment of vegetables, nuts, seeds, cheeses, really any combination that looks good to you or if you are like me - what you have on hand.  The big bag of romaine lettuce, washed and chopped is on sale this week so, Romaine will be the base of our salad tonight and I am adding blood oranges that were on sale
The dressings can also be creative or can be very simple and fast.  Tonight I am going simple and fast. 

Quick Mushroom Barley Soup

Ingredients

7 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable stock

1 cup pearl barley
2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 slices turkey or chicken bacon  chopped- optional 

1 1/4 pounds white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced

1 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1 chunk Parmesan Rind or shaved Parmesan

Instructions

In a large pot.  On high add chicken or vegetable stock and barley and Parmesan rind.   Heat a frying pan on medium add oil and when hot add chopped turkey or chicken bacon and heat through.  Add mushrooms, onion, garlic, and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables have softened, 6 to 8 minutes.

Add vegetable mixture to the boiling pot of stock and barley. Reduce heat to a simmer.  Cook until tender - the barley needs to cook for about 30  minutes.

Romaine Lettuce Salad                                


Salad

4 cups Romaine Lettuce (washed and torn into bite size pieces)
1 Blood Orange, peeled and sectioned
1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds
1/3 cup sliced red onion



Dressing
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
2 tablespoons Olive Oil

Put salad ingredients in a bowl, add dressing ingredients and toss.

New Orleans inspired ready in 1/2 hour - Chicken Etouffee

 A New Orleans style dish you can make in the time it takes to cook the rice.  This dish gets its flavour from the roux - cooking the butter (or margarine) and flour until it is the colour of a copper penny.  The taste of the browned flour gives a richness to the sauce.  Cut the onion while the chicken is cooking cut the celery and peppers and mince the garlic while the onion is cooking. We like it spicy with a teaspoon of red pepper flakes.  Add spice to your taste or eliminate it altogether and still have a very tasty dish.  You can use brown rice, or a quick cook brown rice to make a healthier meal.  I will cook some brown rice for my picky eater, Naomi, as she prefers it.  Lauren, Andrew and I prefer white rice.  

When I told Naomi what we were having she moaned - once again and told me that cooking for the blog was more important than cooking to her taste.  I put my foot down and said "too bad this is what we are having".   Once again she really liked it and once again she had seconds.  My mother only made one meal and we had to eat it.  My brother told his kids that my mother gave us two choices for dinner "Eat or I'll shove it down your throat".  I do try to respect their tastes but when I know that all of the ingredients are ones they like, then they have to eat or.....

You can also substitute cooked shrimp for the chicken.  Just put them into the sauce at the end with the vegetables and heat.  

Chicken Etouffee

Ingredients

1 cup raw rice, 2 cups water

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces

1 tablespoon Olive oil

1 large onion chopped

1 large sweet red pepper chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 clove garlic minced

2 tablespoons butter (or margarine)

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup chicken stock

½ tsp. Dried thyme
salt to taste

red pepper flakes to taste

Instructions

In a small saucepan, add rice and water, cook on high until boiling and reduce to low for 20 minutes.

Place a large skillet on medium heat, when heated and add oil. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink (let the chicken cook without stirring until it is lightly browned which is also when it no longer sticks to the pan, then stir it up to get it lightly browned on all sides).  Remove chicken and put in a bowl

Add vegetables and sauté vegetables until crisp tender.  Add garlic, thyme, salt and red pepper flakes -  mix the spices into the vegetables for about 1 minute.

Remove vegetables from skillet, place in bowl with chicken

Place butter and flour in skillet, cook over medium heat stirring constantly until mixture is the colour of a copper penny (about 5 minutes).  Add chicken stock, stir until bubbling scraping the bottom of the pan as you stir.  
Add chicken and vegetables; simmer 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated.  Serve over rice.