Snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodles. The simple cookie that is sweetened with cinnamon and sugar, and who can turn down cinnamon and sugar? Ahhh.. of course the French can. For some reason the French don't use cinnamon as much as Canadians and they seem to think that we put it in everything. So what? Cinnamon is damn good! But then again, what do I know? The cinnamon that we eat in North America is actually a spice called Cassia from Indonesia. So if you live in North America it is possible that you have never had true cinnamon before.

Cassia and cinnamon are easier to distinguish in their whole rolled up bark form. True cinnamon from Sri Lankan is thin and brittle with several thin layers of bark. Cassia, however is thicker and hollow inside. Once they are ground up it is hard to distinguish the two.

Cinnamon or cassia, I will enjoy the flavour of either spice! And I encourage my friends in France to try this recipe and not to discriminate so much against this wonderful spice.



Snickerdoodles

• 1 cup butter at room temperature
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract
• 2 ½ cups flour
• 2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Cream the butter and sugar together until it looks like a thick frosting. Add the eggs and vanilla extract.
2. In a separate bowl mix the rest of the ingredients together and then add half of the dry mixture into the creamy batter. Mix well and then add the rest of the dry ingredients.
   
3. Wrap the dough in saran wrap and put in the fridge for about an hour. This will make rolling the dough into a ball much easier.
   
4. Once the dough is chilled unwrap the dough. Use a spoon to scoop a small amount of dough and roll it into a 1" ball with your hands.
   
5. In a small bowl mix together 1/3 cup of sugar and 1 tbsp of Cinnamon. Take your 1" ball of dough and roll it in the cinnamon and sugar mix and place the ball on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper at 1 inch apart.
6. Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes. I bake mine for 9 minutes but it really depends on your oven.
   

Pizza Margherita with Arugula

After making the delicious garlic shrimp rotini with the arugula sauce I thought I could use the rest of the arugula to top off a Pizza Margherita. This simple pizza has few toppings but the basil and arugula make it a flavourful dish. It also makes a great meal for any vegetarian.

Pizza Margherita with Arugula

• 4 tsp olive oil
• 1 large garlic clove
• 1 can of 231 ml pizza sauce
  
• 6 to 8 large basil leaves
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese
• 2 cups of lightly packed arugula
• pizza dough

1. Take the garlic and crush it with the side of your knife. Combine the 4 tsp of olive oil with the garlic in a small dish. It is best to do this before you make the dough so the garlic can sit in the oil.
   
2. Take the pizza dough and stretch it out to your desired crust, thick or thin. Lightly brush the inner circle of each pizza with the garlic olive oil. Toss the rest of the garlic oil with the arugula. Lightly spread dough with pizza sauce, sprinkle a bit of mozzarella for a base, top with chopped basil and the rest of the mozzarella. Top each pizza with Parmesan cheese.
3. Using a cutting board, slide the pizza onto the pizza stone, or baking pan and let it bake for 10-15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Transfer the pizza to a firm surface and cut into slices with a pizza cutter or very sharp knife. Sprinkle each pizza with arugula. Serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from Food and Drink Magazine

Rotini with Garlic Shrimp and Arugula Sauce

The summer always makes me think of fresh pasta dishes, and this arugula pasta sauce is as fresh as it gets. The baby arugula adds a peppery, nutty flavour to this uncooked sauce and it is filled with vitamins C and A. Since the sauce is uncooked you benefit from all the nutrients in the vegetables. Once vegetables are cooked they began to loose nutritional value. Of course cooked vegetables are still very nutritious, so there is no need to go on the raw food diet.

Since the arugula sauce is uncooked make sure you have all your ingredients prepared, as you will use the cooked pasta to heat the sauce once you toss it all together.

Rotini with Garlic Shrimp and Arugula Sauce
Serves 4

Garlic Shrimp

• 1 lb of jumbo black tiger shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 2 tbsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice
  
• salt and pepper

Pasta Sauce

• 3 ripe plum tomatoes
• 4 cups of lightly packed baby arugula
• 1 cup of lightly packed parsley leaves
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• 1/2 tsp of freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup of vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup of whipping cream
• 2 garlic cloves
• 450 grams of rotini pasta
  
• 1 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup of toasted pine nuts

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Add all the ingredients of the garlic shrimp into a bowl and mix together well. Set aside.
   
2. Seed and dice tomatoes; there should be about 2 cups. Set aside.
3. Bring a large pasta pasta pot half filled with salted water to boil; cook rotini according to package or until al dente.
4. Meanwhile place the shrimp onto a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 7-9 minutes or until pink and firm.
   
5. While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce by adding arugula and parsley in a blender jar with olive oil, salt and pepper. Combine broth, cream and garlic and heat on high in a microwave for about 60 seconds or until very hot but not boiling. Pour over leaves in the blender; whirl, stopping to scrape down side until a somewhat thin sauce forms.
   
6. Once the rotini has been cooked and drained add the arugula sauce and toss until coated. Add the tomatoes, about half the cheese and all of the pine nuts. Toss and serve in warm bowls or plates and top each plate with about 7 or 8 pieces of shrimp. Pass around the remaining Parmesan cheese.

Recipe adapted from Food and Drink Magazine

Chocolate Pavlova with Mixed Berries

So it has been about 3 months since I've last posted an entry which is just way too long. Moving out to BC in the Okanagan Valley for the summer has delayed entries as well. But now that I have the kitchen set up and my little herb garden planted I should be good to go. Since I am in the Okanagan Valley where there are orchids and vineyards galore I thought it would be appropriate to begin the summer with a dessert where fresh fruit is required. Pavlova with mixed berries seemed like an excellent choice.

Now apparently the pavlova was created in the 1920's when the Russian Ballet Dancer Anna Pavlova was on her Australia/New Zealand tour. The dessert was made especially for her and then named after her. I am not exactly sure if it was the Kiwis or Aussies that invented it. It's safer if I don't guess either as I wouldn't want to upset any of my friends down under.

This is a beautiful and simple dessert to end any summer meal. It's light and crispy on the outside and melts in your mouth once you bite into it. Bring this to your next get together and your friends will love you for it.

Chocolate Pavlova with Mixed Berries

Pavlova

• 4 egg whites (room temperature)
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup of superfine baker's sugar
• 2 tbsp of unsweetened coco powder

Topping

• 1 cup of whipping cream
• 1/2 tsp of vanilla
• 1 tbsp of sugar
• 2 cups of mixed fresh berries
• 2 tbsp of sugar
• 1 tbsp of fresh lemon juice

Pavlova

1. Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Using a stand or hand mixer beat egg whites in a glass bowl until frothy. Add cream of tartar and salt; beat until soft peaks form.
3. Whisk sugar and coco powder together and gradually add sugar mixture into the egg whites, about 1 tbsp at a time. Increase the speed to high and beat until the mixture holds stiff peaks, about 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Dollop the meringue, a generous cupful (about six 4-inch circles) onto the parchment paper at 2 inches apart. Gently press an indent into the center of each with the back of a spoon, but don't spread or work the meringue too much. If you'd like you can also create one big meringue (about 9 inches in diameter) and again create an indent in the center (about 5 inches). Bake the pavlovas for 75-90 minutes , until they are dry on the outside. You can test if they are done by lifting them off the parchment paper, if it lifts away easily, it is done.
5. When they are done, turn off the oven and let the pavlova sit in the oven for 20 minutes. Before serving, let the pavlova cool to room temperature. You can store the pavlova in an air tight container for up to 3 days. Of course it is best served no more than a day ahead of serving.
   

Topping

1. Beat whipping cream, vanilla and sugar on medium speed until soft peaks form. For chocolate whip cream add 1 1/2 tbsp of coco powder and 1 1/2 tbsp of sugar.
2. For the berries mix together the berries with the sugar and lemon juice. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
   
3. Dollop the whip cream onto the pavlova and top with berries.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

There is much debate over what kind of cookies are the best, soft and chewy, or thin and crunchy. Do not fret people, I have found the solution to this problem. Instead of choosing one why not have both? I have always been a girl who likes options and what better option that to have two different textures of cookies.

What is great about this recipe is that you don't need a hand or stand mixer, just a simple wooden spoon will do. I find it quite funny when Martha Stewart will question why people prefer to use hand mixers as oppose to stand mixers. Maybe it's because stand mixers cost $300-$400!! Trust me, I would love to get a stand mixer one day, but for now I will have to settle with my hand mixer and wooden spoon.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 teaspoon water
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 cups milk chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350º.
2. Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together in a bowl.
   
3. In another large bowl, cream the butter with a wooden spoon to lighten it a bit and then mix in the sugars. Add the water, vanilla and eggs to the butter mixture.
   
4. Stir in the flour mixture and then fold in the chocolate chips.
   
5. Using a soup spoon, drop the cookies 2" apart onto two nonstick or greased cookie sheets. Bake for 9 minutes for soft and chewy, 12 minutes if you want them crispy. Remove the cookies to a wire rack to cool, and repeat the process with the rest of the batter.

Yields about 40 cookies

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Well it seems that I may be having a strawberry craze this month, but I figured since Valentines is coming up, people would want to make these delicious treats for loved ones.

Now I decided to drizzle white chocolate on top of mine, but of course you can add anything you want to these chocolate covered strawberries. You could dip them in crushed peanuts, shredded coconut or even cover them in red sprinkles. Often people will spend way to much on Valentines and forget that people love the baked goods rather than the bought. At least I do anyway. I will even guarantee that it will instantly add more love because the lucky recipient will know that you took the time to make them.

Because of course, everyone knows, that all you need is love.



Chocolate Covered Strawberries

• 1 lb of strawberries (about 20) washed and dried well
  
• 200 grams of your favourite dark chocolate
• 50 grams of white chocolate
• 1/2 tsp of vegetable oil

1. Place dark chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Make sure the bowl is not touching the water, you are using the steam to melt the chocolate, not the water. Stir occasionally, until melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat once melted.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, only use parchment nothing else. One at a time, dip each strawberry in chocolate, twirling to coat and then place on parchment paper.
3. Once you have dipped all the strawberries melt the white chocolate the same way as the dark chocolate. Since you are using the white chocolate to drizzle, you will add the vegetable oil to thin out the white chocolate. Make sure you don't use water or else it will make the chocolate clumpy.
   
4. Stir the white chocolate with the oil until you get the consistency that you desire for drizzling, if it is not thin enough to drizzle, add more oil.
   
5. Use a fork to drizzle the white chocolate over the chocolate covered strawberries.
   
6. Chill chocolate-dipped strawberries for at least 15 minutes in the fridge before eating.

Strawberry Banana Muffins

One of my absolute favourite fruit combination is strawberry and banana. I love the combination in smoothies, crepes and especially in Yogen Fruz. This was originally a banana bread recipe from my mom but I decide to add strawberries and oatmeal. I added the oatmeal because I enjoy the texture of it in muffins but you can also replace the oatmeal for bran. If you don't like either of them than you can replace the oatmeal measurement for flour.

So bring these muffins to your next brunch or simply make them for your family to enjoy fresh muffins in the morning. I would suggest cutting up strawberries and bananas to serve with the muffins because who doesn't like a bit of fresh fruit with their the breakfast!

Enjoy!

Strawberry Banana Muffins

• 1 1/4 cup of flour
• 3/4 cups of oatmeal or wheat bran
• 2 bananas
• 1 cup of chopped fresh strawberries
• 1/2 cup of oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup of white sugar
• 4 tbsp of sour cream
• 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder
• 1 tsp of baking soda
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1 tsp of vanilla

1. Preheat the oven 350°F. Butter a standard 12 cup muffin pan or line with muffin cups
   
2. In a bowl whisk together the flour, oatmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In another bowl, mash the bananas with a fork and combine the eggs and sugar. Mix in the oil, sour cream and then the flour mixture.
   
4. Once the batter has been well mixed add in the vanilla and strawberries.
5. Pour the batter into the muffin pan, about 3/4 full for each cup.
   
6. Bake the muffins for about 25 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted into the muffin comes out clean. Let the muffins cool for at least 15 minutes before eating.