Happy Halloween! These cupcakes were fairly popular at the party on Saturday. Katy and I made them.. and I decorated them as she made a wondrous meal for me. They aren’t as sweet as most cupcakes, and the icing is sharply spiced for a taste reminiscent of pumpkin pie with whipped cream.
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Archive for 2009
Pumpkin Cupcakes
In Dessert on 2009-11-04 at 1:41 amLemon Poppyseed Loaf
In Bread, Dessert on 2009-07-31 at 10:10 am
It’s been a while since I last made this loaf, so I decided to whip up a batch for my birthday this year. It doesn’t have the glaze on yet, but hopefully I’ll have a little time this evening before I run out to karate class. There’s only a hint of lemon to it without the glaze, but it’s very nice either way. The glaze adds a sharp tang to every bite, making it more like a cake than bread. Read the recipe »
Alfredo with Veggies
In Italian, Main Dish on 2009-07-10 at 9:17 am
An alfredo sauce is almost exactly like macaroni and cheese, but somehow sounds so much classier. Amazing what a little garlic will do. Fried vegetables add a more interesting flavour, making every bite a little bit different from the last.
Harvo
In Bread, Dessert on 2009-06-22 at 9:58 pm
As a father’s day gift, I decided to make a treat that my dad had said he liked as a kid. I recently received a collection of my grandma’s recipes, and this was one of them. I’ve included the original recipe card to show how complicated the cooking instructions got over the years. I haven’t had a chance to try this myself, but I particularly approve of the fact that it doesn’t involve soaking the raisins. Dry fruit should stay dry! Ah, pet peeves.
Macaroni and Cheese
In Main Dish on 2009-06-15 at 4:28 pm
Likely the first recipe I ever learned, Macaroni and Cheese is one of my favourite comfort foods. My parents insisted that from a fairly early age both my sister and I had to cook dinner some of the time. By high school, we contributed at least one meal a week each.. sometimes more since we were home much earlier than they were (and whoever made dinner didn’t have to do dishes. Big motivation.). However, for many years my parents had to “suffer” through meals of mac & cheese or tomato-soup-from-a-can and grilled cheese sandwiches.
I can still remember a time when I didn’t know how to make even this. I somehow read the recipe wrong and thought I had to cook just the butter and flour for 5 minutes (Don’t do this!! It ruins pots!!). Despite that, this is a really easy recipe to make - almost as easy as kraft dinner and tastes much better. This is a variation on Basic White Sauce.
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Basic White Sauce
In Main Dish on 2009-06-15 at 4:28 pm
Basic White Sauce, is the starting point for countless sauces, gravies and even soups. I couldn’t list them all, but I will link back to this recipe whenever it comes up. By itself, it’s fairly tasteless. Add a little spice, onion, cheese.. or switch out the milk for broth or wine and suddenly you have a delicious sauce.
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Lemon Meringue Pie
In Dessert on 2009-06-08 at 10:28 pm
I rarely eat lemon meringue pie from stores or restaurants.. I’ve been too spoiled by the homemade version. One key part is that it just doesn’t seem right without a graham cracker crumb crust, and most places use a normal pastry crust. It’s also best when the filling is still warm and gooey, even if the presentation is not so pretty. Not to say, of course, that I would refuse a piece of this pie after it cools!
(pictured here at the stage before adding the meringue)
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Bran Muffins
In Bread on 2009-06-03 at 10:08 am
My family’s recipe produces soft, moist and filling bran muffins. They’re best right out of the oven, of course, but I’ve had success in freezing a large batch for later use as well. My favourite topping is peanut butter and jam, though they’re quite nice with melted butter or even plain. Bran has a very rich flavour on its own.
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Peanut Butter Cookies
In Dessert on 2009-05-28 at 9:59 pm
These are very plain cookies, but they soak up milk perfectly if you like dipping cookies, like I do. This time I tried spicing things up a bit with an idea I got from my sister’s friend Susan Oda, who made little cups of dough with various fillings. The result is like a reverse peanut butter cup, except a lot softer. I also made a batch of the classic peanut butter cookies with the fork-squishing action.
Creamy Pesto Chicken and Pasta
In Italian, Main Dish on 2009-05-26 at 9:40 pm
I found this recipe quite recently, as I was wandering the internets for ideas on how to get the kind of rich flavours I’ve experienced at higher end restaurants. My first clue was fresh herbs, and then I found some blogs which talked about how wine brings out flavours. Knowing next to nothing about wine or fresh herbs, I needed to follow some very explicit instructions. In the end, I found this recipe which turned out to be almost exactly what I was looking for. It takes a bit of work, but I liked it so much I made it a second time for my parents just a week later.
Rice Krispie Jazz
In Dessert on 2009-05-22 at 4:23 pm
Here’s a recipe that my family loves to make and I doubt you’ll find anywhere else. My grandma had this recipe for years, and I think we’ve all forgotten where it came from. It’s my favourite thing to make for a potluck because I can’t just make it for myself - it’s too addictive! Rice Krispie Jazz is also extremely rich, so I’d recommend eating squares of it with a glass of milk on hand.
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Kate’s Mexican Lasagna
In Main Dish, Mexican on 2009-05-12 at 11:05 am
Although it may seem like an odd presentation, the mexican lasagna that my sister made turned out not at all strange and quite a bit yummy. It’s basically a recipe for chili, but layers with soft tortillas and cheese in (what I believe to be..) a perfect ratio. She warns me that her amounts might be a bit off, but the overall idea has been captured here. Happily, it shouldn’t take as much time as a normal lasagna as there are no noodles to cook.
Challah
In Bread on 2009-05-10 at 8:54 pm
Challah is the Jewish name for this braided egg bread. I’ve always loved bread, but this is my favourite home-made bread. This is the first time I made it by myself, though I remember helping my mother with it when I was young. It’s a lot easier than I would have thought, and although it takes hours to rise there is little work involved.
The result is well worth even twice the work.
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Brownies
In Dessert on 2009-05-05 at 10:23 pm
Brownies are one of the simplest desserts to make, especially if you’re making them for a party or potluck as they can be quickly cut into appropriate portions and they transport well. They also have the added bonus of making my apartment smell heavenly. If you like to make your brownies stretch, or you’re picky about appearances, I highly recommend acquiring a mini cupcake baking pan or silicone cups.
Fudge Frosting
In Dessert on 2009-05-05 at 10:15 pm
Likely the richest, gooiest icing you’ll come across, fudge frosting works wonderfully with brownies. I could also imagine using it as an accent on a cheesecake or chocolate cake, but I probably wouldn’t cover the whole cake with it as it can be overpowering. The recipe can be halved in such a case.
Rainy Day Stew
In Main Dish on 2009-04-24 at 11:16 am
Stew was one of my comfort foods growing up, especially on a cold, wet day. Traditionally, my family made a beef stew that included barley, potato and turnip (as well as a few other things). When I lost my taste for beef, I had to improvise a little. Around the same time, I discovered a love for lentils and sweet potato. They have now been added to my version of rainy day stew.
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Dumplings
In Bread on 2009-04-24 at 11:11 am
In my opinion, stew is lacking something if you don’t add dumplings. They make for a very hearty meal. Perhaps surprisingly, they stay tasty even after refrigerating and reheating in a microwave (most bread goes terribly chewy). These dumplings are big and fluffy, tasting something like fresh tea biscuits.
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Peanut Butter Cups
In Dessert on 2009-04-18 at 5:30 pm
When I found egg-shaped molds at the local Bulk Barn a couple weeks ago, I just had to make peanut butter cups for Easter. I altered the recipe a little from my usual mix, and they turned out very well. Chocolate fillings are one of my favourite things to experiment with, and it’s been a hobby for more than 10 years now. I’m sure you will see other filling recipes here later on.
Carrot Cupcakes
In Dessert on 2009-04-06 at 10:32 am
It’s not really true, but carrot cupcakes sound so much healthier than your average cupcake. They do at least taste a lot less sweet, especially due to the cream cheese frosting. I prefer this recipe over many other variations because it uses pineapple to increase moisture, instead of the more popular raisins (I’m not a fan of dried fruit). I’ve also used this opportunity to practice what I learned in my cake decorating course again.
Amazing Veggie Burgers
In Main Dish on 2009-03-31 at 7:15 pm
The amazing thing about these veggie burgers is not that they imitate meat, in fact they don’t really taste like meat at all. However, they go very well with normal burger toppings, they taste great (even meat lovers agree!), and they freeze well for later use. This recipe was received from my friend Jessie Pomeroy around the time I became vegetarian, and although I am now back to eating some chicken this is still my favourite burger-type meal.
Chocolate Soufflé
In Dessert on 2009-03-26 at 12:16 am
After learning how to make these, my sister immediately went out to purchase the ramekins required to make them for the family. It was well worth the effort. As someone who dislikes dishes, I’d recommend making them in a situation where a dishwasher is available.
Cy’s Tortillas
In Main Dish, Mexican on 2009-03-22 at 11:14 pm
These pancake-like tortillas are from my parents’ recipe card file thanks to a roommate of theirs from university. They’re not quite like any “tortillas” I’ve had in other places, but the recipe is easy and the resulting patties are tasty with any common Mexican toppings.
Mint Chocolate Cupcakes
In Dessert on 2009-03-17 at 11:44 pm
In honour of St. Patrick’s day, I wanted to make something green. In my mind, the most obvious green is mint, and so I created this combination. Happily, President Choice brand imitation after-eights were on sale too, which added a classy look to otherwise plain cupcakes.
Mom’s Lasagna
In Italian, Main Dish on 2009-03-08 at 11:08 pm
My mom’s lasagna recipe is mostly based on one from the “No fad, good food, five dollar a day cookbook” that I believe my parents have had since their university days. The book itself shows a lot of wear and appropriate food stains. Over the years, it has been very reliable for tasty and cheap food ideas. My mom’s interpretation of it has completely spoiled me for store-bought lasagna.
This was my first time making it for myself, and unfortunately about 5 minutes after this picture was taken, I was trying to carry the lasagna to my friend Katy’s place and it slipped from its handles and dropped on the floor… exploding bits of lasagna everywhere. I managed to save most of it, but it wasn’t winning any prizes for looks. It was delicious, though!
Buttermilk Chocolate Layer Cake
In Dessert on 2009-03-02 at 1:16 am
This cake has to be the richest chocolate cake I have ever tasted. The recipe is a little complicated, but it’s worth the effort if you enjoy chocolate. I also used this opportunity to practice what I learned recently at a cake design course. My roses didn’t turn out as well as the ones I made in the course, mostly due to the fact that I experimented with using all butter in the coloured frosting, instead of shortening.
Chicken Curry
In Indian, Main Dish on 2009-02-26 at 2:22 pm
Likely when most people think of curry, they think of something like this. In Britain, it might have the addition of peas. I would think that you could add all sorts of vegetables to help soak up the curry sauce - like potatoes, broccoli, large chunks of onion, etcetera.
It may not be the prettiest of foods, but chicken curry is flavourful and satisfying.
Chick Pea Paneer
In Indian, Main Dish on 2009-02-18 at 1:23 pm
Traditionally, this is made with paneer, an Indian white soft cheese usually presented in cubes. At the recommendation of the 1987 Dairy Diary, I tried using cottage cheese instead. I found that it’s best to put the cheese in after you remove the pot from the heat, otherwise the cheese melts into larger chunks. However, the result is very similar to paneer without having to make your own or buy from a specialty store.
Chick pea paneer is a relatively mild curry. I would recommend it for introducing people to Indian cuisine.
Daal
In Indian, Main Dish on 2009-02-09 at 12:18 pm
Although I wasn’t a fan of spicy food as a kid, daal was one of my favourite Indian dishes. It can be prepared to your liking, from very bland to mouth burning hot. Serving it with naan bread can cut the spice and make it a lot more interesting, although it goes quite well with rice and curry.
This is an easy meal to make, and vegetarian.
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