slow cooker chicken & mushroom stew, aka crustless chicken pot pie

i've only had chicken pot pie once that i can recall and it wasn't anything special. the filling was ok, somewhat flavorless, and the crust was a chewy, gummy, soggy mess. so when i spied this slow cooker version of chicken pot pie that purposely doesn't have a crust, i was sold.

i've made this twice in the last month and both times it has come out perfect. it's super flavorful, packed full of vegetables and satisfying. it doesn't hurt that leftovers reheat perfectly for lunch the next day. 

slow cooker chicken & mushroom stew
adapted from real simple
20 minute prep, 4-8 hours cook, 5 minute finish; serves 4-6

while many slow cooker recipes say to cook on low for 8 hours, due to our work schedule, i cook everything on low for at least ten hours, if not eleven, and have never had any problems. be sure to mix the flour really well or you may end up with small balls of flour in your finished stew.

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, quartered
4 carrots, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1/3 cup flour
1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs trimmed of excess fat
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen green beans
1/3 cup heavy cream

1. add the mushrooms, carrots, onion, thyme, and bay leaf to the slow cooker. sprinkle with the flour, add 1/2 cup water, and mix to evenly coat the vegetables with the flour. place the chicken on top of the vegetables and season with salt and pepper.
2. cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, about 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.
3. at least fifteen minutes before serving, add the peas, green beans, and cream and mix to combine. cover and cook until heated through. use tongs or a fork to break up the chicken into smaller pieces (it should fall apart under the pressure of a pair of tongs, just push into the thighs). serve hot. 

Bran Muffins

 I decided to make bran muffins so my husband would have something reasonably healthy to take to work for breakfast.  Originally I was going to make a recipe from AllRecipes, but there was a recipe on the bag of wheat bran (Bob's Red Mill brand, I found it in the organics section rather than the breakfast or baking section) so I just went with that!  Of course I ended up changing it slightly because I didn't have honey (or at least not honey I was willing to sacrifice to muffins- I do not use the $20 a pound raw local honey from the farmer's market for cooking!) and I left out the raisins but added more salt in an attempt to make a somewhat savory muffin.  Anyway, they turned out GREAT.  I mean, really good.  We just finished the last of them this morning and they were still perfect after spending the past week in the fridge.  They're flavorful, soft, moist, and a tiny bit sweet, but not dessert like.  Bran muffins sound like an odd thing to get excited about, but these are just so good.  They actually remind me of a nice honey wheat bread.  Great spread with a little butter, jam, or apple butter.  We had them for breakfast several days, but I also heated some up to go with dinner a couple of nights, because why not?  Most definitely a repeat!

Bran Muffins

1 1/2 C whole wheat flour
1 C wheat bran
1/2 C brown sugar
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 C raisins (optional- reduce salt to 1/4 t if you use them)
1 egg
2 T vegetable oil
1 1/4 C milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease a muffin tin.  Stir together dry ingredients in a medium bowl.  In a small bowl, beat egg lightly.  Stir in oil and milk.  Add mixture to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened.  Batter will be quite thick.  Spoon into prepared muffin tin and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 15 minutes.

Yield: 12 muffins

orange creamsicle scones

jason and i spent a week in florida back in february. back when the winter is normally super cold and super snowy and we're dying for a break. back when you could have mistaken me as simply putting on a few pounds instead of obviously pregnant. on the second day we were there, we went to a small orange farm and picked oranges. every day for the next week, we ate oranges for breakfast and before we went to bed. we had so many left, i took a half dozen home in my carry on. they were still delicious, sweet, and juicy enough for the juice to run down my arms and drip off my elbows when i ate them once i was home in new york. 

the weekend we got home i was craving scones - lightly sweetened, moist, and fluffy - for breakfast. so i decided to pair one of my florida oranges with one of my other favorites, vanilla, into a perfectly sweet tart scone. i adapted the basic scone recipe i always use and they turn out light and moist every time. i can't stand a dry, dense scone (like you sometimes get at the big name coffeehouses and bakeries) and this base has never disappointed me. 

orange creamsicle scones
30 minutes, makes 8 scones

for the scones:
1 3/4 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon + 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
zest of half an orange
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

for the glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice

1. preheat your oven to 375F. line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and orange zest together.
3. using your hands or a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
4. add the milk, orange juice, and vanilla extract and mix just until combined.
5. turn the dough out onto the baking sheet and use your hands to form it into a rough circle or square. cut into about 8 equal pieces.
6. bake for about 15 minutes. transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely before glazing.
7. to make the glaze, whisk the sugar, vanilla, and orange juice until smooth.
8. once the scones are cool, drizzle with the glaze. eat immediately or let the glaze set at least one hour. scones are best eaten the day they are made. if storing, avoid air tight containers as the glaze will soften and get soggy.

2013.06.03 this is searching for dessert's pick for the secret recipe club! 
2013.09.09 this is jessie weaver's pick for the secret recipe club!

slow cooker lasagna soup

i've professed my love of lasagna a few times already, i just wish it didn't take all afternoon to put together. enter deconstructed lasagna, a short cut version i made last october that has all the same flavors of layered lasagna without the fuss of layering noodles, sauce, and cheese. i didn't think it could get any easier, until i stumbled upon this slow cooker version a few weeks later and mentally tucked it away. until a couple weeks ago, when it was cold and dreary and winter looked like he still wanted to rear his ugly head. there's nothing better than coming home to a slow cooked dinner on those days.

this slow cooker soup version of lasagna is so simple, so obvious, i can't believe i hadn't stumbled upon this idea sooner. but am i ever glad i did. but i was skeptical at first, of using raw ground beef. every other slow cooker recipe i've seen that uses ground beef starts by browning it in a skillet, and this one did not. i was worried i would come home to big chunks of meat floating around in my soup - or worse yet, one big chunk of meat sitting in the bottom. but neither of those happened. the meat cooked up in nice, small pieces. if i hadn't known, i would not have guessed it went into the cooker raw.

since we aren't fans of ricotta around here, we topped ours with a heavy spoonful of bechamel instead.

slow cooker lasagna soup
adapted from back to her roots
10 minutes before prep, 15 minutes serving prep; serves 8

1 pound meatloaf mix or ground beef
2 large onions, diced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
6 ounces tomato paste
28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 bay leaves
6 cups chicken broth
10 ounces fusilli or another short cut pasta
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups 2% or whole milk
pinch of fresh ground nutmeg
mozzarella and/or parmesan cheese for topping

1. crumble the meat into your slow cooker and add the onions, cloves, oregano, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, bay leaves and chicken broth. cook on low at least 6 hours or up to 10.
2. when the slow cooker has about 30 minutes left, add the pasta and mix to combine.
3. when you add the pasta, make the bechamel. melt the butter in a saucepan over medium low heat. when the butter is melted, whisk in the flour and cook for a minute or two until golden brown. whisk in the milk and cook over medium to medium low heat, whisking frequently, until it thickens. this should take about five to ten minutes. season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.
4. to serve, add a serving of soup to a bowl. top with about a quarter of a cup of bechamel sauce and sprinkle with cheese.

Shrimp Scampi

 My husband is completely crazy about shrimp.  He might like it even more than dessert!  His mom likes to tell the story of when they took him to a restaurant as a one year old and he scarfed down more shrimp than everyone else in the family.  Sadly, I don't cook shrimp all that often because I absolutely hate cleaning it, but today we saw easy peel shrimp on sale at the store and I decided to give it a try.  With a pair of rubber gloves to shield me from the horror, pulling off the shells wasn't bad at all!  Paul rejoices since this probably means shrimp more often!

Anyway, when I saw the shrimp I immediately thought of this recipe.  The first time I made Shrimp Scampi was the day after Christmas of 2006 when Paul flew down to Washington to meet my family for the first time.  We went snowboarding with my brother and cousin that day, then I made this for dinner since he loves pasta almost as much as he loves shrimp.  It was completely delicious and a great end to a very busy and wonderful day.  This recipe (tweaked from this AllRecipes recipe) is really easy and quick to make, but it always seems really special when I make it.

I should mention that this is not a really strong tasting pasta dish.  The flavors all work together perfectly- the wine, parmesan, shrimp, butter, pepper, and parsley truly turn into something magical- but the flavors are not as bold as those found in some Shrimp Scampis I've had at restaurants.  If you want to punch it up, at the end you could add things like lemon juice, diced fresh tomato, and red pepper flakes.  Mind you, I've never made it that way because we love it as is, but I am certain it would be delicious.

Quick note:  On AllRecipes, a lot of the reviewers complained that the wine in this recipe is overpowering.  I've always made it with the full amount and we've never found the wine overpowering, but if you're sensitive to that kind of thing, you may want to use 3/4 C.  I'd imagine a big part of it is the type of wine used.  So far I've always ended up using an inexpensive white wine (tonight was a cheap pinot grigio) but a good quality wine probably tastes stronger.  Use your own judgment!

  
Shrimp Scampi

2  8 oz packages fresh linguine (the kind sold in the refrigerated section of the store OR homemade)
6 T butter
1 lb peeled and cleaned shrimp
4 cloves minced garlic
3/4 to 1 C white wine
 salt to taste (I use 1/2 t)
1/4 t pepper (freshly ground is best)
3 oz by weight freshly grated parmesan cheese, 1 oz set aside
3 T minced fresh parsley

Cook linguine in lightly salted water while you make the scampi.

Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add shrimp and garlic, and cook just until shrimp is pink on both sides.  Add wine and let simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to cook off some of the alcohol.  Stir in salt and pepper.  Add drained linguine and toss thoroughly to coat.  It will look very runny, but don't fear!  Stir in 2 oz of the cheese and all of the parsley.  The melted parmesan will thicken it up perfectly.  Serve with the rest of the parmesan to sprinkle on top.

Yield: 5 servings

White Chocolate Macadamia Brownies

These are incredible! The contrast of the white chocolate, the chunky nuts and the dense, dark brownie is amazing in itself. But then, to top it off, white chocolate fudge... wow! Brownie heaven!

Makes 16 squares


for the brownies:
1 pack My Secret Kitchen Ultimate Chocolate Brownie Mix
100g butter, melted
3 medium eggs
100g macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
125g white chocolate chunks

for the white chocolate fudge topping:
200g white chocolate
2 tbsp evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
50g butter, melted
25g white chocolate, melted

Preheat oven to 150°C (gas mark 2). Grease and line a 20cm x 20cm square pan. Prepare the brownie as directed and stir in the macadamia nuts and the white chocolate chunks. Bake as instructed and leave to cool completely.

Prepare the fudge topping by melting the 200g white chocolate with the evaporated milk over a double boiler, or gently in a microwave. Keep beating the fudge topping until it becomes smooth. Stir in the vanilla essence and the melted butter. Cool slightly before pouring over the top of the cooled brownie, rolling the pan from side to side to get an even layer (easier than using a knife) and leave to set.

When completely set, drizzle the 25g melted white chocolate in a criss-cross pattern over the top. Leave to set again (putting it in the freezer helps) before cutting into 16 squares.

Perfect Mango Posset

Award winning recipe from consultant Becky Boast.
A simple recipe for what, in our opinion, is the perfect posset!

Makes 6 large or 12 small desserts

600ml double cream
150g caster sugar
juice of 1 large lemon
⅓ bottle of My Secret Kitchen Mango Mojito Dessert Sauce

to decorate:
blueberries
sprig of mint
drizzle of My Secret Kitchen Mango Mojito Dessert Sauce

Pour cream into a large pan with the sugar and warm gently until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and leave for exactly 3 minutes without stirring.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the lemon juice and Mango Mojito Dessert Sauce. Pour into ramekins, glasses or teacups, then drizzle a small amount of Mango Mojito over the top. Refrigerate for 4 hours until set.

Decorate with blueberries or dark chocolate and a sprig of mint. Serve alongside My Secret Kitchen Lemon & Bergamot Shortbread.

Teriyaki Beef

A delicious dish made with our old friend, Miso Dressing

Serves 6

½ bottle My Secret Kitchen Miso Dressing with Ginger

750g beef
stir-fry strips
500g udon noodles (dry weight)
2 tbsp honey
sesame oil for frying
200g fresh spinach, washed
chives and spring onions to garnish

Prepare the teriyaki sauce by mixing the Miso Dressing with the honey in a large bowl. Add the beef, stir together and then place in the fridge for 1 hour to marinate.
Cook the noodles as instructed on the pack, then strain and plunge into cold water. Add the sesame oil to a wok or large frying pan.

Stir-fry the beef for 1-2 minutes before adding the spinach. Add a little water, then quickly stir together to wilt the spinach. Next, add the noodles and more water if needed.

Serve immediately by piling the noodles in a bowl and garnish with the spring onions and chives.

Lamb Tagine with Apricots

Say hello to something a little exotic

Serves 6

500g lamb, neck fillet, cubed
1 red onion, sliced
2 tbsp My Secret Kitchen Saffron Tagine Paste
250ml tomato passata
100g dried apricots, chopped
400g can chick peas
250ml stock or water
fresh coriander or mint to garnish

This dish is best prepared the night before cooking. Mix the Saffron Tagine Paste with the cubed lamb and leave to marinate overnight.

In a slow cooker or casserole dish, add the marinated meat to the remaining ingredients and slowly cook at 170°C (gas mark 3), for 4 hours. Serve with couscous, minted natural yogurt and lots of fresh coriander.

For an alternative tagine, try chicken with fennel and preserved lemons – or roasted aubergine, butternut squash and pumpkin seeds.

Black Forest Whoopie Pies

Let's make whoopie!  Can also be made with our Chocaberry Cheese Ball Mix

1 packet My Secret Kitchen Ultimate Chocolate Brownie Mix
1 packet My Secret Kitchen Black Forest Cheese Ball Mix
100g self-raising flour
whipped cream
melted chocolate

Add 100g self-raising flour to the brownie mix and prepare as instructed. Spoon dessert spoons of the mix onto a lined baking sheet and bake at 180°C (gas mark 4) for 10-12 minutes.

Leave to cool, then sandwich with Black Forest Cheese Ball Mix prepared with whipped cream. Cover with melted chocolate and devour!

Black Forest Bramble Brownies

A simple way to add a fruity touch to your brownies - can also be used with our Chocaberry Cheese Ball Mix

1 packet My Secret Kitchen Ultimate Chocolate Brownie Mix
½ packet My Secret Kitchen Black Forest Cheese Ball Mix
blackberries and clotted cream to garnish

Stir ½ packet Black Forest Cheese Ball Mix into the brownie mix, then prepare as instructed.
This makes an amazing pudding to share. Serve on a platter with blackberries and clotted cream on the side, and shots of kirsch.

Lemon Shortbread Stars

Celebration star cookies with a clementine filling

Makes 14 stars

1 pack My Secret Kitchen Lemon & Bergamot Shortbread Mix
100g butter, melted
2 tbsp cold water
120g icing sugar
60g butter, softened
1 clementine, juice & zest
silver balls to decorate

Preheat oven 180°C (gas mark 4). Empty the shortbread mix into a bowl and drizzle over the melted butter. Using a table knife, cut the butter into the mix until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the cold water, form a ball of dough and knead lightly. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to 5mm thickness. Cut out 14 shapes using 3.5cm, 5cm and 6cm triangle cutters and a small star cutter. Bake for 6 minutes.

Mix the icing sugar, butter and clementine juice & zest until smooth. Sandwich the triangles together using the filling. Stack the triangles at alternate angles on top of each other, largest first. Place silver balls on each corner, top with a cookie star, and dust with icing sugar.

Mini Mochaccino Melting Moments

Mini cookies with maximum taste!

Makes 50 melting moments

1 pack My Secret Kitchen Mochaccino Cookie Mix
125g butter, melted
1 egg
25g rolled oats
50g demerara sugar
75g, dark chocolate, melted
75g white chocolate, melted

Preheat oven 190°C (gas mark 5). Mix the oats with the demerara sugar in a small bowl. Prepare the Mochaccino Cookie Mix as directed with the butter and eggs. 
Take teaspoons of the mix, roll into a ball with your hands, then roll some of the balls (as few or as many as you wish) in the oat and sugar mixture. Place on a baking tray and flatten slightly.  

Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Leave to cool completely, then decorate the plain melting moments with the melted dark and white chocolate.

Pecan Pie Cookies

The American classic made into heavenly bite sized cookies - can also be cut into square

Makes 15 cookies

1 pack My Secret Kitchen Mochaccino Cookie Mix
125g butter, melted
1 tbsp cold water
2 eggs
150g pecans, finely chopped
½ jar My Secret Kitchen Maple Caramel Sauce
100g icing sugar
50g butter, softened
25g pecans, finely chopped
chocolate-coated coffee beans and pecans to decorate

Preheat oven 190^oC (gas mark 5). Grease and line a 28cm x 18cm tin. Empty the Mochaccino Cookie Mix into a bowl and drizzle over the melted butter and cold water. Cut the mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs. Tip into the tin and press down firmly.

Bake for 10 minutes, remove from the oven and put aside. Mix the eggs, Maple Caramel Sauce and pecans in a small bowl. Pour the topping over the base and spread evenly. Return to the oven for a further 10 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into shapes using a 5cm cutter.

Mix the icing sugar, butter and pecans to make the icing. Pipe onto each of the cookies and top with a pecan or chocolate-covered coffee bean.

You could also simply cut the baked 'cookie' into squares & enjoy with or without the icing!

Lemon & Raspberry Creams

Makes 12 sandwich cookies (24 single cookies)

1 pack My Secret Kitchen Lemon & Bergamot Shortbread Mix
½ pack My Secret Kitchen Chocaberry Cheese Ball Mix
50g full fat cream cheese
75g butter, melted
1 medium egg
sprinkles to decorate

Preheat oven 180^oC (gas mark 4). Make the filling by mixing half of the Chocaberry Cheese Ball Mix with the cream cheese. Refrigerate until needed.

Combine the shortbread mix with the remaining chocaberry mix in a bowl. Drizzle the melted butter over the mixture and, using a table knife, cut until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg and mix until it forms a ball of dough. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough between two layers of baking paper to 5mm thickness and cut into 24 circles using a floured 6cm cutter. Bake for 6-8 minutes and allow to cool. Sandwich the cookies together with the chocaberry mixture and roll the edges in the sprinkles.

Creamy Mushrooms on Toasted Brioche

A gorgeous starter or quick and tasty lunch

Serves 6 as a starter

6 slices brioche, toasted
500g mushrooms, wiped and sliced
1 shallot, finely chopped
25g butter
1 tbsp My Secret Kitchen Oak Smoked Rapeseed Oil
½ bottle My Secret Kitchen White Wine & Porcini Finishing Sauce
6 slices of streaky bacon
200ml crème fraiche
parsley and paprika to garnish

In a large frying pan melt the butter with the Oak Smoked Rapeseed Oil. Add the chopped shallot and sauté until it starts to brown. Add the mushrooms and continue to sauté until they are glossy and cooked through. Increase the heat and add the finishing sauce. Reduce the liquor until it makes a smooth sauce around the mushrooms. (For added luxury, add a dash of brandy!)

While the mushrooms are cooking, grill the rashers of streaky bacon until crispy.

To serve, place the brioche on a plate and top with equal quantities of the mushrooms. Add a dessert spoon of crème fraiche, a slice of bacon, and garnish with the parsley and paprika. Serve immediately.

Lime & Coconut Curry with Thai Pea Aubergines

An authentic tasting dish made with split peas to help stretch the meal a little further - easy peasy!

Serves 4

½ bottle My Secret Kitchen Thai Dressing with Kaffir Lime

1 medium onion
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
500g chicken thigh meat, cubed
200g pea aubergines, in brine, drained
50g split peas, washed
500ml chicken stock
1 tbsp fish sauce
400ml coconut milk
50g creamed coconut paste
2 tsp My Secret Kitchen Lemon & Chipotle Spiced Sea Salt
2 tbsp fresh coriander

Finely chop the onion then sauté the in the vegetable oil until golden brown. Add the garlic and continue to sauté for 2 minutes before adding the chicken and browning the meat all over.

Add the pea aubergines (use diced aubergine if you prefer) split peas and stock, and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and add the Thai dressing, fish sauce, coconut paste, spiced sea salt and coconut milk.

Simmer uncovered gently for 1 hour or until the chicken is cooked through and the split peas are tender. Alternatively, cook in a slow cooker on medium for 3 hours.

Serve with sticky rice and top with the fresh coriander just before serving.

Beef Bourguignon with Balsamic Glazed Onions & Mushrooms

A wonderfully warming winter dish

Serves 4

½ bottle My Secret Kitchen Red Wine & Port Finishing Sauce

3 tbsp My Secret Kitchen Oak Smoked Rapeseed Oil
1 tbsp My Secret Kitchen Balsamic Reduction
500g braising steak, trimmed and cut into 2cm pieces
50g butter
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 large carrots, peeled and finely diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 tbsp plain flour
500ml beef stock
300g baby onions, peeled
200g button mushrooms, wiped


Heat a tablespoon of the Oak Smoked Rapeseed Oil in a large heavy-based pan. Brown the meat then remove from the pan and put to one side. Add half the butter to the pan and sauté the diced onions and carrots, scraping up any meat juices from the bottom of the pan. Add the garlic and tomato purée and sauté gently. Add the flour and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Return the meat to the pan and stir together with the vegetables. Add the Red Wine & Port Finishing Sauce and beef stock to the pan and stir thoroughly until the sauce is smooth. Cover with a tight fitting lid and simmer gently for 2 to 3 hours until the meat is tender (or use a slow cooker).

Meanwhile, melt the remaining butter and add the baby onions. Brown gently, then reduce the heat and caramelise for 30-45 minutes until golden. Remove from the pan, add the button mushrooms and cook gently until the juices run. Return the onions back to the pan, add the Balsamic Reduction and stir until sticky and glossy. Serve alongside or on top of the bourguignon.

Great with crispy croutons made with leftover Beer Bread Mix!

Chocaberry Semi-Freddo

Make your own creamy, fluffy iced dessert without an ice cream maker anywhere in sight!

Serves 8-10

1 pack My Secret Kitchen Chocaberry Cheese Ball Mix
(also works with My Secret Kitchen Blackforest Cheese Ball Mix)
3 eggs, separated
100g caster sugar
500ml double cream

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl until pale and fluffy.
In a second bowl, whip the cream until it forms soft peaks and carefully fold in the Chocaberry Cheese Ball Mix.
In another bowl, beat the egg whites with a clean whisk until they form soft peaks.
Gently fold the whipped cream into the egg yolk mixture, and finally fold in the egg whites.

Line a loaf tin with two layers of clingfilm and pour in the semi-freddo mixture.
Freeze for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight.

Turn out onto a plate and decorate with fresh fruits.

Alternatively, simply freeze in a mould (or cut into large cubes), add a stick and sprinkle with hundreds and thousands to make a luscious semi-freddo lolly.

Lemon Meringue Cheesecake

A shiny, happy cheesecake, perfect for summer eating

Serves 8-10

½ packet My Secret Kitchen Lemon and Bergamot Shortbread Mix 

50g butter, melted
300ml double cream
150g condensed milk
500g mascarpone
2 lemons, juice and zest
400g lemon curd
3 meringue nests, crumbled
confectionery to decorate

Preheat the oven to 175^oC (gas mark 4). Prepare the Lemon and Bergamot Shortbread Mix with the melted butter as directed on the pack using (½/100g of each of the packs mixed together) bake in a 23cm(9") springform tin & lightly smooth over to ensure a crumbly texture when baked.

Once the shortbread base has cooled, evenly spoon over the lemon curd.

In a large bowl, whip the double cream to soft peaks and fold in the mascarpone, condensed milk, lemon juice and lemon zest until thoroughly combined. Spread the cream mixture over the top of the cheesecake in undulating curves.

Arrange the crumbled meringue on top and decorate with the confectionery of your choice. Looks stunning when served with a kumquat or pomelo confit.

For a lighter/less decadent cheesecake use half quantities of the toppings & omit the meringue pieces.

Cheesecake Brownie Bars

A blissful twist on our brilliant brownies

200g cream cheese
200g sour cream
75g caster sugar
1 tsp self-raising flour
1 pack My Secret Kitchen Ultimate Chocolate Brownie Mix
100g butter
3 medium eggs

Line a 20cm x 20cm square pan. Preheat oven 150^oC (gas mark 2).

For the cheesecake batter, cream together the cream cheese, sour cream, caster sugar & self-raising flour, then put to one side.

Mix the Ultimate Chocolate Brownie Mix as directed on the pack, then spoon into the pan. Dollop the cheesecake batter on the top and, using a blunt knife, swirl the two batters together.

Bake for 1 hour. Leave to cool before cutting into bars.

Thai Gremolata with Grilled Haloumi

A fresh zingy salad made perfect at any time of the year with our Thai Dressing with Kaffir Lime

Serves 6 as a starter

1 bottle My Secret Kitchen Thai Dressing with Kaffir Lime
6 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
1 large orange, juice and zest
2 cloves garlic, crushed
250g haloumi cheese, sliced
oil for frying
winter or spring leaves

To make the gremolata, mix together 3 tbsp of the Thai Dressing with Kaffir Lime with the parsley, orange juice & zest and crushed garlic. Put to one side.

Next, heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the haloumi slices in batches on each side until they are golden, then place on a plate lined with a paper towel. Do not crowd too many slices in the pan – and be sure to change the oil if necessary.

When you are ready to assemble the salad, arrange the leaves on a platter and place the grilled haloumi on top. Drizzle the dressing over the top and serve immediately.

The gremolata can also be served with seafood, or as a dressing for a winter slaw served with grilled chicken.

Brownie Nut Torte

A seriously chocolatey recipe that’s deliciously simple to make

Serves 8-10

1 pack My Secret Kitchen Ultimate Chocolate Brownie Mix
4 medium eggs
125g butter, melted
50ml brandy
200g mixed nuts (such as hazelnuts, pecans or walnuts, chopped)
500g ready-made shortcrust pastry
2 tbsp My Secret Kitchen Maple Caramel Sauce

Preheat oven to 175^oC (gas mark 4). Roll out the pastry and use to line a deep, round 24cm flan dish. Line with greaseproof paper and baking beans, then bake blind for 15 minutes.

Empty the brownie mix into a bowl and stir in the melted butter. Whisk in the eggs and the brandy. Add the nuts (reserving a tablespoon for the topping) and stir until thoroughly combined. Pour the brownie and nut batter into the pastry case, then sprinkle the remaining nuts in a spiral pattern on the top.

Bake for 35-40 minutes. Brush with warmed Maple Caramel Sauce and leave to cool before cutting into wedges. Serve with whipped cream or crème fraîche flavoured with
hazelnut liqueur.

Jumping Jack and Butternut Squash Soup

An autumnal soup that’s set to warm your cockles and soothe your soul.

Serves 6-8

2 tbsp My Secret Kitchen Oak Smoked Rapeseed Oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tbsp My Secret Kitchen Jumping Jack Chilli Jam
250g sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
500g butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped
600ml chicken or vegetable stock
garnish of cream, My Secret Kitchen Lemon & Chipotle Spiced Sea Salt, Jumping Jack Chilli Jam, Oak Smoked Rapeseed Oil and parsley

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil and sauté the onion until translucent. Add the Jumping Jack Chilli Jam, then the sweet potato and the squash. Stir to coat with the oil and onions, and fry for 2 minutes.

Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Cover and continue to simmer gently for 25 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Purée or liquidise until smooth, then season to taste.

Garnish with a swirl of cream, sprinkle over Lemon & Chipotle Spiced Sea Salt, drizzle over Oak Smoked Rapeseed Oil, then add a final teaspoon of Jumping Jack Chilli Jam and a sprig of parsley. Enjoy with chunks of freshly baked Beer Bread. 

chewy vanilla cookies with reese's pieces

i can't believe the last time i made cookies was almost a four full months ago...for christmas! all the salty and coconutty treats lately means i've been passing on cookies, one of my all time favorites. especially since they're easy to make and i've never met one i didn't like.

which brings me to these cookies. two of my all time favorite things - peanut butter and vanilla -  wrapped into one simple, super chewy, delicious cookie. i was skeptical at first - do vanilla and peanut butter really work together? it seems like an odd combination - but as soon as i had the first whiff from the oven, i knew they would be keepers. too bad i didn't make a double batch: half for now, half for later.

chewy vanilla cookies with reese's pieces
adapted from averie cooks
1 hour start to finish, makes 18 cookies

1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup reese's pieces candy

1. preheat your oven to 375F. line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. in a large bowl, beat the shortening, sugars, egg, water, and vanilla until creamy.
3. add the cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and flour and mix until combined.
4. add the candy and mix until combined.
5. cover and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
6. roll about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough into balls (or use a cookie scoop) and place on the prepared cookie sheet. 
7. bake for 8-10 minutes or just until set and starting to brown. cool on the pan for about five minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.
8. store in an airtight container.

nanaimo bars [12in2012]

i have a confession: these are the first and only nanaimo bars i've ever eaten.

i don't visit bakeries all that often (which is especially good for my pants, since it's pretty hard for me to resist a cookie, cupcake, scone, or good old fashioned slice of cake) and i haven't been in a coffee shop since late september. the only place i've ever seen nanaimo bars pop up for sale is the bakery case at the little theatre downtown. for the last few months, they've taunted me. and while i'm usually a sweets girl, this whole baby thing has me all kinds of turned around - wanting as much salty popcorn as i can get my hands on and everything doused in coconut.

so on the rare occasion last weekend, when i was in the mood for something super sweet, i finally made these bars. and kept asking myself - besides the butter and sugar - why i hadn't made them sooner. almond + coconut + chocolate + sweet vanilla filling make the perfect homemade candy bar.

those of you who know a heck of a lot more about nanaimo bars than me (and have probably eaten your fair share) will notice that i baked my bottom layer. i saw a lot of comments on other recipes denouncing this method for a stovetop version. i wanted to play it safe and not risk undercooked eggs by baking the bottom.

nanaimo bars
adapted from king arthur and the city of nanaimo
30 minutes plus chilling time, serves 30-45

while king arthur and the city of nanaimo recipes say to make these in a square pan, i made them in a 9x13" pan, since i knew they would be rich. i made one batch of the bottom, one and a half batches of filling, and one and a half batches of the top layer. my top layer was a little skimpy, so i suggest doubling it if you make a large pan of these.

for the bottom layer:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup sugar
5 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

for the middle layer:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding mix
2 cups powdered sugar

for the top layer:
4 ounces semisweet chocolate
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1. preheat your oven to 350F. line a 9x9", 8x8", or 9x13" pan with parchment paper and set aside.
2. combine all crust ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined. press into the bottom of the pan and bake for 10 minutes. cool on a wire rack.
3. to make the filling, cream the butter, heavy cream, pudding mix, and sugar together and beat until light and fluffy. when the crust is cool, spread the filling over the crust.
4. to make the top layer, microwave the chocolate and butter together in 30 second intervals until melted. pour over the filling and spread out evenly on the top. chill the bars completely before cutting and serving. store in the refrigerator, as these are best served cold.

check out more sweet treats at sweet tooth friday & sweets for a saturday!

Tuesdays with Dorie: Lemon Loaf

This week's Tuesday with Dorie recipe is for Lemon Loaf, which is a lemon cake baked in a loaf pan and pretty much the easiest recipe in the Baking with Julia book. I originally was going to pass on making the recipe because I just made cookies on Friday (which, uh... are gone already, though in my defense we DID share a third of them with a friend!), but we love lemon so at the last minute decided to run to the store and grab the necessary ingredients. As usual, I'm not supposed to share the actual recipe, but the recipe hosts have the recipe typed up on their blogs: Treats and The Beauty of Life.


The verdict: First of all, the batter is really nice to work with. I followed the directions exactly and mixed it up by hand instead of with my stand mixer. The batter was so silky and rich with 4 eggs, cream, and butter, and the lemon smelled so good that my bunnies were all getting antsy. Unfortunately, the baked cake is definitely lacking in flavor and texture. You can taste some lemon, but not a lot, and there aren't any other flavors to speak of other than being kind of sweet. The second strike against it is the decidedly dry and firm texture in spite of all the eggs, butter, cream, and cake flour. We were expecting pound cake but it's more like bread and does indeed slice very nicely. It would probably be quite good sliced, toasted, and topped with a good strawberry jam. I know what I'm having for breakfast tomorrow! All in all, I don't regret trying this one, but it won't be a repeat. There's another lemon pound cake recipe that I make that's one of my husband's all time favorite desserts (which is high praise since he loves sweet things so much), so I'll just stick to that one!

Anyone have ideas for what to do with 3 naked lemons?

 UPDATE:  The flavor of the bread definitely improved after a day.  The flavor is fairly well rounded now and the lemon zest is more noticeable (as it should be, I put in the zest of 3 lemons!).  It could still benefit from a bit of vanilla extract or even almond extract, though, and the texture is still dry.  Overall, it still leaves something to be desired if you want to serve it as a dessert all on its own.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

This is my 100th post on this blog! Just thought I should mention that. In honor of the big milestone, I'm sharing the recipe for Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches, which comes from AllRecipes. Okay, I was going to share the recipe today anyway since it's what I made for dinner and it just happened to be the 100th post. The recipe really IS very good though and totally deserves some sort of accolade. It's super easy to make (3 ingredients plus bread and condiments of your choice!) and is really, really good if you're like us and love buffalo chicken anything. It's great served with fruit like melon or mango and a salad to cool things down a bit. I suppose you could also serve it with celery sticks if you're into that sort of thing (which we most definitely are not). The chicken is fantastic on pizza (post probably coming soon!), and it freezes well so you can toss some leftovers in the freezer for an emergency dinner later on :)


Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

3/4 C buffalo wing sauce (I use Frank's Red Hot Wings Sauce, yum yum)
1 packet (1 oz) dry ranch dressing mix
1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
buns of your choice
toppings like ranch or blue cheese dressing or cheese

In the crock of a 2 or 4 quart slow cooker, stir together sauce and ranch mix. Add chicken and stir to coat. Cover and cook on low until chicken is cooked through, about 6 hours (depends on your slow cooker). Shred meat and serve on toasted buns with desired toppings.

Yield: about 8 sandwiches

citrus herb marinated roast chicken

calling all citrus lovers: this is the chicken of your dreams. not only does it take minutes to prepare and finish, but the citrus flavor is killer.

chicken breasts are marinated in orange and lemon juice, garlic, say and honey and baked to perfection. and as if citrus infused chicken just isn't citrusey enough for you, the marinade is simmered down to a thick pan sauce to serve over the chicken. i suggest serving it with plain rice, mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, or our choice, rice pilaf, to soak up the sauce. it's intense, in all the right ways.

citrus and herb marinated roast chicken
adapted from the creative mama
15 minutes prep, 6-12 hours marinate, 1 hour cook; serves 6

4 lemons
2 oranges
8 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons fresh oregano, minced
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1. cut one orange and one lemon into wedges and set aside. zest one orange and one lemon and add to a small bowl. squeeze the lemons to get 2/3 cup of juice and squeeze the oranges to get 1/2 cup juice and add to the zest. add the garlic, oregano, soy sauce, honey, and red pepper flakes and mix well.
2. coat the bottom of a 9x13" pan with olive oil. add the chicken breasts and turn to coat. scatter and tuck the lemon and orange wedges evenly around the chicken breasts. pour the marinade over the chicken. use a fork to lift up the chicken breasts to ensure the marinade is coating the bottom of the breasts too. cover the pan and refrigerate at least 6 hours and up to 12. turn the chicken every couple hours.
3. preheat your oven to 425F. uncover the pan and sprinkle the top of the chicken with salt and pepper. roast for 20 minutes, turn the heat down to 375F and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes more.
4. to make a pan sauce, remove the chicken and citrus wedges from the pan. pour the juices from the roasting pan into a skillet. bring to a simmer and simmer about 10 minutes, or until thickened. serve over the chicken.

Red Velvet Cookie Sandwiches

Red velvet everything seems to be very popular in the food blogging world right now, as do cookie sandwiches/whoopie pies. This recipe is a combination of both those things! But I insist this particular recipe is for cookie sandwiches rather than whoopie pies because the cookie part is definitely cookie-like rather than cake-like, and cake-like cookies seem to be the signature of whoopie pies. Plus I hate the word "whoopie" and refuse to have anything on my blog with that name. It pains me just to type the word out, but I will for the sake of accuracy and not confusing any poor readers.

Also, look, it's another recipe using processed, pre-packaged ingredients! While I do prefer to make things from scratch much of the time, some packaged items do have their place in my kitchen. To paraphrase what Christy from Southern Plate says, the cake mix you bought was just a bag of powder until you mixed it up and baked it into a lovely cake so you can still say it was home made :D In this particular instance, I ended up buying a cake mix, canned frosting, and marshmallow fluff for two reasons: 1) I didn't know I was going to be making this until I saw the box of cake mix at the store and a picture of the recipe (but not the ingredients or directions) on the back and had to guess at what the other ingredients would be, and 2) Last time I made a similar recipe, the cookie part was really gross and blah and dry and tasteless except for the taste of salt. I made those cookies way back in 2003 but still remember how icky the cookie part was. Additionally, red velvet cake is a really hard one to get to taste good if you make it from scratch so I thought I'd hedge my bets and go with the mix I had in my hand rather than face a doubly whammy of nasty cookie-ness.

I think these cookies turned out really well, though I naturally deviated from the original recipe (made the cookies differently and the filling differently). They taste exactly like the type of cookie sandwiches my mom used to buy me occasionally from the Mrs. Fields bakery at the mall when I was a kid. Delicious! The filling is surprisingly good and manages not to taste particularly like canned frosting OR marshmallow fluff (normally I don't really like marshmallows), but it's super creamy and perfect. The cookie part is a little chewy with a hint of chocolate flavor. The textures and flavors of the filling and cookies work together fantastically.

If you feel so inclined, however, there are a couple things you could tinker with. First, you could use a can of cream cheese frosting in the filling mixture instead of vanilla. Had I known I would be making a dessert and had more than 30 seconds to grab my ingredients at the store, I would have probably got the cream cheese frosting since that goes with red velvet cake. Second, if you want to use a somewhat more homemade filling, try the one from this recipe that I mentioned above. Stay far, far away from the cookie recipe, but the filling was really good as I remember. And third, if you want a more cake-like cookie (like in a whoopie pie), you could try to mix up the batter according to the box but leave out some water so you have a very thick batter and drop the batter by small spoonfuls on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Please note that I have NOT done this yet, but I think it would turn out well and next time we have a hankering for these cookies I will try it, then update this post!

Quick note: Don't judge the cookies by how they taste right after you make them into sandwiches. The cookie part will be a little crunchy and the filling part will be really soft and blork out the sides when you take a bite. The flavors won't be perfectly matched and if you're anything like me, you'll be a little disappointed. But don't despair! Make all the sandwiches, put them in a single layer (this is important so the filling in the lower sandwiches doesn't squish out!) in a container, cover, and try them again the next day. The cookies will have magically softened, the filling will have firmed up a bit (to the point you can touch the side without it sticking to your finger and the sandwich will be easier to eat), and the flavors will have mellowed and melded. YUM!


Red Velvet Cookie Sandwiches

Cookies:
1/2 C butter
1 t vanilla extract
1 egg
1 box Duncan Hines Red Velvet Cake Mix (I specify the brand only because brands vary greatly)
about 2 T sugar

Filling:
1 C canned vanilla frosting
1 C marshmallow fluff

For Cookies: Preheat oven to 350 and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Place butter in a large microwave safe bowl and microwave until melted, about 1 minute. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes, then stir in vanilla extract and egg until mostly smooth, then stir in cake mix until well combined. Place sugar in a small bowl. Roll a small piece of dough into a ball the size of a cherry, then place the ball in the sugar so only half of it is sugared. Place the ball sugar side up on a baking sheet and press flat with the bottom of a glass to make a 1/3 inch tall disk. The sugar will keep the dough from sticking to the glass. Repeat with remaining dough, placing balls 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake until cookies are just set when you press them, 8 to 12 minutes. Cool on the baking sheets until they firm up, then allow them to continue cooling on a cooling wrack.

For Filling: Stir together frosting and marshmallow fluff until thoroughly combined. Spread desired amount on the bottom of a cooled cookie, top with another cookie, and repeat until you have lots of little sandwiches. Cookies can be stored in a single layer at room temperature or refrigerated. For best flavor and texture, let the cookies rest for 24 hours before you devour them.

Yield: about 18 cookie sandwiches

slow cooker chicken santa fe

as i've said before, it's been my goal this winter and spring to get a lot more use out of my slow cooker. and this chicken santa fe is one of my new favorites. i've been craving mexican food like crazy the past couple months and this is an easy way to curb the cravings. usually when we have tacos, they're ground beef, simply because it seems to be a bit easier and quicker to cook than chicken - all the cutting or poaching and shredding before spicing it up is more than i want to deal with some nights. but this chicken comes out perfectly spiced and falling completely apart from the slow cook. sure, you can shred it with forks, or use a set of tongs to break it up with one hand. it falls apart that easy.

slow cooker chicken santa fe
adapted from closet cooking
15 min prep, 8 hour cook time; serves 4

1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, whole
1/2 cup chicken broth
15 ounce can dived tomatoes
2 cups (15 ounce can) black beans
1 cup frozen corn
1 teaspoon ground cumin
cooked rice, green onions, and cheddar cheese for serving

1. coat the bottom of a skillet with olive oil and place over medium high heat. saute the onion until slightly caramelized, about five minutes. add the garlic and saute just until fragrant, about 30 seconds, and transfer to the slow cooker.
2. add the chicken to the pan and cook until brown on both sides, about four minutes per side. remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
3. add the chicken broth to the pan and deglaze it. transfer to the slow cooker.
4. add the tomatoes, black beans, corn, and cumin to the slow cooker. season with salt and pepper and stir. add the chicken breasts and nestle them into the mixture. cook on low about 8 hours.
5. remove the chicken, shred it, and return it to the slow cooker.
6. serve over cooked rice and top with green onions and cheddar cheese.

secret recipe club: jam swirled cheesecake

last summer, i canned a heck of a lot of fruit. strawberry jam. cherry almond jam. peach butter. apple pie filling. and along with the grape jelly and raspberry jam from my grandpa and mom, my basement is still stocked to the brim with fruit. so lately i've been on the lookout for ways to use jam - besides the obvious thumbprint cookie, between two pieces of bread, or smeared on a ritz with peanut butter. which brings me to this month's secret recipe club and tessa of the cookin' chemist's blueberry swirl cheesecake. as soon as i saw it, i knew cheesecake would be the perfect vessel for some of my homemade jam. and it didn't disappoint in the least.

for more information on the secret recipe club, including the list of participating bloggers, featured recipes from members, and instructions on how to join, visit the secret recipe club website!

check out my previous secret recipe club posts below
whole wheat grapefruit cake
chewy no bake granola bars & carrot cinnamon waffles
cannoli
gingerbread muffins
double chocolate peanut butter chip oatmeal cookies
butterscotch peach cake
whole wheat honey pancakesminted pineapple lime agua frescabreakfast tacos
simple almond sandwich cookies
roasted banana rum cake

jam swirled cheesecake
adapted from the cookin' chemist's blueberry swirl cheesecake
15 minutes prep, 1 hour bake, refrigerate at least 4 hours; makes one 8x8" or 9x13" pan

i made this in an 8x8" square pan and it rose all the way to the top. it didn't overflow, burn, or cook unevenly, it's just something to think about if you decide to use a small pan.

for the crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted

for the filling:
24 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
4 eggs
about 2/3 cup jam, i used homemade cherry almond jam

1. preheat your oven to 350F. line your baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper and set aside.
2. in a small bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter. press into the bottom of the pan and bake 10 minutes. cool on a wire rack.
3. while the crust is baking, make the filling. beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. add the sour cream, flour, vanilla, and almond and mix until combined. add eggs and beat just until combined. pour filling over the crust. add spoonfuls of the jam on top of the filling. drag a knife through the jam and filling to create the swirl.
4. bake about an hour, or until the center is almost set. cool complete on a wire rack. refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. use a knife to loosen the edges before cutting and serving. store in the refrigerator.

Jell-o Fruit Mousse

I'm not a big Jell-o fan and never have been. The wobbly weirdness just doesn't appeal to me. However, I saw this recipe on Our Best Bites on Saturday night and decided it would be the perfect Easter dessert, in part because I already had all the ingredients and in part because I prefer light, fruity desserts for Easter since we generally spend the day loading up on chocolate bunnies and peanut butter eggs. Last year I made a Pavlova topped with fresh fruit and it was wonderful but decided to try this mousse recipe instead :) Good choice because we both really liked it!

If you don't really care for the texture of Jell-o, I suggest trying this recipe because it's not like regular Jell-o at all. It's airy, fluffy, kind of foamy, and fruity. I used pineapple Jell-o but any flavor would work. Next time we want to try raspberry!

You can head on over to Our Best Bites (link above) if you want to see what the fruit mousse looks like. It's really very pretty if you have pretty little individual serving dishes to pour the mixture into, but I don't have those and it's considerably less pretty when scooped out of a big serving bowl and plopped into a little bowl, which is of course how I had to serve it. I did not top the mousse with Cool Whip because I made a double batch and used up all the Cool Whip, and I also didn't make the orange cream topping in the original recipe, but the mousse was great on its own.

Quick note: I doubled the recipe. If you do this, I suggest you blend the hot Jell-o mixture, cream cheese, and cold water in 2 separate batches, combine them in a bowl, and whisk in the Cool Whip. I did manage to fit all of the hot Jell-o mixture, cream cheese, and cold water in my blender, but it came very close to over flowing and I needed to stir in the Cool Whip by hand.

Jell-o Fruit Mousse

1 C boiling water
3 oz box Jell-o
1/2 C cold water
1/2 brick cream cheese (4 oz)
1/2 of an 8 oz tub Cool Whip

Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan and stir in Jell-o until dissolved. Add half the cold water to cool the mixture down a bit. Place cream cheese in blender and pour Jell-o mixture on top. Cover and blend until completely smooth, then add remaining cold water and blend. Add Cool Whip and blend just until completely combined. Pour into individual serving dishes or one larger bowl, cover, and refrigerate until set, about 6 hours. Top with additional Cool Whip if desired.

Yield: Six 1/2 C servings

Welsh Rabbit

Odd as it sounds, this is the oldest holiday food tradition my husband and I have. Back in 2007 when we were dating, I thought it would be funny to make Welsh Rabbit (also known as Welsh Rarebit) for dinner on Easter since... well, you know. The idea of eating rabbit for Easter. Heh. We have a weird sense of humor! Of course it's not real rabbit, it's just cheese sauce over toast. Seeing as I'm a lifelong bunny lover, rabbit is basically the last meat I would ever be willing to try! Anyway, I've made Welsh Rabbit for dinner on Easter every year since. Several recipes have been tried and tweaked, and this one is definitely the best! It's based on this one from AllRecipes but has been thoroughly tweaked over the past couple of years. That recipe calls for bacon and tomatoes, which are good, but it's also fantastic with just the sauce: creamy, smooth, cheesy, nicely seasoned and spooned over toast. For the toast I baked a loaf of soda bread which is rather sturdy and held up wonderfully against the cheese sauce. If you've never had Welsh Rabbit, I suggest you give it a try, whether for Easter or any other time!

Quick note: The key to a silky smooth cheese sauce is to whisk in the milk a little at a time (in 1/4 C increments) and then to remove the pan from the heat before adding the cheese so it doesn't break and get gritty.

Welsh Rabbit

2 T butter
1 T flour
2/3 C milk
1/4 C beer (can use milk instead but the beer really adds to the flavor and is more authentic)
1 t Worcestershire sauce
1/4 t salt
1/4 t dried ground mustard
1/8 t black pepper
1 C grated sharp cheddar (can use pre-grated and it will be fine)

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and whisk for a minute or two, until roux turns very lightly golden. Add milk a little at a time, whisking well after each addition so it's completely smooth before adding more. Whisk in beer. Bring sauce to a simmer and let cook, whisking constantly, for about a minute. Remove from heat and whisk in seasonings, then whisk in cheese until melted. Serve over toast.

Yield: 4 servings

Strawberry Lemonade

I hope everyone is having a great Easter! We aren't religious, but enjoy Easter anyway because it seems like the kick off for spring. Plus we have pet bunnies and they get extra spoiled on Easter :) I love holidays in general and see them as an excuse to make lots of yummy food, but I didn't make a lot today, or cook much in general this past week for a variety of reasons. Last Saturday one of our bunnies died, which is always heartbreaking because we (okay, mostly me) love them and they're part of our family. She died very unexpectedly and this past week was very tense and sad as we waited on lab results that would tell us what exactly she died of and whether our other rabbits were at risk of getting sick as well. Our thermostat also freaked out so it was 92 degrees in our house, and I had a test at school as well as a hugely important interview for my student teaching next year.

Thankfully the lab results came in yesterday and our other bunnies should be fine, it's less hot in here (though the thermostat still isn't fixed), and the test and interview went well, so I'm feeling much more chipper now even though I still miss my bunny a lot.

Saturday night I finally started thinking about what I'd like to make for Easter, and this strawberry lemonade was the first thing I thought of. The recipe is from Southern Plate and I've made it countless times now. It's so fast to make, tastes good, has less sugar than many drinks, and is so incredibly cheery with the strawberries and bright pink-red color. Perfect for Easter and the coming of spring, or the 4th of July, or any other not snowy occasion!

Quick note: This lemonade DOES have strawberry seeds that float on top. Once I tried to strain them out with a fine mesh strainer and even added lots of water to the puree to make it thinner, but it took forever and was totally not worth it. Just consider the seeds to be part of the charm and proof that the lemonade uses real strawberries!

Strawberry Lemonade

1 lb strawberries, fresh or frozen (rinse and hull if fresh, thaw if frozen)
1 packet Pink Lemonade Crystal Light (the packet that makes half a gallon)
cold water

Fill a 1/2 gallon pitcher half full with cold water and stir in Crystal Light packet. Place strawberries in a blender and blend until smooth. You can add some cold water to help blend them. Pour pureed strawberries into pitcher and fill to the top with water. Stir to combine. Done!

Yield: 8 one cup servings

mini baked coconut dredged donuts

i haven't had any true cravings for anything since i've been pregnant - at least not cravings like other women i know, forcing their husbands to drive to the store for double stuff oreos, oranges, and ice cream. but i've had hankerings for foods and each one lasts about a week or two, until i move on to the next food. first it was fried haddock sandwiches. then lay's sour cream & onion potato chips, a few weeks of popcorn, and lately, it's coconut. for one week, all i wanted was a coconut donut. you know, one of those glazed cake donuts doused in sweetened, shredded coconut. miraculously i was able to walk right past them in the bakery of my grocery store. but as soon as i got home from the store, these homemade mini versions were mine. so i ate them all. in three days.

mini baked coconut dredged donuts
adapted from doughnuts: simple & delicious recipes to make at home
1 hour, makes 24 mini donuts

for the donuts:
3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg

for the glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons milk or water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 ounces shredded sweetened coconut

1. preheat your oven to 350F and lightly grease a mini donut pan, mini muffin pan, or regular sized donut pan. set aside.
2. whisk the flours and baking powder together in a large bowl. whisk in the sugar, nutmeg, and salt. add the butter and use your fingers to rub it into the mixture.
3. add the milk, yogurt, vanilla, and egg and stir until combined. don't overmix or you may have rubbery donuts.
4. transfer the dough to a zip top bag & close it. snip off one corner and fill your pans about two thirds full.
5. bake mini donuts about 8 minutes, or until golden brown. mini muffins and full size donuts will require additional baking time. let cool in the pan for five to ten minutes before turning out. cool completely before glazing.
6. to make the glaze, whisk the powdered sugar, three tablespoons milk or water, and the vanilla until smooth. whisk in more milk or water if the glaze is too thick.
7. when you're ready to glaze the donuts, place the coconut on a plate. dip each donut in the glaze to coat it completely. let excess glaze drip off the donuts and coat completely in the coconut. place on a cooling rack until the glaze is dry, about 30 minutes. store in an airtight container. donuts are best eaten within two days.